Show that you understand the current state of research on your topic.
The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.
One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.
Download our research proposal template
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
See an example
Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.
Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:
The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.
Your introduction should:
To guide your introduction , include information about:
As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.
In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:
Following the literature review, restate your main objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.
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To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.
For example, your results might have implications for:
Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .
Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.
Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.
Download our research schedule template
Research phase | Objectives | Deadline |
---|---|---|
1. Background research and literature review | 20th January | |
2. Research design planning | and data analysis methods | 13th February |
3. Data collection and preparation | with selected participants and code interviews | 24th March |
4. Data analysis | of interview transcripts | 22nd April |
5. Writing | 17th June | |
6. Revision | final work | 28th July |
If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.
Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:
To determine your budget, think about:
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Methodology
Statistics
Research bias
Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .
Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.
I will compare …
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.
A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.
A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.
All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.
Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.
Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.
The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/
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The current pandemic may have curbed our travel, but that doesn’t mean we don’t all still know the value of having good maps and a suggested itinerary. Indeed, a solid plan of action makes any endeavor — whether it be a fun-filled vacation, an educational goal, or a professional enterprise — more focused, less stressful, and, thus, more effective. It doesn’t matter if life interrupts our plans (“Hello, COVID-19!”); in fact, interruptions are a given, but we still know that good plans prepare us for whatever lies ahead. They help us to define our priorities and clarify our needs so that we can better manage our resources. The result: we are better prepared to handle uncertainties and more formidable and more productive in whatever we choose to do.
For businesses, good plans are based on good research. More than good products and services, good information sets profitable companies apart from their competition, allowing them to prepare for — and plan for — success. This is why market research proposals are so important. A market research proposal is a document a company uses to map out its future. It unites company stakeholders in joint discovery of information so that everyone knows who and what really matters. In short, a market research proposal outlines the specifics of an information-gathering project. This is how to write a winning one:
A market research proposal is sometimes called a “market research brief” because it's just that: brief. It should also be clearly written with no unusual acronyms or industry jargon and only the necessary points to underscore the overall research objective (as well as how it will be addressed) highlighted.
The beginning of the proposal should include a short overview of the company, including such details as its mission and vision statements; market performance history; industry facts, figures, and trends; competitor data points and any other past research findings that shed light on the issue(s) at hand and why further research is needed.
The research objective is the most important part of the proposal, as it clearly outlines the information a company needs, and, thus, defines the overall goal of the project. It’s basically the question a company wants to be answered and needs to be specific and measurable (but not necessarily quantitative) with the desired outcome.
Of course, a market research proposal should also include a section explaining how the information to address the research objective will be obtained. Details about data collection (including the definition of the target audience, sample selection criteria, and proposed methodology) need to be clarified (since specific demographic, technological, economic, political, and even environmental concerns inevitably impact research outcomes) and should be evident with reasons for their use thoroughly transparent.
Finally, a good market research proposal needs to include a list of expected outcomes. An estimation of budget concerns, as well as a timeline for specific research milestones and project completion, should be listed here, along with an overview of projected deliverables to be anticipated. This helps both company executives and researchers to remain focused and on point.
A winning market research proposal isn’t just the one that seals the deal on a research project. It’s the one that provides actionable insights for companies and researchers alike. Following a determined set of standards, a winning market research proposal has the potential to garner data that can be used to inform better business decisions. Our team at Research America has the expertise needed to craft winning market research proposals that yield meaningful results for all involved. Please contact us to learn more.
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Use this template to create a proposal for a market research study.
This tool can be used alone, but it’s also part of the comprehensive Market Research Playbook. It provides step-by-step planning guidance while also helping you utilize more than 25 downloadable tools from the popular AMA Marketer’s Toolkit library.
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Title of the research
Prepared for: [Client.Company]
Prepared by: [Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName] [Sender.Company]
What is a market research proposal? A market research proposal is a document that sells your services to potential clients by showing them what they can accomplish by hiring you to complete their project or research study. It includes a summary, objectives, existing knowledge, intended outcomes, target demographics, data collection methods, a detailed research methodology, a project timeline, proposed budget, ethical considerations, and further outcomes.
Through this market research project, [research title] , we aim to provide more information for [client] regarding market trends in the area. The following summary will give an overview of the causes, processes, and possible effects of the market research proposal detailed below.
Based on our conversation with [Client First Name] with [Client Company] , we know that your goals for this research include [objective] and [objective] We will use a variety of qualitative and quantitative processes to collect and analyze the latest market data. This process will allow you to assess the potential market for your new product and how best to advertise it.
The primary client objectives for this research involve:
The overall purpose of this market research study is to develop a marketing strategy for [Client Company] ’s newest product. Specific objectives to be addressed as a result of the study are:
Based on our initial prospecting call with [Client First Name] at [Client Company Name] , we know that this product will complement an existing product line. This line’s most successful target market is women between the ages of 20 and 40 with an annual household income between $50,000 and $75,000.
Other companies in this industry have successfully launched similar products that are currently selling well with your target demographic. Last year [Client Industry] revenues topped [$dollar amount] .
By researching what features clients most desire in [Client Company] ’s new product, you will have a better understanding of their triggers. You can tailor your marketing strategy to highlight these features and tell the story of how they benefit target customers, capture new customers and build market share.
Based on our experience, we believe that the study will allow [Client Company] to:
You can use these results to tailor your marketing messages and chosen marketing channels to better target your desired market. By better understanding how your product meets customer needs, you can develop ad strategies to communicate its benefits.
Our research process will begin in-house with [Client Company] ’s marketing team. We will evaluate annual reports, sales reports, research and development reports, and other existing data to confirm that our target market is correct.
Based on our initial call and background research, this study will target 200 individuals from households of different sizes within your service area. From our initial research, we have determined that this study will likely target women between the ages of 20 and 40 with an annual income of between $35,000 and $100,000, but specifics will be determined following interviews with [Client Company] . Focused research methodologies will be used to determine what features of the new product they find most beneficial as well as their current level of awareness of [Client Company] and their preferred marketing channels.
To meet the objectives of the project, we will perform the following data collection methods. Data collection methods will be suited to the project at hand and will include:
Focus groups are a proven method for gathering data from your target sample. We will conduct up to five focus group meetings consisting of no more than 10 participants. In our experience, smaller groups allow us to collect data from more participants, and they are easier to control.
Each focus group will last for about an hour, and participants will receive a $5 gift card for their time. Focus groups will be conducted in our conference rooms.
We will also conduct a randomly distributed mail survey to collect data from a representative sample within your service area. The survey will also be made available online. Customers who receive the mail survey will be given an access code to take the survey online, and their responses will be kept separate from general online responses to maintain a random sample.
To capture additional responses, we will display QR codes in targeted locations to promote the online survey. We suggest offering an incentive to people who take the survey such as an entry to a prize drawing or a coupon from [Client Company] .
Along with focus groups and surveys, we recommend conducting intercept polls of people in the desired target market shopping near retail chains that currently carry [Client Company] ’s products.
This research study will include a blend of qualitative and quantitative research methods, primarily utilizing the data collection methods listed above. Since your objectives include [objective] our research methods have been tailored to reach your desired demographics. In our previous experience, we have found that this demographic responds well to our proposed methodology.
The study will provide beneficial data to your company by focusing on the following key topics:
Potential limitations to the study methods include survey fatigue. Most companies include customer satisfaction surveys at every customer touchpoint, and people are less receptive to taking a survey. This has made it more difficult to capture user opinions using traditional survey methods.
