The quote follow-up kit: day 1, 3 and 7

Why most quotes go quiet

The customer is busy too. They meant to reply. Then the kids, the footy and work got in the way, and your quote slid down the list. A gentle follow-up is not pushy. It is helpful, as long as it is short and it asks a real question.

Each message below asks one question. One question is easy to answer. Three questions get ignored.

There is a second reason. The customer may have got two or three quotes, and yours is sitting in the pile. A follow-up that is warm and brief keeps your name near the top without sounding desperate.

Day 1: did it arrive?

Send this the day after the quote, or the same afternoon if it was a morning quote. The question is simple: did you get it, and is it clear?

Day 1 message

Hi [first name], it's [your name] from [business]. Just checking the quote for [job] came through okay. Is there anything in it you'd like me to explain?

If you sent the quote by email, it may have landed in a junk folder. This message catches that. It also reminds the customer you are on the case, and gives them a reason to call you with questions.

Day 3: what would help?

Two days later, ask what would help them decide. This one tells you what the real hold-up is: price, timing, scope or another quote.

Day 3 message

Hi [first name], [your name] here. Have you had a chance to look at the quote? If there's something that's making the decision harder, like price, timing or what's included, tell me and I'll see what I can do.

If they tell you it is price, do not drop it straight away. Ask what they were expecting, or offer to take something out of the scope. Sometimes a smaller job at a firm price is the answer.

If they say they are still thinking, thank them and ask when you should check back. Then put that date in your phone.

Day 7: still on the cards?

A week in, ask a yes or no question. It gives them permission to say "not now", which is a real answer you can use.

Day 7 message

Hi [first name], last one from me for now. Is the [job] still on the cards? If it is, I can pencil in [month or date]. If not, no worries at all, just let me know and I'll close it off on my end.

Do not send a day 7 message to anyone who has already said no or asked you to wait. Update your notes and leave them be. These three messages are for quiet quotes only.

Who replies, and when

Decide who sends these before you start. If it is you, put a reminder in your phone when you send each quote. If someone in the office does it, give them the three messages and agree when a reply gets passed to you.

Any reply that needs judgement, like a discount or a change to the scope, goes to you. Answer within one business day. A slow reply to a warm customer undoes the good work of the follow-up.

Closing a quote with a reason

Do not leave quotes open forever. A closed quote with a reason is useful to you and clear to the customer. It also leaves the door open.

Close with a reason

Hi [first name], I'm closing off the quote for [job] today so my list stays accurate. If it's because of [price / timing / went with someone else / not sure yet], that's fine. Just reply with a word and I'll make a note. If it comes back, the offer's still here for [number] days.

Offering a few choices in the message makes it easy to reply with a single word. Even "went with someone else" tells you something.

What to track

You do not need software. A page in a notebook or a spreadsheet will do. For each quote, write down:

• The customer, the job and the date you sent the quote.
• The date you sent each message.
• What they said, in their words.
• The outcome: won, lost with a reason, or closed with no answer.
• The reason, if you got one.

After a month, read the page. You will see where quotes stall, and whether it is price, timing or silence. That is where you fix things.

Check the page each Friday. It takes ten minutes, and it is the easiest way to see money sitting in quotes you have already written.

A word on consent

Follow-ups to someone who asked you for a quote are normally fine, because you have a current relationship. Name your business in every message and give a simple way to opt out, like "reply STOP". If someone asks you to stop, stop. This is general information, not legal advice.