How to Add a Client to BookLive #

Last Updated: October 30, 2025
Category: Proposals & Quotes
Difficulty: Beginner
Estimated Time: 5 minutes

Summary #

Clients are the contacts and customers stored in your BookLive CRM. Every proposal, performance, and booking is linked to a client record. Before you can send a proposal, you need to add your client’s information to BookLive. This guide walks you through adding a new client, what information is required, and best practices for organizing your client database.

—

Why Add Clients to BookLive? #

Centralized Contact Management #

• One place for everything – All client information in one record
• Complete history – See all proposals, performances, and communications
• Easy access – Find client details instantly when they call or email
• Team coordination – Everyone on your team sees the same client info

Required for Proposals #

You cannot send a proposal without a client record:

• Proposals are created FOR a specific client
• Client receives the proposal email
• Proposal tracks acceptance and views under their profile

Performance Tracking #

• Link performances to clients
• Track event history
• Send contracts and invoices
• Build long-term relationships

Analytics and Reporting #

• See where clients come from (lead sources)
• Track which marketing efforts work best
• Pipeline management with stages
• Revenue per client analysis

—

How to Access the Add Client Form #

Method 1: From the Client List (Most Common) #

1. Click Clients in the main navigation
2. Click the Add Client button (usually top right)
3. The Create Client form opens in a modal dialog

Method 2: During Proposal Creation #

1. Start creating a new proposal
2. In the client selection field, click New Client
3. The Create Client form opens
4. Your current group is pre-selected
5. After creating client, you return to proposal creation

Method 3: During Performance Creation #

1. Start creating a new performance
2. When selecting a client, click Add New Client
3. The Create Client form opens with group context
4. After creating, client is auto-selected for your performance

—

Required vs. Optional Information #

Required Fields #

Client Name ✅ REQUIRED

• Full name of your primary contact
• Examples:
• Individual: “Sarah Johnson”
• Couple: “Sarah & Mike Johnson”
• Organization: “ABC Corporation”

Group ✅ REQUIRED (if not already set by context)

• Which of your groups this client belongs to
• Important: Cannot be easily changed later
• Pre-selected if creating client during proposal/performance workflow
• Must select from dropdown if creating from Client List

Recommended Fields #

Client Email ⭐ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

• Required to send proposals
• Used for contracts, invoices, and reminders
• Validated for correct format
• Stored in lowercase automatically

Client Phone ⭐ RECOMMENDED

• Important for quick communication
• Useful if email doesn’t work
• No specific format required

Optional Fields #

Client Company

• Company name (if applicable)
• Helpful for corporate events
• Used on invoices and contracts

Address (toggle to show/hide)

• Street Address
• City
• State
• Zip Code
• Useful for:
• Wedding venues and planning
• Mailing contracts
• Location-based analytics

Lead Source

• Where this client came from
• Critical for tracking marketing effectiveness
• Can select existing or create new
• See “Lead Source Best Practices” section below

Disable System Emails (Advanced)

• Toggle to prevent automated emails
• Use case: Surprise performances (anniversaries, proposals)
• Does NOT prevent manual emails
• See “When to Disable System Emails” section below

—

Step-by-Step: Adding a New Client #

1. Open the Create Client Form #

Navigate to Clients → Add Client (or use one of the other methods above)

2. Enter Client Name #

Client name: Sarah Johnson

• This is the only truly required field
• Use the name you’ll recognize when searching
• For couples, include both names: “Sarah & Mike Johnson”

3. Add Contact Information #

Client email: sarah@email.com
Client phone: (555) 123-4567
Client company: (leave blank if individual)

Email formatting:

• System automatically converts to lowercase
• Validates correct email format
• Can be left blank, but you won’t be able to send proposals

Phone formatting:

• No specific format required
• Enter as you prefer: (555) 123-4567 or 555-123-4567 or 5551234567

4. Select Group (if shown) #

If the dropdown appears:

• Select which group this client belongs to
• Usually auto-selects your primary group
• Choose carefully – affects proposals, contracts, and permissions

If the field is read-only (shows a group name):

• You’re in a workflow (proposal or performance creation)
• Group is already selected based on context
• No action needed

