How to Email a Quote to a Customer: A Simple Structure, 6 Templates and What to Do After You Send It

Updated 2026-10-26 · AI Agent Starter Kit

The quote email is where a lead turns into a job, or quietly doesn't. Most small businesses put real care into the price and almost none into the email that carries it. The result is a PDF attached to "Here's your quote, let me know," and then silence.

A good quote email does three things: it reminds the customer what they asked for, makes the price easy to understand, and tells them exactly how to say yes. This guide gives you a simple structure, subject lines, six templates you can copy, and what to do in the days after you hit Send.

Before you write: send it fast

Speed matters as much as wording. A quote that lands the same day as the site visit or call catches the customer while they are still thinking about the job. A quote that lands a week later competes with whoever got there first.

A practical rule: send the quote within one business day of having the facts. If you need longer (materials pricing, a supplier, a sub), send a short note saying when it will arrive, then hit that date.

Thanks again for showing me the space today. I'm checking material prices and will have your quote to you by Thursday afternoon.

That keeps you in the running.

Subject lines that get opened

Keep it plain and specific. The customer should be able to find it in their inbox a week later.

Your quote for [JOB] at [ADDRESS or NAME]
[BUSINESS NAME] quote: [JOB], [MONTH]
Quote for [JOB] (valid until [DATE])
Updated quote for [JOB]

The 6-part quote email

Every template below follows the same order. Once you know it, you can write any quote email in a few minutes.

Thank them and name the job. "Thanks for having me out on Tuesday to look at the deck repair." It shows you remember them, not just the number.
Restate what they want in one or two lines. "You want the rotten boards replaced, the railing made safe and the whole deck sealed before summer." This is the line that catches misunderstandings early.
Give the price clearly. One total, or two or three clearly labeled options. Put the number in the email body, not only in the attachment. Many people never open the PDF.
Say what is included and what isn't. Three to five short bullets. Exclusions prevent most later arguments.
Give timing and validity. When you could start, how long it takes, and how long the price holds.
Ask for one simple next step. "Reply yes and I'll send the deposit link and lock in the start date." One action, not three.

6 quote email templates

Replace the brackets. Check every price, date and inclusion yourself before sending.

1. Standard quote

Subject: Your quote for [JOB] at [ADDRESS]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for having me out on [DAY] to look at [JOB]. As we discussed, you want [ONE-LINE SUMMARY OF WHAT THEY WANT].

The total is $[PRICE], which includes: - [INCLUDED 1] - [INCLUDED 2] - [INCLUDED 3]

Not included: [EXCLUSION]. I could start the week of [DATE], and the work takes about [DURATION]. This price is good until [DATE].

If it looks right, just reply "yes" and I'll send the deposit link and confirm your start date. Happy to answer any questions.

[Your name]

2. Three options (good, better, best)

Subject: Your options for [JOB]

Hi [Name], thanks for walking me through [JOB]. Here are three ways to do it:

Option A: [NAME], $[PRICE]. [One line on what it covers.]

Option B: [NAME], $[PRICE]. [One line. Most people choose this one because...]

Option C: [NAME], $[PRICE]. [One line.]

All three include [SHARED INCLUSIONS]. Full details are in the attached PDF. Reply with A, B or C and I'll get you on the schedule.

Options change the question from "should I hire them?" to "which one?" Keep it to three.

3. Estimate before a site visit

Subject: Rough estimate for [JOB]

Hi [Name], based on what you've described, jobs like this usually land between $[LOW] and $[HIGH]. Where it falls depends on [FACTOR 1] and [FACTOR 2]. I can give you a firm price after a quick visit. Would [DAY/TIME] or [DAY/TIME] work?

Label a range clearly as an estimate so nobody treats it as a promise.

4. Revised quote

Subject: Updated quote for [JOB]

Hi [Name], here's the updated quote with the changes we talked about. The new total is $[PRICE] (was $[OLD PRICE]). What changed: [CHANGE 1], [CHANGE 2]. Everything else is the same. Reply "yes" and I'll lock in [DATE].

Always say what changed. Making someone compare two PDFs line by line is a quick way to lose them.

5. Small job, quick quote

Subject: Quote for [JOB]

Hi [Name], that's $[PRICE] all in, including [PARTS/MATERIALS]. I have [DAY] or [DAY] open. Which suits you better?

For small jobs a full proposal is overkill. Price plus two time slots is enough.

6. Quote with a deposit to book

Subject: Your quote for [JOB], and how to book

Hi [Name], the total for [JOB] is $[PRICE]. To hold your spot for the week of [DATE], I take a [AMOUNT or %] deposit, with the balance due [WHEN]. If you're happy to go ahead, reply "yes" and I'll send the deposit link. Spots for [MONTH] are filling up, so I can hold this date until [DATE].

Only mention limited availability if it's true. Customers notice when it isn't.

What to attach (and what not to)

Attach a PDF with the line items, terms, payment schedule and your business details. Name the file clearly: "Quote - [Name] - [JOB].pdf" with a normal hyphen, not "Document1.pdf."
Keep the key facts in the email body too: total, what's included, timing and next step.
Never put bank details in the email body. Send a payment link from your invoicing tool instead. It's safer for both sides, and customers are rightly wary of emails asking them to send money to an account number.

After you send it

Most quotes that go quiet are undecided, not lost. Plan short follow-ups on Day 2, Day 5 and Day 10, and stop the moment they reply. The guide on how to follow up on a quote has the timing and six follow-up templates, and the free follow-up schedule generator turns the date you sent the quote into a dated plan with copy-paste emails.

Then track the result. Log every quote in a simple lead tracking spreadsheet with a status (quoted, won, lost) and a lost reason. After a month, put the numbers into the free close rate and pipeline calculator to see your quote close rate and what a few more points would be worth. If you're still at the inquiry stage, how to respond to an inquiry email covers the reply that comes before the quote.

Let AI draft it, you send it

Quote emails are a good fit for AI drafting because the structure barely changes. The safe way to do it:

Drafts only. The AI writes the email into your Drafts. You check it and press Send.
Facts only. It uses the job notes and prices you give it, and leaves [CONFIRM] placeholders for anything you haven't decided. It never invents a price, a start date or a discount.
Money requests come to you. Anything about bank details, payment changes or refunds skips the AI and gets flagged.

Writing by hand for now? The free AI email reply prompt generator has a "quote" type that builds a safe ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini prompt with those guardrails.

Skip the build

The Inbox + Leads Starter Pair handles both sides of the quote for you in n8n, with you still pressing Send. Speed-to-Lead logs every new inquiry to a Google Sheet, drafts a personal first reply within about 5 minutes, and drafts Day 2, 5 and 10 follow-ups that stop as soon as the customer answers. Inbox Chief of Staff sorts every email, drafts replies to customer questions in your voice, flags money and security requests, and sends you a 6 PM digest of what still needs you. Nothing sends without you. Get the bundle

Want to see your quote close rate every Monday too? The Solo Ops Command Center adds the Weekly CEO Report and a dashboard on top of the pair.

Bundle: best value

Inbox + Leads Starter Pair

Inbox Chief of Staff plus Speed-to-Lead, for inbox triage and lead follow-up together.

Get the bundle ($45)

Bundle: best value

Solo Ops Command Center

All three paid kits (Inbox Chief of Staff, Speed-to-Lead, Weekly CEO Report) plus a bundle-only dashboard sheet. $87 separately.

Get the bundle ($69)

Free weekly email

One tested AI workflow a week

Short, practical n8n and Gmail automations for one-person businesses. Drafts-only, human-in-the-loop, no hype. Unsubscribe anytime.

Subscribe free