Claude for customer proposals and quotes

What you will be able to do

You will draft customer proposals and quotes in Claude from prices and scope you already approved, using a two-pass draft/tighten method so Claude does not invent line items.

Ground price and scope first

Before you open Claude:

• Pull the rate sheet or ranges you stand behind
• List inclusions and exclusions you already use
• Note deposit, cancel, and validity rules that already exist
• Write the customer’s real scope in bullets (what was asked on the call)

If a number is not approved, it does not enter the prompt as a “guess.” It enters as [NEED] for you to fill.

Two-pass method

Pass 1 — Draft from grounded facts
“Using only the facts below, draft a clear proposal: summary, scope, exclusions, price table placeholders, next step. Do not invent prices or discounts. Mark gaps [NEED].”

Pass 2 — Tighten
“Cut filler. Keep every fact. One idea per short paragraph. Put the ask in one sentence.”

Same sandwich as long documents and email drafts: model in the middle, you on both ends.

Use a Quotes Project

Keep approved rate rules and a winning anonymized sample in a Quotes Project. Today’s customer scope goes in the chat. Standing files stay stable.

Optional Artifact worksheet

For staff who quote often, build a quote worksheet Artifact with blank rate cells. Still copy finals into your real proposal path.

Desk check before send

• Every price matches the approved sheet or a manager override you recorded
• Exclusions match policy
• No surprise discount or “standard package” Claude invented
• Validity date and deposit language match your real terms
• One clear next ask (approve, schedule site visit, reply yes/no)

What Claude should not own alone

Final contract language, regulated clinical claims, and anything “sign this” without your review process. Claude drafts the narrative; you own the commitment.

Try this job: rewrite one real quote narrative

1. Pick a quote you already sent (strip identifiers if training staff).
2. Provide only approved rates + that job’s scope bullets.
3. Run Pass 1 and Pass 2.
4. Diff against the sent version: did Claude add soft extras?
5. Save the prompt + checklist for the next estimator.

Short close

Approved price and scope in, two passes, desk check—Claude drafts; you commit.