Proposal Draft

It has come to my attention that you own a vacation rental property nearing completion. Once completed it will need to be marketed and promoted to begin earning you money. The sooner the better!

Given the target market, a website may be the most appropriate option for reaching them. I propose to create for you a website that will be attractive and functional. It will be able to display all the positive aspects of your property and will entice prospective clients to rent. It will not be overly flashy or flamboyant like some rental sites. Rather, it will be more subtle and somewhat exclusive to insure that this business does not become a hassle for you.

In this proposal, I will cover what I believe to be your main needs. Secondly, I will give my plan for solving your problem. This will be followed by the qualifications that I feel make me right for the project. Lastly, I will go over what the costs and benefits will be.

SITUATION

This property is excellent! It has beautiful sunsets, scenery, and everything else that a getaway could offer. However, it will not be able to sell itself and you are constrained by time and money.

The conventional methods of newspaper ads and real estate listings may work okay, but particularly in the current rental market, you will need something more. The client base is increasingly becoming more tech savvy with regards to the internet and catering to this ability could only help. Accessibility will be the key to the success of this vacation spot and a clear website will be the way to accessibility.

One of the main considerations will be gearing this website to your audience. The house, as it currently is, has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. This could be viewed as a limitation or simply as a guiding feature. Its capacity will be more suited to small families, couples, or a few friends.

PLAN

To insure the possibility of winter vacation rentals, I will deliver the proposed website no later than Thanksgiving of this year. It will be fully functioning and viewable on the internet. At the bare minimum it will include photos, descriptions, and contact information.

You may have as much input on design and layout as you desire. If time and experience permit it will also include up-to-date calendars, links, and moving images. Upon completion, all files will be copied and delivered on a disk for your record and in case I am not available at a time when you need to expand or update.

QUALIFICATIONS

It is true that I have never created an overly sophisticated website. However, I have put together a rudimentary photo gallery and published it online. I also have an extensive background in design as an architecture student and feel confident that my skills will transfer to this medium.

I have experience using some of Adobe’s software programs (such as Photoshop) and should be able to quickly learn one of their comparable programs (Dreamweaver) which I already have access to.

In addition, Photography is one of my hobbies and I would be happy to provide all the photos you require. I own a good quality twelve mega pixel Canon camera. It will be possible for to make a site visit the week of October 3. I will take photographs at multiple times of day to ensure a variety of views and lighting that will capture the full effect of the place.

View Photo gallery at: www.clemson.edu/~jctucke/web1

COSTS & BENEFITS

The labor of creating the website will of course be provided for free. I can save you furthermore by providing all photographs. However, there will be a small cost for purchasing and maintaining a domain name. These have a range of prices but usually come fairly cheaply. My research indicates that a typical price from GoDaddy.com would be about ten dollars per year ($10/year). The benefit of reaching more potential clients surely outweighs this low cost.

CONCLUSION

This website will be invaluable help in promoting your property and earning you lots of money. It will be an ongoing entity that can be updated with new photos and testimonials. In this sense, it will be improving over time. Not only will it improve in quality but will also be expandable in order to add more properties if the need should arise.

The cost to benefit ratio is extraordinary! It would nearly pay for itself if it just brought in one client. Regardless, I would enjoy working on this as a continued part of my overall contribution to the project.