Quotations that win the order
Send a quotation that is clear, complete and easy for a buyer to say yes to.
6 min read
When a business buys from you, the order usually starts with a quotation. The buyer may be comparing yours with two or three others, often on a desk where they have five minutes for each. A clear, complete quotation wins orders that a cheaper but vaguer one loses — because the buyer can see exactly what they are getting and can get it approved without calling you back.
What a quotation is for
A quotation is an offer: this is what I will supply, at this price, on these terms. If the buyer accepts it — usually with a purchase order — it becomes the basis of the deal. So it has to say everything you want the deal to include, and nothing you would not stand behind.
What to put on it
| Section | What goes in |
|---|---|
| Your details | Business name, address, phone, email, GSTIN if registered |
| Their details | Company name, the person who asked, their reference or enquiry number |
| Number and date | A quotation number, the date, and how long the offer is valid |
| What you supply | Each item or service, quantity, unit, specification — and HSN or SAC code |
| Price | Rate per unit, amount per line, total |
| Tax | GST shown separately, at the rate that applies to each item |
| Delivery | Where, by when after the order, and who pays transport |
| Payment terms | Advance, and when the balance is due |
| Exclusions | What the price does not include |
Write prices "+ GST" to a business buyer and show the tax separately. They claim it back, and they compare prices before tax — see prices with GST.
Always give a validity period — "valid for 15 days", or a date. Without one, a buyer can come back months later, after your costs have gone up, and expect the old price.
Answer the question they asked
Read the enquiry carefully. If they asked for a specific grade, size, brand or quantity, quote exactly that. If you suggest an alternative, quote it as a separate option, clearly labelled, alongside what they asked for. A buyer who has to work out whether your quote matches their requirement will often move on to one that obviously does.
Make it easy to approve
The person who asked for your quote is often not the person who signs. Help them:
- One page, if you can. A summary table on top, details below.
- Totals that add up. Check the arithmetic twice. One wrong total and every number is doubted.
- A clear name for the deal — "Quotation for 200 printed cartons, enquiry dated 3 November".
- A PDF, not a photo of a handwritten note, for anything beyond a small order.
Price it to leave room
Work your price up from your own costs, as in price for margin — then decide how much room to leave. Business buyers often negotiate. If your first price is your lowest price, any discount comes out of your margin.
Decide before you send it what you would give away if asked: a little on price, faster delivery, longer payment terms, free transport. Trading one for another ("I can do that price if you pay half in advance") protects your margin better than a straight cut.
Include what makes you better, briefly: a delivery record, a sample, a warranty, a named contact who picks up the phone. Price is rarely the only thing a buyer is judged on.
Follow up
Send the quote quickly — the first complete quote often sets the bar. Then follow up a few days later: did it arrive, do they have questions, when do they expect to decide? Most lost quotes are not rejected; they are forgotten.
Keep a list of every quotation you send: customer, date, amount, status. Over a few months it shows you which kinds of order you win, and at what price.
When they say yes
Ask for a purchase order in writing before you start, and check it matches your quotation — see the next lesson.
The invoice maker below builds a clean GST document with your details, items, HSN codes and tax shown properly — a good starting point for a quotation layout too.