How long should I wait before following up on a quote?

Send a brief receipt-check message within 24 hours of sending the quote. If you have not heard back, follow up again at the 3- to 5-day mark with something helpful (a scheduling note, a material update, or a question about their timeline). A final check at day 7 to 10 rounds out the cadence. For larger projects (renovations, new builds), extend each window by a few days to match the customer's decision cycle.

How many times should I follow up on a quote?

Three follow-ups after the initial quote is the practical ceiling for most trades. A receipt confirmation (day 1), a helpful check-in (day 3 to 5), and a final availability message (day 7 to 10). Beyond three unanswered follow-ups, your time is better spent on fresh leads. The data shows that 80 percent of conversions happen within the first three touchpoints.

What should I say when following up on a quote?

Keep it short and offer value rather than asking for a decision. Good examples: 'Just checking the quote for [job] came through, happy to clarify anything.' Or: 'Quick heads-up, I have an opening next week if you would like to go ahead with the [job]. Let me know.' Avoid asking 'Have you made a decision yet?' which creates pressure rather than trust.

Should I follow up by text, email, or phone call?

Match the channel the customer used to contact you. If they texted, text back. If they emailed, reply by email. Text tends to get the fastest response for residential work (most homeowners read texts within minutes). Phone calls work well for commercial or larger-value jobs where a conversation helps answer technical questions. Whichever channel you use, keep the message under 60 words.

What if the customer chose another tradie?

Thank them for letting you know and ask one question: 'Would you mind sharing what tipped the decision? It helps me improve.' Most customers will tell you, and the insight is worth more than the lost job. Stay professional. Customers remember courteous tradies and refer them later, even to the one they turned down.

Does following up on quotes make me look desperate?

Professional follow-up signals reliability, the same trait customers value most when choosing a tradie. The difference between desperate and professional is tone: a short, helpful message ('checking the quote came through, happy to answer questions') reads as good service. Pestering for a decision or following up daily reads as pressure. Three spaced touchpoints is the standard in every service industry.

How does quoting speed affect my conversion rate?

Significantly. Quotes sent within 24 hours of a site visit typically see 20 to 30 percent higher close rates than those sent days later. Data from the trades sector consistently shows that homeowners tend to accept the first professional quote that arrives, even when it is not the cheapest. Speed and follow-up work together: a fast quote followed by a timely check-in is the highest-conversion combination.

What conversion rate should tradies aim for?

A healthy quote-to-job conversion rate for Australian tradies sits between 30 and 50 percent, depending on the trade, job size, and how competitive the market is. If you are below 30 percent, your pricing, quoting speed, or follow-up process likely has a gap. Adding a simple three-touch follow-up system can lift conversion by 10 to 15 percentage points on the same volume of quotes.

How to Follow Up Quotes as a Tradie (and Win More Jobs)

The follow-up gap

You visit the site, measure up, drive home, type out the quote, and send it. Then you wait. And wait. The customer goes quiet, and you move on to the next job.

This pattern costs Australian tradies thousands of dollars every year. Research from the trades sector consistently shows that 35 to 50 percent of jobs are won by the business that follows up first. The tradie who sends a short check-in message two days after quoting wins work that the silent tradie assumed was lost.

The good news: following up is simple, takes two minutes, and works immediately. Here is a complete system you can start using today.

Why following up works (the numbers)

Homeowners typically request quotes from two or three tradies. They compare prices, read the breakdowns, and then life gets busy. Kids, work, other decisions. Your quote sits in their inbox alongside the groceries order and a school newsletter.

A follow-up message cuts through that noise. It reminds them the job still needs doing, and it signals that you are organised and reliable. Those two things matter more than price for most residential customers.

The data at a glance

35 to 50% of jobs go to the first business that follows up
A four-touch follow-up cadence lifts conversion from 40% to 52 to 55%
On 20 quotes a month at $1,800 average, that is $3,600 to $5,400 extra per month
Quotes arriving within 24 hours see 20 to 30% higher close rates
Customers choose the tradie who responds first and most professionally, not the cheapest

When to follow up: the 1-4-8 cadence

Timing matters. Too soon feels pushy. Too late and they have already accepted another quote. This three-touch cadence works well for most residential and light commercial work:

Day 1

Receipt check

A quick text or email confirming the quote arrived and offering to answer questions. This is a courtesy, not a pitch. Send it the day after you sent the quote.

Day 4

Helpful check-in

If you have not heard back, reach out with something useful: a scheduling update, a note about material lead times, or a question about their preferred start date. This keeps you in their mind while providing genuine value.

