A prospective client doesn't want a contract — they want to understand what they're getting and what it costs, in a document short enough to actually read. A formal engagement letter, sent as the first thing a prospect sees, reads like paperwork before they've even said yes to anything.
Two documents, two different moments
A proposal pitches the engagement — scope, pricing, and why it's worth it, written to persuade someone who hasn't committed yet. An engagement letter formalizes it — the same scope and pricing, now written as terms both sides are agreeing to. Sending the second one first skips the part where you actually convince anyone.
The proposal should answer "why this price"
Scope and a number aren't enough on their own — a proposal that explains what's included and what the engagement actually solves gives a prospect a reason to say yes, instead of just a number to compare against other quotes.
The engagement letter should leave nothing ambiguous
Once a client has agreed, the engagement letter's job changes — precision matters more than persuasion. Scope, fee structure, timeline, and terms spelled out clearly are what prevent a disagreement three months in about what was actually promised.
Use the templates instead of building both from scratch
The Retainer Proposal template generates the pitch — scope, monthly fee, and hours included — and the Engagement Letter template formalizes it once a client says yes, both in FLYNT Docs. Price the engagement first with the Billable Hours & Retainer Calculator, so both documents are built on the same real numbers.