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Ask what is holding up the signature, resolve any requested changes in the final agreement, and make the next step easy. Until the agreed acceptance and payment conditions are met, don’t begin work or commit the calendar. A client’s “approved” message may matter, but it does not by itself settle whether a contract exists; that depends on the documents, communications, conduct, authority, and governing law.
Why proposal approval and a signed contract are not the same thing
A client can like or approve your proposal without having accepted every term of a separate agreement. Whether the parties have formed a binding contract depends on what the proposal and agreement say, how acceptance was expressed, what the parties did, whether the person communicating had authority, and the applicable law. A signature may be required by the parties’ own documents or useful evidence of agreement, but there is no universal rule established here that every private service contract is invalid without one—or that an email saying “approved” always binds the client.
Context matters. For example, the U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulation says a quotation is not an offer that the federal government can accept to form a binding contract; that is a rule for federal procurement, not ordinary private client work. FAR 13.004. It illustrates why the label “proposal” or “quotation” alone cannot answer the question.
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If the agreement says it takes effect only when signed, or if work has already begun and payment is disputed, do not rely on a general rule of thumb. Ask a lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction to review the documents and communications.
#1 Best Overall
- Include space for total cost and terms of payment
- General contract provisions are printed on back
- 3-part carbonless form
- 8.5 x 11 inches
- White, canary, pink paper sequence
Find out what is actually delaying the signature
Send a calm, specific question rather than repeatedly asking whether the client is ready. The goal is to distinguish a requested change from an internal delay or a signing-process problem.
Is there a term you’d like changed, or is the delay mainly about internal approval, timing, or the signing process?
Rank #2
Adams Proposal Book, 2-Part with Carbon, 8.38 x 11.44 Inches, White, 50 Sheets (D8118)
- Large area for complete description of work proposed
- Includes space for customer to sign his/her acceptance of proposal.
- 1-part form includes carbons to create 2 part forms if necessary.
- Space at top for company stamp.
Depending on the reply, check whether the issue is scope, price, timing, cancellation rights, payment terms, procurement or legal review, budget, or the identity of the person who must sign. A proposal champion may not be the person authorized to execute an agreement for the organization, so ask who needs to approve it and who will sign.
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Revise the terms before asking for acceptance again
If the client wants a change, put it into a clean final agreement before resending it. Confirm that the scope, price, dates, cancellation terms, and payment schedule reflect what both sides intend. Avoid leaving important terms for an informal “we’ll sort that out later”; differing assumptions can create confusion about what was agreed.
Rank #3
Make clear which version is final and retain the earlier proposal and any requested edits. If the client is still seeking internal or legal review, agree on a realistic date to check in rather than treating silence as acceptance.
Make signing straightforward and set a work-start boundary
Send the final agreement with an explicit acceptance method and a reasonable response date. If printing and scanning are creating friction, offer an electronic signing route, provided it works with the client’s procedures and the applicable requirements. In covered U.S. transactions, the E-SIGN Act generally prevents a record or signature from being denied legal effect solely because it is electronic. It preserves other legal requirements and does not generally force a party to use electronic records or signatures. 15 U.S.C. § 7001.
State the practical boundary plainly: you will schedule the work and reserve capacity after the final agreement is accepted and any agreed initial payment clears. If pricing or availability is being held only until a particular date, say so accurately and in keeping with the agreement. A deadline for your planning should not be presented as changing the client’s legal rights unless the agreement and applicable law support that.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Follow-up email you can adapt
Thanks for confirming that the proposal works for you. I’m ready to move ahead. Is anything in the agreement holding up signature, or do you need a different person to approve it? If the terms are settled, I can resend the final version for electronic signature. I’ll reserve the start date once we have the signed agreement and the initial payment described in it. Could you let me know by [date] whether you’d like any changes?
Adjust the payment, scheduling, expiration, and acceptance details to match your actual agreement. The message is a practical follow-up, not a substitute for legal advice or contract language.
Keep a clear record—and know when to get legal advice
Keep the proposal, the final agreement sent for signature, the client’s requested edits, approval messages, and any signature or acceptance record together in a durable form. An organized record can help clarify which terms were discussed and which version was sent or accepted.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Get jurisdiction-specific legal advice if you have already started work, the client disputes payment or what was accepted, the agreement makes a signature a condition of effectiveness, or the amount at stake is significant. The federal procurement rules cited above concern government purchasing; they do not determine the outcome of an ordinary private service engagement.
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