How Do I Win More Quotes?
Be quick, be clear and follow up. Many quotes are lost to slow replies, vague paperwork and silence, not to price.
The short answer
You win more quotes by being quick, being clear and following up, well before price decides it.
To win more quotes, reply to enquiries the same day, turn up to the site visit on time, send a clear written quote quickly, spell out what's included and what isn't, and follow up a few days later. Price matters, but plenty of quotes are lost to slow replies, vague paperwork or no follow-up at all. Fix those first, then look hard at which enquiries you're quoting for in the first place.
Here's the checklist, stage by stage. For the fuller method, including how to cut the time each quote takes, see how to quote faster and win more.
Stage by stage
Where quotes are won and lost
The first reply
Homeowners often contact more than one trade. The one who replies first and books a time sets the tone. If you can't answer during the day, return every call the same evening.
The site visit
Arrive when you said you would. Listen before you price. Explain what you've seen in plain terms and what you'd recommend. This is where the customer decides whether they trust you.
The written quote
Put it in writing: scope, materials, access, what's excluded, how long it will take, payment stages and warranty. A figure in a text message is much harder to say yes to than a proper document.
The timing
Send it while the visit is fresh in the customer's mind. The longer they wait, the more likely someone else's quote lands first.
The follow-up
Call or message a few days later to answer questions. It's the step most often skipped, usually because you're already on the next job.
The post-mortem
If you lose, ask why, politely. Price, timing, trust or something else: the answer tells you what to fix next time.
Know what you're up against
What customers compare, and what they notice
The left-hand column is on paper. The right-hand column often decides it.
What they compare
- The price
- The start date
- What's included
- The warranty
What they notice
- How quickly you replied
- Whether you turned up on time
- How clearly you explained the job
- Whether you followed up
Price
When you keep losing on price
If price keeps deciding it, look at where your enquiries come from. On shared leads the customer is comparing several quotes by design, and the lowest often wins. You can't always change that by quoting better. Why do I lose quotes on price? goes into the causes.
Resist cutting your price to the bone. It's usually better to explain the difference, show clearly what's included, and let go of jobs that only a very low price will win. If you do adjust a price, change the scope with it rather than just the number: dropping the figure without explanation tells the customer the first price wasn't real. Remember too that your cost of winning work ends up in your price. If your leads are expensive, every quote has to carry that, which is covered in why are my leads so expensive?
Presentation
Make it easy to say yes
Give the customer a clear next step: how to accept, what deposit you need and when you could start. Offer to talk the quote through by phone, because some customers won't ask questions in writing.
Where there are options, such as a repair now or a replacement, set them out side by side with the price and the trade-off of each, so the customer isn't left to work it out alone. And put your reviews in front of them. A link to your Google profile in the email that carries the quote does more than a paragraph about your experience.
Quoting for everything feels productive but spreads you thin. If you price jobs you're unlikely to win, the ones you could win get slower replies and less follow-up. Measure your own win rate by source and by job type, and put your time where it converts. See what is a good lead conversion rate?
Getting help with it
When someone else presents and chases the quote
Much of what wins a quote is admin: prompt replies, a well-presented document, steady follow-up. It's also what slips first when you're on the tools. In Mortaro's network, you survey the job and price it at trade rate. We prepare the written quotation, present it to the customer naming you as the appointed contractor, and follow it up. You're paid your rate in full. See what Mortaro handles for contractors and who writes the quotation?
It won't suit everyone. If you'd rather present every quote under your own name and manage each customer yourself, the checklist above is the place to start.
Straight answers
Quoting questions
How quickly should I send a quote?
As soon as you can price it accurately. For straightforward repairs, a day or two keeps you in the running. Larger jobs take longer, and customers usually accept that if you tell them when to expect it and stick to it.
Should I follow up if the customer doesn't reply?
Yes, once or twice, politely. Silence usually means the customer is busy or undecided, not that they've said no.
Should I itemise my quote?
Enough that the customer can see what they're paying for and compare like with like. Too little detail invites doubt; too much can invite haggling over each line.
For contractors
Tell us about your business
Your trade, the areas you cover and the size of work you take on. A person reads every enquiry, and if it looks like a fit we will send you the full application.