5. Add Address (Optional) #

Toggle Add address? switch if needed

Street Address: 123 Main Street
City: Denver
State: Colorado
Zip: 80202

When to include address:

• ✅ Wedding clients (helpful for venue coordination)
• ✅ Corporate clients (for invoicing)
• ⏭️ Skip for quick inquiries or phone calls

6. Select or Create Lead Source #

To select existing source:

• Click the Lead source dropdown
• Choose from your existing sources
• Examples: “Wedding Wire”, “Referral”, “Website”

To create new source:

• Click the Lead source dropdown
• Scroll to bottom and click Create new lead source
• Enter name with specifics: “Wedding Wire – Chicago”
• See recommendations below

Lead Source Best Practices:

✅ Be Specific:

Good: "Wedding Wire - Chicago Market"
Bad: "Website"

✅ Include Location:

Good: "Gig Salad - Denver"
Bad: "Gig Salad"

✅ Consistent Naming:

Good: "The Knot" (always this exact name)
Bad: Sometimes "The Knot", sometimes "theknot.com", sometimes "Knot"

✅ Real-World Examples:

• “Wedding Wire – Boulder County”
• “The Knot”
• “Gig Salad – Denver Metro”
• “Word of Mouth Referral”
• “Previous Client”
• “Instagram”
• “Google Search – [Service] [City]”
• “Venue Referral – [Venue Name]”

7. Email Settings (Optional) #

By default, system emails are enabled for all new clients. This means they receive:

• Contract reminders
• Payment reminders
• Performance surveys
• Other automated communications

When to Disable System Emails:

Toggle Disable system emails ON if:

❌ Surprise Performance

• Anniversary party the client is planning for their spouse
• Proposal event that must be kept secret
• Surprise birthday party

❌ Third-Party Planner

• Event planner booking on behalf of actual client
• Venue coordinator managing details
• You communicate only with planner, not end client

✅ Keep Enabled (Default) For:

• Direct clients who want updates
• Weddings where couple is directly involved
• Corporate clients managing their own event
• Any client who should receive reminders

Important:

• Disabling emails only affects AUTOMATED emails
• You can still send manual emails anytime
• This setting can be changed later if needed

8. Save the Client #

Click Save button

What Happens:

• Client record is created
• You become the owner (client’s primary contact)
• Client is added to your selected group
• Activity log entry created: “Client created from [Lead Source]”
• If creating during proposal/performance: You return to that workflow with client selected
• If creating from Client List: You’re redirected to the client’s detail page

—

After Creating a Client #

Client Detail Page #

After saving, you’re taken to /clients/{id} where you can:

Overview Tab:

• See complete client information
• View client statistics (proposals sent, performances booked)
• Quick actions (send email, create proposal, book performance)

Proposals Tab:

• All proposals sent to this client
• Status of each proposal (sent, viewed, accepted)
• Quick links to view proposal pages

Performances Tab:

• All performances/gigs for this client
• Past and upcoming events
• Contract and payment status

Emails Tab:

• Complete email communication history
• Sent and received emails
• Email attachments

Activities Tab:

• Timeline of all client interactions
• System-generated activities (proposals sent, contracts signed)
• Manual notes and updates
• Task completions

Next Steps #

Typical workflow after adding client:

1. Create a Proposal

• Click “Create Proposal” from client detail page
• Add packages with your services and pricing
• Send to client via email

2. Add Notes

• Record conversation details
• Note client preferences
• Document special requests

3. Create Tasks

• Set follow-up reminders
• Schedule calls or meetings
• Track your sales process

4. Send an Email

• Introduce yourself
• Confirm details
• Answer questions

—

Editing Client Information #

How to Edit #

1. Navigate to Clients → Find your client → Click their name
2. Click Edit button (or similar)
3. Update information
4. Click Save

What Can Be Changed #

✅ Easily Changed:

• Name
• Email
• Phone
• Company
• Address fields
• Lead source
• Email settings

⚠️ Difficult to Change:

• Group assignment (requires specific permissions)
• Owner/user assignment (may need admin help)

—

Common Scenarios #

Scenario 1: Wedding Inquiry from Website #

Client: Found you via Google, filled out website inquiry form

How to add:

