How to follow up on a quote
Half the quotes that never turn into work weren't lost on price: they were lost because nobody wrote back. The customer didn't say no, they got distracted, and two weeks later they hired the only person who followed up. Three well-placed messages over two weeks recover a big share of that, and it takes no software: it takes writing it down and doing it.
Updated 2026-08-16
Why they get lost
The customer requested three quotes on a Tuesday. Wednesday something else broke, Thursday work was busy, the weekend they were away, and by Monday they don't remember who sent what.
They aren't evaluating you. They're busy.
Whoever writes the following Thursday isn't being annoying: they're the only one still existing in that person's head.
The schedule that works
**Day 0.** Send the quote and say when you'll follow up: "If I don't hear from you I'll check in Thursday in case you have questions." That makes the next message something you agreed on.
**Day 3.** First message.
**Day 10.** Second message, with something new.
**Day 30.** Last message, and close it out.
After that, into the contact list and write again in a few months. No more chasing.
The messages
**Day 3, short, and not asking "what did you think?":**
"Hi Marta, did you get a chance to look at the bathroom quote? If there's anything you'd want to adjust let me know and we'll go through it. I have the week of the 25th open if that works."
It does three things: reminds them of the job, opens the door to changing something rather than to yes or no, and gives a real reason to reply now.
**Day 10, with something new:**
"Hi Marta, I just finished a bathroom similar to yours, sending two photos in case they're useful. I still have the week of the 25th available."
The photo is the excuse. A message that only says "have you decided?" puts the customer in the position of having to say no.
**Day 30, closing:**
"Hi Marta, I understand you may have put this off for now. I'll leave the quote open in case you pick it back up. I'm here if anything comes up."
This one closes without pressure and, surprisingly, gets the most replies, because it takes the pressure off.
What not to do
**Don't ask "have you decided?"** It forces a yes or no, and faced with doubt people say no or say nothing.
**Don't send four messages in a week.** That is annoying.
**Don't drop the price in the follow-up.** "I'll give you a discount if you confirm today" tells them the first number was padded. If you want to move things, change the scope or the timeline, not the price.
**Don't disappear after the first one.** The second and third bring most of the replies.
How to remember
You don't need software. A sheet with five columns is enough: name, phone, what you quoted, how much, and when to write next.
Every morning you look at who's due that day. Ten minutes.
That same sheet is worth something else later: the ones who didn't close today are the ones you write to in six months, and a share of those close.
The ones who said no
Keep them anyway. A "not now" is rarely a "never."
The one who said you were expensive in March calls in October when something bigger breaks. And you're the only one with their number written down.
doubts
What people usually ask
WhatsApp or email?
Wherever they wrote to you. In Miami it's almost always WhatsApp, and there the messages go shorter still.
What if they don't answer any of the three?
Close it out and move them to the long-term list. Not answering three times is an answer, and chasing that customer costs you time on the next one.
Call or write?
Write first, so it's read when they can. If the job is big, a call on day 10 stands out a lot, because almost nobody calls.
How many quotes should I be closing?
On home jobs, closing a quarter to half is normal. If you close almost all of them, you're cheap. If you close almost none, the problem is usually the quote itself or how long it took to send.
Does putting an expiry on the quote help?
Yes, and it's the most honest nudge there is: "this price is good for 30 days" is true when materials move, and it gets the person who's been putting it off to act.