1. Where the previous part left off
In the previous article I wrote about how to build the path to the quote for a higher value service, from the discovery meeting to presenting the solution. It is only right to finish the topic, so now let us look at what should go into the quote itself once all the information is in your hands.
2. The U, TTESO formula
There are six criteria worth following when you put a quote together. In Hungarian their initials, with a little goodwill, spell “ütős”, our word for punchy, and the English names below keep the same initials. The quote should be upsell-ready, tied to deliverables, timed, explicit, structured and optional. Let us go through them one by one, each with an example.
3. Upsell-ready
List in detail the points that could later bring in another order. If you are designing a small identity, for example, explain in the quote which elements might be needed later for the delivered material to grow into a full brand identity, and state clearly that the quote does not include them for now.
This way the client sees in advance where things could go next, and when the follow-up comes up later, the idea will already feel familiar.
4. Tied to deliverables
List every piece of material you will hand over at the end of the project, and explain what each one is for, because these form the basis of completion. For a brand identity this might be the logo as SVG, PDF and PNG files, the business card template as PDF and AI files, and the brand colours as HEX, RGB and CMYK codes.
If both sides tick items off the same list at the end of the project, there is far less argument about what counts as finished, and the handover goes more smoothly too.
5. Timed
Include a clear Gantt chart, or write down plainly how long each phase will take. It is worth thinking in ranges here, because every part of a project can rarely be predicted to the day, and a realistic window is worth more than a date you will have to change later.
6. Explicit
Persuading was the sales presentation’s job, while in the quote the data and comparability matter. Fill the document with specifics instead of grand sales lines, because by now the client is looking for exactly what they get and how long it will take.
If, for example, you were about to write “we build a modern, user-friendly website”, write instead how many pages you will design and how many rounds of revisions the work includes. These are the sentences the client can put next to another quote, and refer to when explaining the decision to colleagues.
7. Structured
Do not cram every piece of information onto a single A4 page. Split the quote into sections so the client can easily find their way back to the part they are interested in, whether that is the list of deliverables or the schedule. The same content broken into sections is much easier to take in, and the client passes it on to colleagues faster.
It works well when the quote follows the same order in which the client thinks about it. First you briefly restate what they want to achieve, then comes what they get and by when, and finally the options to choose from and the terms. As you can see in this article too, each section answers one question.
8. Optional
Rather than giving a single delivery time and its matching price, let the client choose. Two options are enough, for example a faster, broader version and a smaller package delivered over a longer period.
Put them together so that the smaller one is fully worth it too and offers a complete solution on its own. If both are good choices, the question in the client’s mind becomes which one to pick.
9. When it works
In my experience the formula almost always works if you present it well, and it is just as useful outside the creative industry. Try it with your next quote and notice how many fewer follow-up questions come back and how much sooner you reach a decision.
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