Meetings

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I've just had an email requesting a meeting before the couple have booked anything.

The function is a wedding next August.

I'm not sure whether to charge them for the meeting or to tell them I'll take it off the final balance when and if they book.

What do you think?

[Danno13]

For me, it would depend on the value of the potential gig, and how far you have to travel to meet them. I've probably been on around 7-8 meetings before anything was booked, and out of them, only 1 didn't come to anything.

[NKR]

Depends how far away it is.

If you think about it if you were a builder pitching for a job you would need to turn up, check the job out and then price the job with a chance of not getting it.

We do meetings prior to bookings at no charge and have always got them all. You can treat it as the face to face consultation, get as much detail as possible then do final details closer to date on the phone as you have already met them.

[Vectis]

Having built the cost of a meeting into my base package price, and having never yet failed to convert a pre-booking meeting, I'd go for it.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Just to change the scenario slightly...

If you were multi-op, would it make any difference whether you attended he meeting or charged them?

[DazzyD]

I would rather do the sales process face to face than over the telephone. It's much easier to sell yourself and your services in person.

I would definitely do the meeting even though there was a chance of not converting it to a sale. As far as sales leads go they don't get any hotter than a potential client asking you to meet with them to discuss their requirements in person.

[Digitalsounds]

Daz,

I had this once and it turned into one of the largest weddings we have ever done so much so i had to hire in a Void stasys from jamie

[Corabar Entertainment]

Steve & I usually do he initial meetings - with the understanding that we will match the right DJ for the job when we have the full details.

As others have said, any we have done this for have ended up booking us (actually, I tell a lie - one didn't a few years ago, but they were getting a lot of pressure from the venue to use their 'resident')

We have always provided this free of charge (but if it were for a long distance job, then I am not sure that would be practical)

In reality, most people just want to talk to someone face to face to make sure you aren't complete idiots!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I wouldn't charge them and if you end up getting the booking then great.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

It's much easier to sell yourself in person.


That is part of the problem. I am not selling myself and feel that even if I tell them the DJ may not be me, they may be expecting me.

[Corabar Entertainment]

That is part of the problem. I am not selling myself and feel that even if I tell them the DJ may not be me, they may be expecting me.
We've turned that one around into a selling point: stating that until we have full details of their requirements, we won't know which DJ is the most suited to their particular event. Never been an issue as they think (rightly) that you are looking out for their best interests

[Shakermaker Promotions]

That is part of the problem. I am not selling myself and feel that even if I tell them the DJ may not be me, they may be expecting me.

When I am in that scenario I always make it clear that it will not be as I have been specifically requested to do another booking, however...all of the details and information from the meeting is transferred to a DJ sheet for the DJ so that they know what is expected from them at that function.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

When I am in that scenario I always make it clear that it will not be as I have been specifically requested to do another booking, however...all of the details and information from the meeting is transferred to a DJ sheet for the DJ so that they know what is expected from them at that function.

Yeah, I tell them that anyway, but I think the reason a lot of clients want to meet the DJ beforehand is so that they feel comfortable with him.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Steve & I usually do he initial meetings -



And they still book? :eek: :D

[Shakermaker Promotions]

That's the funny thing though Darren. I don't get people asking to meet me because I always offer to anyway. It is in my 'welcome/thanks for booking' email so they don't get a choice.

When I did the wedding fayre the other week I made a joke about it saying that nearer the time of their function I would arrange to meet up with them when it's convenient for them to go through their expectations for the evening along with any specific requests and the Do's and Dont's...and to also drink their coffee and eat their biscuits. It put them at ease and everyone had a good laugh about it.

[ppentertainments]

Yeah, I tell them that anyway, but I think the reason a lot of clients want to meet the DJ beforehand is so that they feel comfortable with him.

Have to agree with you on that one. Although I have not got many DJ's workng for me, I feel people are under the impression that if you are making the effort to meet, then you will put all your resources and personally oversee everything (including the actual DJ'ing).

The way I run my business is a bit different. As we have so many 'lower paid' venues around here I let the other DJ's do them and I do the 'higher paying gigs' - limited to 1 per night. So any meeting I attend, I am 99% sure I will be their DJ.

Could there be any way of allocating the DJ before the meeting, or even have a folder with your DJ's profiles so the client will still have confidence no matter which DJ you send ??

