You spent 45 minutes measuring, calculating materials, and writing up a quote. You texted it over. The customer said "thanks, I'll look it over." That was four days ago. Now you're staring at your phone wondering: do I follow up? Will I look desperate? Did they already hire someone else?
This is one of the most common — and most expensive — moments in a small business. Not because the quote was bad, but because most people don't have a plan for what happens after the quote goes out.
Why customers go silent after receiving a quote
It's rarely personal. Customers don't reply for a few predictable reasons:
- They're busy — your quote landed while they were at work, and it got buried
- They're comparing — they requested two or three quotes and haven't decided yet
- They have questions — but feel awkward asking, so they stall
- They forgot — life happened, and your quote isn't top of mind anymore
The mistake most contractors and freelancers make is reading silence as rejection. It usually isn't. It's indecision, distraction, or an inbox problem.
According to research compiled by Peak Sales Recruiting (2025), 60% of customers say "no" four times before saying "yes." Most people need time and gentle nudges to commit — not just one message.
How many times should you follow up on a quote?
The data is clear: most businesses give up too early.
- 44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up (Peak Sales Recruiting, 2025)
- 80% of sales require five or more follow-ups to close
- Yet 92% of people quit after just four attempts
You don't need to follow up twelve times. But following up once, getting silence, and moving on means you're leaving money on the table almost every time.
A good rule of thumb for quotes:
- Day 1: Send the quote
- Day 2–3: Quick check-in ("Just making sure you got the quote — any questions?")
- Day 7: Second follow-up ("Wanted to see if you've had a chance to review — happy to walk through anything")
- Day 14: Final nudge ("Still interested? No pressure either way — just want to make sure I'm not leaving you hanging")
After that, you can park the lead and revisit in 30 days. But four touchpoints is the minimum.
What to say in a follow-up (without sounding pushy)
The biggest fear is coming across as desperate or annoying. The fix is simple: make every follow-up useful, not just a "checking in" message.
Weak follow-ups (these feel like pressure):
- "Just checking in"
- "Any update on the quote?"
- "Wanted to circle back"
Strong follow-ups (these add value):
- "I had a thought about the timeline — if we start by [date], we can avoid [problem]. Want me to adjust the quote?"
- "Realized I didn't mention — we can break the project into two phases if budget is a concern"
- "Quick question: did you want me to include [option] in the price? Happy to revise"
The pattern: give them a reason to reply that isn't just "say yes or no." Ask a question, offer new information, or remove a barrier.
Real-world example: Maria the painter
Maria runs a residential painting business. She used to send quotes and wait. If she didn't hear back in a week, she assumed they went with someone else. Her close rate on quotes was around 25%.
Then she started a simple follow-up routine:
- Day 2: Text — "Hi [Name], just making sure the quote came through okay. Let me know if you have any questions about colors or timeline."
- Day 7: Text — "Hey [Name], checking in on the kitchen project. If you're comparing quotes, happy to explain what's included in mine."
- Day 14: Text — "Hi [Name], no pressure at all — just wanted to close the loop. If the timing isn't right, I can check back in a month."
Her close rate went from 25% to around 40%. Not because her prices changed, but because she was the only contractor who followed up more than once.
Research by Martal Group (2025) found that 35–50% of sales go to the vendor that responds first. If you're also the vendor who follows up consistently, you're ahead of nearly everyone in your market.
How to track which quotes need follow-up
The follow-up plan only works if you can see which quotes are waiting for a response. Here's where most people break down — the quote goes out, and there's no system to surface it again on Day 3 or Day 7.
Minimum you need:
- The customer's name and contact
- What the quote was for
- A next action ("Follow up Day 3 — check if they got the quote")
- A due date for that action
If you keep this in a spreadsheet, set a reminder on your phone for the due date. If you use a dedicated tool, the due date should surface it automatically.
The trap is relying on memory. You'll remember to follow up with the $10,000 job. You won't remember the $800 one — and those add up fast over a year.
When to stop following up (and what to do instead)
There's a point where following up becomes unproductive. After 3–4 attempts with no response over two weeks, it's time to park the lead — not delete it.
Park it, don't abandon it:
- Set a next action: "Check back in 30 days — seasonal interest?"
- Move on to active leads
- When the 30-day reminder fires, send one final message: "Hi [Name], circling back on the [project] from last month. Still on your radar, or should I close this out?"
That last message works surprisingly well. People who ghosted often reply to "should I close this out?" because it gives them a low-pressure way to re-engage or say no.
Where ActiveLead fits
ActiveLead is built for exactly this workflow. When you send a quote, you set a next action ("Follow up Day 3") with a due date. Your dashboard shows you every morning which quotes need attention — overdue items surface automatically, so nothing falls through the cracks.
No pipeline to configure, no stages to set up. Just: who needs to hear from me today? One rescued quote that would've gone cold is worth more than a year of the subscription.
Try ActiveLead free for 14 days — no credit card required.
Most quotes don't die because of price — they die because of silence. A simple follow-up routine with three or four touchpoints puts you ahead of nearly every competitor in your market. Start with your next quote and see what happens.
FAQ
How many times should I follow up before giving up?
Three to four follow-ups over two weeks is the minimum. After that, park the lead with a 30-day check-back. Most contractors follow up once or not at all — doing more puts you ahead of the majority.
Is it annoying to follow up multiple times?
Not if each follow-up adds value. Avoid "just checking in" messages. Instead, ask a question, share new information, or offer to adjust the quote. Customers appreciate persistence that feels helpful, not pushy.
What if the customer says they went with someone else?
Thank them, ask if there's anything you could have done differently (optional), and keep them on your list for future work. Today's "no" is often next year's "yes" — especially for repeat-need services like landscaping, painting, or repairs.
Should I follow up by text, call, or email?
Match the channel they used to contact you. If they texted the inquiry, follow up by text. If they emailed, reply by email. Consistency feels natural; switching channels can feel intrusive.
Examples are illustrative, not based on real customers.