How to Write a Business Quote

If there’s one thing customers want, it’s accurate pricing. Even if you serve a lot of different types of customers, you can count on all of them to ask for a business quote.

The good news is that you don’t have to print out a long document on expensive company letterhead to impress your customers with a quote!

In this blog, we’ll explore the best ways to give your customers a business quote and why it’s important.

What is a Business Quote?

A business quote is nothing more than document that describes your product or service and how much you expect customers to pay for it. You might include it as part of a contract if your customers are other businesses, but consumers appreciate a business quote too.

After all, no one has infinite money, so they need to know what they’re going to have to spend before you start providing services!

The quote should show a complete list of the products and services you’re providing and how much each of them cost. Customers appreciate this transparency because it gives them a better understanding of what they’re paying for, but also because it also allows them to ask specific questions.

What Should You Include in a Business Quote?

The most important part of your business quote is, you guessed it, pricing. This is something you’ll need to figure out before you start sending quotes to customers. If you don’t know how much your services cost, it’ll be hard to convince customers to pay your prices.

Depending on what service your company offers, you may want to create a quote for a long-lasting contract. For example, you could ask for monthly payments for services over an agreed period.

Your quotes could also be more transactional. If a customer sends a request for you to fix a piece of machinery, you can generate a quote based on your best understanding of the problem and how much work it will take to fix it.

Here’s everything you’ll need to think about and put into your business quotes:

• Your company’s pricing strategy.
• Your best estimate of the cost of the job.
• Clear pricing information for each product and service.
• Formal company branding like your logo.
• An easy way for the customer to approve the quote (such as electronically).
• A way to follow up with customers who don’t respond.

There are other things to consider when you create a quote, but it depends on your business. For example, if you operate a cleaning company, you can usually price your services based on the square footage of the property. But if you’re fixing complex machinery, you may not be able to give an accurate price estimate until you take a look at the machine in question.

Sometimes, machines can be fixed in the field. Other times, new parts must be ordered, adding to the customer’s charges. Similarly, if you discover additional problems that will require more labor, you may need to submit an additional quote to the customer and get it approved quickly.

What Should a Business Quote Look Like?

Most customers don’t want to read a novel when looking at a business quote, so use a simple structure! Generally, a quote will include the following:

• Header: Your company name and contact information.
• Body: A list of products and services, and how much each of them cost.
• Totals: The total of all the costs listed. You can also include tax info here.
• Footer: This is where “the fine print” gods, such as company policy information or legal disclaimers.
• (Optional) Visualizations: If it makes sense to do so, you can include graphs, charts, or images showing the customer what type of work you intend to do.

Try to put yourself in your customer’s shoes when writing a business quote. What would you want to see to know you’re getting a good deal?

Some customers might want a printable quote to add to their records. But electronic quotes are usually simpler. These days you can send quote by email and even via text message with the right tools!

Should You Use a Business Quote Template?

You can find some great business quote templates online for free. This might be a good option if you need a business quote in a pinch, but it shouldn’t be your standard.

Ideally, your quotes should be branded with your business information. You’ll also need a way to create quotes quickly an automatically, so you don’t have to waste time filling out a template every time you get a job to do.

How to Send Customers Your Business Quote

Before sending your quote, ask your customers how’d they’d like to receive it. These days, most customers won’t want a quote to be printed and mailed because it takes too long to arrive.

Instead, consider sending your quotes by email or text message. Some solutions let you to send quotes, estimates, and invoices directly from the job site through your smartphone. Once the quote is in your customer’s hands, they can approve it and pay you faster than if you were to mail your quote to them.

This also prevents you from filling out loads of paperwork. Instead of stuffing a filing cabinet, you can manage all your quotes electronically in a single location. You’ll never have to search for documents again.

Send Quotes, Estimates, and Invoices Easily with FieldPulse

The good news is, you don’t need to hunt on the internet to find polished business quote templates! With FieldPulse, you can create accurate quotes and estimates quickly, then invoice customers instantly once the job is finished. Your customers will appreciate the fast quoting and approval process, and you’ll appreciate the lack of paperwork and the chance to get paid faster.

To learn more about how FieldPulse can help your business save time and money, sign up for a free 30-minute demonstration today.

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