How do I list my solar installer’s open quotes for a buyer?

Open quotes show a buyer what you may win next, so present them honestly. Prepare a simple schedule: a reference number rather than a name, the date quoted, the approximate size, the lead source and the status. Add a column for the last time anyone spoke with the customer. Quotes that went quiet long ago should be marked as stale, not left to inflate the picture.

Give a buyer something to judge how reliable the schedule is. Show how many of your past quotes turned into signed jobs, and how long that usually took. If you have a record of why quotes fell away, such as price, roof condition or a competitor, include that. Be clear that a quote is not a contract.

Protect your customers. Names and addresses should stay out of early material, and come out only after a confidentiality agreement is signed. A document such as a confidential information memorandum can hold the summary. Your lawyer can advise how much detail to share and when, and how the buyer may use it. Update the schedule just before closing and agree how quotes won after the cut-off date are handled. Your lawyer can help set that out so neither side is left arguing about work that arrived in between.

Key takeaways

• Use reference numbers and dates, not customer names, in early drafts.
• Mark stale quotes as stale and show your past win pattern.
• Release names only after a confidentiality agreement is signed.