Imagine this scenario: a potential client gets in touch via e-mail to ask how much you charge and if you have their date available. You reply that you have the date and give them your rate. They ask for a contract, which you send, and boom – the date is booked in three e-mails! It happens all the time, right? ... I think we all wish that was the case. The reality is that there is a ton of follow up needed. But how do you go about that? How many follow ups are too many? How do you word them?

Let me give you some tips on how to follow up with this generation’s clients, as I believe a shift is required for dealing with millennials compared to those from previous generations. If you’re working for millennials, which is sure to be the case if you undertake a lot of wedding work, how you respond to their enquiry can be key to turning it into a confirmed booking.

1) Get as much information on your client enquiry form as possible

At my company, we not only ask for their contact information, but we want to know the event date, venue, estimated guest count, what services they are interested in, and – most importantly – how they prefer to be communicated with and when best to reach them. The first few things I mentioned give me an insight into their event, so I can reply as an expert – “So you’re working with Susan at the Hilton… she’s fantastic.” “You’re at the Crowne Plaza, we love that venue because…”. The last two parts of the enquiry form that I mentioned are also crucial – if they say ‘reply via text’ (we give them options of e-mail, phone or text), we reply in kind. We also do it at the time they said to reply so they see that we are paying attention to the details. It may be subtle, but it goes a long way.

2) Respond immediately

Although we do observe their preference of when to contact them, the majority of enquirers ask us to contact them ‘anytime’. When that is the case, send a quick reply via the method they prefer. Be sure to ask for a time on the phone or meeting in person. Remember, it’s not necessarily the ‘best’ company that gets the business, it’s often the quickest! You make an immediate positive impression (client care) with a prompt response.

3) Keep Follow Up Notes Short and Get To The Point

No one wants to read a novel or decipher a complicated e-mail. At my company, we get right to the point and give them options for an immediate next step.