For Australian service businesses
How to write a quote a customer says yes to
Most jobs aren't lost on price — they're lost on a quote that's slow, unclear, or never lands. Here's what makes a customer say yes, and how to send one in a couple of minutes.
In short
- Customers usually go quiet on a quote because it's slow, confusing, or feels risky — not because it's too expensive.
- Win the job with a clear, itemised quote sent fast, with a deposit and a use-by date so both sides know where they stand.
- Our free quote generator builds a tidy PDF in minutes — and your Google listing can let customers request one themselves.
Why customers go quiet on a quote
It's tempting to assume a customer who doesn't reply thought you were too dear. Usually it's something else:
- It came too late. The one who quoted the same day already has the job. Speed reads as reliability.
- They couldn't follow it. One big number with no breakdown gives them nothing to trust, so they keep shopping.
- It felt risky. No business name, no ABN, no terms — it looks like it could change, so they hesitate.
Fix those three and you'll win jobs you're currently losing at the same price.
What a winning quote includes
You, clearly, at the top
Business name, phone and ABN. It signals a real, contactable operator. If you're registered for GST, show it as its own line.
The job, broken into lines
Labour, call-out, parts, materials — each with a price. The customer sees where the money goes, and you can tweak one line without rewriting the lot.
A deposit and a use-by date
A deposit to secure the booking protects you against no-shows; a 'valid until' date protects your pricing. Both make the quote feel firm, not floaty.
An easy yes
A clean PDF they can approve on their phone beats a text that says 'about $400'. The less friction to say yes, the more jobs you win.
Our free quote generator puts all of this on one tidy page and saves it as a PDF — no signup, and it remembers your business details for next time.
Send it fast, then follow up once
Get the quote out while you're still fresh in their mind — same day if you can. If you haven't heard back in a few days, one friendly follow-up is worth sending: a short 'happy to answer anything, and the price holds until [date]' often gets a yes that silence never would. One nudge, not five.
And the smoothest version of all this is when the customer can start it themselves. If your Google listing lets people request a quote or book without waiting to catch you, more of them do — because the moment they're keen is the moment they act.
Let customers request a quote from Google
We put online booking on your Google listing, so people can ask for a quote or book you straight from Google. See a free preview built for your business.
See my free booking page →Common questions
How detailed should a quote be?
Detailed enough that the customer can see what each part costs and why, but not so long they won't read it. Separate lines for labour, call-out and materials beat one lump sum — they show your value and make it easy to adjust one item without redoing everything.
Should I charge for giving a quote?
Most local trades quote for free as part of winning the job; some charge a fee for a detailed on-site assessment and credit it against the work if the customer goes ahead. Whichever you choose, say so upfront so there are no surprises.
How long should a quote stay valid?
A 'valid until' date protects you from honouring a price after your costs have moved — 30 days is common. It also gently nudges the customer to decide rather than sit on it.
What's the difference between a quote and an estimate?
A quote is a fixed price you're committing to; an estimate is your best guess that may change. Be clear which one you're giving — calling a rough figure a 'quote' and then charging more is how trust breaks.