Why it helps
You know the job. Writing it up nicely after a long day is the hard bit. Give AI your rough notes, the price and what's included, and it turns them into an email the customer can actually follow. Clear quotes get fewer "so what's included?" phone calls, and they look more professional than a one-line text.
The prompt
Copy it, swap the bits in [square brackets], and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot.
I'm a [trade, e.g. builder] in [town], New Zealand. Turn these rough notes into a friendly, professional quote email to a homeowner. - Plain English and NZ spelling. Keep it short. - Use bullet points for what's included and what's not included. - Show the price exactly as I've written it. Don't change or add any numbers. - End with one simple next step for them to accept the quote. Notes: [paste your notes, including price, timing and how long the quote is valid]
Then keep chatting
Make it shorter and a bit more casual.
Add a line explaining that the start date depends on the weather.
Write a 2-line text message version I can send as well.
Step by step
- Jot your notes the way you normally would: the job, materials, what's not included, the price (say whether it's incl GST), how long it takes and how long the quote's valid.
- Copy the prompt, fill in the bits in [square brackets], and paste your notes at the end.
- Read the draft. Check every number, the GST wording and what's included against your notes.
- Ask for changes in plain words, like "shorter" or "more casual". Two or three goes is normal.
- Copy it into your email or quoting app, add the customer's name, and send it from your usual account.
Worked example
Example details are made up. Your results will vary, so always read and check before you use them.
Watch out for
- AI is good at wording, not at pricing. Check every number, GST and what's included yourself before you hit send.
- Leave the customer's full address and phone number out of the prompt. You don't need them.
- Make sure the email matches your terms of trade. If you have written terms, attach them as usual.
Go further
Save your best version as a template in your email or quoting app, so next time you only paste in new notes. If you use a quoting tool like Tradify, Fergus or ServiceM8, you can paste the AI's wording straight into the quote description.
