Follow up email after quotation: 3 templates for exporters

By Flowstack. Published 5 November 2026. Facts checked 5 November 2026.
Short answerSend your first follow-up 4 to 7 days after the quotation, and make it add something useful, such as a spec sheet or a sample offer. Send a second about a week later that answers a likely concern. Send a third that closes the loop politely. Three messages is enough. After that, move the buyer to a slow list.

Key takeaways

  • Silence is normal. Buyers receive many messages, and it can take several attempts to get a reply [1].
  • Add something each time. A follow-up with nothing new gives a buyer no reason to answer.
  • Ask one question. Make replying easy.
  • Hold your price. A discount in the first follow-up teaches the buyer to wait.
  • Stop after three. Then stay in touch once a quarter with something useful.

When should you send a follow up email after a quotation?

CBI's advice is to send another email after 4 days to a week if a buyer doesn't answer [1]. A simple schedule looks like this:

Day Message Purpose
0 Quotation sent Include the validity date
5 Follow-up 1 Confirm receipt and add something useful
12 Follow-up 2 Answer a likely concern
21 Follow-up 3 Close the loop politely
Every 3 months Short update Stay in mind with news that matters

Adjust for the calendar. Check public holidays in the buyer's country, and the date your quotation expires. If it runs out on day 15, mention that in follow-up 2, as a plain fact.

What makes a follow-up worth reading?

Use four rules:

  1. Reply in the same thread, so the quotation stays attached.
  2. Name the product in the subject. The buyer may be handling ten offers.
  3. Add one new thing: a spec sheet, a lab report, a packing photo or a sample offer.
  4. End with one easy question.

Template 1: day 5

Use this to confirm receipt and add value.

Subject: Re: Quotation for [product], [quantity], [port]

Dear [Name],

I wanted to check that you received our quotation of [date] for [quantity] of [product].

I have attached our spec sheet, in case your quality team needs it. It shows [two parameters they care about] for the current crop.

Would it help to send a sample from the current lot?

Regards,
[Your name], [Role], [Company]
[Website] · [WhatsApp]

Template 2: day 12

Use this to answer a likely concern. Choose the line that fits: price, quality, timing or trust.

Subject: Re: Quotation for [product]: [lead time / test report / packing]

Dear [Name],

A short note on [topic], as this often comes up with [product] buyers.

[One or two lines of useful fact: for example, the lead time for this quantity is X weeks from order, or our latest lot tested at Y for moisture.]

Our quotation is valid until [date]. Is there anything you need from us to compare it?

Regards,
[Your name]

Template 3: day 21

Use this to close the loop. It gives the buyer an easy way to say no, and often brings an answer.

Subject: Re: Quotation for [product]: shall I close this?

Dear [Name],

I don't want to fill your inbox, so this is my last note on this quotation.

If the timing isn't right, or you have chosen another supplier, a one-line reply is fine. If you would like us to update the offer for a later shipment, I can send that the same day.

Regards,
[Your name]

WhatsApp version

Use WhatsApp only if the buyer has used it with you. Keep it to two lines, then add the document.

Hello [Name], this is [your name] from [company]. Did the quotation for [product] reach you? I can also send the spec sheet here if that is easier.

Don't repeat the same message on every channel on the same day. Pick one and wait.

What should you not write?

Avoid these:

  • "Any update?" It gives the buyer nothing, and puts the work on them.
  • "Our best price, today only." False urgency makes a careful buyer more careful.
  • A discount in the first follow-up. It suggests your first price wasn't real.
  • A full company introduction. They already have it.
  • Five attachments. One relevant file gets opened.

What if the buyer still doesn't reply?

Stop chasing, and check yourself. Buyers go quiet for reasons you can't fix, such as a changed plan or a better offer. They also go quiet for reasons you can fix. Our guide to why foreign buyers don't reply explains the difference.

Look at what they found. A buyer who searched your company and saw an unclaimed listing may never say so. Read what foreign buyers check, and make sure each quotation goes out with a spec sheet they can forward.

Keep the door open. Move them to a slow list, and send one useful note every three months: a new crop, a new certificate or a new pack size. Log the outcome of each quotation, so you can see the pattern.

Next step. If quotations keep going quiet, check what buyers see when they look you up. Our free Buyer Check is a 1-page report on your Google listing, website and spec gaps, with the 3 fixes that matter most, within 24 hours.

Sources

  1. 10 tips on how to find buyers on the European spices and herbs market, CBI

Checked 5 November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Questions exporters ask

How long should I wait before following up on a quotation?

Four to seven days is a sensible first gap. CBI suggests sending another email after 4 days to a week if a buyer doesn't answer.

How many times should I follow up?

Three messages over about three weeks is enough for most quotations. After that, send a useful update once a quarter.

What subject line should I use?

Keep the original thread, with the product and quantity in the subject. Avoid "Following up" on its own.

Should I offer a discount in my follow-up?

Not at first. Ask what the buyer needs to compare your offer. If price is the issue, they will usually tell you.