Five Follow-Up Strategies to Turn Inquiries Into Bookings

You’ve got a fresh inquiry—yay! That’s the starting line of your race to secure a booking. But how do you go from “I’m interested” to “I’m booked”? The follow-up. That’s where the magic happens. Let’s break down five no-fail follow-up strategies to help you close more bookings, without feeling like you’re chasing leads down.

1. Start with an Automated, Friendly, Response

First things first: reply immediately—even if it’s automated. You don’t need to personally respond within minutes (especially if it’s a Saturday night), but you do want them to feel acknowledged. Set up your CRM to send a quick “We’ve got your inquiry!” email, setting the expectation on when they’ll hear from you next.

Here’s an example of what we send at Smirk Photobooth Co:

From all of us here at Smirk Photobooth Co, we want to say thank you for inquiring to have us at your event!

This is an email letting you know we’ve received your form submission and will be in touch within 24-48 hours with next steps.

If you submitted over the weekend, we’ll get back to you on Monday. Weekends are our busiest time, as I’m sure you can guess!

We look forward to talking with you soon,

This kind of automated email doesn’t need to be overly personal, but it does set clear expectations so they’re not left wondering if you even saw their inquiry.

2. Personalize Your Follow-Up Response

Once you’re ready to send your official response, it’s time to get personal. If they mention they found you through Sarah’s wedding, let them know how much fun you had working that event. If they’re getting married at a venue you love, mention that you were just there last week and can’t wait to work their wedding, too.

Even if you’re using a canned response, leave space for customization. For us, our template is solid enough to go as is, but I always have key spots where I can sprinkle in personal touches. Clients love to feel like they’re being spoken to directly, not just another name in your inbox.

3. Make Your Proposal Work for You

Here’s the thing: quick action is key when it comes to locking in your clients. And while a PDF attached to your pricing email might look polished, it doesn’t give them a clear next step. Sometimes, service providers forget to tell clients exactly what happens next, which leaves them confused—and possibly ghosting you.

So, let’s make your proposal foolproof:

• Include your packages: Outline exactly what they’ll get at each price point.
• FAQs about your service: Preemptively answer any lingering questions to avoid back-and-forth emails.
• Add-ons list: Give them options for upgrades they can choose from.
• Process and next steps: Walk them through how to book, what happens after they sign, and what they can expect from you leading up to the event.

If you want a walk through of our exact proposal and workflow, click here.

At Smirk, we send the proposal in our first semi-custom email (the one right after the “we got your inquiry” response). From that point on, all of our follow-ups include a direct link back to that proposal. That way, the client always knows where to find the info they need to book.

4. Timing Is Everything

There’s a fine line between giving your clients space and accidentally ghosting them back (OK, that’s a bit dramatic). You don’t want to overwhelm them, but you also don’t want to drop off the face of the earth after one follow-up.

Here’s what’s worked for me: I send three follow-up emails after the initial inquiry and proposal. If I don’t hear back after those, I archive the lead. That said, if we’ve hopped on a call or had more serious conversations, I’ll adjust my follow-up strategy accordingly.

Each follow-up email is warm and to the point. And yes, every single one includes a direct link back to the proposal. The goal here isn’t to bug them, but to make it easy for them to take action whenever they’re ready.

5. Add a Dash of Urgency (Without the Pressure)

Creating a little urgency can help nudge clients toward booking without coming off as pushy. There are two ways to do this, depending on your style:

1. Offer an upgrade for booking now: Early on in our business, we offered a prop set oreven played with a small discount for clients who booked within a certain timeframe. It’s a fun way to add value while encouraging action.
2. Set a proposal expiration date: These days, we prefer to increase urgency by letting clients know their proposal will expire in a few days. This creates a clear deadline without making them feel pressured. If they need more time, they can always re-inquire, but it encourages a decision sooner rather than later.

Lastly, don’t forget to sprinkle in some social proof. Share what past clients have said about working with you, and include links to galleries from previous events. When potential clients see that others have loved your service, they’ll be more eager to experience it for themselves.

Your Follow-Up Process Is a KEY

When you streamline your follow-up strategy, inquiries turn into bookings with less effort and more ease. Start with an automated response, personalize your official follow-up, make your proposal foolproof, and keep timing in check. Then, add a sprinkle of urgency and social proof to seal the deal.

By following these five steps, you’re not just increasing your chances of booking more clients—you’re making the entire process smoother for everyone. And isn’t that what we’re all here for?

If you’re ready to level up your booking process even more, check out How to Streamline Your Photobooth Booking Process for even more tips on saving time and securing those leads.