Here at GigSalad, we understand the frustration and challenges of dealing with an unresponsive client. Whether that means a quote going unanswered or a booked client not providing necessary event information. We have a few tips to help you navigate these difficult situations, including how to send a follow-up message after no response.
Ask Questions
Begin by sending a great sales pitch for your initial email or message that will not only pique their interest but encourage a timely response. Start your conversation by sending pertinent information about your service and asking essential questions.
Remember, when you receive a lead through GigSalad, you can often assume the client hasn’t viewed your profile yet. Roughly 60% of the event planners who use our website submit a general request as opposed to browsing profiles and requesting quotes from specific vendors.
In your first message to a new potential client, you should:
✔ Introduce yourself
✔ Provide media (photos, videos, audio samples) if you can
✔ Include a call to action by asking questions about their event
While we can’t guarantee a reply, we can say that asking questions is more likely to receive a response than overloading them with information and links or even sending a simple quote.
Getting more information about the client’s event will also help you provide a more accurate quote. This is another facet of appearing more professional and building the client’s confidence in you and your business.
Be Patient
Patience is a virtue, but it can be hard to put into practice. It’s important to remember that while you’re eager to book a gig, your client is probably juggling many aspects of the event planning process as well as personal and professional obligations.
We recommended setting a grace period. After you respond to a client, wait a set amount of time (we suggest 2-3 business days) for a response. If you haven’t received a reply from the client by that time, send a follow-up email or message.
🧑💻 Tech tip: See whether your message or quote has been viewed by checking the status in your GigSalad inbox. If it says “seen”, the message has been opened. If it still says “sent”, it has not been viewed yet. You can also see this status under each sent item in your message thread.
Follow Up
After you’ve patiently waited for a response and not received one, it’s time to follow up. There are a couple of ways to go about doing this.
1. Send a message through GigSalad. The client will be notified by email (and text if they’ve opted in) each time you send a message through GigSalad.
2. Call or text them. If a phone number is provided in the lead details, that indicates the client is comfortable with a phone call. Though, keep in mind, many people nowadays don’t answer numbers they aren’t familiar with. So a text or voicemail may be necessary.
Messaging tips:
When you follow up, keep it simple and constructive. Although it may be tempting to comment on their silence, it’s best to stay professional.
Your follow-up message could be: “Hi (insert name), I’m looking forward to hearing more about your event. Do you have any questions about my services?” It is a good idea to ask an additional question to further encourage a response.
A short and straightforward message is the best practice when following up with unresponsive clients. It lets them know you are still interested in their event without overwhelming them.
✏ You might also like: 7 Avoidable Mistakes That Can Cost You Gigs
Don’t Overwhelm
It’s tempting to keep reaching out when you haven’t heard back from a client, but that can actually do more harm than good. Messaging or calling a client over and over again may send them running and cost you a booking.
Don’t forget, many event planners have never booked before so they may already be overwhelmed by the process. They are also likely being contacted by 5-10 other professionals. You want to stand out, but not in a negative way as the one that “won’t leave them alone.”
If you’ve sent a couple of messages with no response and want to follow up one last time, we suggest offering help with the booking process. Let the client know you are willing to answer any questions about how to proceed with booking or about hiring entertainment in general. You can even direct them to GigSalad’s Help Center for further assistance.
Be Firm
While it’s rarely helpful to inundate the client with messages and calls, you also can’t hold a date forever. If you have followed up with the client and still haven’t received a response, we recommend sending a final message with a deadline for communication.
Send a straightforward message that is kind and professional, but also firm. Example: “Hi (insert name), I would still be glad to be a part of your event, however, I will need to hear from you by (insert date) in order to be able to confirm my services. Thank you!” If don’t receive a response by the given date, then it’s time to decline the lead and move on.
Cut Your Losses
It can be hard to let go of a lead, but when an event planner is being unresponsive it’s usually best for both parties to move on. While responding to leads is an integral part of your business, your time is too valuable to chase leads that won’t amount to anything. It’s also crucial to not take a client’s unresponsiveness personally.
It may feel like you wasted your time but think of each lead as an opportunity to improve your communication and advertise your business. Even if the client doesn’t respond, they are one more person who is now aware of the product or service you offer. And if your communication remains professional, they may consider you for future events.
📨 Tech tip: Use the saved messages feature in your GigSalad tools to create email templates. This will save you time when replying to leads and improve your response rates!
Always remember that how you respond to leads is a reflection of your business and every lead is a potential customer. We hope these tips help you hone your communication skills and navigate challenging situations. If you ever have any questions, visit GigSalad’s extensive Help Center or contact our Customer Happiness Team! 💙
Sonia is a Customer Happiness Agent at GigSalad and uses the knowledge she’s gained from helping both the vendor and client through the booking process to give her best event planning advice. When she’s not at work she enjoys the outdoors, a good book, trying new recipes, and spending quality time with her husband and their furbabies.