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A good quote follow-up text is short, names the job, asks one easy question and gives a way to say no. Send the first within a day or two, space later ones days apart, and stop after a few. Keep each under 160 characters, put your business name in it, and honor any STOP reply right away.
Key takeaways
- Name the job and your business in every text so the customer knows who is writing.
- Ask one question that takes five seconds to answer, not 'just checking in'.
- Space the texts days apart and stop after three or four. A closing text counts as the last one.
- Keep texts under 160 characters and include opt-out wording where the law expects it.
- A person should read every reply. A template starts the conversation and cannot finish it.
Most quotes do not get a yes or a no. They get silence, and silence usually means the customer is busy, comparing, or waiting on someone else, not that you lost. A short text at the right moment gets many of those answered. These templates cover the common gaps. Wording is in blockquotes with [brackets] for what you change. Keep each text within 160 characters after you paste in the real names so it goes out as one message. The sequence behind them is in our quote follow-up guide, and your CRM should schedule these and stop the sequence when the customer replies.
A quote the customer asked for is usually closer to an informational message than a promotion, but the line between the two can blur, and some states add their own rules. Get permission to text when the customer asks for the quote and honor STOP replies right away: the FCC's rules (47 CFR 64.1200) treat a text reply of "stop" as a valid way to revoke consent. The same rules set quiet hours for telephone solicitations to homes (8 a.m. to 9 p.m. where the called person is), so a safe habit is to keep every business text inside that window. Some states set stricter hours. Our texting rules guide explains consent. This is general information, not legal advice.
1. Confirm the quote arrived
Hi [first name], it's [your name] at Example Fence Co. Did the [job] quote reach you OK? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: an hour or two after you email the quote, or the same evening. Emailed quotes sometimes land in spam, and this text catches that early. Change the job name and keep the question as plain as possible. If the customer says it did not arrive, resend by text link and fix the address in your CRM.
2. The two-day nudge
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Fence Co. Any questions on the [job] quote? Happy to walk through it. Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: two days after the quote, in the morning or early evening. It offers help and asks nothing hard. Change "walk through it" to whatever you actually offer: a call, a site revisit or a video walkthrough. Skip it if the customer already replied or opened a call with you.
3. Ask about the options
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Paving. Did the [option A] or [option B] work better for you? I can adjust either. Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: on a quote with more than one option, three or four days out. A choice is easier to answer than a yes or no. It works best with a good, better, best quote, because the customer who ignored the first message often replies to a "which one" question. Do not make up an option you cannot do.
4. After a photo or video quote
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Roofing. I priced the [job] from your photos. Confirm on site this week? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: two or three days after a quote built from customer photos. Say clearly that the number can change on site, so the customer is not surprised later. Change "this week" to the days you have open. If you never quote without a visit, drop this one.
5. After an on-site estimate
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Lawn Co. Thanks for the walk-through. Want anything changed on the quote? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: the day after the visit if you have not sent the quote yet, or two days after if you have. It reminds the customer of a real conversation and invites changes rather than a decision. Mention something specific from the visit, such as "the side gate", so it reads like a person wrote it.
6. A real opening on your calendar
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Painting. A crew slot opened [date]. Want me to hold it for your [job]? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: only when the opening is real. A cancelled job or a rain-shifted week is a good reason to write. This one leans toward marketing, so send it only to customers who agreed to texts, and never invent scarcity. Change the date and the job, and say how long you will hold the slot if you hold it.
7. The price-question reply
Understood, [first name]. If it helps, I can adjust the scope on the [job] to fit [amount]. Want a revised quote? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: as a reply when a customer says the quote is high. Never lead with a discount. Offer to change the scope and let the customer choose. Put a real figure only if you are ready to honor it, and write it as [amount] in your template so nobody sends a placeholder. If the work has a floor you will not go below, tell the customer that.
8. The "waiting on my spouse, landlord or HOA" reply
No rush, [first name]. Want me to send the [job] quote straight to your [spouse/HOA] so you don't have to forward it? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: when a customer says someone else needs to approve. Offer to make approval easier, and ask for the other person's contact only if the customer volunteers it. Change the bracket to whoever it is. Do not text a third party unless the customer gives you their number and says it is fine.
9. Quote expiry reminder
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Tree Co. Your [job] quote is good through [date]. Want to lock it in? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: three to five days before the quote expires. Only use it if the quote states an end date, and keep to it or explain the change. A real deadline, such as a material cost that changes or a crew schedule that fills, is a fair reason. A fake one erodes trust.
10. Material or lead-time heads-up
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Windows. [Product] is [number] weeks out. Order this week to hold [month]? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: when the work depends on a supplier or a permit with a known lead time. Check the real timeline with your supplier before you send it, and update the weeks if it changes. It gives the customer a practical reason to answer and does not pressure them with a made-up one.
11. Seasonal timing nudge
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Snow Co. Contracts for [season] fill by [date]. Want to confirm your quote? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: before a season where your calendar books up, such as snow, holiday lights, gutters or irrigation start-up. Change the season and date to match your real schedule. Skip it for a one-off job with no calendar pressure, and never send it to a customer who already said no.
12. The reply to "we went with someone else"
Thanks for letting me know, [first name]. If anything changes on the [job], I'm here. Best of luck with it. Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: immediately after a no. Do not argue, ask for the other price or try to win it back. A gracious close leaves the door open, and some customers do come back when the other job goes sideways. Mark the quote lost in your CRM with the reason, because that note is how you learn what to change.
13. The last-touch close-out
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Fence Co. I'll close out your [job] quote this week. Still interested? Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: ten to fourteen days after the quote, and only after the earlier texts have gone unanswered. Telling someone you are closing their file gives them an easy reason to reply and ends the sequence cleanly. After it goes out, stop texting about that quote.
14. Reopen an old quote
Hi [first name], [your name] at Example Concrete. Still thinking about the [job] from [month]? I can refresh the quote. Reply STOP to opt out
When to send: once, months later, at a time the job makes sense for the season. This is marketing, so use it only for customers who agreed to receive texts. Prices and schedules may have changed, so offer a refreshed quote, not the old one. Keep it to a single message.
Where to start
Start with items 2, 3 and 13. A two-day nudge, a choice question and a last-touch close-out make a full sequence on their own. Put all three in your CRM as a timed sequence that stops the moment the customer answers or says STOP, and add your own name and business to each. After a month, look at how many quotes got a reply after each text, then trim the ones that did not. If your quotes go out by email first, pair these with estimate email templates.
Frequently asked questions
How many follow-up texts are too many?
Three or four over two weeks is a reasonable ceiling for one quote. Stop the moment the customer replies, says no or sends STOP, and do not restart the sequence on the same quote.
Should I call instead of text?
For a large job, do both. A call shows you care about the work, and a text gives the customer a low-pressure way to answer when they are busy. Use whichever channel the customer used first.
Can I text a customer who only filled out a web form?
That depends on the consent wording on the form and on your state's rules. Ask for permission to text on the form itself and keep a record of it. If you are unsure, send an email first.
What if the customer replies with a question my template did not expect?
Stop the automation and answer personally. Templates start a conversation, and a person has to finish it.
Sources
General information for service-business owners, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules vary by state; check with a qualified professional for your situation.