The first follow-up, a day or two after the quote
Hi, just making sure the quote came through clearly. Is there anything on it I can explain?
Just checking in on the quote!
I can still do next Tuesday if you want to go ahead. After that, my next opening is a couple of weeks out.
This price is only good until Friday.
If any line on it does not make sense, tell me which one and I will walk you through it.
Let me know if you have any questions.
What makes a follow-up worth answering
- One specific thing: a question answered, an opening in the schedule, or a part that came in.
- Their name and the job, so it does not read like a mass text.
- A clear way to say not now, so silence is not the only polite option.
- When you will follow up next, or that you will not.
The last follow-up
I will not keep chasing you on this. If you went with someone else, no hard feelings. Just let me know and I will close it out.
Following up again on my last three messages.
If the timing is wrong, tell me when to check back and I will put it on the calendar.
Are you still interested?
The three ways this goes wrong
- Following up with nothing new. 'Just checking in' asks them to do all the work.
- Chasing forever. After two follow-ups, more messages only make the next conversation harder.
- Taking the silence personally. A customer who went elsewhere may still call you next time if your last message was kind.
A quote nobody answers is a decision nobody has made easy. Follow up with something useful, give them an easy no, and leave the door open.
I answer the phones for contractors, and I follow up on every open quote with a useful message and an easy way to say no. callbobai.com