How to Send a Quote to a Customer by Text Message
Direct answer: how to send a quote by text message
Direct answer: To send a quote by text message, write a short, polite SMS that names the job, states the total, and includes a secure quote link the customer can open on their phone. Quoting software like Jobnix builds the quote, generates the link, sends it by text or email, and tracks when the customer views and approves it.
Many tradespeople and contractors win work by phone, so customers expect to receive the quote where they already talk to you: by text. A texted quote link works far better than a long SMS full of prices, because it stays readable, keeps your branding, and lets the customer approve, pay a deposit, and reply without losing the thread.
Text message vs email for sending quotes
| Factor | Text message (SMS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Open behaviour | Usually read quickly on a phone | May sit unread or land in spam |
| Best for | Domestic customers, repeat clients, fast confirmations | Commercial clients, detailed scope, attachments |
| Detail it can hold | Short message plus a quote link | Full breakdown plus documents |
| Looks professional? | Yes, when it links to a branded quote | Yes, with a branded quote document |
| Best practice | Send a quote link, not raw prices | Send a quote link or attached document |
You do not have to choose. The most reliable approach is to send the same quote link by both text and email so the customer can open it wherever they check first.
What to include in a quote text message
- Your business name so the customer knows who is messaging.
- The job in a few words (for example "rewire" or "patio installation").
- The quote total or a clear pointer to it in the link.
- A secure quote link to the full breakdown, terms and approval button.
- A simple next step, such as "Open the link to approve or reply with any questions".
Keep the SMS itself short. The detailed scope, materials, exclusions, deposit terms and payment stages belong inside the quote link, not in the text body where they become unreadable.
How to send a quote by text in Jobnix
- Build the quote. Create an itemised quote or estimate with your scope, prices and terms in the Jobnix quote builder.
- Add the customer's mobile number. Save it against the customer record so the message and any follow-ups go to the right person.
- Send by text or email. Jobnix generates a secure quote link and can deliver it by SMS, email, or both.
- Let the customer approve and pay. The customer opens the link, reviews the quote, approves online, and can pay a deposit through Stripe if you have asked for one.
- Track and follow up. You can see when the quote is viewed and send automated follow-ups if there is no reply, then convert the accepted quote into an invoice.
Sample quote text message
Here is a simple, professional template you can adapt:
"Hi Sarah, thanks for the chat today. Here is your quote from [Business Name] for the bathroom refit. You can view the full breakdown and approve it here: [quote link]. Any questions, just reply to this message."
Notice what it does not do: it does not dump every line item or price into the SMS. It points to a clean, branded quote the customer can read, approve and pay from their phone.
UK and US terminology
| Region | What you send | Signup |
|---|---|---|
| UK tradespeople | A quote link in GBP with a quote builder and approval | UK free trial |
| US contractors | An estimate link in USD with an estimate builder and approval | US free trial |
Common mistakes when texting quotes
- Pasting raw prices into the SMS. Long price lists are hard to read and easy to dispute. Send a structured quote link instead.
- No clear total or scope. The customer should understand what they are approving without calling you back.
- No approval or payment step. A texted PDF with no way to accept it slows the job down. Use a link the customer can approve and pay from.
- Forgetting to follow up. A single text with no reminder loses winnable work; automated follow-ups keep the quote alive without nagging.
Bottom line
Texting a quote works best when the message is short and the detail lives in a secure, branded quote link the customer can open, approve and pay from their phone. To set this up, build the quote in the Jobnix quote builder, see how approval works in online quote acceptance, and review how to write a professional quote before you send.