Guide
How to follow up on a quote
Short answer
Follow up on a quote by deciding the follow-up date when you send it, then checking in with a short, specific message that makes it easy to reply. Answer questions quickly, send a revised quote if the scope changes, and record the next step after every contact, until the customer says yes, no or not now.
Why a follow-up is part of the quote
A quote is not finished when it leaves your outbox. Customers get distracted, have questions they do not ask, wait to talk to someone else in the household, or collect other prices. A follow-up is how you find out which of these is happening, and it is usually welcome: it shows the customer you are organised and still interested in the work.
The aim is not to push for a yes. It is to reach a clear answer, whether that is yes, no or "not until spring", so you can plan your diary and stop wondering.
Step by step: from sending the quote to a decision
Send a quote that is easy to say yes to
Itemise the work so the customer can see what is included, state how long the price is valid, and say how they accept. Many follow-ups are really answers to questions a clearer quote would have prevented.
Set the follow-up date as you send it
Choose the date now, while you know the job and what the customer said. A few days suits most routine work; larger projects or customers who name a decision date need a different date. When to follow up on a quote has a fuller timing framework.
Tell the customer what happens next
A line such as "I’ll check in on Thursday in case you have questions" sets expectations, so your follow-up arrives as promised rather than as a surprise.
Check whether the quote was received and read
If you can see that the quote has not been opened, the first follow-up should confirm it arrived, perhaps by a different channel. If it has been opened, the customer is probably weighing it up, and your message can offer help with the decision.
Follow up with one short, specific message
Mention the job, ask one easy question, and offer something useful, such as answering questions or confirming when you could start. Quote follow-up email templates has wording you can adapt.
Answer questions and handle changes
If the customer asks about the price, scope or timing, reply the same day if you can. If they want something changed, send a revised quote rather than agreeing changes in a message thread, so both of you know exactly what is being accepted.
Record the outcome and the next action
After every contact, write down what was said and when you will next get in touch. "Waiting for their partner, call Monday" is far more useful in a week’s time than "followed up".
Close the loop
If you have followed up a couple of times without a reply, send a polite final message that leaves the door open, mark the quote as you understand it, and move on. A clear "no" is better for your planning than an open quote that will never be answered.
Handling the replies you are likely to get
- “It’s more than I expected.” Ask which part concerns them and explain what is included. If a cheaper option genuinely exists, such as phasing the work or a different material, offer it as a revised quote. Avoid cutting the price on the spot to save the job.
- “We’re getting other quotes.” That is normal. Make sure they can compare like with like by pointing out what your quote includes, and ask when they expect to decide.
- “We need to think about it.” Ask whether there is anything they need from you, and agree when you will check in again.
- “Can you do it cheaper if…?” Treat it as a scope change and send a revised quote, so the agreement stays in writing.
- “Not right now.” Ask when would suit, record that date, and follow up then rather than chasing in the meantime.
Three examples from service businesses
A bathroom refit the customer is still thinking about
A plumber sends a bathroom refit quote and sets the follow-up for four days later. The customer has opened it twice. On the day, the plumber calls and learns the customer is unsure whether the price includes tiling. A revised quote with tiling as a separate line goes out that evening, and the next follow-up is set for the weekend the customer said they would decide.
A one-off deep clean with no reply
A cleaning business quotes a move-out deep clean. Two days later there is no reply and the quote has not been opened. The owner sends a short text confirming the quote was emailed and asking whether the date still works. The customer had missed the email and accepts the same day.
A garden project waiting on the season
A landscaper prices a patio in January. The customer says they will decide in March. Instead of following up every week, the landscaper records "decision in March" and sets the next follow-up for the first week of March, then checks the price is still valid before getting in touch.
Common follow-up mistakes
Mistake: Relying on memory to know which quotes need chasing.
Instead: Give every sent quote a follow-up date and keep them in one list.
Mistake: Sending "Just checking in?" with nothing else.
Instead: Name the job and offer something specific, such as answering questions or confirming a start date.
Mistake: Discounting before the customer has raised price.
Instead: Ask what is holding them back first; it is often timing or scope, not cost.
Mistake: Agreeing changes in a chat thread.
Instead: Send a revised quote so the accepted version is clear.
Mistake: Following up forever.
Instead: After a couple of unanswered follow-ups, send a polite close-the-loop message and move on.
Mistake: Forgetting to write down what was said.
Instead: Record the outcome and the next action after every contact.
How QuoteFollow helps you follow up
Everything above works with a notebook or a spreadsheet. QuoteFollow keeps the same process in one place, so the follow-up dates, quote statuses and next steps are not spread across your inbox and your memory.
What QuoteFollow does
- Every quote has a follow-up date, filled in from your business default (three days unless you change it in Settings). You can mark a follow-up done, reschedule it, or set a new follow-up date after a conversation.
- You and your team get an email reminder when a follow-up is due, and the dashboard lists the follow-ups due today.
- Quote statuses show whether a sent quote is still pending, has been viewed on its secure link, or has been accepted or declined, and when it has expired.
- Optionally, for quotes you email from QuoteFollow, it can send the customer one short follow-up email: on the follow-up date if you choose that date for it, otherwise three days after the quote email. It is off by default, can be turned off for any quote, and is skipped if the customer has already answered or you have marked the follow-up done. Rescheduling or re-sending the quote moves that one email while it is waiting; it never becomes a sequence, so any further follow-ups are yours to send.
- Customers accept or decline from the quote link. An accepted quote becomes a job for you to book and mark completed. When you choose Create invoice, QuoteFollow drafts an invoice from the quote’s lines for you to check and send; nothing is invoiced or sent automatically. Repeat work can be scheduled with reminders to your business.