To counteract survey fatigue, we will supplement survey data with a mix of qualitative and quantitative research. We will gather information from industry reports, online interactions, social media metrics, and in-person research to generate accurate and useful data.
To reach younger members of your target demographic, we propose offering digital engagement tools including livestream question-and-answer sessions and a dedicated social media page on which they can submit feedback. We can also set up a project-specific website to conduct user engagement. Our tools allow us to see the IP addresses of each user, so we exclude fake or irrelevant responses.
Our project manager will keep in touch with [Client Company] regularly throughout the project. We will conduct weekly progress meetings via phone or video conferencing. At these meetings, we will discuss completed tasks, gather any outstanding data, and discuss the next steps in the process.
Written reports will be provided at the end of each task detailing the research methodology and the outcomes of each phase of the project. At the end of the project, a detailed report will be submitted containing a summary of the project and detailed results. We will submit the draft report to your project manager in Google Docs for any edits. Once the project is completed, we can present the report to your internal project team so they can best understand the results.
We will provide a printed copy and a PDF of the final report.
Based on our call with [First Name] at [Client Company] , we know that you would like this study to be completed by the end of September. Since you plan on using the results to develop your marketing budget for the next fiscal year, we will complete your project within your desired time frame.
The following timeline details data collection times, the specific period of research analysis and the date of final deliverables. We have developed this schedule based on our understanding of your needs, but the final timeline will be discussed during project kick off.
Task 1 Task description
Task 2 Task description
Task 3 Task description
Task 1 [Cost] Description
Task 2 [Cost]
Task 3 [Cost]
Final report [Cost]
Reimbursable expenses [Cost]
Total [Cost]
[Company name] follows all ethical considerations regarding market research and test subjects. Each participant will be told that their participation in this research is voluntary, and they will be told how we plan on using their data. We will provide them with a form explaining this information and assuring them that their data will remain confidential.
Each participant will sign a form stating that they understand these terms. To protect each participant, we will not collect any personal data other than standard demographic information that can be used to inform the study.
If any additional data is collected, we will not sell this information to a third party or use it in any other research studies. It will be collected solely for the purposes of this market research project.
This market research study will give [Client Company] a better understanding of your target market. It will provide insight into what your clients expect from your new product and how to best market it to members of your target demographic.
The study may also highlight other data including existing brand awareness and brand perceptions you can use to further tailor your ads.
Our company was founded by market research experts with [XX] years of experience conducting similar studies. We use proven methodologies to collect data and distill it into easily digestible reports. We encourage our employees to stay up-to-date on the latest research techniques and analysis software.
Team Member
Bio – [Project Manager Name] has [XX] years of experience managing research studies for clients in many industries. She has a Master’s Degree in Market Research from [University] and is a Certified Research Expert.
Her experience includes similar studies in the industry which her client used to boost their market share by %. She is a well-known speaker at industry conferences and is well versed in the latest data analytics software.
Bio – [Team Member Name] is a data analyst with [XX] years of experience. He has worked on [XX] projects in [industry] and is a Certified Research Analyst. He will assist with data collection and analysis and provide technical support for all online components of this research study.
[Example Company] used our market research results to improve their understanding of client needs and used the information to develop a new marketing strategy. As a result, they achieved a 25% growth in revenue and reduced inventory backlog by 30%.
[Client Name]
[Testimonial]
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There are two things every agency or freelancer needs out of a content marketing proposal:
For these reasons, we’d like to walk you through the in’s and out’s of writing your own content marketing proposals based on strategies that we’ve seen work best.
And don’t forget to download the FREE proposal template built with content marketers in mind.
👉 Download the Content Marketing Proposal Template
A content marketing proposal is a document or slide deck that lays out a specific set of goals, roadmaps, the scope of work, and pricing plans for a content marketing program.
They’re primarily used by agencies and freelancers as a way of detailing a plan of execution for a company’s content strategy. In-house teams can also repurpose these proposal templates for their own internal business case pitches.
Additionally, content marketing proposals give teams as much visibility into the work before actually digging into the content process.
It’s hard to give universal guidance on how to create the best content marketing proposal given the complex relationships and types of campaigns that companies can run.
For example, one proposal might be for an audience-driven social media content program while another might be focused completely on organic traffic from SEO. The proposal for each program type might look quite different.
For this reason, let’s walk through some of the biggest considerations for you and your team before you get started on your proposal.
This is especially relevant if you’re a freelancer or an external marketing agency that needs to plugin to the in-house marketing team.
Your proposal can look remarkably different if you’ll be helping to execute on an already approved content marketing strategy than if you were asked to build the content marketing plan from scratch.
You might no longer be responsible for developing the goal KPIs, researching the target audience, or creating plans for different channels that the in-house team already has resources for.
In other words - are you responsible for the strategy, the execution, or both?
It’s important to be thorough about which services you’ll need to offer in order to bring a content marketing strategy to life.
By services, we mean all of the types of content and channels that you’ll be creating content for AND we’re referring to any related strategy and services that are required to ensure the work in the proposal is a success.
For example:
We’ve worked on plenty of blog campaigns as an SEO content agency in which the target audience was already defined and the in-house team was building YouTube and social media content. Our proposal will only need to include blog content and necessary SEO research such as investigating related queries, trends, and competitor gaps.
BUT, for SEO content, we may need to include technical SEO and development services if those aren’t already being handled by another team. If the website’s UX is flawed, the load times are slow, or various CTA forms could enhance conversions, offering those services (or at least consulting on best practices) can ensure that we’ll deliver the success we promised in our proposal.
You can include target KPIs for growth based on the industry of the company and any known benchmarks for the type of content marketing you’ll be doing.
For example, you might decide to include:
Depending on the nature of your relationship with the company that you’ll be submitting your proposal to, we recommend developing a shared conversation about goals prior to solidifying them.
This will help with retention and client satisfaction.
In our experience, it’s critical to hear what the company’s overall goals and target KPIs are. However, we’ve also seen that it’s equally important that we temper their expectations based on our own experiences. For this reason, we recommend making the goal-setting part of the proposal more conversational before solidifying it.
For example: In SEO, a company might hire us to create blog content that generates eCommerce sales for specific products. However, due to the nature of blog content, we can help the client understand the best metrics (such as assisted conversions or email sign-ups) to measure success by.
Additionally, we’ll likely need to explain that bottom of the funnel content targeting highly specific queries often results in the largest number of conversions - but not the largest number of pageviews. So if a client is expecting both enormous traffic growth as well as an increase in sales, we need to explain that those are two separate goals.
The following sections are typically what’s included in a standard content marketing proposal. Follow along with your template as we discuss the best practices for each section.
The overview and goals section is meant to give the ten-thousand-foot view of the project. It succinctly defines what you’re setting out to do as well as the overall goals of the project. Think of this as a type of “ mission statement .”
Neither of these things will shock the company you send the proposal to as they’ll likely have given these to you already. The purpose of this section is to lay out the task prior to showing them how you’ll achieve the goals.
Getting the scope of work correct in your proposal is vital to both you and the company you’re pitching to. Laying out everything that your team is able to execute gives everyone a clear understanding of what you’ll be responsible for.
It also allows you to reference the proposal at a later date should a company ask for something outside of this scope, protecting you from unreasonable requests and unnecessary costs.
Below are some of the most common things to include in your scope of work section.
