Wedding Wednesday…The Follow Up

As a small business owner there really is no greater feeling than when your email dings with a new inquiry. The realization that someone liked what they read and heard about your business enough to reach out to you is well… flattering. I get excited about every inquiry and seriously cannot wait to respond and hopefully meet the person(s) behind the email.

When I receive an inquiry from a potential client I immediately type an email introducing myself, confirming the availability of their wedding date, if available, and I say a few words about what they can expect from me as their wedding planner. I always include a list of my packages and let them know that I’d love to meet with them. I hit send and anxiously await a response. Unfortunately, sometimes I never hear anything back. When this happens I’m left to wonder if it was something I said or didn’t say.

That is why this blog is dedicated to the follow up. Plain and simple – when you reach out to a vendor to inquire about their services, please, I beg of you – follow up with them. Even if you’ve decided to book with someone else – we want to hear from you. I understand that telling a vendor you’ve decided to book someone else is awkward – been there, done that. But it’s the only way that we know to close your inquiry and stop following up with you. If you’re still deciding, let us know that too. That way we can give you space and time to make your decision.

On the flip side, if you’ve reached out to a vendor and you never heard back from them – always follow up once. Especially if you sent an email or inquired through a wedding vendor website. Sometimes there are hiccups in service and those emails end up lost in cyber space. If after that first follow up you hear nothing, cross that vendor off of your list and move on.

Also, don’t be afraid to call. I’m guilty of relying heavily on email. I often have so much to do that it’s a lot easier to quickly type an email and hit send. A fourth quarter resolution of mine is to pick up the phone and call potential clients. So, if you’ve reached out to me recently, don’t be surrpised if you receive a phone call from me. If you sent me to voicemail because you hate the phone…it’s ok. Go on ahead and email me back. 😉

Until next time, happy planning!