Send your first follow-up email after a quote two or three working days after it goes, keep it to a few lines, and ask one easy question. Follow up a second time with something useful, and a third time to leave the door open. Below are three short examples in plain wording.
These are examples to adapt, not a script that is proven to work. Change the details so each one sounds like you wrote it.
The first follow-up email after a quote: when and what
The first message checks that the quote arrived and gets a yes or no on one small thing. Two or three working days is a sensible gap. It gives them time to read it without letting it go cold.
Subject: Your deck quote
Hi [first name],
I sent the deck quote on Monday and want to make sure it reached you. Did you get it okay? If anything is unclear, I can go through it on a quick call.
Regards,
[Your name]
[Your business], [your phone]
It does not ask “are you going ahead?” because that is hard to answer. It asks if they got it, which is easy. That opens the conversation.
The second: a useful question, not a nudge
About a week after the first, send something that moves the job forward. Ask the question that might be holding them up.
Subject: Question about your deck quote
Hi [first name],
One thing people often ask at this point is whether the timber choice or the finish can change the price. I can price a second option so you can compare. Would that help?
[Your name]
Pick a question that fits your trade. A fencing business might ask about the boundary survey. A solar installer might offer to check the roof angle on a photo. A kitchen builder might ask if the layout is final.
Look at how to qualify an enquiry before you quote if you find yourself guessing at their reasons. A missing answer from the first call is often the cause.
The last: leave the door open
If you have heard nothing after the second, send a final note about a week or two later. Make it easy to say no, and easy to come back.
Subject: Closing off your deck quote
Hi [first name],
I have not heard back, so I will close your quote off for now. If things change, reply to this and I will pick it up. The price is held until the end of the month.
[Your name]
Only say the price is held if it is. And only name a date you will honour.
If they still do not reply, the practical second look weeks later is covered in reopening a quote that went quiet. For why quotes stall to begin with, see why quotes go quiet.
Email versus text
- Email suits a quote with a PDF, a larger job, or a homeowner who wrote to you by email. It lets you add detail.
- Text suits a quick check that it arrived, or a person who always answers by text. Keep it to two sentences.
- A call can beat both for a big job. Ring after the second email if you have a number and have not been told not to.
Whichever channel they used to reach you is usually the one to use back. Mixing it up now and then, a text after two emails, can also get past a full inbox.
Subject lines and length
Keep the subject plain and specific. “Your deck quote” or “Quote for [street address]” beats “Following up” every time, because the person can see what it is about.
Aim for under 80 words in the body. Three or four short lines is about right. One question per email. Put your name, business and phone number at the bottom so they can ring you.
Avoid these: “just checking in”, “just following up”, “hope you are well”, a long list of reasons to hire you, and any pressure like “limited availability”. A homeowner reading on a phone will not read them.
Consent and unsubscribe
In Australia, commercial emails and texts fall under the Spam Act 2003, which deals with consent, identifying the sender and a working unsubscribe. Read the Spam Act on the Federal Register of Legislation and check how it applies to your business. This is not legal advice. New Zealand and the United States have their own rules, so check the one for your country.
In practical terms: send follow-ups to people who asked you for a quote, put your business name in the message, and stop when someone asks you to. If you add them to a regular mailing list afterwards, that is a different thing and needs its own check.
If chasing quotes is where your week goes, PreBuild Systems also follows up quotes for builders and trades. There is a summary on the quotes page.
Common questions
How long should I wait to follow up after sending a quote?
Two or three working days is a sensible first gap. Adjust for the size of the job. A large renovation needs more time than a fence.
How many times should I follow up a quote?
Three messages over two to three weeks, then a second look later if it was a job you wanted.
Should I follow up by email or text?
Use the channel the homeowner used with you. Text for a quick check, email for detail.
What should I put in the subject line?
The job and the word quote, such as “Your deck quote”.
Do the Spam Act rules apply to quote follow-ups?
The Act covers commercial electronic messages. Read it and check how it applies to your business.