A formal pricing document sent to a prospect that includes contract terms, deliverables, and cost—the first written agreement both sides use to negotiate deal structure.
A sales quote is a formal document given to a prospect that outlines a product or service's pricing information, contract terms, and other details of a proposed sale.
You send a quote when discovery is complete, the prospect has confirmed the scope, and you're ready to move into negotiation. It is the artifact that both you and the buyer use to discuss price, terms, and what's actually included—not a request for approval, but a starting point for the final deal shape.
A quote is not sent early. You send it when:
A quote turns a conversation into a number on paper. Before that, talking price is guessing. After you send it, the deal enters negotiation, not discovery.
| Element | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Product/service line items | Clarity on exactly what they buy | Licenses for 50 users, implementation, training |
| Unit price and total | The number | $2,500 per user annually = $125,000/year |
| Payment terms | When money moves | Net 30, annual upfront, monthly recurring |
| Contract duration | Term length and renewal | 12 months, auto-renews unless cancelled 30 days prior |
| Effective date | When the quote expires | Valid until MM/DD/YYYY |
| Inclusions and exclusions | What's in scope | Setup included; customization is $X/hour |
| Discount (if any) | Limited-time concession | 10% off if signed by end of quarter |
A badly scoped quote—one where the buyer thinks 20 users are included but your contract says 10—will turn into a discovery question in month three and a payment dispute later.
Sales quotes get confused with proposals and SOWs (statements of work), but they serve different purposes:
| Document | When you send it | What it includes | Who signs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quote | When scope is locked, price discussion begins | Line items, pricing, payment terms, contract duration | Both parties (becomes part of contract) |
| Proposal | Earlier, during evaluation—before scope is final | Use cases, ROI, why your solution over competitors | Often unsigned; used for internal champion to justify to committee |
| SOW (Statement of Work) | Implementation phase or for service deals | Deliverables, timelines, acceptance criteria, support model | Both parties (implements the contract) |
A prospect asking for a proposal usually means they're still evaluating you. A prospect asking for a quote means they've decided you're the vendor—now they want to negotiate price and terms.
AEs send quotes too early, before scope is actually locked, and then spend three weeks renegotiating the scope instead of negotiating the price. You end up re-quoting twice because the buyer says "Actually, we only need 30 users, not 50."
Lock scope first in writing—in an email, in a Slack message, in a Mutual Action Plan. Once the buyer has confirmed "Yes, 50 users for three offices, this phase only," you send the quote. That way, when procurement says "We want Net 60 instead of Net 30," that's a negotiation. When they say "We also need this feature," that's a new scope conversation, not a re-quote.
The other mistake: sending a quote without a close date on it. A quote with no expiration has no urgency. "Valid until MM/DD/YYYY" makes it a time-bound commitment, not a reference document the prospect can sit on indefinitely.
A proposal is sent earlier—during evaluation—and explains why your solution is best; a quote is sent when scope is final and pricing discussion begins. A proposal is often not signed; a quote becomes part of your contract and binds both sides to the terms stated.
Yes—that's the whole point. A quote is your opening offer on price, payment terms, and contract length. The buyer will counteroffer; you negotiate until both sides agree. Once signed, it becomes binding.
Do not send it yet. Ask what specifically is uncertain—user count, features, timeline—and resolve it before quoting. A quote on murky scope will cause three re-quotes and delays. Send an email confirming the scope first: 'Just to confirm, you need 50 users for 12 months starting Q2. Correct?'
Typically 30 days. Short validity—14 days for hot deals—creates urgency. Long validity—90 days—signals that you do not expect quick movement and gives the prospect permission to slow-walk negotiation.
The economic buyer or CFO approves final budget; procurement negotiates terms; the end-user champion confirms the scope is right. All three need to align before signature.
Part of our guide to MEDDPICC.
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