Event Client Communication: From Handshakes to Hugs
The goal of any client relationship is to go from handshakes to hugs. It starts formal and introductory, but over time you want it to be relational. Here's how event professionals build that kind of trust through communication - from the first inquiry to post-event referrals.
The Communication Hierarchy
Not all communication channels are equal. In person, you can read body language. On video, you can still read facial expressions. On the phone, you can hear voice intonation. Over text and email, you lose all of that. Here's how to think about each channel, ranked from most to least effective for building relationships:
- Read body language and facial expressions
- Goal: go from handshakes to hugs over the relationship
- Best for building real trust and rapport
- Still lets you read facial expressions and tone
- Next best thing to being in the room
- Great for remote clients or mid-planning updates
- You can still read voice intonation
- Better than a long email when the answer is complex
- Always follow up important calls with a written summary
- Match the client's preference - try both, see which they respond to
- Keep sentences short and use bullet points - most people read on their phone
- For complex answers, send a voice note or Loom video instead of a wall of text
Pro tip:When you're about to write a long email, stop. Send a voice note from your phone, give a quick call, or record a short Loom video. Your client will appreciate it and you'll communicate more clearly.
The Biggest Communication Mistake Event Planners Make
Using your own preferred method of communication instead of your client's. If you prefer texting but your client is a phone person, you need to get comfortable making phone calls. It's not about you - it's about your client.
How do you figure out their preference? Try both text and email early on and pay attention to how they respond. If you text them and they reply by email, that tells you everything. If they call you instead of texting back, pick up the phone next time.
The First 24 Hours: How to Convert a Lead
After 15 years in the event industry, the single best way to convert a lead into a booked client is speed. Not being pushy - being fast. When someone fills out your website form, you want a notification pushed to you immediately with their name and contact info. Then pick up the phone.
Step 1: Call Within 2-5 Minutes
When someone reaches out on your website and gets a phone call within 2 to 5 minutes, that's the highest-converting response you can have. With Ripluo's lead capture forms, you get an instant notification with their details so you can call right away.
Step 2: The 20-30 Minute Discovery Call
Spend 20 to 25 minutes asking questions and writing down their answers. Repeat back what they say using the phrase "what I heard you say was..." For the last 5 minutes, answer their questions about your services, including pricing. End with a direct ask: "Would you like to go ahead and book, or what hesitations do you have?"
Step 3: Log Notes and Follow Up Immediately
After the call, save your notes into your CRM. Then email the client your notes plus any follow-up items you promised. That email needs to go out almost immediately after the call is over. If they don't reply within 24 hours, email them back the next day.
Step 4: Send a Proposal (Same Day When Possible)
Your proposal should include:
- Their event details, name, venue, and goals - show you were listening
- Reviews from past clients
- Your services listed line-item with a total price
- A clear 3-step next action: (1) Accept proposal, (2) Sign contract, (3) Plan an amazing event
- 5-7 photos from past events - 1-2 of you in action, 3-4 of smiling happy people
- An "About You" section so they connect with you as a person
How BCC Email Logging Changes Your Workflow
Ripluo's BCC email logging lets you copy a single email address on any message and it automatically gets saved to the right contact in your CRM. Here are three ways event professionals use it daily:
Save the BCC address as a contact in your email system so you never have to look it up. Then every email to a client or prospect gets logged automatically. When you're already in Ripluo working through your checklist or event schedule, just check the activity feed to see the last email, call, or text - no digging through your inbox.
Log every email with anyone you're hiring for the event. The goal: if something were to happen to you, the event would still go on. The details wouldn't get lost because no one has access to your email. Everything is saved in a central location where your team can access it.
For conferences with sponsors, you usually bring in help. BCC logging means that other person can see every communication to and from the sponsor without you forwarding each individual email. The full history is right there in the sponsor pipeline.
