Do you always meet potential clients who request a meeting?

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Originally Posted by Shakermaker Promotions

I didn't and don't like feeling like I am in some kind of audition and have to sell myself and prove myself to people.

Toby, in the new house that I have bought there is a 24ft x 13ft garden room that I am going to make into a club house / office type place and I think what I may do is start inviting customers that have already booked me round there for the meetings. I have a few ideas for it once I am settled (mind you, it may change into a bar with pol table, dart board and projector screen etc!).

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Its horses for courses, a bit like the all day hosting it possibly only suits certain people perhaps? i have a great time when meeting with clients. i rarely sell myself, sounds like you got a bad one. i had a couple the other day and i literally got nothing back from them. They were lovely, but very shy. They had only booked the venue the day before, so did not know what to do so I think I baffled them with detail. They both did not work and were about 20/21, so I did not set my hopes high. Anyhow, they booked for a £1,500 package the next day and paid in full!! I emailed the photographer, priming him to bring a lot of content to keep the meeting flowing and they also booked the biggest package?? We think they have inheritance, won the lottery or something. ;)

Perhaps going into a sales meeting at "selling yourself" is a mistake, although it sounds like you met the sort of client I don't like to attract. Having said that you can get a conflict of personality, where no matter what you do the client will just not like you, my only complaint came from a blinding residency wedding. I went specifically to her house as she could not be bothered to come to the venue. We added in free uplighting and the disco was brilliant. My assistant says it was one of the best that year in terms of requests and dancing. Hey ho, her photographer and good friend said she was a "pain", but it still really upset me. :(

As per per sales meetings, answering their questions is the best thing and offering advice on other aspects of their event is really great as it shows your more than just another DJ. I tend to start each meeting with, how are your plans and what other suppliers do you need. I then email them later with my recommendations. Many people mention that I was not very pushy and passionate about what I do, which I suppose is the sort of sales person i would want to meet if I was planning a wedding.

Club house sound lovely! I think having a room with all your extras set up and a little bar seeing juices and coffees is great. You can also have a big telly, pretend you have to get some more milk and leave them watching a showreel that you don't have on the website. I like the idea of a little 1-2 bed chalet type house with bathroom/lounge etc. For circa £40,000 you can have somewhere to work from and get rid of the kids when they reach teenage years: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Award-Winn...4AAOSwNSxVCZja

If we went for a self build i am wondering if we could build this first and then build the actual house a few years down the line?? Beats living in a caravan. The other option is to buy a small house in a nice location, build this and then develop the house bit by bit over 10 years. Big plot in Salisbury area with a small house £300, cabin and building costs £50. sorted. I think having that as a demo room really could not show your passion for your trade any more!! You can have a duplicate of most optional extras and demonstrate them in a Jules holland fashion, while they sip on an organic smoothie or latte. ;)

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Originally Posted by Excalibur

Interesting views lads, and I don't think there's a cast iron best answer, ( other than if it's a fresh venue, then meeting there is by far the best option.

Whether Benny's kitchen, or Gary's chillout lounge give a better impression than an office, well I genuinely don't know. There's a lot to be said for customer's homes, as they should feel at ease there.

There are plusses and minuses for each, and I've had meetings in venues, customers' homes, and my own. Basically, the customer has the choice.

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I never conduct meetings at home (well now I've just brought a house that may change) but I prefer meeting at their home, venue or local pub/coffee shop.

In terms of the setting I think it should reflect the sort of personality dare I say it you are. I don't really think the environment has that much impact its more about the person.

I would like to add that in the 11+ years I have been self-employed and as a business I have never had a customer come to my house for a meeting. The only time they have is either to drop off a booking fee, memory stick or booking form etc because they have been passing or it has been easier for them to do so and I don't mind that at all.

The main reason I don't do it at the moment and never have done is because I have a big old boxer and obviously not everyone likes dogs!

Toby, one of my ideas of using the chill out area (once it's done) to host meetings etc is along the lines of what you said. If everything goes as I want it to then it will have some uplighting units in so that I can show the customers colour options. I can also have the iPad linked to one of my projectors for slideshows, videos and other bits.
The place is big and at least 50 feet away from the rest of the house.

With reference to my experience with the mansion and what felt like an audition - I think you're right. It appeared to me that the woman was the boss on that occasion and what she said was the law...ha! ha! The guy was absolutely fine with me and we got on well. He asked questions, I answered them. He asked if this or that was possible and I answered but she didn't seem interested. If I remember correctly, it was his parents mansion that I met them at. It was all very nose in the air and I guess she just wasn't that keen on me. I gave them (her) no reason to dis-like me so it must have just been a feeling or first impressions but remember, I felt the same about her and came away feeling uncomfortable anyway.

The likelihood in reality is that it will be a while before customers come to the house because I will have to get myself familiar with a lot of venues I haven't been to before so meeting them there will be preferable (for both of us I expect).

Like Peter said though, as long as the customer is happy and comfortable then that's what matters isn't it.

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Originally Posted by DeckstarDeluxe

I don't really think the environment has that much impact its more about the person.

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its all about relevance I think? A bar or pub is somewhere people go to socialise so it makes sense. i don't like peoples houses as they are comfortable, but at times too comfortable. there are far too many distractions and people will react to them. My no1 bug bear is when they leave the TV on, pander about with a toddler demanding attention on answer the flipping phone!!

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Originally Posted by Shakermaker Promotions

Toby, one of my ideas of using the chill out area (once it's done) to host meetings etc is along the lines of what you said. If everything goes as I want it to then it will have some uplighting units in so that I can show the customers colour options. I can also have the iPad linked to one of my projectors for slideshows, videos and other bits. The place is big and at least 50 feet away from the rest of the house.

it was his parents mansion that I met them at. It was all very nose in the air and I guess she just wasn't that keen on me.

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Again i don't like people coming to my actual house as I feel they will judge me or I will have a distraction. With a professional designated meeting area that is alleviated. Its also somewhere to get away from the family and also to have some awesome parties!! :)

I have found that at BIG houses, understandably the client will be very selective who they have in their residence for the night. People who are self made are the worst as they are so scared to go back to where they came from. I was brought up in a large house so it means nothing to me as i was just as happy in the 4 bed my mum got after the divorce, living in a nice place and having harmony is key. Most probably it was his parents house if he was that laid back. If he booked the meeting then she may have had no say and you were just not what she wanted. i get that quite often with clients, which is why i try and maintain coms by email before, through information pages. At some point the other half will see it and they will both be on side prior to the meeting.

I the person actually owns the house and has lived like that for some time then it is not such an issue. :)