A quote sitting unanswered for a week feels like rejection, but it's usually something far less dramatic — the client got busy, forwarded it to someone else for approval, or genuinely meant to reply and forgot. A good follow-up assumes the boring explanation, not the discouraging one.
First follow-up: 3-5 days, low pressure
"Just checking you received the quote for [project] okay — happy to answer any questions." This isn't a sales push, it's a simple confirmation the message arrived, which is genuinely useful information either way.
Second follow-up: closer to the validity expiry
"The quote is valid until [date] — let me know if you'd like to move forward, or if anything needs adjusting." Referencing the expiry gives a natural, non-awkward reason to check in again.
If it lapses without a response
A short, friendly note asking if the project is still active is fine — and if they've gone with someone else or paused the project, that's useful to know rather than leaving it open-ended on your side too.
What not to do
Avoid guilt-tripping language ("just following up again... third time now") — it reads as pressure rather than professionalism, and rarely speeds up a genuinely undecided client.
Make the next step easy every time
Each follow-up should make replying effortless — a direct yes/no question, not an open-ended "let me know your thoughts" that requires the client to compose a fuller response.