7 Tips for Creating Quotes That Close Deals
Creating effective quotes is both an art and a science. A well-crafted quote not only presents your pricing clearly but also reinforces why you are the right choice. Here are seven proven strategies to improve your quote close rate.
1. Respond Quickly
Speed matters in quoting. Research shows that the first responder wins the business 35-50% of the time.
**Why speed wins:**
- Demonstrates responsiveness and reliability
- Catches the client while their need is top of mind
- Gets ahead of competitors
- Shows you want their business
**How to respond faster:**
- Use templates that can be quickly customized
- Keep pricing calculators handy
- Set up quote generation tools (like DocuKit Suite)
- Create a quote workflow that minimizes approval bottlenecks
- Acknowledge requests immediately, even if the full quote takes time
**Target response times:**
- Simple requests: Same day
- Standard projects: Within 24 hours
- Complex proposals: Within 48-72 hours, with acknowledgment immediately
If you cannot provide a complete quote quickly, at least acknowledge the request and set expectations for when you will deliver.
2. Personalize Every Quote
Generic quotes get generic responses. Personalization shows you understand the client specific needs.
**What to personalize:**
- Reference specific conversations or requirements discussed
- Use the client name and company throughout
- Address their particular challenges
- Tailor scope to their situation
**Example transformation:**
*Generic:* "Website development services - $5,000"
*Personalized:* "Custom e-commerce website for [Company Name] featuring the 150-product catalog we discussed, integrated with your existing Square POS system - $5,000"
**Personalization signals:**
- You listened during discovery
- You understand their situation
- You will deliver exactly what they need
- You are not just sending a template
Even when using templates, take time to customize language for each client. The investment in personalization pays off in higher close rates.
3. Itemize Strategically
How you break down pricing affects perception and decision-making.
**When to itemize:**
- Complex projects with multiple components
- When clients want to understand value breakdown
- When offering options or add-ons
- For transparency with price-sensitive clients
**When to bundle:**
- Simple, standardized services
- When itemizing would create sticker shock on individual items
- When you want to emphasize total value over components
**Strategic itemization tips:**
- Lead with high-value items
- Group related services logically
- Show savings when bundling
- Make optional items clearly separate
**Example:**
Rather than "$10,000 - complete website," try:
- Strategy & Planning: $2,000
- Custom Design (5 pages): $3,500
- Development & Testing: $3,500
- Training & Documentation: $1,000
- **Total Investment: $10,000**
This shows where the money goes and justifies the total.
4. Set Strategic Validity Periods
Quote validity periods create urgency and protect your pricing.
**Standard periods by context:**
- Rush projects: 7 days
- Standard services: 30 days
- Large projects: 60-90 days
- Volatile markets: 14-21 days
**Why validity periods matter:**
- Creates deadline for decision
- Protects you from cost increases
- Prevents stale quotes being accepted months later
- Signals professionalism
**How to use validity strategically:**
- Shorter periods encourage faster decisions
- Clearly state what happens when quotes expire
- Offer to re-quote if circumstances change
- Follow up before expiration
**Language to use:**
"This quote is valid for 30 days from the date above. After expiration, we are happy to provide an updated quote reflecting current pricing."
Never leave quotes open-ended—you may be held to pricing that no longer makes sense.
5. Address Objections Preemptively
Anticipate concerns and address them in your quote before they become deal-breakers.
**Common objections and how to address them:**
**"Too expensive"**
- Break down the value delivered
- Show ROI calculations
- Compare to alternatives (including doing nothing)
- Offer payment plans or phased approaches
**"I need to compare options"**
- Differentiate what makes you unique
- Include testimonials or case studies
- Highlight guarantees or risk-reducers
**"We are not ready yet"**
- Offer flexible start dates
- Suggest smaller starting scope
- Keep door open for future
**"What if it does not work?"**
- Include satisfaction guarantees
- Reference successful similar projects
- Offer milestone-based payments
**Where to address objections:**
- In the quote itself through strategic language
- In a cover note accompanying the quote
- In FAQ sections for longer proposals
- Through testimonials that speak to concerns
6. Make Acceptance Easy
Remove friction from the acceptance process. The harder it is to say yes, the more quotes stall.
**Acceptance mechanisms:**
- Clear signature line or checkbox
- Digital signature integration
- Simple email confirmation option
- Online acceptance portal
**What to include:**
- Explicit acceptance statement
- Space for signature and date
- Clear next steps after acceptance
- Payment instructions for any deposits
**Reduce barriers:**
- Do not require printing and scanning if digital works
- Offer multiple ways to accept
- Make deposit payments easy
- Clarify exactly what happens after acceptance
**Example acceptance language:**
"To accept this quote, please sign below or reply to this email with 'I accept.' Upon acceptance, we will send a brief project kickoff questionnaire and schedule our first meeting."
Every step you add to acceptance decreases close rates. Simplify ruthlessly.
7. Follow Up Systematically
Most quotes are not accepted on first send. Systematic follow-up wins business.
**Follow-up timeline:**
- **Day 2-3**: Check if received and offer to answer questions
- **Day 7**: Share relevant case study or additional information
- **Day 14**: Ask for status and any concerns
- **Day 21**: Final check before quote expires
- **Post-expiration**: Offer to requote if still interested
**Follow-up best practices:**
- Add value in each touchpoint—do not just ask "have you decided?"
- Reference specific parts of the quote
- Share relevant success stories
- Offer to modify scope if needed
**What to say:**
"Hi [Name], I wanted to check in on the website quote I sent last week. I noticed you mentioned concerns about your current site mobile experience—I attached a quick analysis of what we could improve. Happy to discuss if helpful."
**Tracking:**
- Log all follow-ups
- Note responses and objections
- Set reminders for next touchpoints
- Know when to move on (typically after 3-4 unanswered follow-ups)
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