In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
Send three follow-ups: a check-in on day 2, a useful nudge on day 5 and a final close-the-loop message on day 10. Stop the sequence as soon as the customer replies or accepts. On WhatsApp, follow-ups outside 24 hours of the customer's last message need an approved template.
A simple quote follow-up sequence
The aim is to be easy to reply to, not to pressure. Each message should be short, refer to the specific quote, and give the customer an easy next step, including saying no.
| When | Purpose | Example wording |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | Check it arrived | Hi {first name}, just checking you received quote Q-1042 for the office fit-out. Happy to walk through it on a quick call. |
| Day 5 | Add something useful | One thing I didn't mention: we can phase the work over two weekends to avoid downtime. Would that help? |
| Day 10 | Close the loop | I'll close quote Q-1042 on Friday so it doesn't clutter your inbox. If timing has changed, just reply 'later' and I'll check back next month. |
The final 'close the loop' message often gets the most replies, because it gives the customer permission to answer honestly. Treat 'not now' as a result: tag it and schedule one more check-in later.
How to make the sequence stop when the customer replies
A follow-up sent after the customer has already said yes looks careless. Every automated sequence needs exit conditions.
Track quote status in one place
A CRM, your accounting software's quote status, or a shared sheet with columns for sent date, status and last reply.
Start the sequence when a quote is sent
Trigger from the quote being marked 'sent', not from someone remembering to add it.
Check status before each step
Before sending, the automation checks whether the quote is accepted, declined or replied to. If so, it stops.
Detect replies
CRM sequence tools can unenrol a contact automatically on reply; HubSpot's help says sequences can stop when a contact replies or books a meeting. In a home-built flow, mark the quote as replied when a reply arrives in the shared inbox.
Hand over to a person
Any reply goes to the salesperson to answer. Automation chases silence; people handle conversations.
Our guide to generating quotes from a price list with AI covers the step before this one: getting quotes out quickly and consistently.
WhatsApp follow-ups: templates, categories and cost
Many Singapore customers ask for quotes on WhatsApp, so following up there feels natural. Through the WhatsApp Business Platform (API), a free-form message is only allowed within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that, you must use a pre-approved template.
Meta's template guidelines define utility templates as non-promotional messages specific to the user's order, account or transaction. Messages with promotional or persuasive intent, including offers or attempts to secure a sale or renewal, are marketing, and mixed content counts as marketing. Since 9 April 2025, a template submitted as utility that Meta judges to be marketing is approved as marketing.
| Message type | Typical quote use | Rate to +65 numbers (from 1 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing template | Nudge to accept, discount for signing this week | S$0.0937 per delivered message |
| Utility template | Neutral update: 'your quote has been updated' or 'expires on 31 Oct' | S$0.0205 per delivered message |
| Service reply | Free-form reply within 24 hours of the customer's message | S$0.0205 after 1,000 free per number per month |
Our WhatsApp Business API cost guide has the full rate card and how providers charge on top.
Consent and do-not-call rules for follow-ups
A customer who asked you for a quote has requested contact about that quote, so following up on it is expected. The rules tighten when follow-ups turn into general marketing, such as adding the contact to newsletters or promoting other products.
- Meta's policy requires opt-in that names your business before you message people on WhatsApp through the API.
- PDPC's guidelines say Do Not Call rules cover WhatsApp and similar messages to Singapore numbers; check the DNC Registry for marketing messages unless you have clear consent.
- Every marketing email should have a working unsubscribe link, and an unsubscribe must stop the sequence too.
- Record where and when each contact gave consent, next to the quote.
Our guide to WhatsApp marketing rules in Singapore covers consent and DNC in detail. This is general information, not legal advice.
Tools to build it: CRM, Zapier or a custom flow
The right tool depends on where your quotes live today.
CRM sequences
- Built-in reply detection and unenrolment
- Templates and reporting included
- Needs quotes or deals tracked in the CRM
- Paid tiers usually required
Best for: Sales teams already using a CRM.
Zapier or Make flow
- Connects your quote tool, email and WhatsApp provider
- Zapier Professional from US$19.99 a month (approx., Oct 2026) for multi-step flows
- Reply detection needs careful set-up
- Good for businesses without a CRM
Best for: Quotes sent from accounting software or a form.
Zapier's pricing page shows that its free plan only allows two-step Zaps, while multi-step Zaps and webhooks start on Professional. A follow-up sequence with status checks needs several steps.
Do it yourself or get help?
If your CRM has sequences, set them up with the exit rules above in an afternoon. If quotes live in accounting software, email and WhatsApp, connecting them reliably is where most home-built flows break.
Our Workflow Automation (S$390 per workflow, up to 5 steps) builds the follow-up flow in your own Make, Zapier or Google Apps Script account, with error alerts and documentation. WhatsApp Notifications (S$590) sets up the official WhatsApp Business API with up to 3 templates submitted for approval and PDPA opt-in handling. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience; you pay upfront, send the brief in writing and follow progress on your order page.
Frequently asked questions
Three follow-ups over about ten days works for most small jobs: a check-in after two days, a useful nudge around day five and a polite close-the-loop message around day ten. For large projects, space them further apart. Stop immediately when the customer replies, accepts or declines.
Yes, through the WhatsApp Business Platform. Inside 24 hours of the customer's last message you can send normal replies. After that, you must use a template Meta has approved. Templates that push for a sale are classed as marketing and cost more than neutral utility updates.
It depends on the wording. A neutral update specific to the customer's quote, such as an expiry date, can qualify as utility. Wording that tries to persuade, offers discounts or recommends other products is marketing. Since April 2025 Meta approves misfiled utility templates as marketing.
Use a tool that checks the quote status before each step and exits when it changes. CRM sequence tools can unenrol a contact on reply. In a custom flow, mark the quote as replied when a reply arrives and have each step check that flag before sending.
Say you will close the quote on a specific date unless they want to go ahead, and offer an easy way to say 'not now'. This respects their time and often prompts an honest answer. Tag 'not now' replies and schedule a single check-in for a later date.