A purchasing agent comparing five shops will not write a paragraph. They have a drawing, a quantity and a target date, and they send it to whoever makes that easiest. An RFQ form that mirrors their own spreadsheet columns gets the request in before they move on.
Mirror the buyer’s spreadsheet
Ask for company name, contact, part name or number, quantity (with room for several quantity breaks), material, required tolerances, finish and need-by date. Provide "prototype", "short run" and "production" as choices, because pricing and process differ.
Include a field for industry or end use. It often tells you whether special documentation will be required.
Fields a machine shop RFQ should carry
- ✓Company and contact — so the reply goes to a person
- ✓Part and quantity — with optional break quantities
- ✓Material and finish — aluminum, stainless, plastics, plating
- ✓Tolerance and inspection needs — stated as the buyer sees them
- ✓Needed-by date — and whether it is flexible
Drawings and files
Machine shops receive drawings, usually PDFs or CAD files. A simple file upload is a separate piece of work because file size, formats and where files are stored matter. Until it is set up, many shops ask buyers to reply to the confirmation email with attachments, which works and keeps the form light.
The form itself arrives in your inbox with spam filtering. We never ask the buyer for sensitive data in the open fields.
Make quoting quick
- ✓Acknowledge within a day — even with "we are reviewing"
- ✓Ask one clarifying question at a time
- ✓Note repeat buyers — so the second request is faster
- ✓Remove capability claims — that you cannot back up
Capabilities page next to the form
Buyers check your machines and materials before sending a request. A capabilities page listing machine types, work envelope and materials you handle, kept near the form, filters out the unfit and attracts the fit. List only what you actually run, and any certifications you hold, stated exactly.
What to expect, honestly
- ✓File upload is scoped separately — we discuss size and storage first
- ✓We do not build ordering or ERP links — quoting stays by email
- ✓Confidentiality terms are yours — we do not draft NDAs
One example of what your site could look like
This is one sample we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words, and we have more examples if you want to compare directions.
What it costs
Websites are priced one-time by size, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds. Monthly SEO is an optional add-on when you are ready for it.
Optional add-ons, billed separately
The prices above are for your website. These two are separate monthly products you can add now or later. Neither is part of the website price.
Monthly SEO, from $50/month: new pages published on your site every month. See Monthly SEO →
Business Spotlight, from $30/month: articles about your business, labeled as paid, published on The Company Chronicle. See Business Spotlight →
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
Keep reading
Quote request form websites · Websites for machine shops · Quote requests for metal fabricators · What a small business website costs
