“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.”
— Elbert Hubbard
Sending quotes seems like the right thing to do, doesn’t it?
I mean, it’s what businesses have always done.
A client asks for a quote, you spend time crunching numbers, and you send it over—just hoping for the best.
But here’s a possibly controversial truth: Sending quotes is costing you clients.
A quote is an estimate of what something might cost. An invoice is what you know it will cost. Some industries may not allow you to provide an exact price immediately, but you can get closer than you think. Quotes make you passive in your brand value.
Because when you send a quote, what you’re actually saying is:
“I don’t respect my time, and my business has no leverage.”
Think about it—how many times have you spent hours preparing a detailed quote, only for the prospect to disappear into thin air or spend hours haggling over the price?
Here’s the hard truth: Clients don’t buy based on quotes. They buy based on confidence in your ability to solve their problem.
Every time you send a quote, you give away your leverage.
When a potential client gets a quote, they compare you to everyone else—like a grocery store aisle where the cheapest option wins. But your business isn’t a commodity. It’s a solution.
Ever had a potential client say, “Can you do it for less?” A quote gives them the opening to haggle, making price the focus instead of the value you provide.
How many times have you sent a quote only to never hear back? That’s time you’ll never get back—time that could have been spent with a serious client.
When a potential client asks for a quote, give them the total verbally—on the spot.
Then say this confidently:
"The number I just gave you is the quote. We don’t send quotes; we send invoices.”
This flips the dynamic. It positions you as a professional who values your time, knows your worth, and won’t waste energy chasing “maybe” clients.
Businesses that thrive don’t waste time on price shoppers.
They attract serious clients by leading with confidence, not quotes.
So, the next time someone asks for a quote, ask yourself—am I positioning myself as an expert or just another option on a price list?
The choice is yours.
