How do you sell yourself at Wedding Fairs

[DiscoMagic]

As the season of Wedding Fairs once again come around, I was wondering how those of you who partake in such ventures sell your self to those all important Bride and Grooms?

How do you engage the passing traffic?

What do you do to get their interest?

How do you sell yourself?

How long do you spend with each person?

Do you take bookings on day?

What have you found that works and what doesn't?

[yourdj]

Do something different and listen to the bride instead of trying to sell. Massage the grooms ego as he will be bored as hell.

Also get a pitch near to the front so they are not overloaded.

Do not set up loads of gear - just bring yourself and some promotional items and give aways. Thats my advice anyway.

[Shaun]

I took on a lot of advice from the forum. But what I found worked best for me was smiling and handing a brochure to everyone that passed by. The ones that took the time to stop and chat I knew I stood a good chance with. What worked for me was an easy going approach and avoiding the hard sell. Just answering their specific questions, and I also didn't bother taking any details on the day from them to follow up. It seemed like a lot of other suppliers were busy taking down details and I imagined it would be getting a bit repetitive for the brides - so I took a different approach. I've did reasonably well out of most of the fairs I've did, and I felt comfortable with my approach to them on the day. So far it sems to be working ok for me.

Best of luck for your upcoming wedding fairs. :beer1:

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I do it differently to the rest of you I guess.

I don't impose myself on anyone. I am visible enough to everybody but not overpowering (no full set up etc). I let them come to me. That may be the wrong thing to do in everyone elses eyes but it works for me. At the last 3 wedding fayres I have done I have taken on 13 bookings, 11 bookings and 9 bookings.

I have monitors showing a slideshow of the services I offer and I play background music too with a wedding, laid back theme. My brochures and cards are all on view and when someone is nearby and picks up one, it's then that I will start chatting to them. If they have already found Disco Entertainment, I won't write it off as I will ask if they have thought about any other services such as Uplighting.

To answer the questions from the OP -

What do you do to get their interest? - Slideshows, not being too imposing and not trying to be a hardcore salesman.

How do you sell yourself? - Being friendly, saying that I am very 'Request Friendly' and asking questions myself - For example: Have you ever been to a Mobile Disco and hated it? What did you hate about it? Stuff like that.

How long do you spend with each person? - As long as I need to. I have found in the past that I have started chatting and people have listened in and then come back a bit later. I try to get as much information across as possible and from them too. I will get a date, venue and contact details for the enquirer first of all.

Do you take bookings on day? - Yes. I don't generally take booking fees on the day but have done in the past. I have some made up booking forms that I can jot their details down on and I advise that the proper forms will be in the post as soon as possible. I do offer a slight discount if the enquirer wants to secure the booking on the day.

What have you found that works and what doesn't? - I have found that letting them come to me works for ME. It might not work for everyone but it does for me. I also find that not taking a full set up works. The customer knows what a Disco looks like and showing slideshows of your set up work just as well.

Last year I did a wedding fayre and another company were in the same room as me. Their set up was far too over the top anyway and took up far too much room (trussing, par cans...a full on show), but the funny thing was that the company are a 'jack of all trades' company and offer everything from cupcakes and invitations to chair covers. It's also funny to find out that the Disco Entertainment is actually NOT what they concentrate on and is mainly an add-on. Apparently (speaking to customers and other companies who know of this one), they charge silly prices for everything else and then you more or less get the Disco free if you book this, that and the other.

[Spirits High]

I like to think I know what I'm doing at fayres as I've done quite a few with pretty good success rates :D

What's already in the thread is good advice. I'm a firm believer in NOT taking the rig with me as it's the service the B&G's are buying.

The way I've found is to "engage" them in the "niceitys" (made up word ;) ) how's the planning going , blah blah blah then ask if they've got their DJ sorted. If they have then great wish them all the best and they'll move on.

If they haven't then chat to them about it, have they got a date & venue (if it's a venue you know tell them how lovely it is and you've been there before etc), Tell them about your service you offer.

I usually end the conversation with something like "would you like to leave an email address so I can send you some more information & a quote?"

Again if they do great if they say No then just point them to the web address on the flyers.

Oh, one thing don't have sweets etc on the stand as you'll just attract kids and they'll end up blocking you from potential clients.

And the most important thing is to :D and make them feel special


Good Luck!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Spot on advice! You said exactly what I wanted to in a condensed way.
I also ask about their plans, do they have a date and venue etc and it gets the conversation going. As you said, if it's a venue you know you can tell them how nice it is etc (even if it isn't). It's also a good way of sussing out where they are having their wedding because you may have been there before and experienced things like sound limiters etc...

[DiscoMagic]

Guys

Thank you sooo much for this, really valuable advice :D :D :beer1:

[DJ Davy]

As said before, I do not go for the hard sell. I hand out flyers with full details on and also offer to take their email address to forward information to them. I was supplying sound and lighting for the catwalk show so had plenty of gear with me.
On my stand I had a starcloth behind me with a 16 inch mirror ball hanging in front of it, four mini moving heads projecting pink hearts onto the roof and a white ADJ spherion on the table beside my laptop.
For the catwalk I had two truss towers, 2 larger moving heads and four megabars in for uplighting
I would not normally take so much gear in but the spherion and starcloth drew the customers towards me. I took two bookings specifically requesting the starcloths... a fifty pound add on! as the clients didnt like the stage area of their venue. Another two because they seen the uplighting.
I got seven bookings from the last fayre, with only 100 punters attending due to the bad weather.

