How can I track proposal emails and follow up when prospects don’t respond?

Hi! For one‑to‑one proposal emails, the most practical approach is to track “meaningful actions” (clicks/views/replies) rather than obsessing over opens—because open tracking is often misleading (Apple Mail can pre-load pixels and Gmail/others can proxy images), so an “open” may not mean they actually read it, and a “no open” may still mean they did.

Reasonable tracking options (without getting creepy)

1. Track link clicks (best bang-for-buck)

• Put the proposal/quote behind a link (PDF link, proposal page, or a shared doc) and track clicks.
• Use a dedicated “View proposal” button/link plus 1–2 secondary links (e.g., “Book a call,” “Accept & sign,” “FAQ/Scope”).
• Click tracking is generally more useful than open tracking, and it maps directly to intent.

1. Use a proposal / e‑signature tool for “document viewed” signals
   If you need to know whether they opened the actual proposal (and possibly which sections they viewed), a quoting/proposal tool or e‑signature platform is usually the cleanest way to get that visibility. It’s also a more “expected” form of tracking in sales than invisible pixels in an email.

2. Use CRM-based email tracking (opens + clicks + reply detection)
   CRMs often show opens/clicks and thread replies in one place. Just treat opens as a weak signal and clicks/replies as strong signals. Also, don’t turn on tracking for every email forever—use it mainly for key moments like proposals and renewals.

3. Read receipts (use sparingly)
   Read receipts are unreliable because recipients can decline them (and some systems don’t support them). If you use them at all, reserve them for special cases and don’t base your follow-up plan on them.

A quick note on privacy/compliance
Tracking pixels and detailed per-recipient tracking can trigger consent/privacy obligations in some regions (especially parts of Europe). If you sell internationally, it’s safer to rely on click tracking + proposal platform events and keep your disclosures and data handling tidy. When in doubt, track the minimum you need to run your sales process.

How to structure follow-ups when there’s no response (without annoying people)

Your follow-up should be driven by what they did, not just the calendar.

If they clicked/viewed the proposal but didn’t reply (high intent)

• Follow up sooner (same day or next business day).
• Keep it simple: “Any questions?” + give them an easy next step.
  Example: “Want me to tailor this to include X, or should we hop on a 10‑minute call to confirm scope and timing?”

If they didn’t click and you’re not sure they saw it (low signal)

• Assume they’re busy or it got buried.
• Resend the proposal in the same thread with a new, helpful top line.
  Example: “Re-sharing the quote in case it got lost—here’s the link again. Do you want Option A or B?”

A solid, non-pushy cadence for inbound proposals

• Follow-up #1: 1–2 business days later (short nudge + one clear CTA)
• Follow-up #2: ~3–4 business days later (add value: FAQ, timeline, quick comparison, 2 options)
• Follow-up #3: ~7–10 days later (direct question: “Should I close this out?” + easy out)

That last one (“breakup email”) works well because it’s respectful and saves you time: “No worries if timing changed—should I keep this open or close the loop?”

Small changes that increase replies fast

• End with a binary question (e.g., “Does Option A or Option B fit better?” or “Is this a ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘not right now’?”).
• Make the next step frictionless: one scheduling link or two proposed times, not a long ask.
• Avoid heavy attachments if you can; links are easier to track and sometimes safer for deliverability than PDFs.

If you tell me what you use today (Gmail/Outlook, any CRM, and how you send the proposal—PDF attachment vs link vs e‑signature), I can suggest a follow-up template and a tracking setup that fits your workflow.