A cadence that works for residential work
- Same day: confirm the estimate arrived and restate the scope in one sentence.
- Day 2: ask a scope or option question — something that needs an answer.
- Day 5: address the objection you expect but have not heard.
- Day 10: ask directly for a decision and offer a date to hold.
- Day 21–30: a short close-out message that makes 'no' easy to say.
- After 30 days: monthly nurture, seasonal reasons to reconnect.
Why the first 72 hours carry the decision
Homeowners compare while the visit is still fresh. Once a competitor is chosen, later touches are competing with a commitment, not with indecision.
This is why the third follow-up on day two is worth more than the tenth on day forty. Effort placed early converts; effort placed late mostly confirms what already happened.
Commercial and large-ticket work runs longer
Multi-decision-maker projects have committee timelines, budget cycles and internal approvals. A 30-day window is often the beginning, not the end.
For that work, follow-up should track the customer's internal calendar — the board meeting, the budget release, the season — instead of your own default intervals.
How many touches is too many?
The count is not what irritates people. Repetition is. Five messages that each add information land better than two that just say 'checking in'.
The practical ceiling is when you have nothing new to say. At that point, close the loop with a clean exit message and move the record to nurture.
When to stop
- You have a clear no — record the reason and close it.
- The customer asks you to stop — honor it immediately and permanently.
- The job has been done by someone else — record it as lost, note the competitor factor.
- Nothing new to say and no response to the close-out — move to nurture, not to deletion.