What is a proposal follow-up?

Following up means contacting potential customers again after sending a proposal, either by email or phone. I hardly do that anymore. I only send a detailed proposal after the customer has verbally confirmed their agreement during a conversation. At that point, there's little need for follow-up, as the decision has already been made.

How do I request a quotation?

I address the crucial questions in person, not by email. If someone requests a proposal, I say, essentially: “I don't send out proposals in advance. However, I can tell you what you'll receive and what it will cost. If you're interested, I'll then send you all the details, step by step.” This way, the customer has all the important information, and you receive a clear answer instead of a drawer full of unsolicited proposals.

How do I write an email to follow up on a proposal?

I no longer write emails like that. Those who say they need a long time to think after the conversation are usually not yet at the point where they need your services. I prefer to invest my time in pursuing new potential clients. If you do send a proposal, please include an expiry date. I recommend a maximum of 10 days.

How can I track offers?

Keep the number of outstanding proposals to a minimum. I only provide a detailed proposal after a verbal commitment, and a project only begins after an initial payment. After that, you only need to track two things: whether the initial payment has been received, and when the next invoice is due.

What percentage deposit is typical?

That depends on the industry and the project. I can explain my process. For projects under €5,000, I require full payment in advance. For projects costing €10,000, for example, I request an initial payment of €5,000, and then issue the second invoice after the first month. For a project costing €50,000, the initial deposit could be €10,000. Once half of the deposit has been used up, I send the next invoice.

Proposal Follow-Up: Why I Wait for a Verbal Yes

Q: What can I do if I haven't received a response to my email?

Let the prospective client move on, and focus on new inquiries. If you constantly chase after people, it's a sign that either their issue isn't urgent enough, or you're not the right fit for them. Focusing on generating more inquiries and applying a stricter selection process will be more effective than sending further reminders.

By Artur Neumann. Published October 22, 2026, updated October 22, 2026. 6 min read.

My approach to proposal follow-up: agree the service and price first, get a verbal yes, then send the details. Deposits help protect the work that follows.

I run my business in Germany. Monetary examples use euros unless another currency is stated.

Many potential clients are enthusiastic during initial conversations. They find your offer excellent, they want it, and everything sounds promising, like a potential order. Then comes the moment when they would need to pay. Suddenly, they stop responding. They’ve changed their minds, something has changed within their company, or they’ve suddenly become insolvent.

Those searching for “follow up on an offer” are often in precisely this situation. The offer has been sent, and the client is silent. I’m going to show you how I avoid getting into that situation in the first place. And how to protect yourself so you don’t end up doing work without getting paid.

Ultimately, you are the one providing the service. The client is only responsible for paying. When you’ve already invested time, perhaps money, staff, and a great deal of effort, and the client still hasn’t paid, you have a major problem.

Why Clients Go Silent After Receiving an Offer

In the past, I used to cold-call businesses. I would introduce myself, we’d have a pleasant conversation, and then the inevitable line would come: “Could you send me an offer?” I would, of course, send it. That wasn’t a smart move.

Once the client has the offer in hand, they feel less urgency. The possibility of closing the deal feels much further away. They can just let the offer sit, and perhaps contact you sometime in the future. For you, this means significantly fewer successful deals.

Those who say, “Send me an offer, I need a lot of time to think about it,” are usually not yet at the point where they genuinely need your services. I wouldn’t invest any more time in those conversations.

My Rule: No Offer Without a Verbal Commitment

The process always follows the same pattern. The potential client provides their contact details, you speak on the phone, and you state your price. You can find how I conduct that conversation in the article Conducting a Sales Conversation.

After that, there are two good responses. The client says, “Sounds good, let’s do it.” Or, they say, “I’ll sleep on it and get back to you next week with a firm commitment.” In both cases, a verbal “yes” comes first. I don’t provide offers without that verbal commitment. I developed this rule over the years, and I recommend you do the same.

Creating a detailed offer can take you half a day or even a full day. If it doesn’t result in a contract, you’ve wasted that time, along with a great deal of energy. That’s why I openly say, “I don’t send offers out in advance. However, I can tell you what you’ll get: this, that, and that, at this price. If you’re serious about moving forward, I’ll send you all the details, step-by-step. We’ll agree on the finer points.”