[diydisco]

yeah the minimalist approach is always recommended, i find its all about the add ons!

[DeckstarDeluxe]

See I'm quite different in my approach to Paul as I take a small PA and the booth but I still have a success booking rate, reason being is Paul is good at selling "Paul" and I'm good at selling me which is what it boils down to. People buy people.

[DerekPen]

If you want to engage a bride and get her to focus on entertainment ask her to describe how she envisions her wedding reception in just Three Words?

Then tell her that you are THE BEST wedding DJ in your area.

"I work with you to create fantastic entertainment which you and your guests will be talking about long after your big day"

When can we meet up to discuss your plans in more detail?

Make the appointment!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Then tell her that you are THE BEST wedding DJ in your area.



And how would you know that?

What would it be based on?

[Dynamic Entertainment]

My top tips...

1. get a table where theres a decent throughflow of traffic...ive been at fayres where they almost insist in sticking the entertainemnt in the far corner...brides will walk down there for table decorations, but not entertainment (usually) ;)

2. Dont have your whole set up at the table....I usually have a couple of uplighters if im near a wall, and just my promo banner, video display and promo material.

3. Dont go for the sell...ask what they want out of their entertainment...ive had a few where they wanted bands and not a DJ so i handed over a few numbers of good bands that play whet they want...nearly all have came back and booked a disco aswell on the basis of me being helpful.

4. Run the fashion show/compere....this works very well for me. I dont have the PA set up near my table, but can keep an eye on it from where I'm at usually. It gives people chance to see you working 9in a roundabout way0 and has secured me plenty of bookings as the showman personality and the person are two different "people" ;)

5. If they arnt ready to book, take a few details (if they are willing)...this is usually the case if the bride is there with their mother and wants to discuss it with the groom. I offer to take their details and give them a call at a later date and meet them in a more personal environment rto discuss their requirements.

[DerekPen]

And how would you know that?

What would it be based on?

It's based upon belief.

If you don't believe you are the best then who will?

Also, remember this is "Marketing"

Its Ok to be "The Best" Its a subjective remark which can't be proved or disproved.

It will however beg the B&G to ask you to support the statement and therby give you the opportunity to sit down with them and explain how you can help them.

PS: It would also help if you had a couple of testimonials which also support your claim. Lets face it most of us have these from satisfied customers.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Sorry Derek but I'm going to disagree with you there and would compare the use of "the best" with "professional" as a thrown away comment that doesn't really register with your client. Using a term to help sell your particular USP is far more effective.

[Mark Wild]

If you want to engage a bride and get her to focus on entertainment ask her to describe how she envisions her wedding reception in just Three Words?

Then tell her that you are THE BEST wedding DJ in your area.

"I work with you to create fantastic entertainment which you and your guests will be talking about long after your big day"

When can we meet up to discuss your plans in more detail?

Make the appointment!

Don't you think that might come across as rather conceited? I'm all for positive marketing and being proud of the service you offer, but I feel the bride might think you're a bit of a :Censored: if you said that to her.

[DerekPen]

feel free to disagree.

disagreement is healthy.

Sometimes in Marketing we need to distance ourself from what we believe other people's reactions will be to what we do or say.

predicting what someone will think or say in reply to what we do or say is guesswork?

Sometimes this limits the reaction we are seeking.
In other words we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to marketing.

Why shouldn't you be "The Best"? does modesty have a part to play in marketing?

Are Heinz the best baked beans? who Knows? who Cares?
Heinz believe they are!

[Dynamic Entertainment]

feel free to disagree.

disagreement is healthy.

Sometimes in Marketing we need to distance ourself from what we believe other people's reactions will be to what we do or say.

predicting what someone will think or say in reply to what we do or say is guesswork?

Sometimes this limits the reaction we are seeking.
In other words we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to marketing.

Why shouldn't you be "The Best"? does modesty have a part to play in marketing?

Are Heinz the best baked beans? who Knows? who Cares?
Heinz believe they are!

All well and good as long ad you don't write it down ;)

[Corabar Entertainment]

As a buyer, if I was speaking to anyone, and they said they were the best, that would be as far as the sales pitch would get.

As has been suggested in the thread already, several adjectives would immediately spring to mind, and none of them would be favourable. I would immediately dismiss whatever they were selling, and take everything else they said with a pinch of salt (if I bothered to let them to continue to speak at all, that is, rather than instantly walking away).

[Richard Veal]

Yep - agree with all the comments there.
I also think it's important to find out the venue asap in the conversation. If the reception is in the local manor where your research has told you they are on average £65 a head for the wedding breakfast you know there is a decent budget available. If the venue is the dog and duck for £5 a head then I know where to start my pitch at.
In my opinion knowing the prices of your local venues is key in the negotiaion. You could end up belittling someone by not knowing this background information.