You did the in-home visit. You measured, explained the options, answered the rebate questions and sent a clean quote the same day. Then nothing. No reply to your email, no callback, no “we went with someone else.”
For most heat pump contractors, the quote that goes quiet is the biggest leak in the business. And it’s usually not about price.
Why homeowners go silent
A heat pump is a big decision for a household. The quote lands on the kitchen table next to two others, and life gets in the way. The usual reasons we hear:
- They’re still comparing. Three quotes that look alike are hard to compare, so they put the decision off.
- One question is stopping them. Will it keep the house warm in February? Do we qualify for the bigger rebate? What happens to the old furnace? If nobody answers it, the quote sits.
- One partner wasn’t at the visit. The person who met you is convinced. The other one has questions you never heard.
- They’re embarrassed to say no. Silence feels easier than a “no thanks” email.
None of these are solved by waiting. All of them are solved by a calm, planned follow-up.
A two-week follow-up you can start this week
Keep it short and helpful. Every message should give them something, not just “checking in.”
Day 1 (the evening of the visit): a short email with the quote and one line per option: what’s included, the warranty and the rebate step that applies to their home.
Day 3: a text. “Hi [name], it’s [your name] from [company]. Any questions on the quote? Happy to walk your partner through it on a quick call.”
Day 7: a phone call. Ask one question: “What’s the main thing you’re still deciding?” Then answer that, and only that.
Day 10: an email that answers the most common question for their situation. For a home on electric baseboard it might be the rebate steps. For a gas home replacing central air, it might be how a dual-fuel setup works in the coldest weeks.
Day 14: a final, friendly close. “We’ll keep your quote open until [date]. If the timing isn’t right, no problem. Just reply ‘later’ and we’ll check back in the fall.”
That last line matters. It gives people an easy way to answer, and “later” is a lead you can come back to.
Make the quote easier to say yes to
Follow-up works better when the quote itself is clear:
- Show two or three options side by side. Good, better, best, with what changes between them. A single price invites a price comparison.
- Spell out ownership. In Ontario, many homeowners have heard rental and lien horror stories. “You own the equipment. No rental, no lien on your home” removes a fear you may not know they have.
- Leave something on paper. A one-page summary with the options, the warranty and the rebate steps stays on the kitchen table long after an email is buried.
Track one number
Count how many quotes you send each month and how many turn into jobs. If you don’t know that number, you can’t tell whether the follow-up is working. Even a simple spreadsheet is enough to start.
Want to know where your other leads are going?
Quote follow-up is one leak. Missed calls, slow replies and unclear rebate pages are others. Our free assessment looks at your website, reviews and follow-up, and tells you the three fixes that will matter most. It takes two minutes to request and there’s no sales call required.