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Stop Emailing Proposals as Attachments—Do This Instead

3 min read

Sending a business proposal and hearing nothing back? The problem might be your email attachment. Here's a better way to send and track your important documents.

# business
# freelance
# proposals
# sales
# pdf
Not in series

The Black Hole of Email Attachments

You’ve spent hours crafting the perfect business proposal. You’ve tailored it to the client, polished every detail, and saved it as a PDF. You attach it to an email, hit “Send,” and then… you wait.

And you wonder.

  • Did they even get the email?
  • Did they open the proposal?
  • Are they just busy, or are they ignoring me?
  • Did my email get caught in a spam filter because the file was too big?

Sending a PDF as a standard email attachment is like sending your hard work into a black hole. You get zero feedback and lose all control the moment it leaves your outbox. If you need to update a typo or change a price, you have to send a confusing “v2_final_final” version, creating a messy paper trail.

There is a much smarter, more professional way to handle this.

An image showing a notification that a PDF has been read.

Instead of attaching a file, you can upload your proposal to a secure online service and share it as a link. This simple change transforms your sales process, giving you insight and control you never had before.

Using a service like MaiPDF is built for this. Here’s why it’s a game-changer for anyone sending proposals, quotes, or contracts.

1. Get Instant Open Notifications

This is the biggest advantage. The moment your client clicks the link and opens your proposal, you can get an email notification.

  • No more guessing: You know exactly when they’ve seen it.
  • Perfect timing for follow-ups: If you see they just opened it, you can wait an hour and send a casual follow-up email. “Just wanted to make sure you received the proposal and see if you have any initial questions.” You sound proactive, not pushy.

2. See How Engaged They Are

A good PDF sharing service doesn’t just tell you if they opened it; it tells you how many times.

Why is this useful?

  • One view, then silence? They might not be that interested.
  • Viewed five times in a day? They are likely seriously considering it and sharing it with their team. This is a very hot lead.

This data helps you focus your energy on the clients who are most engaged.

3. Maintain Control After Sending

Have you ever sent a proposal and then realized you made a mistake in the pricing? Or the client asked for a change?

With an email attachment, you have to send a new file and hope they delete the old one. It’s messy.

With a link, you can simply update the original file on the server. The link stays the same, but it will now point to the corrected version. The client will always see the most up-to-date document. You can also revoke access at any time by disabling the link, which is perfect for time-sensitive offers.

4. Look More Professional

Let’s be honest: a clean, branded link just looks more modern and tech-savvy than a clunky file attachment. It shows you’re using smart tools to do business. It also avoids the risk of your email being rejected by corporate servers that block large attachments.

How to Do It (It Takes 60 Seconds)

  1. Go to MaiPDF and upload your finished proposal PDF.
  2. Grab the secure link it generates for you.
  3. Paste the link into your email with a clear call to action, like: “Here is the proposal we discussed. You can view it at the secure link below:”

That’s it. You’ve elevated your sales process, gained valuable intelligence, and made a stronger impression on your potential client. Stop throwing your proposals into the void and start sharing them with confidence.