The best way to send a quote to a client
Send your quote as a PDF attached to a short, professional email. A PDF looks consistent on every device, cannot be edited by accident, and reads as more professional than a price typed into the body of a message.
What to write in the email
Keep it short and clear. A good quote email has four parts: a subject line with the quote number, a one-line thank you, a sentence pointing to the attached quote and its total, and a clear next step.
- Subject: Quote Q-001 for the work, from your business
- Opening: thank them for the opportunity to quote
- Body: note the attached PDF, the total and the validity date
- Next step: tell them exactly how to accept, for example simply reply to confirm
When to send it
Send the quote within twenty four hours of the enquiry where you can. The first professional quote to arrive often wins the job, even when it is not the cheapest.
How to follow up
If you do not hear back, follow up politely three to five days after sending. A short message referencing the quote number and validity date is enough. Following up at least once can lift your acceptance rate significantly, because most silence is busyness rather than rejection.
Make it easy to accept
Reduce friction. Tell the client the single action that accepts the quote, attach the PDF rather than asking them to log in somewhere, and make sure your contact details are on the document. The easier it is to say yes, the more jobs you win.