Get Started Using Fresh Proposals

Hi there!

We have prepared this OVERVIEW guide for new users. 

It will also help you get started quickly using Fresh Proposals. It lays down the basics elements of the software, recommends where to start, how to generate a proposal from template, customize it style it and send it. Once it is sent, how you will be notified of the client's interactions with your proposal and you can check those insights.

So let's get started.

The Menu

Once you activate your account, in the web application you will notice a menu on the left side.

Understanding the Tool Better

Before you start editing proposal or template; it is a good idea to understand how proposal/ template information is organized.

Proposal : This is what you will be sending to your prospect/ client. 

Template : It is kind of proposal that you intend to use again and again

Sections : Constituent of proposal/ template. It is like a chapter in a book

Blocks (component) : Individual elements you would like to see on a given page

• Each Proposal / Template contains one or more sections
• New section can be created inside the proposal or template or using Section Library
• There can be more than one pages in any given section
• Each section in turn may contain multiple content blocks such as textbox, image, content table, shapes, signature, video, pricing table
• Content block controls can seen only be seen in Editing mode and it can be dragged-n-dropped to the page as shown below

For a Smooth Ride, Start Browsing Templates

To explore this tool, you should start browsing existing templates.

You can preview a given template by hovering mouse over it and click on the eye icon

Templates in Fresh Proposals are 100% customizable. 

You can edit / update these templates as you'd like to.

As mentioned above

• Each Proposal / Template contains one or more sections
• New sections can be created inside the proposal or template or using Section Library
• There can be more than one pages in any given section
• Each section in turn may contain multiple content blocks such as textbox, image, content table, shapes, signature, video, pricing table
• Content block controls can seen only be seen in Editing mode and it can be dragged-n-dropped to the page as shown below

Creating a Proposal

You have two options to create a new proposal

1. Start from blank proposal

2. Start from existing templates

Generating a Proposal from a Template

To create proposal using current template, you can simply click on Generate Proposal button available on 

1. Tile image as shown above (blue background with buttons on it)

2. Editing a template as shown below

Once you have everything in a place in a template; you can generate a proposal by clicking on 'Generate Proposal' button.

It will prompt you to save proposal name and in the next step, enter required information such as client name, due date, etc. 

Using Advance option, yon also attach file or set proposal number

You can save the proposal in draft mode so that you can revisit and update it again.

More information about managing proposals is here.

Using Text, Fees Table, Signature Blocks/ Components

You can drag-n-drop a block such as Text, Signature, Content Table, Fees Table or Image or Video to the page, you will see it properties on the right side. Each block has its own set of properties which are displayed on the right side panel.

You can also just click on icons of these blocks and it will be added to proposal page.

e.g. Textbox

The drag-n-drop behaviour in case of Image, Video, Shape is little different, since you have to select the desired image, video or shape from the available list, you need click and choose the desired image/video/shape from the list to drag-n-drop to editor page as shown below.

Using Text box

In case of Textbox selected in the editor, you can use properties on the right side panel to resize its height, width, background color, transparency, etc.

To change style of any given text paragraph you can simply place a cursor on it and system will automatically display a horizontal text tool bar at top (as shown below). 

• You can change its paragraph style whether it should be Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3, Body, etc.
• You can change size of the font
• You can change color of the text
• You can change alignment
• You can make it bold, italic, underline
• You can add bullet points, etc
• You can reset any existing style using Reset button (last one)

Similarly you can add following blocks to your proposal or template

• Image
• Shape (rectangle, circle, line)
• Images
• Signature
• Fees Table
• Content Table
• Video

More information about how to add/manage these blocks can be found here.

Placeholder Variables

You can also use placeholder variables so that you don't have to keep typing some specific information (such as client company name, proposal date or email address or phone number, etc) every time and worry about typo error when you want to replace all corresponding values of that name, email address or date, etc. With placeholder variables, you just have to change the value at one place and it will be updated every other place.

Here is more information about Placeholder/ Variables..

Sending a Proposal

If you have everything covered in your proposal and can't wait to send the proposal to your client, you just need to click on Next button from within Proposal Editor as show below.

Email Wizard

You have email templates available to send your proposal as well as a follow-up with your client. You can view, edit these email templates.

You can preview the email before clicking on Send. You will be able to see, how it will look on desktop and mobile.

Email Notifications

As soon as you send a proposal, you will receive email notification that a proposal has been sent to your prospect/ client

Whenever Prospect Opens Your Proposal

Once proposal link is emailed to your prospect/client; you will be notified via email whenever s/he opens your proposal.

More information about sending a proposal, i.e. email wizard is here.

Design Proposal/ Template

Fresh Proposals gives you power to design professional looking proposal. You can use a combination of text styling - font, colour, images, shapes, its borders, repeater to beautify your proposal and make it look far elegant and engaging.

Set Font Style, Page Settings

You can define your own design for a given proposal or template, you can totally decide how text will look, page sizes, repeating elements, etc.

To access this option, click on Settings menu as shown below

To set your own design in terms of, for Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3, Body, etc

• Which font to use
• Font size
• Font colour
• Alignment
• Bold, Italic, Underline

You can click on Text Settings option as shown below.

And also to set page setting whether to have page orientation as landscape or portrait and also select page size, etc. using Page Settings Size of H1, Colour of H1, .

Proposal Analytics

You can view how your prospect has engaged with your proposal - which sections s/he has visited, how long s/he has visited, how many times visited, etc.

To access proposal analytics, click on the Proposal Summary button on proposal tile as shown below.

Proposal Details Page

It will open proposal details page as shown below.

Proposal Analytics Page

Click on Proposal Analytics tab to view it.

We are working hard to improve Fresh Proposals product as well as prepare simple user guide for you to quickly get started and keep using it.

If you have any feedback about tool or even this help guide, please click on 'Create/Submit Ticket' and let us know about it.

DASHBOARD

Once you start using Fresh Proposals regularly for our sales activities (i.e. you keep sending proposals), your dashboard will help you stay on top of your sales funnel. Typically, this is how it will look like.

Few Videos to help you

Getting Started Video

Whact us creating a proposal from scratch, here is the video

Need Further Help?

1. You can contact us using the chatbox in the application. 
2. You can create support ticket using option available in the help bar on right side
3. You can also send us email support [at] freshproposals dot com