Clients go quiet after you send a proposal. Here's when to follow up, what to say, and how to get a response without burning the relationship.
You sent the proposal. Three days pass. Nothing. Is the deal dead? Are they busy? Did they even see it?
This is normal. Most proposals require at least one follow-up to close. The key is timing, tone, and knowing when to stop.
48–72 hours after sending: A short check-in to confirm they received it. Not a pitch — just a ping. "Just checking this landed in your inbox — happy to answer any questions."
7 days after sending: A slightly more substantive follow-up. Reference something specific from the proposal or their brief. This is where you can gently mention the expiry window if you have one.
Day 13 (if your proposal expires at 14 days): A final "heads up" note. Mention that the proposal expires tomorrow and that you'll need to requote after that. This isn't a threat — it's true. Availability and pricing change.
After three follow-ups with no response, stop. You've done your job. Move on.
Keep it short. Each message should be under 4 sentences. The goal is to make it easy to respond — not to overwhelm them with more information.
Follow-up 1 (48 hours):
"Hi [Name], just checking the proposal landed okay — let me know if you have any questions or if you'd like to hop on a quick call. Happy to walk through anything."
Follow-up 2 (7 days):
"Hi [Name], following up on the proposal I sent last week. I know these decisions take time — if budget or scope needs adjusting, I'm happy to talk through options. The current pricing holds until [expiry date]."
Follow-up 3 (day 13):
"Hi [Name], just a heads up that the proposal expires tomorrow — after that I'll need to check my availability and may need to adjust pricing. If you'd like to move forward or have questions, now's a good time to connect."
Don't apologize for following up. "Sorry to bother you" signals that you think you're an inconvenience. You're not — you're checking in on a business decision they were considering.
Don't ask "did you get a chance to look at this?" It puts the client in a position where they have to admit they forgot or avoided it. Instead, assume good intent ("I know things get busy") and move forward.
Don't re-pitch. Your follow-up is not the place to add new information, adjust scope, or make the sale again. That's what the proposal is for.
Knowing whether the client has actually opened your proposal changes everything. If they haven't opened it after 48 hours, follow up immediately — the problem might be deliverability. If they've opened it three times, they're interested — follow up with a specific question, not a check-in.
Penly.it shows you when a client opens your proposal and how many times, so you follow up with context instead of guessing in the dark.
Start free on Penly.it — send your next proposal with open tracking and a built-in 14-day expiry. No credit card required.