Email vs. Text Message: What Works Best for Contractor Follow-Ups?
Why You Need Both—And How Ignoring Them Could Be Costing You Big
Introduction: The Power of the Follow-Up
You sent the quote. The lead was hot. Then… silence.
No call back. No email. No signature.
If you’re like many contractors, you’re losing out on good jobs—not because your pricing was off or your work wasn’t solid—but because you didn’t follow up at the right time, in the right way.
In today’s fast-paced world, email and text messaging are your two most powerful follow-up tools. But which one works better? And how do you use both without feeling like you're chasing people?
Let’s break down the pros, cons, and best practices of email vs. text messaging in contractor follow-ups—and show you how to avoid leaving thousands of dollars on the table.
Why Follow-Ups Matter More Than You Think
Many contractors spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars generating leads—Google Ads, third-party lead services, SEO, door knocking, direct mail—the list goes on.
But according to sales research, 48% of salespeople never follow up even once. And of those that do, most stop after one attempt.
That means if you’re not sending timely follow-ups—via email AND text—you could be wasting all that effort and money.
A homeowner who got three quotes might just hire the contractor who sent a simple, well-timed text saying, “Just checking in—any questions on the quote?”
The Case for Email Follow-Ups
✅ Benefits of Email:
Professional tone – Great for sending formal documents like estimates, PDFs, or detailed explanations.
More space – Ideal for adding links to blog posts, portfolios, before-and-after images, or detailed breakdowns.
Trackable – Tools like Mailchimp or Gmail extensions can track opens and clicks.
Sharable – Easy for homeowners to forward to a spouse or save for later.
Non-intrusive – Good for more thoughtful decisions or longer sales cycles.
❌ Downsides:
Can get buried – Many people have inboxes with hundreds of unread messages.
Slower response time – People may take hours (or days) to reply.
Easy to ignore – Especially if the subject line isn’t compelling.
📧 Example Email Template (Day After the Quote)
Subject: Any questions about your [roofing/siding/remodeling] quote?
Hi [First Name],
Just wanted to follow up and make sure you had a chance to review the quote I sent over. If you have any questions or need to make adjustments, I’m happy to help.
Let me know if you'd like to chat or move forward—we still have some availability next week.
— [Your Name]
[Business Name]
[Phone Number]
The Case for Text Message Follow-Ups
✅ Benefits of Text:
Immediate attention – Most people read texts within 5 minutes.
Casual and convenient – Great for quick check-ins or scheduling.
Hard to ignore – Notifications are more likely to be seen than emails.
Personal touch – Feels like a real person reaching out—not a company.
❌ Downsides:
Can feel intrusive if overused – Especially if sent too early or late.
Limited space – Not ideal for long explanations or multiple links.
Harder to track – Unless you use a CRM or business texting tool.
May lack professionalism – If tone is too casual or formatting is sloppy.
📱 Example Text Message (Same Day or Next Morning)
Hi [First Name], this is [Your Name] from [Company Name]. Just checking in—did you have any questions about the quote I sent?
Happy to hop on a quick call if that helps.
Which One Works Best?
Here’s the truth: they work best together.
A follow-up strategy that uses email for detail and professionalism and text for immediacy and connection will always outperform a single-channel approach.
Think of it like this:
Use Email When:
You're sending over the initial quote or estimate. Email is perfect for attaching documents, including images, or linking to helpful resources like your portfolio or blog posts.
You want to maintain a more professional tone—for example, when outlining next steps or summarizing a conversation.
You need to send detailed information that’s easier to read and refer back to.
You're following up and want to offer additional value (like a guide to choosing the right contractor or answers to FAQs).
Use Text When:
You need to get their attention quickly. Most people read texts within minutes, which makes texting ideal for quick check-ins or reminders.
You're trying to confirm or schedule a time—for a call, a walkthrough, or starting a job.
You haven’t received a reply to an email and want to give them a gentle nudge without being too formal.
You want to keep the conversation warm. A simple “Just checking in—any questions on the quote?” via text can feel personal and effective.
In short:
Use email for formal communication, quotes, and longer-form follow-ups.
Use text for real-time nudges, scheduling, or keeping things moving.
Together, they form a complete and highly effective follow-up strategy.
Sample Follow-Up Sequence (Email + Text)
Here’s a simple 3-day cadence you can use after sending a quote:
📅 Day 1: Send the Quote via Email
Include a breakdown, attachments, and a short message.
📅 Day 2: Follow-Up Text
“Hi [First Name], just wanted to check in—any questions about the quote?”
📅 Day 3: Follow-Up Email with a Resource
“I know it’s a big decision, so here’s a quick article we wrote: Do I Need a Roof Repair or a New Roof? Let me know if you'd like to talk more.”
This combo shows you’re thoughtful, professional, and attentive—without being pushy.
The Cost of Not Having a Strategy
Let’s run the numbers:
You generate 20 leads a month.
You convert 25% without follow-ups = 5 jobs.
With proper follow-up, you convert 40% = 8 jobs.
Each job is worth $6,000 = $18,000 in extra revenue/month.
That’s over $200,000/year potentially lost just from not texting or emailing at the right time.
Tools to Make It Easier
You don’t need fancy software to follow up—but if you want to streamline the process, here are a few tools:
Google Workspace or Outlook – For scheduling follow-up emails and templates
TextMagic / Podium / Twilio – For sending and managing business texts
Mailchimp / ConvertKit – For simple contractor email automations
Jobber / Housecall Pro / CRMs – For managing leads, messages, and follow-ups in one place
Final Thoughts: It’s Not Either/Or—It’s Both
Contractors who follow up with thoughtful, well-timed emails AND texts close more jobs. Period.
The customer already showed interest by requesting a quote. Now it’s up to you to stay on their radar and make the decision to hire you as easy as possible.
📣 Ready to Close More of the Leads You Already Have?
If you’re not using email and text together to follow up with leads, you’re leaving money on the table.
I help small, local contractors set up simple systems that keep them top of mind and turn more quotes into paying jobs.
