In short
- A proposal is what an agency sends back to your brief: twelve sections from a read-back of your goal to payment terms, with a cost sheet that shows creator fees on their own.
- The three sections that separate a real proposal from a template are the read-back, the named sample shortlist and the assumptions page.
- Read a proposal in 15 minutes: check the read-back, the creator share of the total, the shortlist evidence and the measurement plan before you look at the creative.
- An RFP is the document you send; a proposal is what returns. Ask every agency to use the same twelve headings so answers can be compared.
A good influencer marketing proposal does five things: it reads your brief back, names the creators, itemises the cost, says how success will be measured and states its own assumptions. A proposal that skips any of the five is a brochure with your brand name on the cover.
This post gives you twelve sections to write one, or to judge one that has landed in your inbox. It is aimed at the brand manager or founder on the receiving end. For the document you send out, see our influencer marketing RFP template. For the channel itself, our complete guide to influencer marketing in India is the place to start.
Three documents, three jobs
Brands and agencies swap these words, which is why expectations clash. Fix the meanings before the first call.
| Document | Written by | Typical length | Job |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFP | The brand | 4 to 6 pages | Makes every agency answer the same questions |
| Proposal | The agency | 8 to 12 pages plus a cost sheet (our rule of thumb) | Shows the plan, creators, price and terms for your brief |
| Creator plan | The agency, early | A few pages | A shortlist, content plan and cost estimate to react to; ours arrives within 48 hours of the brief call |
| Contract and statement of work | Both | Varies | Fixes scope, fees, rights and exit; see the agency contract template |
A creator plan is a faster, lighter step before or instead of a full proposal. Whichever you ask for, the twelve sections below apply. A lighter document simply answers them in fewer words.
The twelve sections
Use this table as a template for what you ask for, and as a checklist for what you receive. The last column is the test: how you can tell the section is written for you and not pasted from another client.
| # | Section | What it must contain | How you can tell it is real |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brief read-back | Your goal with its number, buyer, budget band, dates and constraints in the agency's own words | You find at least one point to correct, or an assumption flagged |
| 2 | Strategy | The job creators do in your funnel and why this mix does it | It says what the plan will not do |
| 3 | Creator plan | Tiers, niches, languages, cities and counts, and how the creators will be found | Counts add up to the budget |
| 4 | Sample shortlist | 8 to 10 named creators for one slice, with audience data, a score and a quote | You can open every profile |
| 5 | Content plan | Formats, hooks, the one message, two or three sample concepts | The concepts could only be for your product |
| 6 | Timeline | Dated steps back from your go-live, with your approval days marked | Your own approvals appear as dependencies |
| 7 | Cost sheet | Creator fees by creator or tier, rights, exclusivity, agency fee, media, production, GST | Creator fees are separate from the agency fee |
| 8 | Measurement | Metrics, tracking method, baseline, report dates | Tracking is set up before the first post |
| 9 | Compliance | Label wording and placement by format, claims checks, creator qualification checks, TDS | It names who checks each draft |
| 10 | Team | A named lead, client load, response time, escalation contact | There is a person, not a department |
| 11 | Assumptions and risks | What the plan depends on and what would change the price | It lists things that could go wrong |
| 12 | Terms and next steps | Payment schedule, notice period, who owns creator contracts and content rights, what happens on signing | Notice and ownership are stated, not implied |
The five sections that decide quality
The read-back
Proposals that start with the agency's credentials were written before your brief arrived. The first page should restate your goal, your buyer and your constraints so precisely that you could check it against your own notes.
The sample shortlist
This is the section that proves the agency can find the right people. Our RFP post explains why it tells you more than any pitch deck; here is what each row should carry.
| Column | What it shows | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Creator and platform | Handle, platform, follower count | You can open the profile |
| Audience in your cities | Share of audience in the cities you named, from the creator's insights | A screenshot, not a claim |
| Average views | Recent posts, not the best one | Views against followers |
| Score and method | A written score with the method named | The method is explained, not just a number |
| Quote | The creator's fee for the format | Against our influencer rates guide |
| Why this creator | One line tying them to your buyer | It mentions your buyer, not "high engagement" |
About 85% of Indian brands in a 2025 Kantar-backed study, covered by Campaign India, said they are moving from follower counts to content quality. The shortlist is where you test whether an agency is too. Our vetting checklist lists the checks.
The cost sheet
The cost sheet should be a spreadsheet with a formula in the total cell, not a picture of numbers. Use these lines.
| Line | Basis | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Creator fees | Per creator or per tier, with format and count | Total shown on its own |
| Usage rights | Platforms and days | Whether paid-ad use is covered |
| Exclusivity | Categories and days | "None" is a valid answer |
| Agency fee | Model and what it covers | Separate from creator fees |
| Creator ads media | Budget and days | Whether it is in or out of the total |
| Production, product, shipping | Who pays | Capped or quoted |
| GST and TDS | 18% GST on the agency's invoice; TDS on creator payments | Who deducts and deposits |
| Total | One formula |
Then divide creator fees by the total. One agency's published benchmark puts management fees at 15% to 25% of creator spend, which leaves roughly 80% to 87% of the total for creators; that is our arithmetic and the benchmark has low confidence. A creator share far below that needs an explanation, and a proposal that will not show the split needs one before anything else. Our guide to influencer marketing agency fees in India covers the models in detail.