Content Strategy
Try not to confuse this section with THE content strategy . You haven’t been paid to start doing things like keyword research , yet - so don’t do too much work upfront.
In a proposal, you’re actually laying out the strategy for the overall campaign. This means a high-level overview that’s meant to sell your company’s plan. This might include:
For each of the previous bullets, write out a paragraph or two about how you create this, why you’re so effective at creating it, and why you think including this is the ticket to success.
You can think of this section as a way for you to summarize what you’ll be doing and why you’re the one worth choosing.
Types of content
Remember to include the specific types of content you’ll be responsible for, whether it’s content production or just strategy.
Common types of content in marketing proposals include:
Competitor analysis
A simple, yet effective part of the proposal in which you discuss the importance of identifying exactly who your competitors are. This should include the insights that competitor research will provide your team, and how you can use that data to help inform the overall strategy.
Additionally, we like to include short phrases that show off our experience with competitor analysis. This might include a statement about how companies tend to only see their competitors as the people who make the same products or offer the same services. In content marketing, however, the people creating the content that you’re competing with are oftentimes outside of your industry altogether.
Content roadmap
Including a note about the roadmap allows you to tell your prospective client that they’ll have full visibility into the entire plan prior to its execution.
This should position you as transparent, honest, and allow you to frame the project as a partnership with built-in flexibility based on trends and priority shifts.
Market and audience research
No good content marketing strategy is without market and audience research. Your goal is to reassure the client that you won’t be creating a strategy based on intuition or guesses.
Instead, you’ll be making relevant, up-to-date, data-driven decisions with the help of tools, data sets, and the expertise of the client’s sales and customer success teams.
Recommended reading: 10 Customer Persona Tools & Templates
One of the best ways to display your organizational and project management skills is to put the strategy into the understood timeframe for the campaign. This initial timeline doesn’t need to include exact dates but should include workflow steps, number of deliverables each week, month, quarter, etc.
Additionally, include any tools/resources you’ll provide them to showcase visibility and be sure to express your desire for accountability.
This could be access to a workflow platform like Asana. Or, it could be letting them know that they’ll have access to a shared editorial calendar.
Recommended reading: What is a Channel Plan and Why Do I Need One?
If you want to put your content marketing proposal over the top of your competitors, include relevant case studies for them to review.
By relevant, we mean including a case study for a content marketing campaign that was in a related industry or in which you achieved the same KPIs that the prospective client wants to achieve. Or even better, both.
If you’re just starting out, you might not have the luxury of being able to select from a large portfolio. However, you should still find a way to frame any case studies you have to be relevant to your new client.
It’s important to provide the pricing associated with the project. This breakdown gives companies an understanding of what each deliverable requires from a budgeting perspective.
We’ve also found that it can be helpful to offer 2 or 3 options in the pricing section for the opportunity to upsell more valuable services or more deliverables.
However, unless explicitly asked for, avoid providing line item pricing. You can incidentally create questions about the value of certain services and even fuel a desire for a custom a la carte style plan.
For the sake of positioning, we recommend labeling this section with the word “investment” rather than “price” or “cost.” It tends to give a better impression and true understanding of the partnership you’re entering into. Recommended reading: Content Marketing Budget Examples For All Business Sizes
As promised, here’s our content marketing proposal template that we’ve used in the past to land several clients. In it, we’ve included tips and suggestions for how to go about your content marketing pitch.
We recommend that you start with a quick overview of the presentation structure, followed by your specific approach in building successful content marketing campaigns. This part is meant to serve as the ‘hook’, to showcase that you are capable of servicing the client’s needs.
The template also includes slides where you can insert specific recommendations for clients, your pricing structure, and a section for social proof where you can dive into what others have to say about you.
Please remember that this is a sample template with fonts, branding, logos, and color scheme relevant to Content Harmony. It is fully customizable and we highly recommend that you alter it according to your needs. The template has placeholders for areas where you fill in details like the client name, examples of your work, and testimonials.
Please use your own logos, images, and styles to nail your content marketing pitch. Replicating our template as is won’t give your prospect the best impression.
In addition to the best practices recommended above, we believe that it is important you keep an eye out for common pitfalls, too. Avoiding these common missteps can often mean the difference between landing that $5,000 monthly retainer client or receiving a polite email that the prospect has decided to go in a different direction.
When you’re pitching a content marketing proposal, you’re effectively telling the client that you understand their industry, their target audience, and key personas as well as they do or better. Whether your proposal covers audience building via social media or organic traffic growth, your client has to trust that you’re up to the task.
Content marketing strategies targeting Kubernetes applications are markedly different from those aiming to build an engaged audience around winter clothing. Your proposal must show that you have a track record of success with similar businesses.
Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t have to mean industry experience. It’s often more important to match the business model or audience. But if you’re pitching to a SaaS company with examples of projects you’ve done in travel & tourism, with wildly different audience segments and personas, there’s a high chance you won’t be picked.
But what if you’re trying to enter a new industry altogether and need that first client for experience? In that case, we recommend that you either build a compelling case for why the prospect should pick you despite minimal experience in their vertical or pick up one or two one-off projects in that niche before pitching to clients with a monthly retainer.
Some folks start their content marketing pitch with a long-winded introduction about their agency and go into detail about their past work, their clients, and big wins.
That’s one of the fastest ways for your prospect to switch off.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: your prospect doesn’t want a laundry list of your achievements. Your accomplishments matter, but the prospect is most interested in understanding whether or not you can solve their marketing challenges. That’s the only reason they’ll give you their cash; the more you make your proposal about yourself, the less the chances of success.
We’re not saying that you should avoid name dropping or showcasing key wins. But use it strategically, such as towards the end of the pitch. Always start the proposal with an understanding of the client’s problems and your roadmap / strategy for solving them.
Once you’ve hooked them in and aroused their interest, give them a reason to trust you and work with you. That’s where you bring in the element of social proof: by showcasing past work and accomplishments, so they feel confident about their decision.
A content marketing pitch is one step in what will, hopefully, be a long partnership. But it’s these initial few interactions — from the proposal to the onboarding sequence — that can mean the difference between success and failure.
The first few interactions are where you can start to steer the conversation towards goal-setting and expectation management, and give the client a clear idea of what it’s like to work with you.
We recommend that you include the following details in your content marketing proposal:
How will the client communicate with your team? Who will they work with directly day-to-day? Will it be via email or a Slack channel? What is your average response time for client inquiries?
What types of reports will you send them and at what frequency? For example, you could commit to a bi-weekly overview of project updates and movements in areas like traffic growth, organic keyword rankings, and social media followers.
Will you add them to a shared project management tool like Trello or Jira? That way you can tag the client when you need their input on a draft editorial calendar or a new blog post. A shared resource helps everyone stay on the same page and keep track of pending deliverables. It also prevents things like long email chains, where there’s a higher chance of miscommunication.
Don’t get complacent even if you have a great pitch and land the client. The first 100 days are often the most crucial and where you can set yourself up for long-term success.
When you’re building your content marketing pitch, it can be worthwhile to give your prospect a teaser of specific tools and ways you’ll build out their content assets.
For example, your prospect may need help with improving and optimizing existing blog content. Some of their content may have ranked well a couple of years ago, but now it’s slipped drastically down the SERPs. Or, your prospect may need new SEO-optimized content written from scratch.
In either case, it’s best practice to demonstrate how you’ll deploy a data-driven approach to solving their problem.
