“Just Send Me Your Price”: Email Reply Templates for Price-Only Enquiries That Keep the Lead

BOTrento Team13 October 20269 min read

Why a bare number or a refusal both cost you

A price-only enquiry usually reads something like “How much for a PA system on Saturday?” or “What do you charge for monthly bookkeeping?”. Most people answer it in one of two ways, and both cause problems.

Sending one exact figure

Without the details you have to guess. Guess low and you're stuck with that number when the real scope turns up. Guess high and the buyer drops you without saying why. A single figure also gets compared line by line with a competitor's quote that may cover something quite different.

Refusing to give a price

“We need more information before we can quote” sounds professional to you. To the buyer it reads as “this will be expensive and take ages”. Many of them simply email the next supplier on their list. If you need details first, ask for them alongside a number, not in place of one.

The rule: range, assumptions, two questions

Every reply to a price-only enquiry needs these four parts:

1. A range in the first lines. Use “from … to …” or “typically between …”, in euros, with VAT status stated (for example, excl. VAT).
2. What the range assumes. One sentence on what's included and what moves the price up or down.
3. Two qualifying questions. Pick the two answers that change the price the most. Leave the rest until later.
4. A clear next step with a time. For example: “Reply with those two details and I'll send a firm quote by tomorrow afternoon.”

Why only two questions? A numbered list of eight feels like filling in a form. Two short ones take the buyer seconds to answer from their phone. If you really can't price without more detail, our templates for asking for more information show how to ask without putting people off.

Four email templates to copy

Template 1: Range plus two questions (the default)

When to use: a new contact sends a one-line price question about a service or rental where the scope varies a lot.

Subject: Re: [their subject] – typical price and two quick questions

Hi [Name],

Thanks for getting in touch. For [service/item] we typically charge between €[low] and €[high] excl. VAT. The lower end covers [basic scope, e.g. one day, collection from our depot]. The higher end includes [extras, e.g. delivery, set-up, a technician on site].

Two quick questions so I can give you a firm figure:
1. [Biggest price driver, e.g. How many guests / what date and venue?]
2. [Second driver, e.g. Do you need delivery and set-up, or will you collect?]

If you reply with these, I'll send a fixed quote by [day, time].

Best regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Don't leave out: the VAT status, the promised time for the firm quote, and what the low end of the range does not include.

Template 2: They asked for your price list

When to use: the buyer wants a full price list, but your pricing depends on combinations or season.

Subject: Re: Price list – [your company]

Hi [Name],

Here are our standard prices for the items people ask about most:
– [Item/package A]: from €[x] excl. VAT per [day/month/event]
– [Item/package B]: from €[y] excl. VAT per [unit]
– [Item/package C]: from €[z] excl. VAT per [unit]

The final price depends mainly on [driver 1] and [driver 2]. If you tell me [question about their need] and [date or duration], I'll put the right combination together for you. That usually comes out better than adding up list prices.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Don't leave out: real “from” prices for your three most-asked items. Send the full list as an attachment only if it's up to date. An old price list is worse than none.

Template 3: “I just need a number”

When to use: the buyer has already pushed back on your questions, or says they're only comparing budgets.

Subject: Re: [their subject] – budget figure

Hi [Name],

Understood. For budgeting, plan on €[figure] excl. VAT. That's based on [assumption 1, e.g. 100 guests], [assumption 2, e.g. one venue in the city] and [assumption 3, e.g. standard set-up].

If any of these is different, the price will change. Just tell me which one and I'll update the figure the same day.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Don't leave out: your assumptions in writing. They protect you if the scope later turns out to be twice the size.

Template 4: Short chaser if they go quiet

When to use: a few working days after Template 1 or 2 with no reply.

Subject: Re: [their subject]

Hi [Name],

A quick follow-up on the price range I sent for [service/item]. If it fits your budget, a one-line reply with [the single most important detail] is enough for me to send a firm quote. If it doesn't fit, tell me your target figure and I'll see what we can adjust.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Don't leave out: an easy way for them to say the price is too high. That reply is still useful to you. For the second and final reminders, see our three follow-up templates after a quote.

Which two questions to ask, by industry

Pick the two details that change your price the most, not the two you'd most like to know. Some starting points:

In rental, the first question also tells you whether the kit is free on those dates, so you don't quote something that's already booked. More on this on our page for equipment rental companies. If you run events, the guest number and venue matter more than anything else. Our event and production page shows how enquiries like these move through the process.

Sometimes the answers show the job isn't for you, for example because the budget is far too low. In that case, close it politely with one of our decline email templates and don't let it sit in your inbox.

Checklist before you send any price

• Is the range realistic? Both ends should be prices you'd actually accept.
• Is the VAT status stated next to every figure?
• Have you written down what's included at the low end?
• Are there no more than two questions, and does each one change the price?
• Have you promised a time for the firm quote, and put it in your calendar or task list?
• Does the reply go out the same working day? Speed matters more than polish here. Our answer on replying to sales enquiries faster covers the routine.
• Have you set a date for the chaser if they don't reply?

Most leads are lost at the last two points. You send a perfectly good range, the buyer goes quiet, and nobody follows up. If that sounds familiar, read how to stop forgetting quote follow-ups.

How BOTrento handles price-only enquiries

BOTrento Chief of Staff is a managed process for enquiries, quotes and follow-ups. It doesn't replace your CRM or accounting software, and it never sends anything on its own. This is how a price-only enquiry would be handled during the 14-day free trial:

1. You connect your data. Connect your sales inbox over IMAP, or set up forwarding or an import from Gmail or Microsoft 365. You can also upload your price list or past quotes as CSV/XLSX. Within 24 hours on working days, one of our team gets in touch to help you set up the mail connection. The 14 days start only once your first data has been uploaded successfully.
2. Each working-day morning you see your “Today 1+3” overview, in the app and by email. A message like “just send me your price” shows up there as an enquiry still waiting for a reply.
3. A draft is ready for you. It follows the pattern above: a range, its assumptions, and two qualifying questions. Drafts can be written in English, German, French or Czech. BOTrento works from the text of the email, not from attachments.
4. You approve it. You change the range if you need to, then approve and send it yourself. If your reply says “firm quote by Thursday”, BOTrento records that promise and reminds you of it. If the buyer goes quiet, it prepares the chaser.

AI usage is included in the plan, and you don't need your own API key or a card for the trial. To see the steps in more detail, look at the process walkthrough, check the plans and pricing, or start your 14-day free trial on your own inbox.