Chapter 9: Your template library

The templates in this kit turn the previous seven chapters into documents you can send. Each one is provided in Word (.docx), which also opens in Google Docs, and in Markdown (.md). This chapter explains what each template is for, how to adapt it step by step, and the mistakes to avoid.

Conventions used in every template

• [Square brackets] mark placeholders to replace.
• EXAMPLE marks illustrative figures. Replace them with your own.
• [VERIFY before use] marks payment or legal details that you must check on the provider's site, or with a professional, before sending.
• Notes marked "designer only" must be deleted before sending to a client.

The workflow at a glance

Outreach (T5) → Discovery questionnaire (T6) → Discovery call
→ Proposal (T1) with rate card logic (T3/T4)
→ Contract (T2) + Deposit invoice (T7)
→ Deposit received → Receipt (T8) → Kickoff email (Ch. 6)
→ Concepts → Revisions (approvals in writing)
→ Milestone invoices (T7) → Receipts (T8)
→ Final invoice (T7) → Final payment → Receipt (T8) + IP confirmation
→ Handover checklist (T9) → Testimonial & referral (Ch. 7)

Keep this flow in mind. Each template feeds the next, and using them in order is what makes you look and feel professional to an international client.

Template 1: Proposal

Purpose: turn the discovery conversation into a clear offer with options, a timeline and payment terms.

When to send: within 24–48 hours of the discovery call, while the conversation is fresh. [Assumption: speed signals professionalism, but quality matters more than speed.]

Step-by-step

1. Header: your details, the client's details, the date, the validity period and the quoted currency.
2. "Your situation": two or three sentences using the client's own words from the questionnaire and call. This is the most important section, because it shows you listened.
3. Goals: three bullet points.
4. Scope table: what's included and, just as important, what's not.
5. Process and timeline: phases, durations, the input you need from the client, your working hours and time-zone overlap.
6. Investment: three options (Essential / Standard / Premium) based on your rate card (Chapter 4). Mark one as recommended.
7. Payment schedule: deposit and milestones, the payment method and the transfer-fee policy.
8. Why work with me: only verifiable claims, with links to relevant case studies. References are available on request, with permission.
9. Next steps: reply to confirm, then the contract and deposit invoice, then the start date.

Common mistakes

• Sending a price without context. The client sees only a number.
• Leaving out exclusions, which leads to arguments about scope later.
• Copying generic text that doesn't mention the client's actual situation.
• Promising outcomes ("this will double your sales"). Never do this.

Template 2: Contract

Purpose: protect both parties with clear terms on scope, payment, revisions, IP and disputes.

NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Have a qualified lawyer review and adapt the contract before you use it.

Step-by-step

1. Choose your options in the key clauses:
   • 2.3 Transfer fees: who pays.
   • 3 Deposit: percentage.
   • 4 Milestones: the payment split (EXAMPLE: 50/25/25).
   • 5 Revisions: the number of concepts and rounds, and the price of extra rounds.
   • 8 IP: ownership on full payment; source files included or extra; portfolio rights.
   • 11 Kill fee: what's payable if the client cancels.
   • 14 Governing law: decided with your lawyer.
2. Get a lawyer review of your master version.
3. For each client: copy the master and fill in the parties, fee, currency and Schedule A (from your proposal).
4. Send for signature together with the deposit invoice.
5. Start work only after signature and deposit.

Common mistakes

• Using the contract without legal review.
• Leaving Schedule A vague ("logo and branding").
• Agreeing to change clauses without understanding them. If a client sends their own contract, have it reviewed.
• Starting work "while the contract is being signed".

Template 3: USD rate card

Purpose: a clear, professional overview of your packages and prices for international clients.

Step-by-step

1. Complete the pricing method in Chapter 4: floor rate, hours, market check and value.
2. Fill in the package names, contents, timelines and prices.
3. Add your day rate (for agency work), retainer and add-ons.
4. Add terms: deposit, the transfer-fee policy and how long quotes are valid.
5. Add payment methods only after you've checked them [VERIFY before use].
6. Export as a PDF in your own brand style.

