How long should I wait before following up?

After a quote or proposal, about a week. After a call or meeting, send the recap the same day. If they told you when they’d decide, wait until that date has passed. The table at the end of the template has a wait for each email.

How many follow-ups are too many?

For one quote, three emails are usually enough. Send two short follow-ups, then a last one that closes the loop. After that, stop and wait for them to come back to you.

How do I follow up without being pushy?

Keep it short, name what you sent and when, and ask one question. Make it easy to say no, or not now. Don’t make up a deadline or offer a discount just to get an answer, and don’t say they’ve read your quote unless they told you so.

What subject line should I use for a follow-up email?

To follow up on an email you sent, reply in the same thread, so the subject stays the same with “Re:” in front. For a new email, say what it’s about and the next step, such as “Notes and next steps from our meeting on Tuesday”. Each template has a subject line to start from.

Can I paste these into Gmail or Outlook?

Yes. Each email has a Copy email button that copies its subject line and text. Paste it into a new email or a reply, move the subject line into the subject field and replace the words in brackets. You can also download them all as a Word file, which opens in Word, or in Google Docs once you upload it to Google Drive.

Follow-Up Email Templates for Clients: After a Quote, Call, Meeting or No Reply

These free follow-up email templates are 12 short client emails, each with a subject line, for after a quote, a call or a meeting, or when someone goes quiet. Copy one into Gmail or Outlook, or download them all, with a table of when to send each one, for Word and Google Docs.

Follow-up email templates

Pick the email that fits, replace the words in brackets with your own, and send it from your own inbox. The table at the end says when to send each one.

After you send a quote or proposal

First follow-up on a quote

Subject: Re: [The subject line of your quote]

Hi [Name],

I wanted to check whether you had a chance to look at the [name of your quote or proposal] I sent on [date]. Happy to answer any questions.

[Your name]

Second follow-up on a quote

Subject: Re: [The subject line of your quote]

Hi [Name],

Just following up on the [name of your quote or proposal] I sent on [date]. If something in it doesn’t work for you, such as the scope or the timing, tell me and we can talk it through.

[Your name]

Last follow-up on a quote

Subject: Re: [The subject line of your quote]

Hi [Name],

I haven’t heard back about the [name of your quote or proposal] I sent on [date], so I’ll assume now isn’t the right time. This is my last note about it.

If you’d like to go ahead later, just reply to this email and I’ll pick it up from there.

Thanks,
[Your name]

After a call or meeting

Recap after a sales call

Subject: Thanks for the call: next steps for [the project]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for your time today. Here’s what I heard:
- [What they need]
- [What matters most to them, such as the date or the budget]

As agreed, I’ll send you [what you said you’d send, such as the quote] by [day]. If I missed anything, just reply and tell me.

[Your name]

Recap after a meeting

Subject: Notes and next steps from our meeting on [day]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for meeting today. Here’s a short summary, so we’re on the same page.

What we agreed:
- [Decision]
- [Decision]

Next steps:
- [Who] will [do what] by [date].
- [Who] will [do what] by [date].

If I got anything wrong, just reply and I’ll fix it.

[Your name]

No reply after a call or meeting

Subject: Re: [The subject line of your recap]

Hi [Name],

Following up on our [call or meeting] on [day] about [what they need]. Is [the next step we talked about] still the right next step for you?

[Your name]

After you send information

Did the information help?

Subject: Any questions about the [information you sent]?

Hi [Name],

I sent you [the information you asked for, such as our price list] on [date]. Did it have what you needed?

If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them here or on a quick call.

[Your name]

When they’ve gone quiet

They said they’d get back to you

Subject: Re: [The subject line of their last email]

Hi [Name],

When we last spoke, you said you’d [decide by a date, or check with someone]. I wanted to see where things stand with [the project].

If you need more time, that’s fine. Just let me know when to check back.

[Your name]

Is this still a priority?

Subject: Is [the project] still on your list?

Hi [Name],

I don’t want to keep filling your inbox if plans have changed. Is [the project] still a priority for you?

A one-word reply is fine:
Yes: I’ll send the next step.
Later: I’ll check back in [month].
No: I’ll close it on my side.

Thanks,
[Your name]

After an introduction or referral

First email after an introduction

Subject: [Introducer’s name] suggested I get in touch

Hi [Name],

[Introducer’s name] mentioned you’re looking for [what they need] and suggested I get in touch. I [what you do, in one sentence].

Would a short call on [day] be useful? If the timing’s wrong, no problem.

[Your name]

Thank the person who introduced you

Subject: Thank you for the introduction to [Name]

Hi [Introducer’s name],

Thank you for putting me in touch with [Name]. We’ve [what happened, such as set up a call for next week]. I really appreciate you thinking of me.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

[Your name]

After you win the work

Thank you and next steps

Subject: Thank you, [Name]: next steps for [the project]

Hi [Name],

Thank you for choosing us for [the project]. We’re glad to be working with you.

Here’s what happens next:
- [First step, such as the deposit invoice today]
- [Second step, such as a site visit on a date]
- [When the work will be done]

If you have any questions before then, just reply to this email.