Content Harmony’s brief workflow is a chance to show your client that you adopt a highly structured approach in building content. Embedding screenshots of the tool in your pitch shows the client that you’ve spent time in research: scouring the SERPs to determine the optimal structure, word count, internal and external links, and detailed guidance for writers.
And once the content is written, it’s further analyzed in the Content Grader section to ensure that no stone is left unturned.
You can even paste the client’s current content into the Content Grader to show them how a data-driven content optimization process makes their content better.
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Derek is the SEO Content Strategist at Ten Speed, a content optimization and marketing agency that specializes in search engine optimization for B2B SaaS and D2C companies.
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-flint/
Twitter: @I___DEREKflint
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Written by: Raja Mandal
So you have a groundbreaking research idea you've spent months or even years developing, and now you're ready to take the next step.
How do you get funding for your research, and how should you approach potential funders? The answer is to create a convincing research proposal.
Unfortunately, most research proposals often get rejected. According to the European Research Council, the success rate for repeat proposal applications was only 14.8% in 2023 .
Pitching a novel research concept isn’t enough. To increase your chances of securing funding, your research proposal must check the right boxes in terms of clarity, feasibility, aesthetic appeal and other factors.
If you’re looking for inspiration to create a persuasive and feasible proposal, you’re in the right place. In this article, we have compiled a list of research proposal examples to help you create yours.
These examples will help you understand how to organize your proposal, what information to include and how to present it in a way that encourages others to support your project.
Let's dive in!
What is a research proposal, what to include in a research proposal, 8 research proposal examples & templates, research proposal faqs.
A research proposal is a structured document that outlines the core idea of your research, the methods you intend to use, the required resources and the expected results.
Think of it as a sales pitch for your research. It answers some big questions: What are you planning to explore? Why is it important to conduct the research? What are your research objectives and the methods you’ll use to achieve them? What are the potential outcomes or contributions of this research to the field?
A research proposal serves two primary purposes. First, it convinces funding bodies or academic committees to support your research project expected to bring new ideas and insights. Second, it provides a roadmap for your research journey, helping you stay focused, organized and on track.
Now, we'll discuss what to include in a research proposal. You'll learn about the important parts of a research proposal template and how they help present your research idea clearly.
Here’s an infographic that you can use to understand the elements of a research proposal quickly.
Start your research proposal with a title page that clearly states your research. The title page is like a book cover, giving the first impression of your project. Therefore, you must ensure the design is engaging enough to attract your audience at first glance.
Include the following details on your title page:
After the title page comes the abstract and the table of contents.
The abstract is a concise summary of your project that briefly outlines your research question, the reasons behind the study and the methods you intend to use. It is a quick way for readers to understand your proposal without reading the entire document.
The table of contents is a detailed list of the sections and subsections in your proposal, with page numbers. It helps readers navigate through your document and quickly locate different parts they're interested in.
The introduction of your research proposal sets the tone for the rest of the document. It should grab the reader's attention and make them want to learn more. It's your chance to make a strong case for why your research is worth investigating and how it can fill a gap in current knowledge or solve a specific problem.
Make sure that your introduction covers the following:
A literature review is a list of the scholarly works you used to conduct your research. It helps you demonstrate your current knowledge about the topic.
Here's how this part works:
This section outlines your plan for answering your research question. It explains how you intend to gather and analyze information, providing a clear roadmap of the investigation process.
Here are the key components:
Describe the entire group you're interested in (the population). This could be all teachers in a specific state or all social media platform users. After that, you will need to explain how you will choose a smaller group, known as a sample, to study directly. This sample should be selected to accurately represent the larger population you are interested in studying.
To choose the right sampling method, you need to assess your population properly. For instance, to obtain general insights, you can use random sampling to select individuals without bias. If the population consists of different categories, such as professionals and students, you can use stratified sampling to ensure that each category is represented in the sample.
Other popular sampling methods include systematic, convenience, purposive, cluster, and probability sampling techniques.
There are three main approaches for the research: qualitative (focusing on experiences and themes), quantitative (using numbers and statistics), or mixed methods (combining both). Your choice will depend on your research question and the kind of data you need.
This section details the specific methods you'll use to gather information. Will you distribute surveys online or in person? Conduct interviews? Perhaps you'll use existing data sets. Here, you'll also explain how you'll ensure the data collection process is reliable and ethical.
Once you have collected your data, the next step is to analyze it to obtain meaningful insights. The method you choose depends on the available data type.
If you have quantitative data, you can employ statistical tests to analyze it. And if you're dealing with qualitative data, coding techniques can help you spot patterns and themes in your collected data.
In this section, you need to explain how your research will contribute to the existing knowledge in your field. You should describe whether your study will fill a knowledge gap, challenge conventional ideas or beliefs or offer a fresh perspective on a topic.
Clearly outline how your work will advance your field of study and why this new knowledge is essential.
Create a timeline with important milestones, such as finishing your literature review, completing data collection and finalizing your analysis.
This shows that you've carefully considered the scope of your project and can manage your time effectively. Furthermore, account for possible delays and be prepared to adapt your schedule accordingly.
To create this timeline, consider using a visual tool like a Gantt chart or a simple spreadsheet. These tools will help you organize individual tasks, assign deadlines, and visualize the project's overall progress.
Choose a Gantt chart template from Visme's library and customize it to create your timeline quickly. Here's an example template:
The budget section is your opportunity to show them that you've carefully considered all necessary expenses and that your funding request is justified.
Here's how you can approach this part:
Using these research proposal examples and templates, you can create a winning proposal in no time. You will find templates for various topics and customize every aspect of them to make them your own.
Visme’s drag-and-drop editor, advanced features and a vast library of templates help organizations and individuals worldwide create engaging documents.
Here’s what a research student who uses Visme to create award-winning presentations has to say about the tool:
Research Student
Now, let’s dive into the research proposal examples.
This research proposal presentation template is a powerful tool for presenting your research plan to stakeholders. The slides include specific sections to help you outline your research, including the research background, questions, objectives, methodology and expected results.
The slides create a coherent narrative, highlighting the importance and significance of your research. Overall, the template has a calming and professional blue color scheme with text that enables your audience to grasp the key points.
If you need help creating your presentation slides in a fraction of the time, check out Visme's AI presentation maker . Enter your requirements using text prompts, and the AI tool will generate a complete presentation with engaging visuals, text and clear structure. You can further customize the template completely to your needs.
Sales research gives you a deeper understanding of their target audience. It also helps you identify gaps in the market and develop effective sales strategies that drive revenue growth. With this research proposal template, you can secure funding for your next research project.
It features a sleek and professional grayscale color palette with a classic and modern vibe. The high-quality images in the template are strategically placed to reinforce the message without overwhelming the reader. Furthermore, the template includes a vertical bar graph that effectively represents budget allocations, enabling the reader to quickly grasp the information.
Use Visme's interactive elements and animations to add a dynamic layer to your research proposals. You can animate any object and add pop-ups or link pages for a more immersive experience. Use these functionalities to highlight key findings, demonstrate trends or guide readers through your proposal, making the content engaging and interactive.
This proposal template is a great tool for securing funding for any type of research project. It begins with a captivating title page that grabs attention. The beautiful design elements and vector icons enhance the aesthetic and aid visual communication.
This template revolves around how a specific user group adopts cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The goal is to assess awareness, gauge interest and understand key factors affecting cryptocurrency adoption.
The project methodology includes survey design, data collection, and market research. The expected impact is to enhance customer engagement and position the company as a customer-centric brand.
