Why quotes die in silence
On the customer's side, silence has three ordinary causes: they are waiting for another quote to compare, something unrelated to you has got in the way, or they forgot. On the tradesperson's or freelancer's side, the follow-up does not go out for one reason: awkwardness. You do not want to “bother” anyone, so you let a quote die that sometimes took an hour to price. The result: it is often the competitor who followed up who signs, not the cheapest one.
The right timing: D+3 to D+5, then D+10 to D+12
The first follow-up goes out three to five days after the quote is sent: early enough to stay part of the customer's thinking, late enough not to rush them. The second goes out about a week later, with something concrete: coming to see them on site, adjusting an option, answering questions. Past two follow-ups, you stop: pushing harder costs more than silence. And of course, everything stops at the first reply.
The right channel for your customer
Email first: it leaves a record, is read in a quiet moment and can carry the quote as an attachment. With private individuals, SMS is remarkably effective as a second follow-up: it is read within minutes. The phone is kept for the end, when the quote is a big one and writing has come to nothing: a call is hard to refuse, but it lands better once the customer has already had two polite messages.
Two templates to adapt
For a job or a service at a private customer's home: “Hello, I'm getting back to you about the quote for [the job], sent on [date]. Do you have any questions? If it's easier, I can come and look on site to adjust it. Have a good day, [first name].”
For an event on a fixed date, such as catering or a wedding service: “Hello, I'm getting back to you about your event on [date]. I'm holding the date on my side for a few more days: would you like me to reserve it for you, or shall I adjust the proposal?”
What not to write
Anything that sounds like a reproach closes the door: “having had no reply from you”, “I am chasing you yet again”, “please keep me informed”. An effective follow-up is short, factual, and ends with an open question that is easy to answer.
The version that runs itself
The real problem with a follow-up is not writing it, it is remembering it, for every quote, at the right moment, without ever missing one. That is exactly what we automate for quotes: the follow-up goes out at D+5 then D+12, in your tone, and stops as soon as the customer replies. The circuit is the same for a plumber and heating engineer, an electrician, a landscape gardener, a caterer or an optician following up health insurer quotes. And once the quote is signed, invoice follow-ups take over.