[Your name]

When to send each one

Email	When to send	If there’s no reply
First follow-up on a quote	7 days after the quote	Second follow-up
Second follow-up on a quote	7 days after the first follow-up	Last follow-up
Last follow-up on a quote	7 to 14 days after the second follow-up	Stop and wait for them
Recap after a sales call	The same day	The no-reply email, 3 to 5 days later
Recap after a meeting	The same day, or the next morning	The no-reply email, 3 to 5 days later
No reply after a call or meeting	3 to 5 days after the recap	“Is this still a priority?” 2 weeks later
Did the information help?	3 to 5 days after you send it	“Is this still a priority?” 2 weeks later
They said they’d get back to you	1 or 2 days after the date they gave	“Is this still a priority?” 2 weeks later
Is this still a priority?	2 to 3 weeks after your last email	Stop, or check back when they said
First email after an introduction	Within a day of the introduction	One more email, a week later
Thank the person who introduced you	Once you’ve spoken to the person they introduced	None needed
Thank you and next steps	The same day they say yes	None needed

The whole template. Replace the words in [brackets] with your own. Updated 14 Nov 2026.

What goes in each section

After you send a quote or proposal	Name the quote the way they’ll recognize it, and the date you sent it. Send each one as a reply in the quote’s own email thread, so the quote is right below. Don’t add a discount, a new price or a deadline to get an answer.
After a call or meeting	Send the recap the same day. Write down only what was said and agreed, and give each next step a name and a date.
After you send information	Say what you sent and when, then ask one question: did it have what they needed?
When they’ve gone quiet	Use their own words where you can, such as the date they said they’d decide. Make it easy to answer with one word, even if the answer is no.
After an introduction or referral	Name the person who introduced you in the first line, and say what you do in one sentence. Thank the introducer once you’ve spoken.
After you win the work	Thank them, then list what happens next and when, so they know what to expect.
When to send each one	The waits are a starting point. Change them to fit how fast your clients usually decide, then stick to them.

Example: Follow-up email, filled in

A fictional example, filled in. The names and details are made up.

Follow-up emails for October’s quotes

The follow-ups Robin sent for four quotes from October 2026. The table at the end shows when each one went out, and what comes next.

After you send a quote or proposal

First follow-up on a quote

Subject: Re: Proposal: website care plan

Hi Alex,

I wanted to check whether you had a chance to look at the website care plan proposal I sent on 5 October. Happy to answer any questions.

Robin

Second follow-up on a quote

Subject: Re: Proposal: website care plan

Hi Alex,

Just following up on the website care plan proposal I sent on 5 October. If something in it doesn’t work for you, such as what it covers or when it starts, tell me and we can talk it through.

Robin

When they’ve gone quiet

They said they’d get back to you

Subject: Re: Quote for a shop sign

Hi Jon,

Your office let me know on 4 October that you were away and would get back to me. I wanted to see where things stand with the shop sign quote I sent on 2 October.

If you need more time, that’s fine. Just let me know when to check back.

Robin

After you win the work

Thank you and next steps

Subject: Thank you, Mira: next steps for the two outdoor signs

Hi Mira,

Thank you for choosing us for the two outdoor signs. We’re glad to be working with you.

Here’s what happens next:
- I’ll send the deposit invoice today.
- We’ll measure the wall on Tuesday 27 October.
- The signs go up the week of 9 November.

If you have any questions before then, just reply to this email.

Robin

When to send each one

Email	When to send	If there’s no reply
First follow-up on a quote (Alex)	Tuesday 20 October	Second follow-up on Tuesday 27 October
Second follow-up on a quote (Alex)	Tuesday 27 October	Last follow-up on Tuesday 10 November
First follow-up on a quote (Sam)	Monday 26 October, 8 days after the estimate	Second follow-up on Monday 2 November
They said they’d get back to you (Jon)	Friday 23 October, 3 weeks after the quote	“Is this still a priority?” on Friday 6 November
Thank you and next steps (Mira)	Thursday 22 October, the day she said yes	None needed

Tips

Put the follow-up date in your calendar when you send the quote, so it doesn’t depend on memory.
Reply in the quote’s own email thread. The quote stays right below your note, and the subject line is already there.
Ask for one thing per email, such as a yes or no, or a time to talk. One clear question is easier to answer than three.
Keep it to a few lines, and don’t add a discount or a deadline just to get a reply.
Stop after the last follow-up. If they say “not now”, ask when to check back, write the date down and wait until then.

Follow-up email questions

How long should I wait before following up?: After a quote or proposal, about a week. After a call or meeting, send the recap the same day. If they told you when they’d decide, wait until that date has passed. The table at the end of the template has a wait for each email.
How many follow-ups are too many?: For one quote, three emails are usually enough. Send two short follow-ups, then a last one that closes the loop. After that, stop and wait for them to come back to you.
How do I follow up without being pushy?: Keep it short, name what you sent and when, and ask one question. Make it easy to say no, or not now. Don’t make up a deadline or offer a discount just to get an answer, and don’t say they’ve read your quote unless they told you so.
What subject line should I use for a follow-up email?: To follow up on an email you sent, reply in the same thread, so the subject stays the same with “Re:” in front. For a new email, say what it’s about and the next step, such as “Notes and next steps from our meeting on Tuesday”. Each template has a subject line to start from.
Can I paste these into Gmail or Outlook?: Yes. Each email has a Copy email button that copies its subject line and text. Paste it into a new email or a reply, move the subject line into the subject field and replace the words in brackets. You can also download them all as a Word file, which opens in Word, or in Google Docs once you upload it to Google Drive.