My view on client meetings

[ppentertainments]

Seems to be quite an active topic of discussion at the moment and I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to this.

2 years ago I would have said a meeting was an essential part of the booking process and I met up with EVERY couple at least once, normally twice. Now though I very very rarely meet in person.

From a personal point of view I like to meet and do feel more confident on the night knowing I have met, however from a business perspective holding meetings was not really a priority. This year I did not increase my prices, but looked at cutting costs, meetings being a large factor in cutting costs. I will meet if a couple ask, but do not initiate the requirement to meet. So far this has made absolutely no difference at all, in fact a lot of people I have spoke to prefer NOT to meet.

For next year I have increased my prices whilst also carrying on with my cost cutting that I implemented this year. For me the 'business' decisions are more important than what I would personally like to do.

[ukpartydj]

Aldi and sainsburys both sell very similar quality food.
One rushes you through the till charges for bags and doesn't have a customer service desk it needs to be done via the cashier. The other is the opposite but far more expensive.

Same applies... No meetings - no customer service desk.
It doesn't mean the food is worse. Just you might have a more pleasant experience in sainsburys.

[Nakatomi]

Yes but when people who command fees ten times what I currently get are saying they don't feel the need, cost is hardly a valid motivation is it?

Uh oh. Not another pricing discussion!

I see meetings as just another line of communication. They probably help break the ice too.

Would it be worth an hour of your time going to see a prospective client? Now there's a much more interesting question IMHO.

[Benny Smyth]

Would it be worth an hour of your time going to see a prospective client? Now there's a much more interesting question IMHO.

I'd like to make a slight addendum to that: An hour of time that you'd be getting paid for.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

You could also look at it as the whole customer service experience from start to finish and not just "doing a Disco".
Good communication is vital in my opinion. If the customer emails you or calls you with reference to their booking you should be able to get back to them as soon as possible.
I always thinking meeting them is part of the job. Ok, it's not essential to some but to me, it is.

I had a meeting with a Bride & Groom on Sunday and all they did for the first 5 minutes was compliment me on the service and I hadn't even played a song yet (wedding is next week). They then proceeded to tell me about the stress they've had trying to get communication from the chair covers woman. This is stressing the Bride out and the Groom (who is a very nice guy but pulls no punches) says that now it doesn't matter if she does a great job on the day and is there on time, the stress she has caused the 2 of them will result in negative feedback once their day is over.

I always say to my customers if they've booked me a year in advance....Don't think that I am just going to take your booking fee and then you won't hear anything from me until a few days before the wedding or whatever the booking is....Keep in touch with any updates or information you think I need to know and I will meet with you a week or two before the booking to finalise everything.

[Benny Smyth]

You could also look at it as the whole customer service experience from start to finish and not just "doing a Disco".
Good communication is vital in my opinion. If the customer emails you or calls you with reference to their booking you should be able to get back to them as soon as possible.
I always thinking meeting them is part of the job. Ok, it's not essential to some but to me, it is.

I had a meeting with a Bride & Groom on Sunday and all they did for the first 5 minutes was compliment me on the service and I hadn't even played a song yet (wedding is next week). They then proceeded to tell me about the stress they've had trying to get communication from the chair covers woman. This is stressing the Bride out and the Groom (who is a very nice guy but pulls no punches) says that now it doesn't matter if she does a great job on the day and is there on time, the stress she has caused the 2 of them will result in negative feedback once their day is over.

I always say to my customers if they've booked me a year in advance....Don't think that I am just going to take your booking fee and then you won't hear anything from me until a few days before the wedding or whatever the booking is....Keep in touch with any updates or information you think I need to know and I will meet with you a week or two before the booking to finalise everything.

I've said this a million times already, but I do believe it to be true: I think weddings are incredibly easy to organise. The only problem is people - whether it's the B&G themselves, friends and family chiming in or suppliers making things difficult. Obviously we as DJs have no control over a lot of things but part of what we do is to make the B&G's life little easier. "This is what I want, can you do it?" "Yes." "Excellent. Here's some money, now go make that happen." It's when I hear of DJs that inform their clients that they will require X amount of space, Y amount of 13 amp plug sockets that makes me think "Hold on, aren't you getting paid to sort this out yourself?"

[ppentertainments]

An hour of time that you'd be getting paid for.

Don't follow that ?

[Benny Smyth]

Don't follow that ?

If you've included the pre-event meeting into your fee, you're getting paid for it.

[ppentertainments]

If you've included the pre-event meeting into your fee, you're getting paid for it.

Or your offering something for free ;-)
If you are paid for it would you reduce your fee if the client didn't want a meeting and would you include this fee if asked for a price breakdown ?

[Benny Smyth]

Or your offering something for free ;-)
If you are paid for it would you reduce your fee if the client didn't want a meeting and would you include this fee if asked for a price breakdown ?

If you do it for free, then you'd be silly.

And in answer to your question, no I wouldn't reduce my fee. It's a service that I offer and provide and clients are aware of this when they book me. If they so choose to not take advantage of that (which, to date, has never happened) then that is their choice.