Managing inquiries
An inquiry is someone asking about working with you through one of your inquiry services. It arrives under Bookings → Inquiries without touching your calendar, so you can talk it through first and book when you're both ready.
Speed matters here more than anywhere else. Someone asking you is quite possibly asking two other photographers too.
The inquiries list
Each row shows the Inquiry #, the Contact, the Service they asked about, when it was Submitted, its Status and its Communication. The sidebar badge counts new inquiries you haven't opened.
Two filters help you find what needs you:
- View: New inquiries, Open inquiries, Booked inquiries or Closed inquiries
- Communication: All communication, Not contacted, Needs reply or Awaiting reply. This filter only shows while View is on Open inquiries, which is where the list opens.
Arriving from Needs attention on your Home screen adds a Needs attention option too. Use the search box to find a particular inquiry.
Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Open | Still a real possibility |
| Booked | It turned into a booking |
| Closed | Finished, for whatever reason |
Replying doesn't change the status. That's what the Communication column is for:
| Communication | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Not contacted | Nobody has replied yet |
| Needs reply | The ball is in your court |
| Awaiting reply | You've answered and it's with them |
Filter on Needs reply and you've got your to-do list without having to remember who you owe an answer.
What's on an inquiry
Open one and you'll see the Inquiry details: who they are, the service, and anything else the service asked for, such as a location or how they heard about you. Their Message sits underneath, followed by their answers to any questionnaire you attached to the service.
Everything you create from the inquiry, like a proposal or booking, is listed on it too, so it becomes the record of the whole conversation.
Replying
- Open the inquiry and click Reply.
- Write your message. The subject starts as "Re: [service] inquiry" (or "Re: your inquiry" without a service), and you can attach your rate card, a sample gallery or a pricing PDF.
- Send it.
Your reply goes out as an email from your business, and starts a conversation in Messages. The thread begins with your reply. Your client's original message stays on the inquiry page, so the full brief is always one click away.
When they answer, their reply lands in the same thread. After your first reply, Reply takes you straight to that conversation. Once you've answered and it's their turn, the button reads Send message instead.
If you reply from your own email app, that lands in the thread too. See Replying from your own email app.
Sending and replying to messages needs Plus or Pro. On Free, Reply and Send message open an upgrade prompt, though you can still read every inquiry. See Messages on the Free plan.
Closing an inquiry
Not every inquiry becomes work, and that's fine.
- Open the inquiry and choose Close inquiry from the three-dot menu.
- Pick a reason: Not a fit, Date unavailable, Client declined, No response, Duplicate inquiry or Other.
- Add a Note if there's something you want to remember.
- Confirm.
A closed inquiry shows a banner like Closed: Date unavailable, with your note underneath. Its main action is Reopen, and Email history stays in the three-dot menu.
Picking the real reason pays off. Over a year, the reasons add up to a useful picture. Lots of "Date unavailable" means you're in demand. Lots of "Client declined" might mean it's time to look at your pricing or your pitch.
Closing doesn't withdraw a proposal you've already sent. If your client accepts it later, the inquiry moves to Booked.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add an inquiry by hand?
No. Inquiries only come from your booking page. If someone reaches you by phone or DM, add them as a contact and work from their page instead. See Adding a contact.
Where do my replies go?
Into a conversation in Messages, linked to the contact. It starts with your first reply, and the client's original message stays on the inquiry.
Does an inquiry block time on my calendar?
No. Nothing is booked until you create a booking or your client accepts a proposal that creates one.
Can I see what emails went out for an inquiry?
Yes. Choose Email history from the inquiry's three-dot menu to see what was sent and whether it arrived.
What's the fastest way to turn an inquiry into work?
Use Create booking or Create proposal right on the inquiry. Your client's details carry across. See Turning an inquiry into a booking.