- Use email for detail; use texts and calls for speed.
- The estimate recap is the most important email you send.
- Each follow-up should answer a question or show relevant work.
- Old estimates deserve a check-in. Plans and budgets change.
What email does better than a text
A proposal gets read more than once, often by someone who wasn’t at the estimate. Email gives them the scope, the price, photos, and answers in one place they can forward.
Email is also where a homeowner can take their time. Use it for anything they need to think about, and keep the quick nudges for text.
Example: the estimate recap email
Send it the same day as the visit, while the conversation is fresh. An example structure:
- Subject: “Your [project] proposal from today”
- Opening: thank them by name and mention one detail from the visit
- The scope in plain language: what’s included and what isn’t
- The price and payment schedule, plus any options you discussed
- Two or three photos of similar finished projects
- Next step: how to approve, and who to call with questions
- Signed by the person who ran the estimate, with a direct number
Example: a three-week sequence after the estimate
An example to adapt. Stop as soon as they reply, sign, or say no.
- Day 3, subject “A question people usually ask about [project]”: answer the most common concern for that job, like timeline or mess
- Day 8, subject “[Project] we finished near you”: a short story and photos of a similar job, with permission
- Day 14, subject “Anything holding up the [project]?”: ask plainly if something is in the way: price, timing, or another bid
- Day 21, subject “Closing the loop on your proposal”: say you’ll keep it on file and are around when they’re ready
Example: checking in on old estimates
Proposals from months ago are some of the warmest names you have. They already met you and saw a price. Some picked someone else, some put it off, and a few are still deciding.
- Subject: “Still thinking about the [project]?”
- Body: “Hi [Name], we put together a proposal for your [project] back in [month]. If it’s still on your list, I’m happy to update the numbers and timing. If you went another way, no problem, and I’d love to hear how it turned out.”
- Follow it with a text a few days later for anyone who doesn’t reply
Subject lines and tone
Write subject lines like a contractor emailing a client, not like a newsletter. Mention their project. Skip all caps, exclamation points, and “Last chance.”
Keep emails short enough to read on a phone. One topic per email. Always end with one clear question or next step, so replying is easy.
- “Your kitchen proposal from Tuesday”
- “Photos from the [street] bathroom we mentioned”
- “Quick question about your roof timeline”