Do you need additional help crafting the perfect text for your proposal? Visme's AI writer can quickly generate content outlines, summaries and even entire sections. Just explain your requirements to the tool using a text prompt, and the tool will generate it for you.
Creating a product that delights users begins with detailed product research. With this modern proposal template, you can secure buy-in and funding for your next research.
It starts with a background that explains why the research is important. Next, it highlights what the research is set to achieve, how the research will be conducted, how much it will cost, the timeline and the expected outcomes. With a striking color scheme combining black, yellow, and gray, the template grabs attention and maintains it until the last page.
What we love about this template is the smart use of visuals. You'll find a flowchart explaining the methodology, a bar graph for the budget, and a timeline for the project. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg regarding the visual elements you’ll find in Visme.
Visme offers data visualization tools with 30+ data widgets, such as radial gauges, population arrays, progress bars and more. These tools can help you turn complex data into engaging visuals for your research proposal or any other document.
For larger data sets, you can choose from 20+ types of charts and graphs , including bar graphs , bubble charts , Venn diagrams and more.
If you’re a tech researcher, we’ve got the perfect template for you. This research proposal example is about predictive analytics in e-commerce. However, you can customize it for any other type of research proposal.
It highlights the project's objectives, including the effectiveness of predictive analysis, the impact of product recommendations and supply chain optimization. The methods proposed for achieving these objectives involve A/B testing and data analysis, a comprehensive budget and a 12-month timeline for clear project planning.
The title page has a unique triptych-style layout that immediately catches the reader's attention. It has plenty of white space that enhances readability, allowing your audience to focus on the critical points.
Submitting to different funding agencies? You don’t have to manually make changes to your document. Visme's dynamic fields can help save time and eliminate repetitive data entry.
Create custom fields like project names, addresses, contact information and more. Any changes made to these fields will automatically populate throughout the document.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm and the marketing niche isn’t left out. With this eye-catching template, you can attract attention to your proposed marketing research project for an AI-driven platform.
The main goal of the research is to evaluate the platform's feasibility and marketing potential. To achieve this goal, the scope of work includes a comprehensive analysis of the market and competitors and pilot testing. The proposal also contains a budget overview that clearly outlines the allocation of funds, ensuring a well-planned and transparent approach.
Using Visme's Brand Design Tool , you can easily customize this template to suit your branding with just one click. Simply enter your URL into the brand wizard, and the tool will automatically extract your company logo, brand colors, and brand fonts . Once saved, you or your team members can apply the branding elements to any document. It's that simple!
The environmental research proposal example focuses on carbon emissions, identifies their contributing factors, and suggests sustainable practices to address them. It uses an appropriate sample size and data collection techniques to gather and evaluate data and provide sustainable recommendations to reduce industrial carbon footprints and waste.
From a design standpoint, the green and white color combination matches the theme of nature and environmental friendliness. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the proposal includes relevant images that support ecological advocacy, making it informative and visually aligned with its purpose.
A key feature of this template is its detailed breakdown of the project's timeline. It uses a Gantt chart to clearly present stages, milestones and deadlines.
Collaborate with your team members to customize these research proposal templates using Visme’s collaborative design features . These features allow you to leave feedback, draw annotations and even make live edits. Invite your teammates via email or a shareable link and allow them to work together on projects.
This research proposal template is a total game-changer - you can use it for any research proposal and customize it however you want. It features a modern and refreshing color scheme that immediately makes it stand out, providing a contemporary look that can adapt to any project's needs.
The template's layout is thoughtfully designed with primary fields that users can easily personalize by changing text, adjusting colors, or swapping images. No matter the research topic, you can tailor the template to fit your specific needs.
Once you're done customizing your research proposal template on Visme, you can download, share and publish it in different ways. For offline usage, you may download the proposal in PDF, PNG, or JPG format. To share it online, you can use a private or public link or generate a code snippet that you can embed anywhere on the web.
Want to create other types of proposals? Here are 29 proposal templates that you can easily customize in Visme.
Follow these steps to write a solid research proposal:
If you want to learn more about creating an expert research proposal , we highly recommend checking out our in-depth guide.
Research proposals can range from 1,000 to 5,000 words. For smaller projects or when specific requirements aren't provided, aim for a concise and informative proposal that effectively outlines your research plan.
However, the ideal length depends on these factors:
The time it takes to write a research proposal depends on a few factors:
Set aside several weeks to a couple of months for researching, writing, and revising your proposal. Start early to avoid stress and produce your best work.
There are several factors that can make a research proposal weak. Here are some of the most common errors that you should avoid while preparing your research proposal:
Writing a compelling research proposal takes effort, but with the right tools, the process becomes a breeze. Use the research proposal examples and templates in this article as a launching point to write your own proposal.
The best part? Visme provides easy-to-use tools with a vast collection of customizable templates, design elements and powerful features.
Whether you're a seasoned researcher or a student, Visme has the resources to help you create visually appealing and well-structured research proposals. In addition to research proposals, Visme helps you create many other document types, such as presentations , infographics , reports and more.
Ready to create your own research proposal? Check out Visme's proposal maker and start crafting professional and engaging proposals in minutes!
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Raja Antony Mandal is a Content Writer at Visme. He can quickly adapt to different writing styles, possess strong research skills, and know SEO fundamentals. Raja wants to share valuable information with his audience by telling captivating stories in his articles. He wants to travel and party a lot on the weekends, but his guitar, drum set, and volleyball court don’t let him.
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A marketing research proposal is a document designed to sell your services by showing potential clients the research that you will carry out for their project. Whether you’re a freelance marketing consultant or you have your own marketing agency, a market research proposal will cover what research needs to be done, how you’ll go about it, and why they should choose you for the project.
A proposal is typically one of the first points of contact that you have with an organization. Therefore, it’s a chance to make a strong first impression.
Note: Sign up now to get your free marketing research proposal template that will make yours stand out for all the right reasons.
A market research proposal will outline your market research plan and each critical step you need to take to perform the necessary research. It usually consists of three parts.
At the top of any market research proposal template should be the title of your document followed by who it has been written by and who it’s for. You can also include both company addresses here if you wish.
Proceed to outline the project description and the purpose of performing the market research. What are you trying to achieve? Why is this research needed? Who will be conducting it? What problem are you trying to solve for the client?
You should also include a methodology section in your introduction. The research methodology should dive into what primary and secondary research will be conducted, how data will be collected, and the expected outcomes. As a freelance researcher, you’ll already know this, but it’s worth covering what’s included in each to the client:
It’s important to give an overview of your target audience in your methodology too.
For instance, if your client is trying to determine whether it’s a good time to launch a new product, your methodology in your market research proposal would explain how you plan to arrange a focus group with their target audience of females aged 16-24. Being present in the meeting, asking the right questions, and making notes to refer to later on would confirm whether the prospective product could be useful and — ultimately — successful.
The discussion section of your marketing research proposal is typically the meatiest. It’s where you should demonstrate what you already know about the industry and company, while getting into the finer details of the market research project.
For example, you may write something like the following: “Each participant will be told that their input in this research is voluntary. They will be provided with a form to assure them that their data will remain confidential for the purposes of this research and won’t be used by third parties. They must sign this form in person or we can accept digital signatures to consent to these terms.”
The summary tends to be the shortest section of your market research proposal. It’s where you would refer back to the initial project objectives and conclude the desired outcomes from the market research.
