How to follow up a quote without being pushy
Follow up a quote once after two or three days, once more about a week later, and a last time just before it expires. Keep each message short, friendly and easy to answer. Then stop. Most quotes that go quiet haven't been turned down. They've been forgotten.
Why do quotes go quiet?
Usually for dull reasons. The customer is waiting on another quote, hasn't had the conversation at home yet, or read it at work and forgot. Sometimes it went to a junk folder and they never saw it at all. Very few are a firm no, and a firm no rarely stays silent when asked politely.
So a follow-up isn't pestering. It's finishing the job of quoting.
When should I follow up?
| When | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Same day as the visit | Send the quote while they still remember the conversation |
| 2 to 3 days later | Check it arrived and answer questions |
| About a week later | Offer options if the price or timing is the sticking point |
| A few days before it expires | A last, no-pressure reminder of the date |
Three follow-ups is plenty. After that, mark it as lost in your own head and move on. People do come back months later, and they come back to the person who was easy to deal with.
What should I say?
Say who you are, which job it's about, and ask one thing. Copy these and change the details.
First follow-up, by text or WhatsApp
Hi Mrs Patel, it's Raj from Patel Painting. Just checking the quote for the lounge and hallway reached you OK. Happy to go through anything on it. Thanks, Raj
Second follow-up
Hi Mrs Patel, Raj again about the decorating quote. If it would help, I can price it as two stages so you could do the lounge first and the hallway later. Shall I send that over?
Before it expires
Hi Mrs Patel, a quick note that the quote for the lounge and hallway is valid until Friday. I've got space from the 24th if you'd like to go ahead. If you've gone another way, no problem at all, just let me know and I'll close it off.
By email
Subject: Your quote for the lounge and hallway
Hi Mrs Patel,
I sent over the quote for the lounge and hallway on Monday and wanted to check it reached you. If anything on it isn't clear, or you'd like it priced a different way, tell me and I'll sort it.
Thanks,
Raj
Patel Painting · 07700 900123
What if they say it's too much?
Change the job before you change the rate. Take something out, split it into stages, or offer a different finish. Dropping the price for the same work tells the customer the first figure wasn't real, and they'll remember that next time.
An itemised quote makes this conversation much easier, because there's something on the page to adjust. If you only gave one figure, the only thing left to negotiate is you. See how to price a job.
Should I text, call or email?
Use whatever they used with you. If they found you on WhatsApp, reply there. A text or WhatsApp is read within minutes and is easy to answer with one word. Email suits bigger jobs where the customer wants everything in one place. A phone call is best kept for the larger jobs, or when a message has gone unanswered and you'd like a straight answer.
How does QuoteMate help with follow-ups?
It takes the guesswork out of the first one. When you email a quote, QuoteMate shows you whether it's been opened and flags it if the email bounced, so you know whether you're nudging someone who has read it or someone who never got it. If the customer accepts or declines, you're told straight away and the quote is marked.
QuoteMate doesn't send reminders for you. When and whether to follow up is your decision, and the message comes from you. While a quote is waiting for an answer you can send it again by email, WhatsApp or text, and it doesn't count as another quote. More on sending and accepting quotes.
This guide is general information for UK tradespeople, not legal or tax advice. Rules and thresholds change, so check the linked official pages, or ask an accountant or solicitor about your own situation.