Level 1 · simple request
Request a quote: an annotated email example
Ask Leah for a quote.
The situation
Leah FosterCaterer — Account manager
You're organising a team lunch for 40 people on June 20. Your budget is $25 per person. You must pick a caterer by Friday.
Friendly and responsive, but she can't price anything without the basics.
Goal
Ask Leah for a quote.
The winning structure
A good email for this situation includes these elements, in this order:
- A greeting with the recipient's first name.
- Headcount (40)
- The date (June 20)
- The budget ($25)
- The deadline (Friday)
- A clear ask at the end: a question or an action with a deadline.
- A short sign-off, then your name.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out headcount (40) : « For how many people? »
- Leaving out the date (June 20) : « What date is it for? »
- Leaving out the budget ($25) : « What's the budget? I don't know what to offer. »
- Leaving out the deadline (Friday) : « When do they need the quote? »
- Opening with padding ("I hope this email finds you well") instead of getting to the point.
- A vague subject line like "Question" or "Request".
Write your own version: the recipient reacts and you get a score out of 100.
The annotated example
Try it yourself first: you'll remember more. Click to show the example.
Subject : Quote request: lunch for 40 on June 20
Hi Leah,
- Greeting by first name: the reader knows it's for them.
We're planning a team lunch for 40 people on June 20, with a budget of $25 per person.
- Includes: headcount (40).
- Includes: the date (June 20).
- Includes: the budget ($25).
Could you send me a quote by Friday? That's when we'll choose our caterer.
- Includes: the deadline (Friday).
- Clear ask: the reader knows what to do.
Best regards,
Alex
- Short sign-off, then the name.
Why it works : 37 words against a target of 85, 6 words per sentence on average, no filler phrases.