It’s a good idea to end on a punchy note by describing why your potential client should become an actual client.
Don’t lose sight of the fact that you’re trying to convince somebody (or some people) of your value. You want them to take action after reading your proposal, which is why you should include a compelling Call-To-Action (CTA). Let them know what the next steps entail, and how to take them.
The truth is, it’s difficult to draft a market research proposal without some key information from your prospective client.
To gather all of the details you need to create a winning marketing research proposal, follow the below steps.
During your initial email or phone discussion, ask your client what they want to get out of the research. Are they rebranding and want to redefine their target market? Or are they testing out a new product with a small group of people before unleashing it to the masses?
Either way, it’s useful to know their final goals so that you can start to make a plan on how to help them achieve them.
Alongside your prospective client’s research objectives, you need to find out more details in terms of their:
You should also ask them if there’s any other key information that they would like you to include in the market research proposal. This will ensure that you have everything you need upfront without having to make extensive edits later on.
Keep in mind that you haven’t been awarded the job yet. A work proposal is essentially a sales document — it almost serves as a resume before the client decides that you’re the ideal person to hire.
As such, do some company research to put you ahead of your competition. Is there a link you can make with the company based on your background and interests? Why should they care about you? What do you offer that no one else does?
Be sure to feature all of this information in your market researching proposal, and don’t be afraid of highlighting your strengths and wins.
There's plenty to think about when conducting marketing research, which is why you can make life a little simpler with Bonsai. Bonsai's all-in-one tool for small businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs streamlines administrative tasks and covers all bases when it comes to proposals, contracts, and invoices.
You can find a template specific to market research and edit it to meet your needs in minutes. Then all you have to do is send it off to your client, which you can do without even leaving the platform. Talk about a time- and energy-saver!
The marketing research proposal template is professional and refined in structure. This provides clarity to your potential client by laying out exactly what you can do for them within their timeline and budget.
Simply enter your information, sit back, and be prepared to wow your prospective client so much that they hire you on the spot.
Note : Sign up for free and get started!
How long should a marketing research proposal be.
A market research proposal should be concise and fluff-free. It should cover all the obligatory information without dragging it out. After all, prospective clients are busy reviewing other proposals and working on further aspects of their business.
The perfect length is between 1-2 pages, but try to ensure that it’s no more than 3.
Because your market research proposal is only a couple of pages long, the writing style should be clear and easy to read. The language should be simple, everyday, and familiar, using short sentences that get to the point and won’t clutter up the document.
The tone of your plan should be informative and position you as the expert to leave a positive, long-lasting impression on your prospective client.
Marketing research aims to investigate and assess how certain factors influence consumer behavior. This provides key insights that are relevant to decision making.
Marketing research can identify new business opportunities and avoid business failures. That said, above all, it can be used to inform a company’s marketing strategy to help them achieve their business goals.
What is market research and examples, what is research proposal template.
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Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template
If you’re getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals , you’ve come to the right place.
In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals , one for a Master’s-level project, and one for a PhD-level dissertation. We also start off by unpacking our free research proposal template and discussing the four core sections of a research proposal, so that you have a clear understanding of the basics before diving into the actual proposals.
If you’re working on a research proposal for a dissertation or thesis, you may also find the following useful:
PS – If you’re working on a dissertation, be sure to also check out our collection of dissertation and thesis examples here .
Research proposal example: frequently asked questions, are the sample proposals real.
Yes. The proposals are real and were approved by the respective universities.
As we discuss in the video, every research proposal will be slightly different, depending on the university’s unique requirements, as well as the nature of the research itself. Therefore, you’ll need to tailor your research proposal to suit your specific context.
You can learn more about the basics of writing a research proposal here .
You can access our free proposal template here .
Yes. There is no cost for the proposal template and you are free to use it as a foundation for your research proposal.
For self-directed learners, our Research Proposal Bootcamp is a great starting point.
For students that want hands-on guidance, our private coaching service is recommended.
This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .
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Home » How To Write A Research Proposal – Step-by-Step [Template]
Table of Contents
Writing a Research proposal involves several steps to ensure a well-structured and comprehensive document. Here is an explanation of each step:
4. Literature Review:
The format of a research proposal may vary depending on the specific requirements of the institution or funding agency. However, the following is a commonly used format for a research proposal:
1. Title Page:
2. Abstract:
3. Introduction:
5. Research Objectives:
6. Methodology:
7. Timeline:
8. Resources:
9. Ethical Considerations:
10. Expected Outcomes and Significance:
11. References:
12. Appendices:
Here’s a template for a research proposal:
1. Introduction:
2. Literature Review:
3. Research Objectives:
4. Methodology:
5. Timeline:
6. Resources:
7. Ethical Considerations:
8. Expected Outcomes and Significance:
9. References:
10. Appendices:
Title: The Impact of Online Education on Student Learning Outcomes: A Comparative Study
1. Introduction
Online education has gained significant prominence in recent years, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research proposal aims to investigate the impact of online education on student learning outcomes by comparing them with traditional face-to-face instruction. The study will explore various aspects of online education, such as instructional methods, student engagement, and academic performance, to provide insights into the effectiveness of online learning.
2. Objectives
The main objectives of this research are as follows:
3. Methodology
3.1 Study Design
This research will utilize a mixed-methods approach to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. The study will include the following components:
3.2 Participants
The research will involve undergraduate students from two universities, one offering online education and the other providing face-to-face instruction. A total of 500 students (250 from each university) will be selected randomly to participate in the study.
3.3 Data Collection
The research will employ the following data collection methods:
3.4 Data Analysis
Quantitative data will be analyzed using statistical software, employing descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression analysis. Qualitative data will be transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically to identify recurring patterns and themes.
4. Ethical Considerations
The study will adhere to ethical guidelines, ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of participants. Informed consent will be obtained, and participants will have the right to withdraw from the study at any time.
5. Significance and Expected Outcomes
This research will contribute to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the impact of online education on student learning outcomes. The findings will help educational institutions and policymakers make informed decisions about incorporating online learning methods and improving the quality of online education. Moreover, the study will identify potential challenges and opportunities related to online education and offer recommendations for enhancing student engagement and overall learning outcomes.
6. Timeline
The proposed research will be conducted over a period of 12 months, including data collection, analysis, and report writing.
The estimated budget for this research includes expenses related to data collection, software licenses, participant compensation, and research assistance. A detailed budget breakdown will be provided in the final research plan.
8. Conclusion
This research proposal aims to investigate the impact of online education on student learning outcomes through a comparative study with traditional face-to-face instruction. By exploring various dimensions of online education, this research will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness and challenges associated with online learning. The findings will contribute to the ongoing discourse on educational practices and help shape future strategies for maximizing student learning outcomes in online education settings.
Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer
Market research proposals aren’t as simple as they may seem. Maybe you’re struggling to write your market research proposal , or simply want to make your proposal become even stronger.
Content marketing , especially for a freelancer, can be broken down into a digestible science, and there are several components that will make your market research proposal truly great.
As long as your proposal includes these four elements at the very least, consider yourself good to go.
Not sure how to write them? We’ll break down everything you could possibly need to make your market research proposal great.
A marketing proposal has many different components that need to be considered regardless of the goals. From your proposal, a client needs to understand:
In this guide, we’ll cover all of these different facets of a marketing services or marketing research proposal outline and what you should be thinking about when putting together a proposal that will close.
