How to send a quote to a client and get it accepted

Putting together and sending a quote to a client is one of the most crucial business skills to learn. The quote you propose can be the difference between a prospective client closing the deal or walking away.

With that in mind, shooting over a number in a quick, sloppy email simply isn’t going to cut it. Instead, think of a business quote as another way to sell the product or service at hand.

If you’re curious about how to send a quote to a client that not only impresses but also has a higher chance of being accepted, then this handy guide is exactly what you need to get started.

How to send a quote to a client

To send a quote to a client, package the pricing, scope, timeline, terms, and acceptance instructions in a clear professional format. Then send it with a short note that explains the value, confirms the next step, and makes it easy for the client to approve.

How to email a quote to a customer

Most quotes still travel by email, so the note that carries the quote matters as much as the document. When emailing a quote to a customer, keep the message short and put the decision information in the body: what the quote covers, the total, how long it is valid, and exactly how to accept it. Clients forward these emails to finance and procurement, and a reader who never opens the attachment should still understand the offer.

Three rules for sending a quote email:

• Put the quote number, total, and expiry date in the subject line. It makes the email findable weeks later, when the client is ready to sign.
• Summarize the quote in four lines. Scope, total, timeline, and validity date. The attachment or link holds the detail.
• Include acceptance of quote wording. Tell the client the exact action that counts as acceptance, so a reply of “looks good” does not leave the deal in limbo.

Here is a send quote email template you can adapt:

Subject: Quote Q-104 for [project name]: [total], valid until [date]

Hi [first name],

Thanks for your time on [date]. As agreed, here is our quote for [one-line scope]: [link or attachment].

• Scope: [three main deliverables]
• Total: [price], [payment terms]
• Timeline: [start date] to [end date]
• Valid until: [date]

To accept this quote, reply “Approved” to this email or sign at the link above, and we will confirm your start date within one business day.

I will call you on [day] to answer any questions.

[Your name, title, and phone number]

Sending quote to client email as a link rather than an attachment has one more advantage: you can see when the client opens it, which tells you when to make that follow-up call.

What is a client quotation, and how do you write one?

Before we get into how to make or write a quote, let’s first define what we’re talking about. What is a business quote? And, what does a quote look like in practice?

In short, a business quote, or client quotation, is a document that specifies the price for a specific collection of goods or services. Think of a quote as the opposite of a receipt in that it’s not a record of what you did pay, but a projection of what you should expect to pay. Since quotes are presented before a business deal is finalized, they’re even more important from a marketing perspective.

A good price quote should:

1. Restate and respond to the client’s requirements
2. Factor in all of the client’s requests and preferences into the price
3. Be customized to each client

A smart, on-brand, and easy-to-interpret template can do a lot to make a great impression on a potential customer or client. What’s more, consistent branding on your quotes can help convey professionalism, and with the right tools can be super easy to achieve!

Before sitting down to write, it’s also important to gather all the information you’ll need for the quote.

What information should be included while giving a quote?

Deciding what information belongs in a price quote is straightforward, but you still need to know how to write a quotation because there are a lot of things to remember. To make it a little easier, start by running through this checklist of some of the most important pieces of information to include:

▢ A cover letter
▢ Your business information
▢ Your prospective client’s business information
▢ Identifying details, like the customer reference and/or quote number
▢ Pricing and fee table or summary
▢ Project schedule
▢ Terms and conditions
▢ Date the quote is valid until
▢ Sign-off

While some of those items are pretty obvious (like contact information), there’s a little nuance required for some of the others, so let’s dive in a little further, starting with the cover letter. The best way to think of this is like a cover letter you might write when applying for a job. This is a way to let the client know what values you offer that might not be obvious with a simple number. It’s also a way to make sure clients consider the whole package, instead of simply looking for the cheapest option.

The business quote number is the quote’s identifier and is usually alphanumeric, 3–5 characters long, and includes the initials or name of the client. This is how to keep quotes straight in record keeping. Lastly, think carefully about the schedule included. Make sure it’s as accurate as possible to give clients a clear idea of what to expect and help ensure their happiness if they choose you.

How to prepare a quotation for a client: 4 checks before pricing

There aren’t any rules defining how to write a price quote, and the same holds when you are working out how to provide a quote for services rather than products: be as thorough and accurate as possible. After all, this isn’t an estimate, this is a firm and binding offer for the goods or services being sold. That’s why it’s so important to consider both the necessities and preferences of a client. You can think of these as “need to haves” and “nice to haves”. Pricing these out in an itemized list, as you would in pricing proposals, can help the client to understand exactly what things will cost, and help them to make a decision.

It’s also worth noting there are a few different models you can choose when thinking about pricing. Once you know which model your business falls under, you’ll want to make sure you:

• Understand the client’s requirements
• Know if you can meet those requirements
• Have prices and costs updated
• Know if you can make a profit at the price offered

What format should I write a quotation in?

The format for your business quote should be on-brand and easy to understand. Finding or creating a good price estimate template will be extremely useful. The most basic way to begin is to put contact information at the top before immediately listing the total price. Below that, a neat, easily digestible table that breaks down the cost line by line should be the bulk of the quote itself. Customers won’t typically be satisfied with a simple total; they’ll want to know exactly where their money is going.

3 tips for sending a quote that clients accept

Tip 1: Include everything the client needs to accept the quote

Don’t leave customers confused or surprised. It’s important to have a really firm grasp of what they’re looking for and what they want. This is also why it’s crucial to customize every formal quote. Sending blanket quote forms will likely miss some of the client’s concerns, which could ultimately prevent the deal from closing. Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions before submitting the quote.

At the end of the quote, include a clear call to action and outline the acceptance process, too. This way, they’ll know exactly how to proceed if they’re happy with the quote and will be more likely to commit.

Tip 2: Keep it professional: format and spell-check before sending quotes

Sending a poorly formatted quote can be a total dealbreaker for potential clients. It’s like cooking a gorgeous meal and then serving it on the dirty plates from the day before—people aren’t going to want to bite. Always spell-check your quote and treat it the same way you would any other piece of marketing or promotional material.

That means paying attention to all the details, from ensuring the content is accurate to creating a compelling design. Again, this is where a price quote template can come in handy. It can help make sure the quotes look great every time for every client.

Tip 3: Send the quote through a microsite you can track

If you want to make a splash with your quote, hosting your quote on a microsite can set the bar high! Microsites provide far more functionality than a PDF or plain email can, and they allow for tons of customization. Plus, if you choose the right hosting solution like Zoomforth, you can create as many microsites as you want so you never have to worry about running out of space.

Zoomforth microsites act as living proposals: clients can review the quote, revisit supporting content, share the link with stakeholders, and move toward approval from one branded experience. Browse interactive proposal examples to see the format in practice, or read our full digital sales proposals guide for a deeper walkthrough. See a demo to learn how sales teams use microsites for quotes and proposals.

Host a custom microsite to send quotes for services and products with Zoomforth

It’s great to know how to write quotations for services and products but what about presentation? Hosting your business quote on a Zoomforth sales microsite is a great way to impress a client. Zoomforth offers access to real-time analytics, and even better? There’s no coding involved.

Sites are super easy to create thanks to branded templates and drag-and-drop tools, which means anyone on your team can make them with ease. You can even make multiple brand templates to fit all your brand styles. You’ll even get unlimited media storage. If you’re quoting a larger scope of work, our guide on how to write a sales proposal covers the step up from a simple quote. Request a demo today.

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