When to share it

• With agencies, who often like a rate card upfront
• When a lead asks "what do you charge?" before a call
• [Assumption] Some designers prefer not to publish prices and share a tailored proposal instead. Choose what suits your positioning.

Common mistakes

• Copying someone else's prices.
• Forgetting to update prices when costs change.
• Listing payment methods you haven't tested.

Template 4: NGN rate card

Purpose: pricing for naira-paying clients, such as local clients or diaspora clients who prefer to pay in naira.

Step-by-step

1. Use the same packages as your USD card, adapted for the scope local clients need.
2. Price from your naira costs. Remember that many of your costs (software, equipment) are linked to FX.
3. Set a short validity period, because FX movements affect your costs.
4. Add your bank details and terms.

Context: the research behind this book cites one third-party benchmark of Nigerian design pricing (palment.com.ng: logos ₦20k–₦500k+, brand identity ₦100k–₦2M+). That's a reference point, not a recommendation. [VERIFY]

Template 5: Outreach scripts

Purpose: starting points for WhatsApp, LinkedIn and cold email, plus agency pitches and answers to trust questions.

Step-by-step

1. Choose the script for the channel and situation.
2. Personalise at least the first line with something specific about the person or business.
3. Replace the placeholder case study link with the most relevant one.
4. Read it aloud. Does it sound like you?
5. Send it, then log it in your tracker (Chapter 3).
6. Use the follow-up scripts on schedule. Stop after two follow-ups.

Common mistakes

• Sending scripts unchanged (people can tell).
• Pitching in a LinkedIn connection request.
• Attaching files to a first cold email.
• Following up too often or too aggressively.
• Ignoring the email rules in your target countries [VERIFY].

Template 6: Discovery questionnaire

Purpose: gather the information you need to write a strong proposal and design the right brand.

Step-by-step

1. Send it before the discovery call, by email or as a form.
2. Ask the client to complete it at least 24 hours before the call.
3. Read their answers and note follow-up questions.
4. Use their exact words in your proposal ("Your situation") and your concept presentation.
5. Store the answers in the project folder.

Tips

• Questions 13 (budget) and 17 (payment method) are important for international clients. They help you avoid a mismatch before you've invested time.
• If the client doesn't complete it, cover the questions on the call instead.

Template 7: Invoice

Purpose: request payment for the deposit, milestones and final payment, with clear payment instructions.

Step-by-step

1. Use a consistent numbering system (e.g. INV-2026-001).
2. Fill in the client details, project, contract date and milestone.
3. Enter line items and totals in the agreed currency.
4. Add tax details only if they apply to you. [VERIFY with a tax professional.]
5. Add your payment instructions: account details for your chosen provider. Check them on every invoice.
6. Delete the "designer only" notes about payment providers before sending.
7. State the transfer-fee policy and the due date.
8. Export as a PDF and send it by email.

Common mistakes

• Leaving designer notes in the client version.
• Incorrect account details. A single digit error can delay payment for weeks.
• No due date.
• Inconsistent invoice numbers, which makes your records and tax harder.

Template 8: Receipt

Purpose: confirm payment, record what actually arrived after fees, and confirm the IP transfer on the final payment.

Step-by-step

1. Send it as soon as each payment arrives.
2. Record the invoiced amount, the received amount and the difference (fees lost in transit).
3. Mark the status: paid in full or part payment.
4. On the final payment, include the IP transfer line.
5. Copy the details into your records spreadsheet (Chapter 5).

Why the "fees deducted" line matters: over time, it shows you the real cost of each payment route and whether your transfer-fee clause is working.

Template 9: Client handover checklist

Purpose: a professional, complete handover with nothing forgotten.

Step-by-step

1. Tick "final balance received" first. No files go out before this.
2. Work through the file, licence and IP sections.
3. Record a walkthrough.
4. Send the handover email (Chapter 7).
5. Complete the after-handover section: testimonial, referral, portfolio permission, next phase, archive, records.

Template 10: AI prompt pack

Purpose: ready-to-use prompts for text and image models, grouped by deliverable (Chapter 8).

