When to send
| When | What it is for | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | Confirm it arrived and open the door to questions. The job is still current in their head. | Light, helpful |
| Day 5 | Give them a reason to answer now — a booking slot, not a discount. | Practical |
| Day 10 | Ask directly, and make "no" an easy answer. A clean no is worth more than a maybe. | Direct, friendly |
| Day 21 or expiry | Close it off and leave the door open. This is the one that gets replies months later. | Warm, final |
Then stop. Four messages over three weeks is persistence. Seven is a reason not to hire you, and it is the difference between a follow-up and a nuisance.
Day 2 — did it land?
Hi [Name], [Your name] here from [Business]. Just checking the quote for the [job] came through OK? Happy to talk through any of it.
Hi [Name], quote for the [job] is in your inbox — [$amount] all up. Sing out if anything needs explaining. [Your name], [Business]
Hi [Name], sent that quote through yesterday. Anything you'd like changed or priced differently, just say — easy to adjust. [Your name]
Day 5 — give them a reason to decide
The strongest lever here is your calendar, not your price. A real booking slot creates a real reason to answer today, and it never devalues your work.
Hi [Name], I've got a spot open [day] week after next for the [job]. Want me to pencil you in while it's free? [Your name]
Hi [Name], still keen on the [job]? My next opening is [date] — after that I'm into [month]. Happy either way, just let me know.
Hi [Name], that quote holds until [date]. If you'd like to go ahead I can lock the price in now — otherwise no stress at all.
Day 10 — ask straight out
Make it as easy to say no as to say yes. You are not chasing a sale here, you are chasing an answer — because a clear no lets you stop thinking about it and re-offer the slot.
Hi [Name], just tidying up my quotes — are you still thinking about the [job], or has it gone on the back burner? Either's fine, just want to know.
Hi [Name], no pressure at all — is the [job] still on the cards? A quick yes or no helps me sort the diary. [Your name]
Hi [Name], was the price the sticking point, or the timing? If it's either I might be able to work something out. If it's neither, all good.
Day 21 — close it off warmly
This is the message people underrate. Done well it costs you nothing, ends the uncertainty, and is the one that gets a reply next autumn when they finally do the bathroom.
Hi [Name], I'll close off the quote for the [job] for now. If it comes back around, just text me and I'll re-price it. All the best. [Your name]
Hi [Name], taking the [job] off my list so I'm not pestering you. Door's open whenever — same number. Thanks for thinking of me. [Your name]
Hi [Name], sounds like the timing's not right — no worries. Want me to check back in around [month]? Otherwise I'll leave you be. [Your name]
What actually makes these work
- Say who you are, every time. Your number is not saved in their phone. "Hi, just following up" from an unknown number reads as a scam.
- Name the job, not the quote. "The bathroom" means something to them; "quote #1042" does not.
- Ask one question. Two questions in a text gets you an answer to neither.
- Offer a slot, not a discount. Dropping the price on day five teaches every future customer to wait five days.
- Make no easy. "Either's fine" gets a reply. "Just following up again" gets silence.
- Send it in business hours. A price text at 9pm reads as pushy — and see the note below on money messages after hours.
The one message that reopens a dead quote
Months later, when you are genuinely in the area or genuinely have a gap:
Hi [Name], [Your name] from [Business] — quoted your [job] back in [month]. I'm working in [suburb] next week. Still want it done?
It works because it is true and it is specific. It is not a follow-up — it is an offer.
Chasing a quote is not chasing an invoice
They are different jobs with different tones, and mixing them costs you. A quote follow-up is a sales message to someone who owes you nothing — light, easy to decline. An invoice chase is about money you have already earned, and it escalates on a schedule. If it is an unpaid invoice you are dealing with, use the unpaid invoice guide instead, which has its own wording and its own timeline.
Let Yamate do the following up — it knows which quotes went quiet →Yamate tracks which quotes have not been answered and drafts the follow-up for you — you read it and tap send, and nothing goes out without you seeing it first. A money text after 9pm can be held until 8am. Sign up before 30 September 2026 and lock in the Founder plan at $19/mo — forever. It's $29/mo after that. No lock-in, cancel anytime. Prices in AUD.
FAQ
How soon should I follow up a quote?
About two days — while the job is still current in the customer's mind. Then day five, day ten, and once more near the point the quote expires.
How many times should I follow up?
Three or four times over about three weeks, then stop and leave the door open. Past that you are annoying someone who has already decided.
Text or call?
Text usually gets a faster answer because it can be replied to whenever and does not put anyone on the spot. Call for high-value quotes, ideally after a text has given them the context.
Should I drop the price to win it?
Rarely, and never on day five. If you discount because they went quiet, you have taught them — and everyone they tell — that your first price is negotiable. Offer a booking slot, a staged scope, or a different specification instead.
Do these texts have to comply with the Spam Act?
Australia's Spam Act generally requires commercial electronic messages to be sent with consent, to identify the sender, and to offer a way to unsubscribe. A direct one-to-one reply to someone who asked you for a quote is a different situation from a bulk send, but it depends on the circumstances — check the ACMA guidance, and treat anything automated as clearly inside the rules.
Related
General information for Australian tradies, not legal advice. Messaging rules under the Spam Act depend on the circumstances of each message — see the ACMA guidance or get advice before automating any customer messaging.