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Free Social Media Proposal Template

A free social media proposal template for agencies and freelancers. Outline channel strategy, content cadence, community management, deliverables, and retainer pricing.

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Proposal / May 18, 2026
Prepared for Harbor & Hearth

Social Media Management Proposal

A retainer plan for ongoing social strategy, content production, and community management.

The engagement
3 percent within two quarters
26 weeks
Prepared for
Jamie Okafor
Head of Brand, Harbor & Hearth
Valid through
30 days
01Executive summary

Why now.

Harbor & Hearth has a loyal following but an inconsistent social presence that does not keep pace with its retail growth. Tidewell Social will run social media end to end across the brand's priority channels, owning strategy, content production, publishing, and community management so the team can show up daily with a clear voice and turn engaged followers into repeat customers.

02Business case

The problem & solution.

The Challenge

Posting is sporadic, the visual style drifts between channels, comments and messages go unanswered for days, and there is no reporting that ties social activity to store traffic or online sales.

Solution Overview

Tidewell Social will provide a managed monthly retainer covering a documented content strategy, a steady cadence of original posts and short-form video, active community management, and monthly reporting against agreed targets.

Success Metrics

  • Average engagement rate
    Current
    1.4 percent across channels
    Target
    3 percent within two quarters
  • Qualified follower growth
    Current
    Flat month over month
    Target
    8 to 10 percent net monthly growth
  • Community response time
    Current
    24 to 48 hours
    Target
    Under 4 hours on business days
03Approach

How we engage.

Methodology
Tidewell Social runs an always-on monthly cycle: plan, produce, publish, engage, and report. Each month opens with a content planning session tied to the brand calendar and closes with a performance review that sets priorities for the next cycle.
Description

A repeatable retainer rhythm that keeps content consistent while staying responsive to trends, launches, and seasonal moments.

Client Dependencies

  • Access to brand assets, logos, and product information
  • A single point of contact for monthly approvals
  • Timely sharing of promotions, launches, and store news
  • Permissions to publish on the brand's social accounts
04Scope of work

What's in & out.

In Scope

  • Channel strategy and monthly content calendar
  • Original graphics and short-form video production
  • Scheduled publishing across priority channels
  • Daily community management and message triage
  • Monthly performance reporting and review call

Out of Scope

  • Paid advertising budget and ad account management
  • Influencer contracts and paid sponsorships
  • Full website or ecommerce development
  • Stock footage, music, or font license fees

Success Prerequisites

  • One consolidated approval round per content batch
  • Brand provides product photography or approves sourced imagery
  • Account and publishing access granted before the first cycle
05Deliverables

What you'll receive.

  1. 01
    Social strategy playbook

    Channel plan, audience profiles, voice guidelines, content pillars, and posting cadence for Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

    End of week 2
  2. 02
    Monthly content calendar and assets

    Approved monthly calendar plus 16 to 20 original posts and 6 short-form videos produced and scheduled each cycle.

    Monthly, ongoing
  3. 03
    Community management coverage

    Daily monitoring, replies, and message triage on business days with an escalation path for sensitive issues.

    Ongoing
  4. 04
    Monthly performance report

    Reach, engagement, follower growth, top content, and recommendations reviewed on a monthly call.

    First week of each month
06Engagement plan

Phases, deliverables, allocations & dates.

Total
$30,000
Duration
26 wks
Phases
4
Start
Jun 15, 2026
End
Dec 7, 2026
TIMELINE
DELIVERABLES & PHASE ALLOCATION
Phase
Deliverables
Allocation
01
Onboarding and strategy
Wk 1-2 · 2 wks
  • ·
    Social strategy playbook
$3,000
Manual
02
First production cycle
Wk 3-4 · 2 wks
  • ·
    Monthly content calendar and assets
  • ·
    Community management coverage
$4,500
Manual
03
Ongoing retainer
Wk 5-26 · 22 wks
  • ·
    Monthly content calendar and assets
  • ·
    Community management coverage
  • ·
    Monthly performance report
$22,500
Manual
04
Quarterly review
Wk 13-13 · 1 wk
  • ·
    Monthly performance report
$0
Manual
Total
4 deliverables · 4 phases · 26 wks
$30,000
07Investment

Fees & schedule.

Total Investment
USD30,000
Pricing Model
Recurring
Engagement Term
Jun 15, 2026 – Nov 23, 2026 (24 weeks)
Payment Terms

Net 15

Expense Policy

Pre-approved expenses such as stock media or app subscriptions are billed at cost.

Fees

01
Social retainer (6 months at 4,500 per month)

Ongoing strategy upkeep, monthly content calendar, post and short-form video production, publishing, community management, and reporting across the six-month term.

Recurring
$27,000.00
02
Onboarding and strategy setup

One-time channel audit, voice and pillar definition, and the initial strategy playbook.

One-Time
$3,000.00

Payment Schedule

01
Proposal acceptance and onboarding
10
$3,000.00
02
Monthly retainer, billed in advance each month
90
$27,000.00
08Qualifications

Why this team.

Team Members

Casey Nguyen
Managing Partner

Leads strategy, monthly planning, and the brand relationship.

Devin Park
Content Lead

Owns graphics, short-form video, and the production calendar.

Case Studies

Regional lifestyle retailer

Rebuilt a neglected social presence around a consistent visual system and a steady short-form video cadence.

Tripled average engagement and grew followers steadily over two quarters.
Specialty food brand

Took over daily community management and seasonal content for a fast-growing direct-to-consumer brand.

Cut response times to under a few hours and lifted social-driven store visits.

Differentiators

  • A dedicated content lead, not a rotating queue of freelancers
  • Community management with real response-time commitments
  • Reporting that ties social activity to business outcomes
09Risks

What could go wrong.

Risk
Slow approvals interrupt the posting cadence
Mitigation
Approve content in monthly batches and keep a small bank of evergreen posts ready to publish.
Risk
A sensitive comment or message escalates publicly
Mitigation
Agree an escalation path and response guidelines during onboarding so the team can act quickly and consistently.
10Terms

The fine print.

Proposal Validity
30 days
MSA Reference

This proposal may be attached to a separate services agreement if the parties choose to execute one.

IP Ownership

Client owns the published content produced under this retainer once fees for the relevant period are paid. Tidewell Social retains ownership of its templates, processes, and pre-existing materials.

Termination Clause

Either party may terminate with 30 days written notice. Fees for the active month and work completed through the termination date remain payable.

Template questions

What should a social media proposal include?

A strong social media proposal covers your channel strategy, content pillars and posting cadence, community management, clear deliverables, a timeline, measurable targets, and transparent pricing. Spell out what is in scope and out of scope so the client knows exactly what they are buying.

Should I price social media work as a monthly retainer or a one-time project?

Ongoing strategy, content production, and community management fit a monthly retainer because the work is continuous. A one-time project price works better for a discrete deliverable like an audit or a campaign. Many agencies combine a small one-time onboarding fee with a recurring monthly retainer.

How do I set measurable targets in a social media proposal?

Anchor each goal to a current baseline and a realistic target over a defined period, such as engagement rate, net follower growth, or community response time. Stating both the starting point and the target keeps expectations honest and gives you a clear standard for monthly reporting.

What deliverables should a social media management proposal list?

Typical deliverables are a strategy playbook, a monthly content calendar with a set number of posts and short-form videos, ongoing community management with response-time commitments, and a monthly performance report. Listing quantities and cadence prevents scope disputes later.

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