How to Send a Quotation That Wins the Job (Free Template)

A customer asks for your price. You reply with a number on WhatsApp — "₦150,000" — and then silence. Or they say "ok" and disappear.

The difference is rarely the price. It is the quotation. A good quotation tells the customer exactly what they are getting, why it is worth the price, and what happens next. A bare number tells them nothing — so they compare it with the cheapest number they can find, and you lose.

Quotation vs Invoice: Know the Difference

People mix these up, so let us be clear:

A quotation comes before the work. It is your price offer: what you will do, and what it will cost. The customer can accept it, negotiate it, or walk away.
An invoice comes after the work (or after an agreed stage). It is a request for payment for work that is done or agreed.

What Every Good Quotation Must Include

1. Your Business Details

Your business name, phone number, email address, and logo if you have one. The customer should know instantly who the quotation is from. A quotation with no business name looks like a random message, not a professional offer.

2. The Word "Quotation"

Label the document clearly at the top. If it looks like an invoice, the customer may think you are asking for payment before any work is agreed. A clear title removes all doubt.

3. A Quotation Number and Date

Give every quotation its own number — for example, QT-001, QT-002. This helps you track it, helps the customer refer to it, and makes your business look organised. Always include the date, because quotations should have an expiry date (see below).

4. The Customer's Details

The customer's name or business name. This confirms the quotation is for the right person and makes the document feel personal rather than generic.

5. A Clear Description of the Work or Items

List each item or service separately, with a short description, the quantity, the unit price, and the line total. For example: "Website design, 5 pages — ₦200,000; Logo design — ₦50,000; One year hosting — ₦30,000; Total — ₦280,000."

Be specific. "Website — ₦200,000" invites the customer to ask what is included and whether it can be cheaper. A clear breakdown shows the value and leaves less room for argument.

6. The Total — Bold and Unmissable

Show the subtotal, any discount, any tax, and the final total in bold. The customer should never have to search for the price. If your price includes tax, say so. If delivery or installation is extra, say so clearly.

7. Payment Terms

How much is due upfront, and when is the balance due? For many Nigerian small businesses, a 50 percent deposit before work starts and 50 percent on delivery works well. State it on the quotation so the customer knows from the start.

8. Validity Period

A quotation should not be open forever. State clearly: "This quotation is valid for 14 days." This does two things: it protects you if your costs change, and it gives the customer a gentle reason to decide. A quotation with no expiry can sit in an inbox for months and then come back when your prices have moved.

9. Your Terms and Notes

A short section covering anything else: how long the work will take, what you need from the customer to start, and what is not included. Keep it brief and fair.

How to Price a Quotation

Pricing is where most small businesses struggle. Here is a practical way to think about it:

Know your costs. Materials, transport, data, software, and your own time all cost money. Add them up before you quote. A price that does not cover your costs is not a bargain — it is a loss.
Know your time. Estimate honestly how long the work takes, and value your time. If a job takes three days, the price should reflect three days of skilled work, not one.
Check the market, but do not copy the cheapest. Look at what others charge so you know the range, but do not set your price by the lowest one you find. The cheapest provider is usually cutting corners somewhere.
Price the value, not just the hours. A logo that helps a business look trustworthy is worth more than the two hours it took to draw. A website that brings in customers every week is worth more than the cost of building it. When you explain the value in your quotation, the price makes sense.

Presenting the Quotation

How you send the quotation matters as much as what is in it.

Send a proper document, not a chat message. A PDF quotation with your business name, a clear layout, and all the details looks professional. A price typed into WhatsApp looks like a guess. Save the quotation as a PDF so it looks the same on every device.
Send it promptly. A customer who asked for a price today and gets the quotation tomorrow has already asked your competitor. Aim to send quotations within 24 hours — the same day, if you can.
Follow up with a short message. After sending the PDF by email or WhatsApp, send a brief note: "I have sent the quotation for the website. Please let me know if you have any questions." This keeps the conversation open.

Following Up Without Being Pushy

Most quotations are won in the follow-up. Here is a simple rhythm:

Same day: confirm the customer received it.
Two to three days later: ask if they have had a chance to look at it, and whether anything needs clarifying. Do not ask "have you decided?" — ask "is there anything I can explain?"
If they say it is too expensive: do not drop the price immediately. Ask which part feels expensive, explain what is included, and offer a smaller version of the work for a lower price if that helps. A customer who understands the value is more likely to accept it.

Common Quotation Mistakes

No breakdown. A single total with no explanation invites the customer to bargain it down.
No validity period. The quotation hangs around forever and comes back when your costs have changed.
No payment terms. The customer assumes they can pay whenever they like.
Sending it late. A slow quotation loses to a fast one, even at a higher price.
No follow-up. Many customers only decide after a reminder.

Make Quotations Easy with a Free Tool

Writing a quotation from scratch every time is slow, and slow quotations lose jobs. A good template — used consistently, with your logo, your currency, and your bank details — means you can send a professional quotation in minutes instead of hours.

Joetech's free Invoice, Receipt & Quotation Generator at joetech.name.ng/tools/invoice-generator does exactly this. You enter the items, the prices, and your business details, and it produces a clean quotation document you can download and send. It handles invoices and receipts too, so the same tool carries you from first quote to final payment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a quotation be valid?

Fourteen days is a good standard for most small business work. It gives the customer enough time to decide without leaving your price open for months. For work where material costs change quickly, seven days may be better. Whatever you choose, state it clearly on the quotation.

Should I charge for preparing a quotation?

For most small jobs, no — preparing the quotation is part of winning the work.

What if the customer accepts, then asks for extra work?

Confirm the extra work and its price in writing before you do it. A short message is enough: "Adding the extra page will cost ₦25,000. Shall I go ahead?" This protects you from doing free work and protects the customer from a surprise on the final invoice.

What is the difference between a quotation and an estimate?

A quotation is a fixed offer: this is the price, and it will not change unless the work changes. An estimate is a rough guide that may change. For most small business work, give a quotation — customers trust a fixed price more than a guess, and it avoids arguments later.

A Good Quotation Sells Before You Say a Word

Send it fast, make it clear, show the value, state your terms, and follow up. That is the whole system. Do it consistently, and more of your quotations will turn into paid work.

If you want help running your business more professionally — from quotations and invoices to a website that brings in better customers — Explore our services and contact us. We will be glad to help.