Pre wedding meet ups?

[Spirits High]

Sorry, just find this thread incredible!

The customer meeting isn't just about the venue or about the music. It's about getting to know your client, their aspirations for their big day, how you can play a vital role in that. Then you can get up there and play to them and to their guests much more intimately, and it will show in the performance and your choice of everything you do.

It's also a great upsell tool if you offer complimentary services because once the bond is created you have an established channel.

And as others have mentioned, a good way to get the nastiness of the money side of things all sorted well before the event.



</rant>

It's part of my service to Wedding clients to get things exactly how they want. I using it as a selling point that it's included in the price quoted.

On a good point i'm finding that more and more clients are choosing to pay the balance when we have the meetings.

I'm happy the way I do it, so will continue to do so.

[Steve the DJ]

It seems to be the trendy thing to do to have these meetings but for me they seem embarrasingly unecessary.

I don't understand what is "trendy" about wanting to meet your service suppliers in advance, especially when (many) clients are investing ever higher sums for our services?

They ask will you really play requests. Can we have this tune or that tune. Talk about first dance and final dance etc. When and how they are going to pay, Within 5 to 10 minutes the conversation is exhausted and I ask "Is there anything else you want to ask?" Generally the answer is no and we part with the usual words like "If you think of anything else dont hesitate to give me a ring or speak to me on the night."

I allocate an hour for a client meeting and get loads of useful information, I think you need some more questions!

Maybe for you, but not for me.
If I've met the bride & groom in advance, I look forward to the gig more & also feel happier on my arrival...

...rather than turning up & introducing myself to a couple of complete strangers.

Me too.

Might come unstuck if you were giving them a "free" consultation... probably best to say that the fee "includes" one but that it's not a discount point if not used.

I don't think you have to tell them you have factored a possible meeting into the price you charge, just do it and if they don't want one then that is their choice.

I do not offer a discount if a client doesn't have a meeting with me.

[theoloyla]

I don't understand what is "trendy" about wanting to meet your service suppliers in advance, especially when (many) clients are investing ever higher sums for our services?



I allocate an hour for a client meeting and get loads of useful information, I think you need some more questions

Maybe I do. I really do find that I can establish a relationship and get all the information I need by phone, print and e-mail. In my opininion face to face meetings are just a load of flannel.

[Steve the DJ]

I really do find that I can establish a relationship and get all the information I need by phone, print and e-mail. In my opininion face to face meetings are just a load of flannel.

Then we will have to agree to disagree because in my experience, with the type of client I am after (i.e. happy to pay £400+), communicating only by phone or via email just isn't good enough.

As an example I have just taken a Wedding booking priced at £495 because I was the only DJ that they contacted who was happy to meet with them in advance and discuss their plans.

It obviously comes down to the type of person I guess.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Then we will have to agree to disagree because in my experience, with the type of client I am after (i.e. happy to pay £400+), communicating only by phone or via email just isn't good enough.

As an example I have just taken a Wedding booking priced at £495 because I was the only DJ that they contacted who was happy to meet with them in advance and discuss their plans.

It obviously comes down to the type of person I guess.

Not the type of person. The individual.

I also work in the same market, price wise as you Steve, but don't meet with many of my clients.

[Steve the DJ]

Interesting, I wonder if it's because I push it as "the best way to do things" as I love how it benefits me as much (or maybe even more) as them?

P.S. Missed you at the pub last night, I had to talk to Phil and he is far too sensible...

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Interesting, I wonder if it's because I push it as "the best way to do things" as I love how it benefits me as much (or maybe even more) as them?

Perhaps, but I think we had this convo at the pub last time. It makes it more difficult when you are a multi op and the DJ might not be me.

P.S. Missed you at the pub last night, I had to talk to Phil and he is far too sensible...

Hehe...

I completely forgot.

I was stuck doing paperwork till 10:30pm, then I suddenly remembered which is when I rang Phil, but I think you' gone by then.

Next time....

[Steve the DJ]

Perhaps, but I think we had this convo at the pub last time. It makes it more difficult when you are a multi op and the DJ might not be me.

I think it is definitely easier for me to manage as I work alone.

Hehe...

I completely forgot.

I was stuck doing paperwork till 10:30pm, then I suddenly remembered which is when I rang Phil, but I think you' gone by then.

Next time....

Not a problem, I'll catch you next time.

I had to shoot back and spend 3 hours saving the data in my DJ Intelligence account which is just about to expire as I have just swapped to DJ Event Planner...

[Excalibur]

Maybe I do. I really do find that I can establish a relationship and get all the information I need by phone, print and e-mail. In my opininion face to face meetings are just a load of flannel.

Then we will have to agree to disagree because in my experience, with the type of client I am after (i.e. happy to pay £400+), communicating only by phone or via email just isn't good enough.

As an example I have just taken a Wedding booking priced at £495 because I was the only DJ that they contacted who was happy to meet with them in advance and discuss their plans.

It obviously comes down to the type of person I guess.

It also comes down to the age of the DJ. I would only differ slightly from what Theo has said.

Not the type of person. The individual.

I also work in the same market, price wise as you Steve, but don't meet with many of my clients.

Not surprising, if the meter's running from when you turn the ignition key!

[CRAZY K]

Sorry, just find this thread incredible!

The customer meeting isn't just about the venue or about the music. It's about getting to know your client, their aspirations for their big day, how you can play a vital role in that. Then you can get up there and play to them and to their guests much more intimately, and it will show in the performance and your choice of everything you do.

It's also a great upsell tool if you offer complimentary services because once the bond is created you have an established channel.

And as others have mentioned, a good way to get the nastiness of the money side of things all sorted well before the event.

Time to make a decision... either offer meetings as part of the bundle (even if that's a wedding-specific bundle) or don't. The majority of my wedding clients are based on the North Island and yet getting to meet with them never seems to be a problem and I'm just as busy in my 'other lives' as you if not more so.

It's not uncommon with some of my "Platinum" customers who go on to book other services through me to have 2 or 3 meetings before the event. After the first, they're happy to pay for more.

</rant>

Its alright when you live on a small Island AND your offering extras that you get paid for.

Many of my gigs are 100 miles away--the dog and bone plus email works just fine.

I have just come off the phone from a Wedding client --three weeks time--
we only discussed four things--

First dance--they cant dance very well so we dont have one--we do a Barn Dance mixer to start with--

Music to play
Music not to play Birdie Song---drat

Where do they get Cowboy Hats

I didnt get a playlist --

The clients attitude is --youve done hundreds of these so we will leave the basics to you heres some guidelines and "requests"

Works for me EVERYTIME

Nastiness of money---

CRAZY K