How to Follow Up After Sending a Proposal (Without Being Pushy)

You sent the proposal, and then… silence. That rarely means no. Small business owners are busy, and your proposal is one of fifty things on their list. Knowing how to follow up after sending a proposal wins more projects than a better design ever will.

The simple schedule

1. Day 2: a short check-in. “Did the proposal come through? Happy to answer any question.”
2. Day 5: add value. A screenshot of one improvement, a review they could feature, or a quick idea.
3. Day 10: the polite close. “Should I keep this open, or is now not the right time?”

Messages you can copy

Check-in: “Hi [Name], just making sure the proposal for [Business] reached you. Any question about the options or timing?”

Value: “Hi [Name], one more idea: your Google reviews are excellent. On the new site I'd show them on the home page, right under the call button. Here's how it would look: [link].”

Close: “Hi [Name], I don't want to fill your inbox. Should I keep the proposal open for next month, or close it for now?”

Call as well as email

A two-minute call often gets the answer an email does not. Call between your emails, and leave a voicemail only on the last attempt (see our voicemail script for cold calling).

Automate the reminders, not the relationship

Use a CRM with follow-up dates and email sequences that send in the same thread from your Gmail, and stop automatically when the client replies. You keep the personal tone without remembering every date yourself. More in cold email follow-ups for web designers.