Client name: Sarah Johnson
Client email: sarah@email.com
Client phone: (555) 123-4567
Client company: [leave blank]
Add address: No (not yet)
Lead source: "Google Search - Wedding String Quartet Denver"
Disable system emails: No (keep enabled)

Next steps:
1. Create proposal with 2-3 package options
2. Send via email
3. Follow up in 2-3 days

—

Scenario 2: Corporate Event from Venue Referral #

Client: Venue coordinator gave them your info

How to add:

Client name: John Smith
Client email: john@company.com
Client phone: (555) 234-5678
Client company: ABC Corporation
Add address: Yes (add their business address)
Lead source: "Venue Referral - Grand Ballroom"
Disable system emails: No (keep enabled)

Next steps:
1. Create proposal
2. Include corporate-appropriate packages
3. Follow up within 24 hours

—

Scenario 3: Surprise Anniversary Party #

Client: Planning surprise for their spouse

How to add:

Client name: Mike Anderson
Client email: mike@email.com
Client phone: (555) 345-6789
Client company: [leave blank]
Add address: Optional
Lead source: [Wherever they found you]
Disable system emails: YES ← Toggle this ON

Why disable emails:

• Prevent contract reminders going to Mike
• Avoid survey emails after event
• Keep surprise intact
• You’ll coordinate manually

Next steps:
1. Create proposal
2. Note in proposal: “SURPRISE EVENT – No automated communications”
3. Coordinate all details via phone/email directly with Mike

—

Scenario 4: Event Planner Booking Multiple Events #

Client: Professional planner, not the end client

How to add:

Client name: Premier Events (Jennifer Wilson)
Client email: jennifer@premierevents.com
Client phone: (555) 456-7890
Client company: Premier Events
Add address: Yes (planner's office address)
Lead source: "Wedding Wire" or "Direct - Event Planner"
Disable system emails: Maybe (depends on planner preference)

Tips:

• Include both company name AND contact person in name field
• Ask planner if they want automated emails or prefer manual coordination
• Create separate client record for each of planner’s events? Or one client with multiple performances? Up to you.

—

Scenario 5: Repeat Client #

Client: You’ve worked with them before, now they’re booking again

Don’t create a new client!

Instead:
1. Go to Clients → Search for their name
2. Open their existing client record
3. Create new proposal from their profile
4. All history is maintained

If you accidentally created duplicate:

• You may need to delete the duplicate (contact support if needed)
• Keep the original client record with the history

—

Lead Source Best Practices #

Why Lead Sources Matter #

Lead sources tell you:

• Which marketing channels work best
• Where to invest your advertising budget
• Which venues/partners send good referrals
• ROI of different strategies

Creating Effective Lead Sources #

Be Specific About Online Sources:

✅ Good:

• “Wedding Wire – Premium Placement”
• “The Knot – Denver Market”
• “Facebook Ads – Wedding Campaign”
• “Google Ads – Corporate Events”
• “Instagram Organic”

❌ Too Vague:

• “Website”
• “Online”
• “Social Media”

Include Location for Geographic Tracking:

✅ Good:

• “Gig Salad – Denver Metro”
• “Gig Salad – Boulder County”
• “Wedding Wire – Colorado Springs”

❌ Missing Context:

• “Gig Salad”
• “Wedding Wire”

Differentiate Referral Types:

✅ Good:

• “Venue Referral – Grand Ballroom”
• “Venue Referral – Mountain Lodge”
• “Previous Client Referral”
• “Band Member Referral”

❌ Too Generic:

• “Referral”
• “Friend”

Track Partnerships:

✅ Good:

• “Partnership – Elegant Weddings Planner”
• “Partnership – Mile High Events”
• “Preferred Vendor – Historic Venue”

How Many Lead Sources Should You Have? #

Sweet spot: 10-25 sources

Too few (<5):

• Not enough data to analyze
• Can’t identify what’s working
• Missing opportunities

Too many (>50):

• Becomes hard to manage
• Data too fragmented
• Should consolidate similar sources

Recommended starter set:
1. Wedding Wire
2. The Knot
3. Gig Salad – [Your City]
4. Website / Google Search
5. Instagram
6. Facebook
7. Previous Client Referral
8. Venue Referrals (or break down by venue)
9. Word of Mouth
10. Unknown

—

Email Settings Explained #

What “Disable System Emails” Does #

When ENABLED (default):

