Win Some...Loose Some

[Andy Goodtimes]

Had a enquiry a couple of weeks ago for April 2012 in a marquee which is attached to a hotel about 12 miles away, nice enough venue but you have to drive off-road through a forest to get to where you can get resonable access, anyway she wasn't sure if she wanted a band and DJ or just a band or what. I chatted to her and went to meet her and eventually she decided to book me to do the MCing and back-ground in the afternoon and then disco as and when required in-between the band during the evening, it involved a small system in the afternoon and then set-up a full one during the turn round and some uplighting, she hadn't booked a band but was going to see a couple over the following couple of weeks. So all agreed and it wasn't bad...£825 for the lot. I sent out the paperwork and was awaiting the deposit and yesterday she rang to say sorry but she had booked a band and been offered a free DJ.

To be honest after all the work I had put in to convert it I wasn't too happy and didn't say much as I might have said something I shouldn't have. I did ask her who the offer was from and she said Alive Network, they're only just down the road from me and they do actually have some good acts and DJs on their books but they are very expensive...apparently they are offering free DJs at the moment if you book a band. I was on their books and only actually got to do 2 jobs for them in a period of almost 2 years. They rang me a lot at short notice saying they needed me for the coming Saturday and so on and then one day I had a letter from them saying they were taking me off their system as I wasn't ever able to work for them and I was taking up valuable web space...anyway, I digress, as for this client I just said it was ok and wished her all the best. She then said that she knew they prob wouldn't be as good but price was one of their considerations and she would keep my number for anything in the future.

[djsofsomercotes]

:jawdrop: well i hope you got a deposit before you agreed to take the job on,id be gutted after all the trouble to be walking aweay with nothing at all!,and as for the guys who got the job whos books you was on too well id think good riddance if i was you,if they never bothered getting in touch apart from twice in two years then you are better of with out them anyway.:soapbox:

[Andy Goodtimes]

I didn't get a deposit because she hadn't decided exactly what way to go and it was a week or so after meeting her that she phoned to say she wanted to book. I said ok and sent the paperwork out for her to sign and return with her deposit.

As for Alive they rang plenty but it was only twice that I was actually able to work for them, all the other times it was very short notice and I couldn't work for them as I was booked.

[djsofsomercotes]

well in that case it sounds like you didnt need Alive anyway,but it does sound as if they stabbed you in the back by undercutting you

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Silver lining I guess is its a date you should be able to fill but it is annoying when things like this happen.

[djsofsomercotes]

:moon: true

[Daryll]

Had a enquiry a couple of weeks ago for April 2012 in a marquee which is attached to a hotel about 12 miles away

Andy , that is one big marquee , 12 miles long :eek:

:sofa:

Daryll

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Hiay Andy...ive said a few times recently that ive lost out on bands offering to do the DJing too...3 gigs now that spring to mind :(

[hammy]

unlucky buddy

[axeman]

I had a similar situation a couple of months ago, i was booked directly from the lady organiser who was thrilled to get the same dj as she had for previous party. She explained how they were "over the moon" to have my disco again as people were still "enthusing" about the last party

But she called and cancelled 2 days later as she's booked a singer and he could provide a disco for £100.

[CRAZY K]

Had a enquiry a couple of weeks ago for April 2012 in a marquee which is attached to a hotel about 12 miles away, nice enough venue but you have to drive off-road through a forest to get to where you can get resonable access, anyway she wasn't sure if she wanted a band and DJ or just a band or what. I chatted to her and went to meet her and eventually she decided to book me to do the MCing and back-ground in the afternoon and then disco as and when required in-between the band during the evening, it involved a small system in the afternoon and then set-up a full one during the turn round and some uplighting, she hadn't booked a band but was going to see a couple over the following couple of weeks. So all agreed and it wasn't bad...£825 for the lot. I sent out the paperwork and was awaiting the deposit and yesterday she rang to say sorry but she had booked a band and been offered a free DJ.

