Responding to Inquiries: What to Say and How Fast to Say It

A new inquiry just hit your Leads page. Someone is planning a cultural event and they picked you as one of the vendors to reach out to. What you do in the next few hours matters more than you might think.

Customers on EventAtlas typically send inquiries to multiple vendors at once. The vendor who responds first with a helpful, relevant answer has a significant advantage. Not just because of speed, but because a fast, thoughtful response signals reliability.

Speed Matters, But So Does Substance

Aim to respond within 24 hours. Within a few hours is even better. But don't sacrifice quality for speed. "Hey thanks for reaching out!" with nothing else isn't a response. It's a placeholder that tells the customer nothing.

A good first response covers three things:

Acknowledge what they asked for. Reference their event type, date, and guest count. This tells them you actually read their inquiry, not just fired off a template.

Answer their most likely question. Usually this is about availability and pricing. If their event date works for you, say so. If you have a package that fits their budget and guest count, mention it. If you need more information to quote accurately, tell them what you need and why.

Make the next step clear. "I'd love to set up a call to discuss your menu preferences. Are you free this Thursday or Friday afternoon?" is better than "Let me know if you have any questions." Give them a specific action to take.

What Good First Responses Look Like

For a caterer who received an inquiry for a Nigerian wedding reception:

"Hi [name], thank you for reaching out about your wedding reception on [date]. I'm available that date and I've catered several Nigerian weddings at [venue or area], so I'm familiar with what works in that space. For 250 guests with a full Nigerian menu (jollof, fried rice, assorted proteins, and small chops), my Full Service package would be a good starting point. I'd love to schedule a tasting to walk you through the menu options. Would next week work for a quick call?"

That's specific, helpful, confirms availability, references a real package, and proposes a next step. It took 2 minutes to write and it's personalized enough that the customer knows you actually read their inquiry.

Using Inquiry Statuses

Your Leads page tracks inquiry statuses. Use them consistently:

Mark as Viewed when you first read it (this happens automatically when you open the inquiry). Mark as Responded after you've contacted the customer by email or phone. Mark as Booked once they've confirmed and you have a commitment. Move to Archived when an inquiry goes cold or the customer chose another vendor.

These statuses are for your own pipeline management. A clean Leads page where you can quickly see what needs attention versus what's been handled saves you from dropping the ball on follow-ups.

Following Up

Not every customer responds to your first message. That's normal. They might be comparing options, waiting on a venue confirmation, or just busy. A single follow-up 3 to 5 days after your initial response is appropriate.

Keep it brief: "Hi [name], just checking in on your [event type] inquiry. I'm still available for [date] and happy to answer any questions. Let me know if you'd like to schedule a call."

One follow-up is fine. Two is the maximum. After that, archive the inquiry and move on. Persistent messages cross the line from professional to pushy.

What Not to Do

Don't take days to respond. The customer has likely already heard from other vendors and is forming opinions. A response 5 days later feels like an afterthought.

Don't send a generic template without personalization. Customers can tell when they're getting a copy-paste response. Reference their event type, guest count, or cultural tradition at minimum.

Don't quote a price without context. A number without explanation creates sticker shock. "My starting price for events of this size is $X, which includes [specific things]" is better than just "$X."

Don't be vague about next steps. "Let me know" puts the burden on the customer. Propose something specific: a call, a tasting, a venue walkthrough, a date to send a formal quote.