Published Date: May 31, 2022
Last Updated Date: April 19, 2024
When you're a sales leader at a service company, your job is to win new business. That usually involves the use of a quote. And let's be honest, most of those quotes start with a template.
A poorly-designed quote template can turn away even the most interested prospects, while a well-designed one can help you close deals faster than ever before. But how do you know which type of quote template will work best for your business?
If your quote templates are boring, old Word documents, then it's time to modernize.
Today's sales teams win new business with impressive, interactive digital quotes that showcase their expertise—and in turn help them stand out from the competition.
A wow-worthy quote template is how you'll get ahead of your competition, and show customers why they should choose YOU!
What is a quote template and why does it matter?
A quote is a professional proposal for business. A quote template, therefore, is the template document that helps you create future quotes easily by automating most of the process.
If your customer receives your quote, reads it and signs it, it means you're in business. If you're spending time writing your quotes one-by-one, you're surely wasting both yours and your customers' time. Most businesses start with a quote template because it makes the process faster and easier, and you can simply swap what is unique about each deal.
Starting with a template is a great idea. But be warned, starting with a poorly done template can set you up for failure.
If you're ready to send a quote to a client, but you're still using the same Word document template you've been using for years, you're shooting yourself in the foot. The good news is that you're not alone. Businesses around the world are still using old-fashioned methods of sending quotes and proposals.
But here's why that's a big mistake: your quote document is the first impression your customers get of your business—and if it's outdated, unattractive, not organized, or hard to read, they're less likely to choose you as a vendor.
Design matters. Good design equals professionalism, and clearly laid out information helps your clients understand your quote. Which, in turn, helps them move forward with confidence.
That's why so many businesses are turning to professional quote templates when they need them most. They know that sending well-designed quotes helps them stand out from their competitors and win more deals with their customers.
What to avoid when creating a quote template
When you’re creating a quote template, there are three things that you need to avoid: convoluted information, messy design and stodgy Word docs.
Convoluted information: Your clients don’t want to read a novel. They just want the facts in an easy-to-digest format.
Messy design: Don’t try to be too creative with your design—it can make it harder for your client to understand what you’re offering them. Keep it simple and clear!
Stodgy Word docs: Your clients don’t want to interact with something boring and technical; they want something that feels more human and personable.
How to create the perfect quote template in Proposify
Creating a quote template is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner. It's just as important to have a great quote template as it is to have an amazing website or logo.
When you create your template, remember that your goal is to clearly define what you want from the client and present it in a clear and concise manner so that they know exactly what they're getting.
Here's how to create a quote template using Proposify:
Step 1: Use clean, professional design
When creating your quote template, make sure to use clean, professional designs that are easy for clients to understand. You want them to be able to quickly read through everything without having to spend time figuring out what each thing means.
Before you start trying to get fancy with your design, it's important that you have the basics down first.
1. Make sure that all of your information is organized correctly, so that it's easy for clients to find the information they need and understand what each section is about.
2. Make sure that all of your pages contain the same amount of text (or similar amounts), so that it's easier for clients to compare different quotes side by side.
3. Add images: Images can help make a boring page more interesting and can also help break up text on long pages where there might be too much text for one person to read at once without getting bored or confused about what they're reading next. People are drawn to images, and businesses are run by people.
Step 2: Interact with the client
One amazing feature of Proposify is its ability to allow you to involve your clients directly using their comments and mentions feature. Getting their input on quote-specific details will help keep things organized and make the process go more smoothly.
Step 3: Include all important info; discount, taxes, and any optional extras
Make sure that your quote includes all of the information necessary for understanding what the final product will entail. This includes pricing details as well as any other details about products or services that might be attached to it (such as courier shipping costs and discounts, if applicable).
A well-designed, informational quote template matters
There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to creating quotes for your clients. And if you're a leader at a service company, you know how easy it is to let the details slip through the cracks. It's tempting to just throw together something that will get the job done and move on—but that approach can end up costing you in the long run.
A well-designed quote template gives your client all the information they need upfront, so they can fully understand what they're agreeing to—and that you’re committed to providing them with the best possible service.
Proposify's free quote templates are designed to help you create professional, well-designed proposals that will make your business more trustworthy and increase your sales.
Do you want to make your company's proposal templates look more professional and trustworthy?
Do you want to save time and money by starting with a successful, pre-written template?
Do you want to get quotes out to customers faster, with less chance of mistakes?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, Proposify's free quote templates are the perfect solution.
With the right template, you'll be able to save time and money writing up new business proposals, get the quote to the customer faster, and increase the chance of making fewer mistakes.
The best next step is to check out Proposify's free quote templates for yourself!