That makes sense. After the conversation, the client already knows what they’ll be receiving.

There is one exception. If you sell a wide variety of products, you often need a written offer in advance. For services, I always secure a verbal commitment first. If you do send an offer in advance, give it an expiration date. You can find more information on this in the article Structuring Your Sales Process.

What Should Be Included in an Offer

After receiving the commitment, you send the offer. It should be professional and very detailed. Three points are particularly important to me:

Clearly define what you will and will not do.
Specify the results concretely. I mean what the client will ultimately receive, for example, a specific number of pages or words. Include the associated costs.
Require the client to make an upfront payment (deposit). Only with the deposit is their project or appointment reserved. There is no project without a deposit.

Deposit Instead of Full Payment

Some providers require the entire project to be paid in advance. I don’t always agree with that approach. It depends on the project, and many clients feel uncomfortable with that. A smaller deposit is usually a better approach. It shows that the client has paid, rather than merely talked about it.

A signed offer alone won’t get you any money. You could try to legally enforce the contract, but I found that to be too much hassle and had bad experiences with it. A project that starts that way is often difficult throughout. If someone signs an offer and then doesn’t respond, let them go and find new clients.

Never Provide Services Before Payment

Only start working when the money is in your account. Only then do you begin working or ordering products.

My basic rule is: the client always pays in advance. For example, you have a project worth €50,000, and the client makes a deposit of €10,000. Calculate how much of your work and your orders that deposit has already covered. Once half of it is gone, you’ll send the next invoice. That way, you always have a buffer.

For smaller amounts, I proceed as follows:

Under €5,000: The entire invoice is due upfront. I don’t see any other option.
Around €10,000: Initially, for example, €5,000. If the project runs for two or three months, you can send the second invoice after the first month.
Schedule: After that, invoice at regular intervals, perhaps monthly or every two weeks. Choose an interval you feel comfortable with.

Believe me, it often happens that things change with clients. They forget something, their situation changes, or their business runs into difficulties. With the payment upfront, you can work in peace. Even if the client cancels the project, you’re on the safe side.

How an insolvent client cost me €7,800

I know this from my own experience. Early on, when I was just starting out, we completed a project for a client. I didn’t invoice promptly and provided services in advance. Then, the client went insolvent. I never saw that €7,800.

Since then, I always send the first invoice right at the beginning. This gives me a buffer and allows me to work. The subsequent invoices are sent at regular intervals.

When to walk away from a client

Verbal agreements and signatures don’t protect you from being left with unpaid work. For me, the only thing that matters upfront is money in the account.

Some people are very friendly, until it comes to paying. I’ve heard and experienced the craziest stories. Some clients simply don’t have the money. Others don’t want to pay and try to find ways to avoid it. Then, suddenly, they come up with strange proposals, such as a barter instead of payment. If a client starts doing that, let them go and find a new client. Don’t compromise on this.

When the proposal has already been sent

Give the client some time and tell them they can get in touch when they’re ready. If your proposal doesn’t have an expiry date, add one for the next one. I recommend a maximum of 10 days.

However, don’t chase them. If you constantly have to chase potential clients, that’s a sign. Either their problem isn’t urgent enough, or you’re not the right fit for them. Instead, invest that time in your marketing, generate more inquiries, and filter more rigorously. I’ll show you how to get more suitable inquiries in the article Winning Clients as a Coach.

Your Checklist

Discuss price and services in the conversation, rather than by email.
Provide a detailed proposal only after a verbal agreement.
In the proposal: what you will do, what you won’t, specific results, costs, and deposit.
Only reserve the project or appointment after receiving the deposit.
Under €5,000: full payment upfront. Above that, a deposit and invoices at regular intervals.
Send the next invoice before your buffer runs out.
If you encounter excuses, silence, or barter offers: let them go and find new clients.

Prepare for your next sales conversation and try this rule. Tell the client what they will get and how much it costs. And wait for their agreement before spending half a day on a proposal.