You sent the proposal on Monday. It is Thursday and nothing has come back. You check your inbox more often than you would admit, wonder whether the price was too high, and start drafting a cheaper version. Stop. Silence after a proposal usually means the client is busy, travelling, waiting for a partner's opinion or has simply forgotten. A short, well-timed follow-up gets many of those conversations moving again.
The trick is to plan the follow-ups before you send the proposal, so you are not deciding what to write while anxious.
The sequence at a glance
Day | What you send | Its job |
|---|---|---|
0 | The proposal, with a date you will check in | Set the expectation |
3 | A short nudge with one useful question | Bring it back to the top of the inbox |
7 | An idea or an answer to a likely worry, plus a WhatsApp nudge if you have been in touch there | Add something new |
14 | A polite close | Let them say yes, no or later |
Count working days, not calendar days, and shift the sequence around festivals and long weekends. A day 3 email that lands on Diwali morning helps nobody.
Day 0: send the proposal with a check-in date
The follow-up starts in the email that carries the proposal. Saying when you will be in touch means your day 3 email is something they were expecting, not an interruption.
Subject: Proposal: new booking site for Sunrise Physio Hi Dr Kapoor, Thank you for the time on Tuesday. The proposal is attached. It covers the two options we discussed, at ₹55,000 and ₹85,000, and a timeline that has the site live before the second branch opens in March. I'll check in on Thursday in case any questions have come up. If it's easier to talk it through, I'm free most afternoons this week. Neha
The proposal playbook covers what goes in the attachment.
Day 3: a short nudge with a question
Keep it to three or four lines. Reply in the same thread so the proposal is one scroll away. Ask a question that is easy to answer, rather than "any update?", which puts the client on the spot.
Hi Dr Kapoor, Just checking the proposal reached you safely. One question while you look at it: would you want online payment at booking in the first version, or is pay-at-clinic fine to start with? It changes the timeline slightly, so it's useful to know. Neha
Day 7: add something new
If there has still been no reply, give them a reason to open this email that has nothing to do with chasing. Pick whichever fits:
- A small idea for the project that you thought of after the call.
- An answer to the worry you suspect is holding them up (cost, timing, disruption to the team).
- A short result from a similar project.
- An example from their own industry that shows what the finished work could look like.
Hi Dr Kapoor, I was looking at a few clinic sites in Pune after our call and noticed most of them don't show the physiotherapist's name and photo on the booking page. Patients I've spoken to say that's what they look for first, so I'd suggest we add it to the booking flow in either option at no extra cost. If timing is the concern, I could also start with the booking page alone in February and add the rest of the site in March. Happy to talk whenever suits you. Neha
Notice what the day 7 email does not do: it does not cut the price. If you think cost is the problem, offer a smaller scope, as in the last paragraph above, or ask. The anchoring playbook explains why an unprompted discount makes the next negotiation harder.
The WhatsApp nudge
In India a lot of business moves on WhatsApp, and a one-line message often gets an answer when email does not. Use it only if the client has messaged you there before or gave you their number for that purpose. Send it on a working day, during working hours, around day 7, and keep it to a single message.
Hi Dr Kapoor, Neha here. I've sent a couple of notes on the website proposal by email, in case they went to the promotions tab. No rush at all, just let me know if you'd like to talk it through this week.
No voice notes, no "seen but not replied?" messages, and no second WhatsApp if this one goes unanswered.
Day 14: close the loop
The last email gives the client an easy way to say no, and that often prompts a reply either way, or at least tells you what is going on. Mention that the proposal has an end date, because your availability really does change.
Subject: Re: Proposal: new booking site for Sunrise Physio Hi Dr Kapoor, I haven't heard back, so I'm guessing the timing isn't right or the project has moved down the list. That's completely fine. I'll hold the March start date until the 28th. After that I'll need to offer the slot to another client, though I'm happy to revisit the project whenever it makes sense. Thanks again for considering me. Neha
When to stop
After day 14, stop chasing this proposal. More emails rarely change the answer, and they can turn a "maybe later" into a "never". Set one reminder for two or three months out, when the client's budget or priorities may have shifted, and send a single fresh note then with something new to say.
Stop earlier in a few cases:
- The client says no. Thank them and ask, lightly, whether there was anything that would have changed their mind. The answer is useful for your next proposal.
- The client says "not now". Ask when would be better, note the date, and write again then. Many Indian companies close their books in March and set new budgets in April, so "after the new financial year" is a common and honest answer.
- The client replies only to ask for a much lower price or free samples. Go to the price pushback playbook, and if the requests keep coming, check the red flags list.
The same sequence for cold emails
Cold outreach needs a lighter touch, because the person never asked to hear from you. Send two follow-ups at most, four or five days apart, each adding something, and skip WhatsApp entirely. The cold email templates are written to be followed up this way.
Before you send any follow-up
0 of 5 done
Before you write the day 7 email, reread your pricing and remind yourself the number was fair. Follow-ups written from confidence read very differently from ones written in a panic.
If you only do one thing, put the day 3, 7 and 14 reminders in your calendar the moment you send a proposal.
Common questions
How long should I wait to follow up on a proposal?
Three working days is a good first gap. It is long enough for a busy client to have read the proposal and short enough that they still remember the call. If you agreed a decision date when you sent it, follow up the morning after that date instead. Avoid following up the next day; it reads as pressure.
How many times should I follow up after sending a proposal?
Three follow-ups after the proposal itself, spread over about two weeks, is enough for most projects. After that, more emails rarely change the answer and can sour the relationship. Close the loop politely on day 14 and set a reminder to get back in touch in two or three months, when budgets or priorities may have changed.
Is it okay to follow up on WhatsApp?
Yes, once you have spoken to the client and they have shared their number or used WhatsApp with you. In India it is often faster than email. Keep it to one or two lines that point back to the email, send it during working hours, and do not send voice notes or repeated messages. If they have never used WhatsApp with you, stick to email.
Should I offer a discount in a follow-up?
No. A discount the client did not ask for tells them your first price was padded, and they will negotiate harder next time. If you suspect price is the problem, ask directly, or offer a smaller version of the scope at a lower total. That keeps your rate intact and gives the client a real choice.
What should I do if the client says "not right now"?
Thank them, ask when would be a better time, and put that date in your calendar. Then send one short note on that date with something new: a relevant idea, a result from a similar project, or updated availability. "Not now" is a common answer around budget cycles, especially near the end of March, and many of those clients come back.
