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SMS Follow-Ups for Contractors: When to Text (and What to Say)

January 1, 2026 • SMS

SMS Follow-Ups for Contractors: When to Text (and What to Say)

Email open rates are 20%. SMS open rates are 95%.

If you're only following up via email, you're leaving money on the table.

When to use SMS (and when not to)

✅ Good times to text:

  • After sending a proposal (quick check-in)
  • When deposit isn't paid after 3–5 days
  • When job is scheduled (confirmation + reminder)
  • When weather forces a reschedule

❌ Bad times to text:

  • Cold outreach (that's spam)
  • More than 2–3 times per bid
  • At weird hours (early morning, late night)

The SMS scripts that work

Script 1: Proposal sent (Day 0)

"Hey [Name], just sent your [project type] quote. You can review and pay the deposit right from the link. Let me know if you have questions! – [Your Name]"

Script 2: Follow-up if no reply (Day 3–5)

"Hi [Name], following up on the [project] quote I sent. Still interested? Happy to answer any questions. – [Your Name]"

Script 3: Deposit reminder (Day 7)

"[Name], wanted to check in one more time. If you'd like to move forward, just pay the deposit in the proposal link and you're on the schedule. Thanks! – [Your Name]"

Script 4: Job confirmation (Day before job)

"Hey [Name], we're confirmed for [project] tomorrow at [time]. Weather looks good. See you then! – [Your Name]"

Script 5: Weather reschedule

"Hi [Name], looks like rain is forecasted for your [project] on [date]. We'll need to reschedule. I'll follow up with new dates. – [Your Name]"

How to automate SMS (without being annoying)

BidBlitz includes automated SMS follow-ups (paid plans):

  1. Turn on SMS follow-ups in Settings
  2. Choose which triggers to use (proposal sent, no deposit, etc.)
  3. Customize the message templates (or use the defaults)
  4. BidBlitz sends them automatically based on bid status

You can pause SMS per bid or globally anytime.

FAQ

Do I need a special phone number?

BidBlitz uses Twilio for SMS, so you'll need a Twilio account + phone number (easy to set up, costs ~$1/month + per-message fees).

How much does SMS cost?

About $0.01–$0.02 per message (U.S. domestic).

Can customers reply?

Yes — replies go to your Twilio number. You can set up forwarding or check them in your Twilio dashboard.

The bottom line

Email is good. SMS is better (when used sparingly).

Use SMS for:

  • Proposal check-ins
  • Deposit reminders
  • Job confirmations
  • Weather updates

BidBlitz automates this (so you don't have to remember).

Start here: /pricing