Making the Case
Proposal design, content production, and pursuit support at Sasaki
Services
Proposal design | Content writing | Graphic design | Award submissions | Brand systems | Photo shoot coordination | Editorial calendars | Social media
The Challenge
Sasaki is a multidisciplinary firm — architecture, landscape, planning, interior design, urban design — and that breadth is both its greatest strength and its hardest thing to communicate. Every proposal had to quickly establish who Sasaki is, what makes them different, and why they're the right fit for this specific client and project. That takes more than good design. It takes a clear editorial point of view.
My Role
Over nearly three years across two roles — Marketing Assistant and Communications Coordinator — I worked within a 10-person marketing team to support proposal production, graphic design, and content development across practice areas and market sectors.
What I did
Proposal design and production Assisted in the design and production of pursuit packages under tight deadlines, contributing to layout, imagery, and copy integration. The Sasaki visual identity — built around a flexible multi-color system and strong geometric shapes — demanded precision and consistency across every deliverable, from cover to project experience pages.
Content writing and editing Wrote and edited proposal copy including firm introductions, project descriptions, and approach narratives. Good proposal writing at a design firm means making complex, multidisciplinary work feel clear and compelling to clients who are evaluating multiple firms at once.
Graphics and visual storytelling Designed graphics for proposals, advertisements, and social media campaigns, working within Sasaki's brand guidelines while finding ways to make each piece feel tailored and purposeful. Also coordinated project photo shoots to build out the firm's visual asset library.
Award submissions Crafted national award submissions that communicated the unique story behind each project — translating design intent and outcomes into narratives that resonated with jurors across multiple award programs.
The Outcome
Three years at Sasaki — through a period that included a major brand refresh and significant firm growth — gave me a deep understanding of what it takes to support marketing at a multidisciplinary design firm. The work wasn't just about producing documents. It was about learning how to tell a firm's story clearly, consistently, and at volume.