Day 8

Final availability message

One last message letting them know you have availability coming up and the quote is valid for [X] days. This is your soft close. If they are still interested, this gives them a reason to act. If they have moved on, you have been professional throughout.

For larger projects (bathroom renovations, new builds, full rewires), extend each window by a few days. Bigger decisions take longer, and customers appreciate the space.

What to say: word-for-word templates

Keep every follow-up under 60 words. The goal is to be helpful and brief. Here are ready-to-use templates you can save in your phone and personalise for each job.

Day 1: Receipt check (text message)

Hi [name], it's [your name] from [business]. Just making sure the quote for the [job description] came through OK. Happy to answer any questions. Cheers, [your name]

Day 4: Helpful check-in (text or email)

Hi [name], just a quick one. I've got an opening [next week / early July] if you'd like to go ahead with the [job]. Let me know if you have any questions about the quote or want to adjust the scope. Cheers, [your name]

Day 8: Final availability (text or email)

Hi [name], just a heads-up that the quote for [job] is valid for another [X] days. I'm booking in work for [month], so if you'd like to lock in a time, let me know and I'll get you on the schedule. Either way, all the best with the project. [your name]

When they say no (email or text)

Thanks for letting me know, [name]. Would you mind sharing what tipped the decision? It helps me improve. If anything changes or you need a hand down the track, feel free to reach out. Cheers, [your name]

Every "no" that includes a reason is data you can use. If three customers in a row mention price, your quoting or your positioning needs a look. If they mention speed, your turnaround time is the bottleneck.

Text, email, or phone call?

Match the channel your customer used to contact you. If they texted you about the job, text your follow-up. If they emailed, reply by email. This keeps the conversation in one thread and feels natural rather than intrusive.

Some general patterns by job type:

Residential under $5K (tap repairs, power points, painting): text works best. Most homeowners read texts within minutes. Keep it brief.
Residential $5K to $20K (bathroom renovations, rewires, landscaping): text for the receipt check, then email or phone for the day-4 follow-up. Larger jobs invite more questions, and a phone call lets you address them in real time.
Commercial and strata: email is usually expected. CC the contact who requested the quote. A phone call to the decision-maker on day 4 can be the difference.

What kills your follow-up before it starts

The most common reason tradies skip follow-up is that the quote took too long to send in the first place. If you visited the site on Monday and the quote goes out on Thursday, you have already lost three days. Following up on day 4 means the customer has been waiting a full week. At that point, most have moved on.

The fix is quoting faster. Same-day or next-morning turnaround gives your follow-up cadence room to breathe. When the quote lands in 24 hours, your day-1 receipt check arrives on day 2, your helpful check-in on day 5, and your final message on day 9. The customer experiences a professional, attentive tradie from start to finish.

Speed and follow-up compound each other. A fast quote followed by timely follow-up is the highest-conversion combination in the trades.

Building a follow-up system that runs itself

The best follow-up system is the one you actually use. Start simple:

Save the templates above in your phone as text shortcuts or saved notes. Personalise [name] and [job] for each customer, but the structure stays the same.
Set three reminders per quote. When you send a quote, immediately set reminders for day 1, day 4, and day 8. Use your phone calendar, a notes app, or the reminder function in your quoting tool. Two minutes of setup per quote is all it takes.
Track your results. Keep a simple tally: quotes sent, follow-ups made, jobs accepted. After a month, you will see your conversion rate. After two months, you will see the lift from following up. That data tells you whether to adjust your timing, your templates, or your pricing.

The tradies who win the most work are rarely the cheapest. They are the ones who quote fast, follow up consistently, and make the customer feel looked after from the first phone call to the final invoice.

Get your quotes out faster

The fastest way to improve your follow-up is to start with a faster quote. FlowSpec turns a voice description of the job into a priced quote in Xero. You speak the scope on site, FlowSpec matches materials and labour to your Xero price list, and a draft quote lands in Xero ready to review and send. Same-day quoting from the van, so your follow-up cadence starts from a position of strength.

Works with every Xero-connected trade: electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC, painters, landscapers, roofers, and more.

See pricing How voice quoting works

The short version

Send your quote within 24 hours of the site visit.
Day 1: Confirm receipt and offer to answer questions.
Day 4: Check in with something helpful (availability, scheduling, scope).
Day 8: Final message with quote validity and your upcoming availability.
Match the customer's preferred channel (text for small residential, email for commercial).
When they say no, ask why. The feedback improves every future quote.
Track your results so you know what is working.

Three short messages over eight days. That is the entire system. It costs nothing, takes two minutes per quote, and the data says it can lift your conversion rate by 10 to 15 percentage points.