Follow-Up Cadences That Actually Work
How often you communicate depends on the event type and how involved you are. Here are two real cadences that work:
Leadership Team
30-60 min, monthly until 6 weeks out, then weekly
Logistics (Operations)
Monthly until 6 weeks out, then weekly
Programming (Main Room)
Transitions, slides, presenters, music, lights - monthly then weekly at 6 weeks
Initial Discovery Call
Deep dive into vision, style, and must-haves
Follow-Up Meeting (1 month later)
Check in on decisions and progress
Details Meeting (2 months before)
Finalize specifics, songs, requests
Final Call (1 month before)
Confirm everything, last-minute changes
In between scheduled meetings, handle smaller items over text and email. Do the heavy lifting on the front end, give clients time to make decisions, then tighten up on the back end.
When a Client Goes Silent
First, assume the best. Maybe they got busy. Maybe they forgot to mark it as unread and meant to come back to it. Fill the gap with trust, not worry.
Why All Communication Belongs in Your CRM
Having all communication history in one place means the business doesn't depend on one person's inbox. If something happens to you, someone else has a record of every conversation. You're not digging through email to find context. And you can see emails, texts, and phone call notes all in the same spot.
This matters even more when your business grows. If you have one person doing sales and another person planning the event, a CRM is how you hand off communication cleanly. Every promise made during the sales process is documented so the planner can actually keep them.
Business Continuity
If something happens to you, the event still goes on - nothing is trapped in your inbox
No More Digging
Check the activity feed instead of searching through email, text, and call logs separately
Clean Handoffs
Sales-to-planner transitions keep every promise documented and visible
Full History
See what was said, what was done, and what was promised but not yet delivered
The Post-Event Referral System
Getting referrals and reviews starts during the event itself. Take pictures and videos on your phone from a perspective your client doesn't get to see - behind the scenes, crowd reactions, candid moments.
One Week After the Event
Text your client: "Happy one week! Here are some pictures and videos I got." They'll almost always respond with a compliment if you did a great job.
When They Compliment You, Make One Ask
Ask for either a review or a referral - not both. Pick whichever is more valuable to your business right now. Asking for both dilutes the request.
For New Event Professionals: Negotiate Upfront
If a client is asking for a discount, this is your leverage. Show them full price, then offer the discount in exchange for a review or referral after the event - pending you do a great job. This is one of the best ways to grow a new business while keeping your pricing honest.
Advice for New Event Planners
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I communicate with event clients?
Start in person whenever possible - you can read body language and build real rapport. When that's not possible, use video calls (you can still read facial expressions), then phone calls (you can read voice intonation). Text and email are the least personal but still critical. The key is to match your client's preferred method, not your own. If they always call you, call them back. If they reply to texts with emails, stick with email.
How fast should I respond to a new lead?
As fast as humanly possible - ideally within 2 to 5 minutes. When someone fills out your website form, pick up the phone and call them. Speed is the single biggest factor in converting leads. You don't need to have every answer ready. Even responding to say 'I got your message and I'll get back to you' is better than silence.
How often should I follow up with clients during event planning?
It depends on the event. For conferences, plan three separate monthly meetings (leadership, logistics, and programming) that shift to weekly at the six-week mark. For weddings, have an initial call, a follow-up meeting a month later, a details meeting two months out, and a final call one month before. In between, use texts and emails for smaller items.
How do I handle a client who goes silent?
First, assume the best - they're probably busy, not ignoring you. Keep reaching out. If you've emailed two or three times with no response, switch to text or give them a call. Sometimes it just means you haven't found their preferred communication channel yet. Fill the gap with trust, not worry.
How does having all communication in a CRM help?
If something were to happen to you, the business can still go on. Someone else would have a record of every conversation. It also means you're not digging through email when you need context. You can see email, text, and phone call notes all in one spot. And if your sales team hands off to a planner, every promise made during the sales process is documented.
How do I get referrals after an event?
During the event, take pictures and videos from angles your client doesn't get to see. About a week later, text them those photos with a 'happy one week' message. When they respond with a compliment, make your ask - either a review or a referral, not both at once. You can also negotiate referrals into the deal upfront, especially with budget-conscious clients.
Keep Every Conversation in One Place
Ripluo's BCC email logging, activity feeds, and team messaging keep your client communication centralized - so nothing falls through the cracks and your team stays aligned.
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