Three short emails for new enquiries: a first reply, a follow-up after a quote, and a reply for messages that arrive out of hours. Copy one, fill in the parts in square brackets, and send it.
A first reply to a new enquiry
Send it as soon as you can. Answer the question first, then ask only for what you need.
Subject: Re: [their subject]
Hi [name],
Thanks for getting in touch about [what they asked about].
[Answer their question in one or two lines. For example: Yes, we can do this. Jobs like this usually cost between £[low] and £[high], and we can start from [date].]
To give you an exact [quote or date], could you tell me:
- [the first detail you need, such as the address]
- [the second detail, such as the size of the job]
Reply with those details and I will send you a written quote by [day].
Thanks,
[your name]
[business name]
[phone number]
A follow-up after a quote
Send it three to five working days after the quote. Keep it short and easy to answer.
Subject: Your quote for [job]
Hi [name],
I sent you a quote for [job] on [date]. I wanted to check it arrived, and to answer any questions you have.
If you would like to go ahead, just reply to this email and we will book a date. We can start from [date].
If the quote is not right for you, it would help us to know why. A one-line reply is plenty.
Thanks,
[your name]
[business name]
A reply for enquiries out of hours
Use it as an automatic reply in the evenings and at weekends, so nobody waits without knowing when they will hear back.
Subject: Re: [their subject]
Hi,
Thanks for your message. It arrived outside our working hours, which are [days and hours].
[Your name, or a colleague's] will reply by [time, such as 10am] on [the next working day].
If it is urgent, [what to do, such as: call us on [number]].
Thanks,
[business name]