How long to wait before following up
After an enquiry with no reply, wait one working day. After a quote, wait two working days, then a week, then a fortnight, then stop. After a no-show or a cancelled job, wait until the next morning. The exact gap matters less than having one at all, because most people never send the second message.
The timings, in one place
- They enquired and you replied, they have gone quiet: chase after one working day
- You sent a quote: chase after two working days, then seven days, then fourteen, then stop
- You had a call and agreed to speak again: chase on the day you both named, not before
- They did not turn up: message the next morning, not that evening
- They said no: one message in two or three months, then leave them alone
These are not rules handed down from anywhere. They are the gaps that give somebody time to have their own life without giving them time to book a competitor. If you only remember one, make it the two working days after a quote.
Why two working days after a quote
A quote sent on Monday is read on Monday, discussed on Tuesday and forgotten on Wednesday. Chasing on Monday evening reads as pushy because they have not had time to think. Chasing on Friday reads as an afterthought because they have already moved on or booked. Wednesday morning is the meeting point.
"Hi {name}, just making sure the quote for {job} reached you on Monday, they do sometimes land in junk. No rush on deciding, but if anything in it needs changing tell me and I will redo it."
That message gives them a reason to reply that is not "have you decided yet". Wording that avoids the dreaded phrase is on what to say instead of just following up.
The second and third chases
"Hi {name}, I am putting next month's diary together so I wanted to check where you got to with {job}. If it is on hold that is completely fine, I will just take it off my list and you can shout when you are ready."
"Hi {name}, I will stop bothering you after this one. If {job} is still something you want doing, the price stands until {date}. If not, no problem at all and thanks for asking us."
Naming the last message as the last one gets more replies than any of the ones before it, because it removes the pressure and puts a deadline on the price at the same time.
Four timing mistakes
- Chasing the same evening, which reads as desperate rather than keen
- Waiting two weeks for the first chase, by which time somebody else has done the job
- Sending all the chases at the same time of day, so they arrive as an obvious sequence
- Never sending a last one, so the quote just hangs there and neither of you ever closes it
The most expensive of the four is the last one. An unanswered quote is not a no, it is an unfinished conversation.
Get the free 5-Step Lead Follow-Up Blueprint
A 15-minute, plain-English guide that shows exactly how to stop enquiries slipping away, with the messages already worded for you. Free, sent by email straight away.
Send me the free BlueprintRemembering the gaps when you are busy
Nobody loses a job because they chased on day three instead of day two. They lose it because day two arrived while they were under a sink and nothing was ever sent. The timings only help if something outside your head is counting the days, which is the point made on building a follow-up system.
GoHighLevel can start the two, seven and fourteen day sequence the moment a quote is marked as sent, and stop it automatically the second they reply, so nobody gets chased after they have already said yes. The messages themselves are on quote follow-up templates.
Want to see it running?
GoHighLevel is the tool we use for all of this in our own business. You can try everything on the 14-day free trial and judge it on results.
See how GoHighLevel worksThat button uses our referral link: we earn a commission if you sign up, it never costs you extra, and we say so right here because trust matters more.
Common questions
What time of day should a follow-up go out?
Mid-morning on a working day, roughly 9am to 11am, or early evening around 6pm for people who are at work all day. Avoid Friday afternoons and avoid weekends unless your customers genuinely buy at weekends.
How many follow-ups is too many?
Three after a quote is normal and welcome. Four or more with no reply at all stops being persistence and starts being noise. Stop, then revisit in a couple of months with something new to say rather than another nudge.
Should I follow up by text or email?
Send the quote by email so there is a record, then follow up by text, because texts get read. If they only ever gave you an email address, follow up by email and keep it to three lines.
Does following up make me look desperate?
Not if there is a reason for the message other than your own sales target. A checked detail, a diary update or a price expiry all give the customer something to respond to. "Just checking in" is the version that looks desperate.