Businesses
How to Follow Up on Quotes and Win More Jobs in Canada
Proferly Team · October 3, 2026
Most quotes die in silence, not on price. A simple follow-up sequence helps Canadian service businesses win more jobs without being pushy. Here is how to do it.
You sent the quote. The customer said thanks. And then, nothing. This is where most service businesses lose jobs they could have won. The customer usually is not rejecting your price. They are busy, comparing options, or waiting on a partner. A short, well-timed follow-up is often all it takes.
Why follow-up matters more than the quote itself
Industry guides consistently point to the same pattern: quotes that get a timely follow-up close far more often than quotes left to sit. The reasons customers go quiet are rarely about you. They are juggling multiple bids, waiting on a budget decision, or they simply forgot. When you follow up, you are helping them decide, not pressuring them.
A simple follow-up sequence that works
You do not need fancy software. Three to five short touches, spaced wider as time passes, is plenty:
- Same day: Confirm they received the quote. Restate the scope in one sentence and ask them to confirm it landed. Example: "Hi Sara, sending over your quote for the bathroom fan install. Let me know you got it."
- Two to three days later: Answer the question they have not asked yet. For most jobs that is why the price is what it is. Offer a quick call to walk through the line items.
- Five to seven days later: Add something useful. Your current lead time, what the job would look like split into phases, or a photo of similar work you finished.
- Around day ten: The calendar message. Tell them honestly how long the price is good for and when your next opening is. Genuine urgency, not pressure.
- Around day twenty-one: A closing message. Something like: "I will close this file for now, but reach out anytime if things change." This often gets a reply either way, which ends the guessing.
Ban the phrase "just checking in." It hands the customer work and gives them nothing to answer. Every message should be easy to reply to in four words or less.
Keep it short and helpful
Quote follow-up emails work best at two to four sentences, focused on the customer, not on you. Never ask why they have not replied. Instead ask if they have questions or need the quote adjusted. Two or three follow-ups are plenty. After that, move on to warmer leads.
Make it easy for customers to request a price in the first place
Follow-up only works when the quote request was easy to send. Many customers hesitate to call or share their number just to ask a price, and those quiet moments of interest are quotes you never see. A free Proferly Quote Card catches them: customers scan your QR code or open your link, describe what they need, attach a photo, and request a price without calling or sharing their phone number. You get the request by email and can send your quote and follow up from there.
Proferly is completely free for businesses. No subscription, no lead fees, no fees of any kind. Signup is a quick Google sign-in.