To be honest after all the work I had put in to convert it I wasn't too happy and didn't say much as I might have said something I shouldn't have. I did ask her who the offer was from and she said Alive Network, they're only just down the road from me and they do actually have some good acts and DJs on their books but they are very expensive...apparently they are offering free DJs at the moment if you book a band. I was on their books and only actually got to do 2 jobs for them in a period of almost 2 years. They rang me a lot at short notice saying they needed me for the coming Saturday and so on and then one day I had a letter from them saying they were taking me off their system as I wasn't ever able to work for them and I was taking up valuable web space...anyway, I digress, as for this client I just said it was ok and wished her all the best. She then said that she knew they prob wouldn't be as good but price was one of their considerations and she would keep my number for anything in the future.

Obviously very frustrating--but when you are involved with large sums of money such as you mention ( not querying the price) its quite likely the client is going to get at least two or three quotes in my experience.

I agree that if your going to spend a lot of time trying to secure highly paid gigs
you either take the attitude some will be successful--some wont-- or charge a fee for the meeting deductible from the final cost.

That weeds out the time wasters.

Its funny but dozens if not hundreds of people have kept my number for the future--but in 30 years no one has rung:eek:

We had a few Barn Dance enquiries from Alive Network--seemed a somewhat impersonal kind of organisation and as we are the complete opposite---very personal, friendly, hands on it went nowhere.

[Andy Goodtimes]

Obviously if Alive are offering the DJ FoC somewhere along the line the client is paying for it anyway. The agency are going to be having their fee too. The client is prob paying double what they would be paying if they contacted the band directly and booked the DJ directly.

[Excalibur]

Obviously if Alive are offering the DJ FoC somewhere along the line the client is paying for it anyway. The agency are going to be having their fee too. The client is prob paying double what they would be paying if they contacted the band directly and booked the DJ directly.

Indeed.But: They probably think that by using an agency, they're getting the services of someone whose day is fille withorganising such things, and whose sole aim is to ensure that everything runs like clockwork. Also, by getting everything from one supplier, they must be getting it cheaper, musn't they? :whistle: :fp:

[funkymook]

Obviously if Alive are offering the DJ FoC somewhere along the line the client is paying for it anyway. The agency are going to be having their fee too. The client is prob paying double what they would be paying if they contacted the band directly and booked the DJ directly.

I've seen more and more bands offer this option (and seen a few in action).
So far it's it's just been a band member with a laptop (and it's been left playing a playlist most of the time).

Not saying that's the case here but I wonder if the client has checked what level of DJ service they are actually getting with this deal.

[Excalibur]

I've seen more and more bands offer this option (and seen a few in action).
So far it's it's just been a band member with a laptop (and it's been left playing a playlist most of the time).

Not saying that's the case here but I wonder if the client has checked what level of DJ service they are actually getting with this deal.

:agree:

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I've seen more and more bands offer this option (and seen a few in action).
So far it's it's just been a band member with a laptop (and it's been left playing a playlist most of the time).

Not saying that's the case here but I wonder if the client has checked what level of DJ service they are actually getting with this deal.


In that case I reckon we should all take up playing the flute and offer it to our clients fight fire with fire:daft:

Just incase it isnt clear I'm joking :)

[funkymook]

In that case I reckon we should all take up playing the flute and offer it to our clients fight fire with fire:daft:

Just incase it isnt clear I'm joking :)

I'm going to start offering a free band with my disco!

11049

[soundtracker]

I'm going to start offering a free band with my disco!

11049

Be careful, Martin won't be happy with you pinching photo's off his website!

[ppentertainments]

She explained how they were "over the moon" to have my disco again as people were still "enthusing" about the last party

Now that is strange :p :p :D :D :D

[Andy Goodtimes]

Did a Wedding show on Sunday...don't usually do them but it was for my res and its kind of part of the deal that I do the MCing and music for the cat walk show and in return they give me first shout on all the work.

I had a singer do 2 numbers before each of the flor shows and he was telling me that he offered a disco with his singing. In-between the shows I got chatting to him...nice guy and not bad singer but he told me that for DJing he used a pre-loaded memory stick plugged into his mixer amp. His singing is kind of gentle swing type stuff and he only has a pair of 10s...Mytec or something like that, anyway they're ok but not really up to disco and as for lighting he has 2 LED battons but they're the older ones and not anything like as bright as the ones that are about now. To sing during the Wedding Breakfast and then do a set plus disco? in the evening £300...In assorted used bank notes of course...lol.

On Sunday he took 2 bookings and had 5 promising enquiries and I took 5 and had loads of enquiries...1 booked since. One lady booked me for Disco and him to sing.