As a freelancer, you’re responsible not only for the services you sell but also for everything around it, including managing contracts, following up on invoices, and, of course, preparing quotes. Creating an accurate quote is crucial to presenting each element of your offer, highlighting your expertise and professionalism to convince your client and protect you legally. On Malt, the legal mentions are automatically added at the bottom of each quote. So, remember to go to your dashboard to fill in your contact details and the information about your company so they can be pre-registered (VAT or SIRET number, company name, etc.)
How can I create a freelance quote? To begin with, make sure you include all the necessary information: detail each task you will perform for the client, specifying the list of jobs and the estimated work time for each element. Providing a complete and accurate quote on Malt helps reassure the client that you are serious and gives you the best legal protection. Read this article to learn everything about preparing estimates to prepare you for this crucial moment in your relationship with your clients.
Ask the customer as many questions as possible to understand their needs
Before determining a price for your services, gathering all the necessary information is essential. You’ll want to give the client an offer that is as close as possible to his expectations but also ensures the project's profitability on your side. As Ivanne Poussier, Digital Learning Consultant & Trainer and Super Malter 2, explains, signing the quote is the moment to "re-establish the balance in expectations."
To gather information before creating your quote, you must ask the client as many questions as possible, either directly through the Malt messaging system or during a phone or videoconference meeting. The quote must be sent and validated on Malt to guarantee your mission (payment and insurance).
The following is a non-exhaustive list of information to gather from your client before preparing your quote:
This initial exchange is also an opportunity to verify that the current elements are good with this client. If the interactions are fluid and the discussion goes smoothly, it's a good sign for the future! As a reminder, the ability to choose your clients is one of the five main advantages mentioned by freelancers seeking independence. Preparing is crucial in determining whether or not to work with a client.
If necessary, separate your estimate into several parts
Once you have gathered the information to understand the client's expectations for the assignment thoroughly, it’s essential to ask yourself about the feasibility and clarity of each task. You can begin writing your estimate if the client's request is explicit.
On the other hand, if some areas still need to be clarified with the project, it may be wise to split your offer into several quotes, each corresponding to a specific part of the project. Ivanne Poussier explains that by doing so, you can tailor your mission according to how the project unfolds and adapt to the client’s needs. So, it's up to you to prepare quotes for each part of the mission while explaining your approach to the client.
Detail your quote as much as possible
Once you've gathered the information to prepare the quote and determine if it should be broken down into parts, it's time to start writing it. A well-written quote to organize and ensure the success of your assignment. There are several reasons why you should make your quote as detailed as possible:
Remember that the quote is a commitment from you and your client: once validated on Malt, this document acts as a work contract and invoice at the end of the mission. Therefore, it’s to your advantage to precisely detail the services you will carry out as part of your mission.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of elements to be detailed in your quote according to the mission and the client:
You can also specify a deadline for the quote, as well as availability conditions. Some clients'/companies’ decision processes can be long. It’s in your interest to be transparent without closing other opportunities. A quote sent via Malt is valid for 30 days by default. Also note that in the case of a recurring assignment (i.e., one repeated over time, for example, every month), Malt's fees on the freelance side drop from 10% to 5% after three months with the same client.
Submit your quote
When you present your quote to the client, they may have questions about the price or the estimated time for the different services. To answer their questions and to reassure them quickly, the most effective method is to organize a meeting with the customer to present your offer in detail. This exchange will be an opportunity to summarize what you’ve understood from their project and the issues they are facing. Therefore, you can provide detailed solutions and a budget in your quote. Not only will you be able to answer the customer's questions, but your professionalism will also reassure them.
Presenting your quote to the client will allow you to collect their feedback and modify your offer accordingly before sending it again for validation, still using Malt. For your information, if your quote is not accepted by the customer, whatever the refusal, this will not impact your profile visibility. On the other hand, a validated quote opens the way to a successful mission, which will increase your visibility on the platform.
Think "long term"
Beyond the immediate need for which the client contacts you, sending the quote is an opportunity to give your client an overview of your skills. Try to be precise and exhaustive, both in the content and in the presentation of your quote: even if they refuse this first offer, clients can contact you again for another mission. And if they accept your selection, you’ve put all the chances on your side to establish a long-lasting professional relationship.
You can provide more options in your quote, which the client can choose to include. Here again, it may be wise to discuss with your client in person to present the advantages of each option and discuss their need. Depending on the service you offer, you could add a maintenance option for a website or a regular update for content creation related to the news. Finally, specifying the services not included in the quote could be interesting: you’ll avoid misunderstandings during the project.
A good habit to get into as a freelancer is to go back to your quote at the end of the assignment to analyze the time you spent on each task, compare your rates, and check for any additional costs to adjust your future business proposals. This way, you can optimize your prices with each mission. "The best recipe is to question yourself and regularly look at the hidden costs you could have included," says Ivanne Poussier.
The Malt platform is designed for freelancers to work with complete peace of mind. For example, your Malt quote can be edited at any moment for short assignments until the client marks the assignment as complete. If you need to figure out how much time you'll need or if the project is likely to be extended by the client, you can always discuss it with the client and modify your quote during the project. Have a question about a prepaid quote or a long assignment? Find the answer right here!
Now that you've read this article, you have all the information you need to prepare your quote confidently. All that’s left to do is get started!
