Here's an email I've just had:
Customer: "How much would it cost to buy/print a low-cost sandwich board with custom images/text?"
Me: "I would need to know what type of sandwich board you want (see website).
I would also need to know what the artwork looks like, or if you don't have it yet designed, what you want on it."
Customer: "I’m just gathering quotes for now. Basically, we’d want the cheapest sandwich board."
Me: "That's fine, but in order to provide a quote, I need to know some of the details. Just like if I asked someone "How much is a house?" or "How much is a car?" I would be met with numerous questions clarifying what kind of house or car I wanted.
The one component that will dictate the price the most is what you want on the sign. Does it simply say "OPEN" in red letters, or is it a full digital print?
I need to know these things in order to give a price."
*Pounds head on desk*