When to chase a quote, what to write, and three short messages you can copy. Plus the one habit that means you never forget to follow up again.
You sent the quote on Monday. It is now the following Wednesday and you have heard nothing. Do you chase? Will it look desperate? Have they gone with someone else? Most small businesses lose more work to silence than to competitors, and most of that silence is not a "no". It is a busy person who meant to reply.
Before writing anything, it helps to know what is usually happening on the other end:
Only the third one is a real "no", and even that is often "not now". Every other case is fixed by a short message that makes replying easy.
A simple rhythm that works for most trades and services:
| When | What |
|---|---|
| The day you send it | Say when it is valid until, and when you will check in |
| 2 to 3 working days later | First follow-up: short, one question |
| About a week after that | Second: add something useful |
| Two to four weeks later | Close the file, kindly |
Three messages, then stop. Anyone who has not replied to three friendly notes has made a decision, and a fourth message only costs you goodwill. The exception is a job with a natural deadline (a wedding, a move, a planning date), where one more "the date is getting close" is fair.
The rules that stop a follow-up feeling like a nag:
First follow-up, 2 to 3 days after
Hi Sam, just checking the quote for the kitchen came through OK. Any questions on it, or anything you would like me to change? Happy to adjust the scope if it helps. Thanks, Alex
Second, a week later
Hi Sam, one thing I meant to mention: I can hold the first week of October if that timing works for you, but I will need to release it by the 24th. If you are still deciding, no rush at all, just let me know either way. Alex
Closing the file, two to four weeks later
Hi Sam, I will assume the kitchen is on hold for now, so I will close the file at my end. If it comes back up, the quote is easy to refresh, just shout. All the best, Alex
Notice that none of them asks "have you decided?" and every one gives a reason to reply. The last one gets more responses than the first two combined, because it removes the pressure entirely. Half of them say "sorry, yes, let's go ahead".
Whatever they used to contact you. A text follow-up to an email quote feels like an escalation. If they messaged on WhatsApp, reply there. The words above work in any of them; just drop the sign-off in a text.
None of the above works if you forget. The fix is not discipline, it is doing one thing at the moment you send the quote: book the first follow-up before you close the email. Note the date, the person, and "chase kitchen quote". When the reminder comes up, you write the two-line message and book the next one.
You can do this in a diary, a spreadsheet with a "next date" column, or a CRM that shows you the day's follow-ups when you open it. The tool matters less than the habit, but the tool that shows you an overdue list every morning is the one that survives a busy week.
A small point that saves arguments later. In the UK a quote is a fixed price for a defined job; once accepted, that is the price unless the job changes. An estimate is your best guess and can go up or down. Say which one it is, in the document, and give it a validity period ("valid for 30 days"). It sets the expectation, and it gives your second follow-up a genuine reason to exist.
Send the quote with the free Quote Generator, then book the follow-up in Sheetsmith CRM so it chases itself.
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