• Client receives contract reminders
• Client gets payment reminder emails
• Client receives post-event surveys
• Client gets booking confirmations
• All automated workflow emails are sent

When DISABLED:

• No automated emails to client
• You must manually send everything
• Useful for:
• Surprise events
• Third-party bookers
• Clients who prefer phone communication

What This Setting DOES NOT Affect #

You can still:

• Manually send emails from client page
• Send proposal emails (when you explicitly send proposal)
• Email contracts manually
• Send invoices manually

In other words:

• Disabling only stops AUTOMATED/SCHEDULED emails
• Does not prevent YOU from sending emails

How to Change This Later #

1. Go to client’s detail page
2. Find “Email Settings” section
3. Toggle “Disable system emails”
4. Setting updates immediately
5. Activity log entry is created documenting the change

—

Managing Multiple Groups #

Why Group Matters #

If you manage multiple groups (e.g., “The Jazz Trio” and “The String Quartet”):

Each client belongs to one group:

• Proposals use that group’s settings
• Contracts use that group’s templates
• Payments go to that group’s Stripe account
• Lead sources are group-specific

You’ll see a group dropdown:

• Lists all groups where you’re a leader
• First group auto-selected
• Choose the appropriate group for each client

Best practice:

• Think about which ensemble/service this client is booking
• Select that group when creating client
• If client might book multiple groups, pick primary one
• Can create separate proposals from different groups to same client

—

Finding Existing Clients #

Before creating a new client, search first to avoid duplicates!

How to Search #

From Client List:
1. Go to Clients page
2. Use search box at top
3. Searches name, email, phone, company
4. Case-insensitive

From Performance/Proposal Creation:

• Client selection field has autocomplete
• Start typing name or email
• System shows matching clients
• Select from list if found

Avoiding Duplicates #

Problem: Creating “Sarah Johnson” when “Sarah & Mike Johnson” already exists

Solution:

• Always search by email address first
• Email is unique and most reliable
• If found, use existing record
• If not found, create new client

—

Common Questions #

Q: What if I don’t know the client’s email yet? #

A: You can create the client without an email, but:

• You won’t be able to send proposals until you add it
• Manually send proposal links if needed
• Better to collect email before creating client

Q: Can I change the group after creating the client? #

A: Yes, but:

• Requires appropriate permissions
• May affect existing proposals/performances
• Better to choose correctly initially
• Contact support if you need help changing

Q: What happens if I enter a duplicate email? #

A: The system allows it, but:

• You’ll have two client records
• Can cause confusion
• Best practice: Search first, use existing record
• You may need to delete duplicate later

Q: Can I import clients from a spreadsheet? #

A: Check if BookLive has an import feature:

• Look for “Import” or “Upload CSV” in Clients section
• Feature may be available depending on plan
• Contact support for bulk import assistance

Q: How do I delete a client? #

A: From client detail page:

• Look for “Delete” option (may be in dropdown menu)
• Client is soft-deleted (can be restored)
• Performances and proposals are preserved
• Only delete if truly necessary (duplicate, test record)

Q: Can multiple users access the same client? #

A: Yes, if:

• They’re in the same group
• Client’s group matches their group membership
• Each user sees same client record
• Great for team coordination

Q: What’s the difference between Owner and Group? #

A:

• Owner (user_id): Primary salesperson for this client
• Group: Which business/ensemble the client booked
• Owner can be reassigned to other team members
• Group typically stays the same

—

Related Articles #

Next steps after adding clients:

• 📦 How to Create and Send a Proposal to a Client
• 💰 Understanding Packages in Proposals
• ✍️ Creating Contracts for Your Clients
• 📧 Sending Emails to Clients
• 📊 Using Lead Sources to Track Your Marketing

Advanced client management:

• 🎯 Using Sales Cadences with Clients
• 📋 Creating and Managing Client Tasks
• 💼 Pipeline Management with Client Stages
• 📈 Client Analytics and Reporting

—

Need Help? #

If you have questions or run into issues:

• 📧 Email: support@booklive.com
• 📞 Phone: 414-253-2504 (Mon-Fri, 9 AM – 5 PM MST)
• 💬 Live Chat: Click the chat icon in the bottom right of your dashboard