Ad work is easier to quote when the request covers three things: the offer, the audience and the current setup. The offer is what someone gets when they respond. The audience is who you want to reach and where they are in the US. The current setup is what is already running, and what is going wrong with it.
Write those down in the notes box, even roughly. A service partner uses them to work out which channel fits, how much setup is involved and what ongoing management would look like. The quote you receive comes from that partner directly.
Useful details for the notes box
A line or two on each of these will do.
- Your website address and the pages ads would point to
- The product or service you want to promote first
- Past ad campaigns and what you learned from them
- The tools you use for email, calls and customer records
- Who on your side will approve ads and pages
- Industry rules that affect your advertising, if you know of any
Once your request is in
A service partner picks up the request and replies. If your notes were detailed, the reply may include a first outline of the work. If they were brief, expect questions first.
Keep the thread going by email or set up a call, whichever you prefer. When the scope is clear, the partner sends a written proposal. Check that it names who owns the ad accounts, how ad spend is billed, what gets reported and how often, and how much notice is needed to end the arrangement. If any of that is missing, ask for it. You are not committed to anything until you accept the proposal in writing.