Demurrage and Detention Charges Explained

The first week after sending a quotation is the golden window. The buyer reads it on day one, forgets by day three, and it's buried by day five. Confirm receipt on day one, check for questions on day three, share a success story on day seven.

Retaining existing clients is ten times more important than finding new ones. Send useful industry updates monthly. Do quarterly business reviews. Visit key clients annually. Repeat orders cost one-fifth of acquiring new customers.

Read but no reply is normal. The buyer could be busy or your quote isn't their priority. My strategy: send one additional piece of information the next day, follow up from a different angle 3 days later, try WhatsApp after 7 days. Stay visible without being pushy.

Being ignored doesn't mean the deal is dead. Switch channels — WhatsApp if email fails, a call if WhatsApp is ignored. Sometimes the buyer is simply overwhelmed and your polite reminder restarts the conversation at exactly the right moment.