Step-by-step

1. Read Chapter 8, especially the golden rules and the IP caveats.
2. Copy the prompt you need and replace every [placeholder].
3. Remove confidential client details unless you have permission and understand the tool's data terms [VERIFY].
4. Review and edit every output before using it.
5. Save improved versions of prompts back into your copy of the pack.

Common mistakes

• Pasting confidential information without permission.
• Sending AI drafts without checking names, facts and tone.
• Using AI images as final brand assets.

Customising the templates to your brand

The templates are deliberately plain so you can adapt them.

1. Recreate them in your own visual identity: logo, fonts and colours. Your paperwork is part of your portfolio.
2. Save master copies in a "Templates" folder and never edit the masters for a specific client.
3. For each client, copy the template into the project folder.
4. Review your templates every six months, especially payment details and legal clauses.

HYPOTHETICAL worked example: the templates in one project

Invented scenario to show the flow. No real client or figures.

1. Week 0: Bisi sends a personalised LinkedIn message (T5) to the founder of a Toronto-based skincare startup. They agree to a call.
2. Bisi sends the discovery questionnaire (T6). The founder completes it and mentions a retail launch and a preference for paying by bank transfer in USD.
3. After the call, Bisi sends a proposal (T1) with three options, priced using her USD rate card logic (T3). The founder chooses Standard.
4. Bisi sends the contract (T2), already reviewed by her lawyer as a master, with Schedule A filled in, plus a deposit invoice (T7) with her tested payment instructions.
5. The deposit arrives. Bisi records what arrived and sends a receipt (T8), then a kickoff email (Chapter 6).
6. Concepts, revisions and approvals happen in writing. The milestone invoice and receipt follow.
7. The final invoice is paid. Bisi sends the receipt with IP confirmation and completes the handover checklist (T9).
8. Two weeks later, Bisi asks for a testimonial and a referral (Chapter 7).

Adapting templates for different client regions

Small adjustments make the templates feel native to each client:

• Spelling and dates: use UK spelling and day-month dates for UK and many European clients; US spelling and month-day dates for US clients. Always write the month as a word ("3 March 2027") to avoid confusion.
• Currency formatting: "$1,800 USD", "£1,500 GBP" or "€1,700 EUR". Put the currency code in the proposal header and on every invoice.
• Tax lines: some clients will ask about tax details on invoices. Only add what applies to you. [VERIFY with a tax professional.]
• Contract jurisdiction: if the client requests their own governing law, have your lawyer review the change before you agree.
• Tone: match the client's formality in cover emails, while keeping the documents themselves clear and professional.

Frequently asked questions about the templates

Can I use these templates with clients in any country? You can use them as a starting point. Laws and business customs differ by country, so the contract in particular needs a lawyer's review for the jurisdictions you work in.

What if a client sends me their own contract? Read it carefully, compare it with the key clauses in Template 2 (deposit, IP on payment, revisions, kill fee, governing law), and have it reviewed before signing. Don't assume a big company's contract is fair to you.

Should I send prices before or after a call? Either can work. Agencies often want a rate card upfront; direct clients usually respond better to a tailored proposal after a discovery call. [Assumption]

Can I share these templates with friends? The licence allows you to use them with your own clients. Please don't redistribute or resell them.

Checklist: template library

• All ten templates saved as masters in my own brand style
• Contract reviewed by a lawyer
• Payment instructions tested and checked [VERIFY]
• Rate cards filled with my own prices
• Outreach scripts personalised to my voice
• Invoice numbering system set
• Records spreadsheet linked to receipts

End-of-chapter exercises

Exercise 9.1: Brand the templates. Recreate the proposal, invoice and receipt in your own visual identity.

Exercise 9.2: Dry run. Fill in every template for a hypothetical client, from questionnaire to handover. Time how long the paperwork takes.

Exercise 9.3: Peer review. Ask a designer friend to review your proposal and invoice as if they were the client. What's unclear?

Exercise 9.4: Template review date. Put a recurring six-monthly reminder in your calendar to review templates, prices and payment details.