The measurement plan
A promise of "reporting" is not a measurement plan. Match what is written to your goal.
| If your goal is | The proposal should name | And say how it is tracked |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Views, reach, cost per 1,000 views, a baseline | Screenshots from creators' insights at day 7 and day 30 |
| Consideration | Saves, shares, profile visits, branded search | Platform data plus a search-interest check |
| Sales or installs | Clicks, code redemptions, cost per result | A unique code and tagged link per creator; see UTM links |
Ask when you will see the first numbers and whether you get raw post links as well as a deck. The KPIs guide helps you choose the metric before you read the proposal.
Assumptions and risks
An honest proposal has a page that says what it depends on. Expect lines like these: "creator availability is confirmed for 14 of the 20 names"; "the plan assumes approvals within 48 hours"; "ad rights beyond 30 days add to the fee"; "a creator who posts without a label will be asked to edit or remove the post". If this page is missing, ask for it. Under the ASCI influencer guidelines, the advertiser must ensure a post conforms to the Code, so the compliance risks on this page are yours too.
Reading a proposal in 15 minutes
| Minutes | Check | Passing looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Page 1 against your brief | Your goal, number and constraints, restated correctly |
| 2 to 5 | Cost sheet | Creator fees separate; creator share stated or computable |
| 5 to 9 | Sample shortlist | Names, audience screenshots, scores, quotes |
| 9 to 12 | Measurement | Metric matches your goal; tracking set before launch |
| 12 to 14 | Assumptions and terms | Risks listed; notice and ownership stated |
| 14 to 15 | Creative | Concepts specific to your product |
Look at the creative last. A brilliant concept on top of a weak shortlist and a hidden fee is still a poor purchase.
After you have read it
Reply in writing with the corrections to the read-back, the missing lines and no more than five questions. Ask for one revised version, not a fresh pitch. If two proposals score within a few points of each other, a paid pilot settles it better than a third presentation; our post on how to run an influencer pilot sets the pass marks. Proposals that fail on the same points repeatedly are covered in our list of agency red flags.
How we write ours
After the brief call you get a creator plan within 48 hours: strategy, creator mix, a named shortlist with Gully Scores, a content plan, a timeline and a cost estimate with creator fees and our fee on separate lines. Nothing is booked and no money moves until you approve the names. Our how we work page shows each stage, and the pricing page shows the models. To see it for your brand, send us the brief.
Sources
- Influencer marketing pricing in India 2026: rate card, agency fee models and minimum budgets, Indian digital agency guide (low confidence) (20 Apr 2026, updated 16 Sep 2026)
- Indian consumers and influencers: coverage of a 2025 Kantar-backed study of consumers and brands, Campaign India (12 Jun 2025)
- Guidelines for influencer advertising in digital media, Advertising Standards Council of India (accessed 31 Oct 2026 (Addendum II dated 6 Mar 2025))
Frequently asked questions
What should an influencer marketing proposal include?
A read-back of your goal and budget, a strategy, a creator plan with a named sample shortlist, a content plan, a dated timeline, an itemised cost sheet, a measurement plan, compliance steps, the team, assumptions and risks, and commercial terms. The twelve-section table in this post lists what each must contain.
How long should an influencer marketing proposal be?
Eight to twelve pages plus a cost sheet in a spreadsheet is enough for most campaigns. That is our own rule of thumb, not a published standard. Longer proposals tend to recycle slides. A one-page summary on top should let you decide in five minutes whether to read on.
What is the difference between an influencer marketing proposal and an RFP?
An RFP is the brand's request: goal, budget band, scope and the format agencies must reply in. The proposal is the agency's reply: plan, creators, price and terms. If you want identical answers from every agency, send an RFP first.
Should a proposal name specific creators?
Yes, at least a sample. A proposal that describes creator types without names cannot be checked. Ask for 8 to 10 named creators for one slice of your brief, each with audience screenshots, a written score and a quote. Our vetting checklist shows what to ask for.
Do agencies charge for a proposal?
Practice varies. Short plans are usually free, and full creative pitches are sometimes paid. We send a creator plan, with a shortlist, content plan and cost estimate, within 48 hours of the brief call, and nothing is booked or paid until you approve. See how we work.
How do I compare two influencer marketing proposals?
Put both on the same sheet: creators, formats, rights, exclusivity, fees, timeline and reporting. Then work out the creator share of the total and score the rest. The scoring sheet in our guide to choosing an influencer marketing agency does this.