The short answer
Reply within a few hours if you can. Thank them, confirm whether you're available on their date, ask two or three questions that help you quote, share a starting price or your packages, and suggest one clear next step, like a short call or a proposal by tomorrow. Keep it short and personal.
An example reply
"Hi Sarah, congratulations on your engagement! Good news: we're available on Saturday, June 14. To put together the right options, could you tell me where the ceremony and reception are, roughly how many guests, and which parts of the day you'd like music for? Most couples book our ceremony and cocktail hour package, which starts at [your price]. I'm happy to send a proposal tomorrow, or we can do a quick 10-minute call. Which works better?"
The questions worth asking
- Date, venue and times.
- Which parts of the event need music.
- Number of guests and the feel they want.
- Any must-play songs or special moments.
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting a day or more to reply.
- Sending a long wall of text or your full repertoire list.
- Ending without a next step.
How BookLive helps
- Inquiries in one place. New inquiries arrive in BookLive, ready to turn into a client and a gig.
- Templates. Save your best reply and personalize it in seconds.
- Automatic follow-up. If they don't reply, a workflow follows up for you. See how to automate client follow-up.
Your musicians use BookLive for free. Only the bandleader pays.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly should I respond to a gig inquiry?
Within a few hours if possible, and always within a day.
Should I include prices in my first reply?
A starting price or package range helps the right clients move forward and filters out mismatches.
Answer inquiries faster with BookLive
Templates, proposals and follow-up, ready the moment an inquiry arrives.
Your musicians never pay.