How to follow up a quote that's gone quiet, without being pushy

Why a quote goes quiet

You measured up, priced the job carefully and sent the quote. Then nothing. It's tempting to read silence as a no, but usually it isn't one yet. The customer is often comparing, waiting on a partner or the money, or stuck on something in the quote they didn't want to ask about.

Comparing is what they've been told to do. Consumer Affairs Victoria's advice to people planning building work is to "Compare at least three written quotes and analyse them thoroughly", and to check exactly what each one covers because the cheapest "may not include some items". So your quote is probably sitting next to two others, and the customer is trying to work out which is the better deal.

That changes what a follow-up is for. It isn't to pressure someone into a yes. It's to make your quote the easiest one to understand, trust and accept, and to find out where you stand so you can plan your work.

Set up the follow-up before you send the quote

The easiest follow-up starts in the quote itself. Business.gov.au's list of what a written quote should include at least covers your business name, ABN and contact details, a clear description of the work, itemised and total costs, payment terms, start and finish dates, a quote expiry date and "space for the customer's acceptance (signature and date)".

Two of those make following up much easier. The expiry date gives you a natural reason to check in, and it protects you: Business Queensland warns that "Without an expiry date, you may have to honour a quote that will lose you money." A clear way to accept, such as a signature line or a reply that says yes, means the customer doesn't have to work out how to say yes.

Consumer Affairs Victoria also tells tradespeople to say whether a quote includes things like travel, materials, labour and "'call-out' fees and any weekend or public holiday rates". Those are the questions a customer comparing three quotes will have. Answer them on the page and there's less to chase later.

Before you send it, add these:

• An expiry date, and say it in your covering message too.
• What's included and what isn't, in plain words.
• One clear way to accept: sign and return, reply "yes", or click an accept button.
• A named person to ask questions, with a direct number.
• When you'll check in, for example "I'll give you a call on Thursday to see if you have any questions."

A follow-up schedule tied to the quote

There's no official rule for how often to follow up. Business Queensland's quoting tips suggest reaching out 7 to 14 days after you submit a quote and asking whether the customer has any questions or has made a decision. The schedule below builds around that and the expiry date. It's a sensible default, not a law or a tested formula, so adjust it to the size of the job and how fast your customers usually decide.

• Day one or two: check the quote arrived and offer to walk them through it. Keep it short.
• Around day seven: the main follow-up. Ask a real question, such as whether anything in the quote is unclear or whether they'd like an option changed.
• A few days before it expires: a reminder of the expiry date and what happens after it, only if that's true.
• After it expires: one last message to close the loop, then stop.

Keep readingBefore the quote: how fast to answer a new enquiry

What to say, so it isn't just "checking in"

Each follow-up should give the customer something useful or ask them something easy to answer. "Just checking in" gives them nothing to reply to. Compare that with "Did you want me to price the ceilings separately, so you can compare like for like?" or "Our next free start date is the 18th, if that helps you plan."

Options help too. Business Queensland suggests adding "add-ons or alternative options" to a quote, and a follow-up is a good time to offer them, such as a smaller first stage or a cheaper material. If the job itself changes, send a revised quote rather than agreeing a new price in a text message. Its tips say to "Always provide a revised quote" when the customer changes the specifications.

Be honest about urgency. If your price really does change after the expiry date, or your calendar really is filling up, say so. Don't invent a deadline or a discount to force a decision. It damages trust with the people who were going to say yes anyway.

Calls, emails and texts: keep it about their quote

Mix the channels the way you would for a new enquiry. A call is best for a big job or a quote with options to explain. A text or email gives the customer a record and an easy way to reply when it suits them.

Keep follow-ups about the job they asked you to quote. If you set up an automated email or SMS sequence, treat each message as marketing and follow the spam rules, because it's asking them to buy. The ACMA says every commercial message must accurately identify your business and include your contact details. It must also have an unsubscribe option that "honours a request to unsubscribe within 5 working days". When someone says they've gone with someone else or asks you to stop, stop.

Don't roll quote requests into your newsletter or promotions list without their agreement. The ACMA calls express consent "best practice", and says inferred consent usually depends on an ongoing relationship with the person. The easy fix is to ask: add an unticked box to your quote request form.

Keep readingWhen an automated message counts as marketing

Keep readingWhen you can phone someone back about their enquiry

Worked example: a painter's quote that went quiet

This example is made up to show the schedule in practice. Imagine a painter in Ballarat quotes an interior repaint of a three-bedroom house on a Monday. The quote lists what's included (walls and ceilings, two coats, patching small holes) and what isn't (doors and skirting boards), and it's valid for 30 days.

On Tuesday the painter texts: "Hi Sam, it's Jo from the painting quote. Just making sure it came through. Happy to talk you through it, my number's below." No reply.

The next Monday, Jo calls and asks whether anything in the quote needs explaining. Sam says another painter's price was lower. Jo points out that the other quote might not include ceilings, and offers to price doors and skirting boards as a separate option so the two quotes can be compared like for like. Jo sends a revised quote that afternoon.

Three days before the expiry date, Jo emails a short reminder with the date and the next available start. If Sam goes with someone else, Jo asks politely what made the difference, writes the reason down and stops following up. This example doesn't claim how often that approach wins the job. It shows a follow-up that is useful every time it's sent.

When the answer is no, or nothing at all

A clear no is useful. Business Queensland's advice is that if you weren't successful, you should "politely ask for some feedback on areas you could improve." Ask one easy question, such as whether it came down to price, timing or something else, and thank them either way.

If there's still no reply after the expiry date, send one closing message. Say the quote has expired, that you're happy to requote if their plans change, and that you won't keep chasing. Then mark it lost with "no response" as the reason, rather than guessing it was price.

Keep readingFind where your enquiries stop turning into jobs

Keep a simple quote register

Follow-up only works if someone knows which quotes are open. A shared spreadsheet or your job software is enough. Review it once a week, and once a month look at why quotes were lost. If most losses are price, look at what your quote includes and how you explain it. If most are no response, look at your first follow-up and how quickly the quote went out.

Record these for every quote:

• Customer, job and where the enquiry came from.
• Date sent, total and expiry date.
• Who owns the follow-up, and the next follow-up date.
• Status: open, accepted, lost or expired.
• The reason for a loss, in the customer's words where you have them.