You’re brilliant at the job. Your work is top quality. Your customers are happy. But you’re losing quotes to competitors who are no better than you — simply because they followed up and you didn’t.
It happens to tradespeople constantly. A customer asks three builders, three electricians, or three plumbers for a quote. They intend to compare them. Then life gets in the way. They wait for someone to chase them.
The one who calls back wins.
The Reality of Quote Follow-Up in the Trades
Most tradespeople send a quote and wait. A week passes, then two. By then, they’ve assumed the customer went elsewhere and moved on.
Often the customer hasn’t. They’re still deciding. Or they lost the quote in their email. Or they’re waiting to see if their budget comes through.
A single follow-up call — something like “Did you get a chance to look at that quote? Happy to answer any questions” — wins jobs every week for tradespeople who do it consistently.
When to Follow Up
Day 1–2: Send or email the quote. If you gave a verbal estimate, follow up with something in writing.
Day 3–5: Call to check they received it and ask if they have questions. This is your best opportunity — the job is still fresh in their mind.
Day 10–14: If no response, call again. Brief and friendly. “Just checking in on that quote I sent over.”
Day 21: Final follow-up. After this, move them to a “check in occasionally” category rather than active chasing.
Three follow-ups is not excessive. Most customers respect it. The ones who find it annoying usually weren’t going to hire you anyway.
What to Say
You don’t need a sales script. Just be natural:
“Hi [Name], it’s [your name] from [company]. Just giving you a quick ring about the quote I sent for [job]. Did you get a chance to have a look? Happy to answer any questions or adjust anything if needed.”
That’s it. No pressure. No hard sell. Just a friendly check-in that shows you’re professional and interested in the work.
If they say they’re still deciding, ask when would be a good time to follow up. If they say they’ve gone elsewhere, wish them well — they might need you in the future, or might refer a friend.
Staying in Touch With Past Customers
Your best source of new work isn’t new customers — it’s old ones. People who’ve had work done before trust you already. They’re far more likely to hire you again, and to refer friends and family.
But only if they remember you exist.
A simple annual check-in — “Hi [Name], just checking in to see how the [boiler/extension/rewire] is holding up. Let me know if there’s anything you need” — keeps you top-of-mind without being pushy.
For seasonal trades (heating engineers, garden landscapers), time your check-ins before your busy season. A reminder call in September from your heating engineer, before the cold spell hits, will get work that would have gone to whoever the customer found on Google.
Building a Simple System
You don’t need anything complicated. Here’s what works:
Step 1: Keep a log of every quote you send. Name, what the job was, date quoted, and the follow-up dates.
Step 2: Set a reminder for day 5 and day 14 after every quote.
Step 3: Keep a separate list of past customers with a “check in” date once a year (or twice for seasonal trades).
Step 4: Review your list every Monday morning. Make any follow-up calls before you start work for the day.
If you want to automate this, a simple tool like DailyDial handles it for you — it tracks your contacts, schedules follow-ups automatically, and shows you who to call each morning. At £1.99/month it costs less than the margin on a single job you’d otherwise lose.
Common Objections
“I don’t want to seem desperate.” Following up once or twice is not desperate — it’s professional. Customers expect it from a business that values their time. What seems desperate is calling five times in a week or offering discounts unprompted.
“If they’re interested, they’ll call me.” Some will. Most won’t — not because they’re uninterested, but because they’re busy. The tradesperson who calls back is the professional one.
“I’m too busy to do sales.” You’re too busy now. But what about in six weeks? The pipeline for a sole trader or small firm needs constant feeding. Thirty minutes a week on follow-up is the most valuable thirty minutes in your business.
The Numbers
Let’s say you send 10 quotes a month at an average value of £1,500.
- Without follow-up: Convert 3 (30%) → £4,500/month
- With consistent follow-up: Convert 5 (50%) → £7,500/month
Same quotes. Same work quality. Same price. An extra £3,000/month just from making a few calls.
That’s the value of follow-up.
Stop losing jobs to competitors who just followed up. DailyDial tracks every quote, reminds you when to chase, and logs what was said — from £1.99/month. Start your free 14-day trial — no credit card required.
Related reading: How to Follow Up After Sending a Quote · A Simple Sales System for Self-Employed and Sole Traders