The format of your quotation follow-up matters as much as the content. A well-structured follow-up reads in seconds and invites a reply. A poorly structured one gets skimmed and ignored.
Breaking down the format piece by piece makes it easier to write follow-ups quickly and consistently. Here’s what goes in each section.
Section 1: Subject line
The subject line has one job — get the email opened. For a follow-up, the best approach is almost always to reply to the original quotation thread. This gives you a natural “Re:” prefix and keeps the context clear.
If you need to start a new thread, use:
Following up — quotation for [Project Name]
Or:
Re: Quotation for [Project Name] — quick question
Avoid: “Checking in,” “Just wanted to follow up,” or “Hi.” These are vague and signal low priority.
Section 2: Opening line
Don’t start with pleasantries. Get to the point in the first sentence:
“Just following up on the quotation I sent over on [day].”
That’s your opener. It tells them exactly why you’re writing and what email you’re referring to. Nothing else belongs in the opening.
If you know they opened the quote (because you’re using a tool that tracks it), you can adjust slightly:
“I saw you had a chance to look through the quotation — wanted to check if you had any questions.”
That’s specific and shows you’re paying attention without being creepy about it.
Section 3: Body — one purpose only
This is where most follow-up emails go wrong. People try to do too many things at once: ask about the decision, restate the value, address a possible objection, mention a new offer. The result is an email that’s hard to respond to.
Pick one purpose:
Option A — Invite questions:
“Happy to answer any questions about the scope, timeline, or pricing before you make a call on this.”
Option B — Add a deadline:
“I have a project slot opening up [the week of X] that would work well for this — wanted to flag it before I fill it.”
Option C — Ask about status:
“Is the project still moving forward on your end? Happy to adjust the scope or timeline if anything has changed.”
Option D — Make it easy to say no:
“If the timing has shifted or you’ve gone in a different direction, just let me know — I’ll update my availability accordingly.”
Each of these gives the client a clear reason to reply. Combining two of them dilutes both.
Section 4: The ask
End with one direct question. Not two questions, not a statement — one question.
- “Do you have a sense of when you’re planning to decide?”
- “Is there anything you’d like to talk through before moving forward?”
- “Does the timeline still work on your end?”
One question is easy to answer. Two questions often result in neither getting answered.
Section 5: Sign-off
Keep it simple:
[Your name]
Or:
Thanks, [Your name]
No need for a long signature block on a follow-up. If you already exchanged contact details in the original quote, don’t repeat them here.
Complete sample: day-3 follow-up
Here’s the full format assembled:
Subject: Re: Quotation for Website Redesign
Hi Sarah,
Just following up on the quotation I sent over on Tuesday. Happy to answer any questions about the scope or timeline before you make a decision.
Is there anything you’d like to talk through?
[Your name]
Total word count: 44. Readable in 10 seconds. Has a clear purpose, one question, and nothing extra.
That’s the format. Four sections, one question, under 100 words. You can write a follow-up like this in three minutes once you know the structure — which is the point. Waco3 lets you send these directly from the quote view, so you’re not switching between tools to chase a reply.
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