"How much?" when you do not publish prices: why silence loses the lead, the range-and-qualify reply, when to just publish, and how an AI agent handles price questions without giving a number you did not approve
Every quote-based business gets the same first message: how much. And most answer it the same way: it depends, send more details, we will get back to you. The lead reads that as evasion and asks the next business. A range, a reason, and a question keeps them talking.
Quick answer
Answer "how much" with a range and the two or three factors that move it ("Kitchens usually run from $X to $Y; size, materials and whether we handle the plumbing decide where you land"), then ask the first qualifying question. Publish starting-from prices for your standard services even if everything else is quoted. Write the ranges and factors into your AI agent's knowledge with the rule that it quotes only those and never invents a total; it collects the details and a person sends the quote. ReplyKit agents follow that rule and hand over the quote with everything gathered.
Why "it depends" loses
Lead-response research, including the HBR study, shows speed decides most leads; a non-answer is a slow answer in disguise, because the lead has to do more work before learning whether you are in their budget. A range answers the real question ("can I afford this") immediately, filters out mismatches kindly, and earns the right to ask your questions.
The range-and-qualify reply
Range with factors
Happy to help. {Service} usually comes to between {low} and {high}. What moves it is {factor 1}, {factor 2} and {factor 3}. Could you tell me {first qualifying question}?
Starting from
{Service} starts from {amount} for {the standard case}; most customers land between {low} and {high} once we add {typical extras}. What are you looking to do?
Too early for a range
The honest answer is it ranges a lot: {low} for {simple case} to {high} for {complex case}. If you tell me {two questions}, I can narrow it right down, and the exact quote follows a {visit / call}.
Then the qualifying questions, one at a time, and the quote process. The sequence is in handling quotation requests.
What to publish anyway
- Starting-from prices for your standard services. They filter and they reassure.
- Ranges by typical project size, with the factors.
- Hourly or day rates if you have them.
- What a quote includes and how long it takes.
- Publishing these on your website and in the agent's knowledge is not the same as a fixed price list; it is the floor and the shape. The format is in a price list the agent can read.
The agent's rules
- Knowledge: approved ranges per service with the factors, starting-from prices, and the quote process.
- Instruction: "Give the published range and factors for a price question, then ask the qualifying questions. Never state a total or a price not in the knowledge base. Say the exact quote follows {a visit / a call} and collect the details."
- Hand-over: the quote itself, with the answers and photos attached.
- Test with five phrasings of "how much", including "ballpark", "roughly" and "cheapest", and check it never invents a number; see can an AI agent negotiate prices for the related rules.
Frequently asked questions
Should I give a price if I normally quote?
Give a range with the factors that move it, then qualify. Refusing any number loses the lead.
Can an AI agent answer price questions for a quote-based business?
Yes, with approved ranges and starting-from prices in its knowledge and a rule never to invent a total. It collects the details and a person quotes.
What if the range scares people off?
Those were not your customers. The range filters kindly and saves everyone a quote visit.
Should I publish prices on my website?
Starting-from prices and ranges, yes. They reassure and filter without committing you.
What about "what is your cheapest"?
The starting-from price for the simplest case, with what it includes, and a question about what they need.
A range, a reason, a question, in seconds
Approved ranges quoted, details collected, the quote left to you. 7-day free trial, no card.
Sources and further reading
- Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (Oldroyd, McElheran, Elkington, 2011) · firms that responded within an hour were about seven times more likely to qualify the lead
- Lead Response Management Study (2007) · the five-minute window for contacting a new lead
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.