Take the time to truly understand what your client is looking for and how you’re able to support them. Get to the specifics of what they’re trying to accomplish.
Think about what you hope to gain from your research, and furthermore, determine why this research is important. Who does it impact? Why are you the perfect person to conduct this project?
In marketing, your goals could also include increasing brand visibility, increasing conversions, average order value, or overall revenue. Regardless of the goals, make sure you outline what you’re working toward as it will set up the rest of the pitch.
Marketing is incredibly broad and can encompass many different areas. From digital marketing to traditional marketing, there are many different components of what you can work on. Highlight the main areas that you plan on executing.
The options below are only a few examples of what may be included within your digital marketing proposal. Whatever you decide to include within your scope, make sure that everything aligns back to your goals.
Digital marketing is one area that may be included in your marketing proposal. Determine which of your skillsets will best meet the client’s goals. Some examples of digital marketing areas may include SEO, PPC, social media, web design, and online content.
Outline whether you’ll be working on creating strategies or executing specific tactics. The scope of work is where you get as specific as possible on what you’ll be doing .
If your client is less focused on online strategies, you can include different traditional marketing activities. These range from print media to billboards, trade shows, referrals, and partnerships.
These are less common marketing activities, but should still be considered depending on your client and their audience.
You may think that you’ve already covered your approach within the objective element, and you might be right. However, you want to have a separate section of your market research proposal within your SOW dedicated to the approach so that you can really hammer out the details.
Address items such as:
Determine precisely what you’ll need and how you’ll be conducting it. The more specific you are, the more likely the client will be to hire you. They need someone to fit their needs, just as you need someone to fit yours. Address the tiniest of details here so both sides can determine a good fit.
Once you know what you’re going to be pitching, the next step is determining a timeline. Some clients will come to you with a timeframe that they want, but other times you’ll need to provide a timeline of your own.
Be realistic about the amount of time something will take because this is your first step in building trust with your client and your ability to manage expectations.
Presenting a timeline can look like a content calendar, a physical timeline that shows the different deliverables mapped out against a calendar to visually see the dates, or a simple timeframe that says an estimated amount of time each area will take.
“When money talks, there are few interruptions,” Herbert V. Prochnow claimed .
The cost of performing market research will be a key part of your proposal. This is where your client will likely pay the most attention, which means you’ve got to reel them in. The cost element is imperative for crafting a great proposal.
You deserve to be paid for your work, there’s no question about that. However, it’s important to consider what will be the most cost-effective way for you to be paid. Do you want to be paid hourly, paid upfront, or in staggered deposits? All of these are viable options.
The larger your scope is, the more it’s going to cost. If you know your client is price-conscientious, consider creating a tiered system to your scope. This can be structured in a “good, better, best” model of what you would recommend that would help accomplish the client’s goals.
When putting together the pricing, determine what type of engagement makes the most sense for you and your client. This may be a retainer agreement, an hourly cost, or a project-based fee. This will impact how you structure your payment and how much to charge your client.
Come up with your expense budget and know that part of this will be addressed in your objectives. Since your client will already be thinking about money, you can include this on the front page of your proposal, in your initial email, and so on.
One large consideration when figuring out the pricing is thinking about how long the project will take to execute vs. how much the information is worth. Oftentimes clients will want to charge you a lower hourly rate but that doesn’t always account for the years of time you’ve spent building this expertise. Understand what the market rate for this type of work is and the potential ROI that it will bring the client.
One way of determining your rate is to consider your value as a full-time employee or the cost that it would be for them to hire a full-time employee for this type of role. Calculating this number backward can just give you additional information you can work off of.
The more complicated your marketing proposal is, the more information you need to provide. The amount of information that’s included within the scope of work will influence how the proposal is delivered. This can be in a text format, presentation, or a simple email. It all depends on your client, your information, and what you think will close the deal.
If you’re looking for a simple template to create your proposal, we have you covered.
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Proposal maker.
Before conducting market research, you will need to create a market research proposal that will include a brief overview of the study to be undertaken. Its purpose is to seek approval from the readers, such as the business leaders, to proceed, which makes it very crucial. Thus, you will need a very persuasive proposal that will focus on what they are expecting. However, you don’t have to worry! We have prepared a list of marketing research proposal templates and examples below, which you can use as your guide in creating a winning proposal.
1. market research proposal template.
Size: A4 & US Letter
As a researcher, you should know that in every three people in the world, one uses social media . With that said, 80% of the users on Instagram follow business profiles. Thus, if you are aiming to get more questionnaire correspondents, you should consider using online polls for specific questions concerning marketing to social media platforms. Get started and create your market research proposal with our easily editable Market Research Proposal Template .
One of the factors that you have to consider when creating a market research proposal is the cost of conducting the entire study. Business leaders may want to know the estimated budget required to complete the research. It will help them decide if the survey is worth pursuing. That is why it is necessary to include it in your proposal. With our Market Research Proposal Template, you can create a clear research grant budget that you can include in your project.
Size: A4, US
When writing a market research proposal , you should state the purpose of your study. For example, the reason you are conducting research is due to the dropping sales of the business you are serving. The purpose of the study may be to determine the cause of low sales and to find ways to increase the company’s sales. With that said, you may try out the Marketing Research Proposal Template (shown above) that you can use to create your market research proposal. This template comes with a masterfully designed layout and contents which you can fully customize to create a project with a precise purpose.
The proceeds of the global market research industry have been increasing year by year since 2009, where it experienced a slight plunge. Thus, if you are running a market research business, your company has the chance to grow big. Don’t miss the opportunity of your company’s chance of prosperity. Create a market research proposal for your prospected clients with our Market Research Proposal Template . You can download this template in all file formats, so it will be easy for you to customize its contents.
Did you know that the 2018 business-to-business( BToB ) e-commerce sales exceeded the $954 billion forecast for the year? The total BToB e-commerce sales in the US reached up to $9 trillion. It is estimated to increase and reach up to 17% by 2023. Take the opportunity of increasing your company’s revenue by using this downloadable example as your guide on creating a winning research proposal for your possible clients.
Size: 340 KB
Many assumed that advertising through new media channels such as the internet is targeting only young audiences. This research focuses on proving the effectiveness of new media advertising to young readers. If you are planning to conduct a similar study or related to this subject, you may use this document to serve as your guide. You can download this 22-page document in PDF format.
Size: 476 KB
This marketing research proposal example tackles obtaining new sources of income and coming up with approaches to increase the product sales of an estate garden with their existing sources. This sample includes the necessary information that you can use as a guide in making your proposal more appealing to your clients. You can download this 27-page document in PDF file format and customize it according to your business needs.
Size: 387 KB
This 5-page document includes an outline of a marketing research proposal . It also contains instructions and guidelines on how to write each part of the project, which can be enough to keep you guided until the end part of your proposal. It includes relevant links for more clarification about certain parts of the proposition. This file will serve your needs if you are in college and still learning on how to create a market research proposal.
Not all popular social media are reigning in terms of advertisement. There may be media channels that are booming in terms of the number of viewers/users. However, there are a few more factors to consider for a company to list his product in an advertising firm. This marketing research proposal example examines how to make a large social media platform’s advertising more efficient. Download this file to learn more about this study on online marketing.
Size: 90 KB
As a businessman, you should be knowledgeable enough before you place your money into any diversified investment . If you already have a business, you may want to do more research about your product and gain an advantage in marketing. The Sample Marketing Research Proposal (shown above) discusses the uses of olive oil in general, the applications of existing products, and the most reliable ways to promote their products. If you are planning to create a proposal with a similar problem, download this file to get started.
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The last example that we included in our list is a proposal for market research for an association. The study’s goal is to know the educational needs of the members and nonmembers of the association. If you are planning to research about a similar subject, you may want to check this sample out to get started in your research. You can download this file in PDF format for free. Try it now!
Text prompt
Generate a proposal for a new school recycling program
Compose a proposal for a school field trip to a science museum.
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Begin your proposal by demonstrating a thorough understanding of the client’s unique business objectives, target audience, and market challenges. This section sets the foundation for a personalized content marketing proposal template, showcasing your commitment to crafting a strategy that aligns with the client's specific goals and requirements. Emphasize how this insight drives your approach to content creation and distribution.
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This section explains our content creation process, from brainstorming and research to writing and editing.
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Reinforce your proposal by showcasing successful content marketing campaigns you've executed in the past. Include specific examples that highlight your team’s expertise and success in delivering results for clients. Each case study in this content marketing proposal template should detail the client’s objectives, the implemented strategies, and the outcomes, providing proof of your firm’s capability.
Provide detailed pricing information for different content marketing packages. This section should be clear and straightforward, listing what each package includes and at what cost. Highlight the value each package offers, and tailor them to various needs and budgets to cater to a broader range of clients within your content marketing proposal template.
Clearly outline the steps the client needs to take to commence the partnership. Include timelines for the decision-making process, what is needed from the client to get started, and any initial meetings or consultations that must be scheduled. This final section of the content marketing proposal template should motivate the client to act, reinforcing the benefits of your proposed solution.
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With ‘Pricing and Packages’, you can clearly communicate your service offerings and pricing, setting clear expectations and reducing the potential for future misunderstandings.
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The ‘Understanding the Client’s Needs’ section enables you to demonstrate a deep understanding of your client’s unique challenges and goals, fostering a sense of alignment and trust from the outset.
The ‘Content Marketing Overview’ and ‘Our Approach to Content Marketing’ sections allow you to present a clear and visionary approach, showing clients not just the ‘what’ but the ‘why’ behind your strategies.
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Measurement and Reporting’ sections empower you to set clear, quantifiable targets and the means to report on these, showcasing your commitment to results and continuous improvement.
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There are 11 steps to create a sound and compelling market research proposal. 1. Market Research Proposal Summary. Start your proposal by briefly explaining the purpose of the market research and why it is required. Also, give an overview of what the desired outcome of the market research is.
Proposal Component #5: Reporting. The reporting component is another key section of the market research proposal. This is where your team will read about the analysis and reporting plans of the market research company. It should give you a mental picture of how the report will be structured.
Use this section of the marketing research proposal to thoroughly describe all data collection methods which will be utilized in your research. The overall strategy can be addressed, as well as the individual data collection methods. For market research, these often include methods such as focus groups, surveys, social networking research, or ...
The market research proposal is an important first step in near all studies. First and foremost, a skeleton that details a study's direction, goals, and focus, such proposals are typically the first point of reference for management. While the proposals make or break a project's funding, there is one other strength no research team can ...
Definition of terms. List the terms that will be used in the market research proposal. Make sure to define them properly. Market conditions. Give an overall picture of the current market conditions. Explain the industry's state and the competition level, as well as mention relevant economic or even political factors.
A well-constructed, persuasive marketing research proposal is essential to attracting and acquiring new clients. It should provide relevant details about your research goals and highlight what clients can gain from working with you. With the help of these steps on how to write marketing research proposal, you should have no trouble getting ...
The Importance of a Market Research Proposal Template. As a market researcher, I understand the importance of creating a comprehensive and well-organized market research proposal. This document serves as a roadmap for our research process, outlining the objectives, methodology, and timeline for our project.However, creating a proposal from scratch can be time-consuming and challenging.
Research proposal examples. Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We've included a few for you below. Example research proposal #1: "A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management".
Include a Company Overview. The beginning of the proposal should include a short overview of the company, including such details as its mission and vision statements; market performance history; industry facts, figures, and trends; competitor data points and any other past research findings that shed light on the issue (s) at hand and why ...
Market Research Playbook. This tool can be used alone, but it's also part of the comprehensive Market Research Playbook. It provides step-by-step planning guidance while also helping you utilize more than 25 downloadable tools from the popular AMA Marketer's Toolkit library. This tool is powered by Demand Metric.
A market research proposal is a document that sells your services to potential clients by showing them what they can accomplish by hiring you to complete their project or research study. It includes a summary, objectives, existing knowledge, intended outcomes, target demographics, data collection methods, a detailed research methodology, a ...
No good content marketing strategy is without market and audience research. Your goal is to reassure the client that you won't be creating a strategy based on intuition or guesses. Instead, you'll be making relevant, up-to-date, data-driven decisions with the help of tools, data sets, and the expertise of the client's sales and customer ...
A well-structured research proposal includes a title page, abstract and table of contents, introduction, literature review, research design and methodology, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, timeline and budget. Visme's research proposal examples and templates offer a great starting point for creating engaging and well-structured ...
A research proposal outline's content typically varies in length, from 3 to 35 pages, with references (and appendices, if necessary). But like any academic activity, start the research proposal template writing process by first carefully reading the instructions. ... For instance, in the field of market research, the top topics that won the ...
Talk about a time- and energy-saver! The marketing research proposal template is professional and refined in structure. This provides clarity to your potential client by laying out exactly what you can do for them within their timeline and budget. Simply enter your information, sit back, and be prepared to wow your prospective client so much ...
Here are some marketing proposal templates from a range of resources, including marketing agencies, online proposal generators, and marketing blogs. 1. Indeed's text-only marketing proposal. Indeed's marketing proposal template is nice and basic. It's text-only with brackets and guidance on what to put into the brackets.
Research Proposal Example/Sample. Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template. If you're getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals, you've come to the right place. In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals, one for a Master's-level ...
Here is an explanation of each step: 1. Title and Abstract. Choose a concise and descriptive title that reflects the essence of your research. Write an abstract summarizing your research question, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. It should provide a brief overview of your proposal. 2.
Market research proposals aren't as simple as they may seem. Maybe you're struggling to write your market research proposal, or simply want to make your proposal become even stronger.. Content marketing, especially for a freelancer, can be broken down into a digestible science, and there are several components that will make your market research proposal truly great.
PREPARING THE MARKETING RESEARCH BRIEF AND PROPOSAL Regardless of who carries out the work involved in a market research project, it is important that a clear brief is produced against which the ... • Contents of a Brief First, the commissioning organisation should think very carefully about what, and how much, it wishes to reveai in the ...
The market research proposal includes a brief overview of the study to be undertaken. Its purpose is to seek approval for the readers, such as the business leaders, to proceed. ... This template comes with a masterfully designed layout and contents which you can fully customize to create a project with a precise purpose. 4. Market Research ...
Embrace this tool from Highnote to elevate your professionalism, stand out in the competitive field of content marketing, and transform your proposal process into a dynamic avenue for growth and success. Download it now and begin your journey towards more impactful and client-focused content marketing proposals. Open Highnote Template.
Version 1.0 Contents of a Good Research Proposal 1. A title that is appealing and meaningful, reflecting the contents of the research proposal. 2. An abstract that should be motivating to the reader. It should present the managerial/societal problem the dissertation aims to address, the problem statement (i.e. research objectives and research