I have started offering such meetings and have approx 80% take up with 100% conversion so they are worth doing in that respect.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Could there be any way of allocating the DJ before the meeting

Before I have any information? I wouldn't have thought so...;)

[DJNutter]

Thats a toughy,

I suppose once you have sold all the extras and got the deposit you could tell them that you will have to supply an equal or better :p Dj as you will be indisposed. ;)

[Corabar Entertainment]

Unless I hear otherwise, I'm going to assume that last post was a joke! :eek:

[ppentertainments]

Before I have any information? I wouldn't have thought so...;)
You would have a good idea beforehand or 'suggest' a DJ during the meeting, but have your DJ profiles with you to encourage the client of the 'type' of person you use. :)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Thats a toughy,

I suppose once you have sold all the extras and got the deposit you could tell them that you will have to supply an equal or better :p Dj as you will be indisposed. ;)


Unless I hear otherwise, I'm going to assume that last post was a joke! :eek:

Even if it wasn't I'd never do something as unethical as that. People always know that there is more than one DJ and it won't always be me.


You would have a good idea beforehand or 'suggest' a DJ during the meeting, but have your DJ profiles with you to encourage the client of the 'type' of person you use. :)

Good idea, but I can tell the client about my guys - I don't need profiles.

[Corabar Entertainment]

Good idea, but I can tell the client about my guys - I don't need profiles.Exactly what we do, and also offer to have te DJ give them a ring if they want. (Surprisingly, only one or two have ever taken us up on that offer as they've said that they trust us to pick the right one for them)

[Vectis]

Offer yourself for a significantly increased fee?

As in, "I can only be in one place at a time so I'm willing to DJ your wedding personally but that'll be an extra £150" ?

Gotta be worth a shot... :o

[DJNutter]

Even if it wasn't I'd never do something as unethical as that.


Wow tough crowd. :attn: I'll try to curb my sense of humour

Seriously I would go and sell your service £10 fuel outlay. Worth a punt :)

[Corabar Steve]

And they still book? :eek: :D
Remember, I know where you live. :sj:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Offer yourself for a significantly increased fee?

As in, "I can only be in one place at a time so I'm willing to DJ your wedding personally but that'll be an extra £150" ?

Gotta be worth a shot... :o

I considered doing that years ago, but that is like saying that I am better than the rest which I don't think is a good idea (Even if it is true :D )


Remember, I know where you live. :sj:

You know where I used to live. ;)

[Corabar Steve]

& I have your new address. (& a sat nav that works) :P

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

& I have your new address. (& a sat nav that works) :P

About time you paid a visit to Thomas Towers anyway.

I do believe I promised Ang a meal before she went AWOL. ;)

[Corabar Steve]

Indeed, we'll have to sort something out before the silly season starts.

[Corabar Entertainment]

About time you paid a visit to Thomas Towers anyway.

I do believe I promised Ang a meal before she went AWOL. ;)So you did, Mr Thomas! :D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Indeed, we'll have to sort something out before the silly season starts.




I do believe I promised Ang a meal before she went AWOL. ;)

We'll?

I said I promised Ang a meal, not you, you hippy :boxer2: :sj:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

So you did, Mr Thomas! :D

Yeah, just remembered after 10 months of being here. :o

[Corabar Entertainment]

Yeeeees...... I remember what it was like almost a year ago! :eek: :eek: :eek: (red hot phone!)

[rob1963]

That is part of the problem. I am not selling myself and feel that even if I tell them the DJ may not be me, they may be expecting me.

I guess that's one of the disadvantages of being a multi-op.

You can go along as the director of the company & answer all their questions, but they can't meet the DJ until you have found out what kind of booking it is & which of the appropriate DJs are available to do the gig...which might just put them off booking.

It's crucial to tell them the DJ probably won't be you, as I've had a few agency bookings where the client clearly expected their DJ to be the person they's been dealing with on the phone or via email...and weren't too happy when they found out that wasn't the case.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

It's crucial to tell them the DJ probably won't be you, as I've had a few agency bookings where the client clearly expected their DJ to be the person they's been dealing with on the phone or via email...and weren't too happy when they found out that wasn't the case.

Unless people ask for me personally, then they always get told. I never ever tell people it is going to be me if it wasn't. I used to work for an agency years ago and they used to tell someone it would be one of he bosses and then send me whih was very embarrassing, so I swore I'd never do that.

[Shaun]

I've just had an email requesting a meeting before the couple have booked anything.

The function is a wedding next August.

I'm not sure whether to charge them for the meeting or to tell them I'll take it off the final balance when and if they book.

What do you think?

For me it would depend if the meeting was local to me, anything over 10 miles and I charge.

I've been in the same situation you've mentioned 3 times in the last few years. The last two meetings were arranged within my local area so I didn't charge them. The first meeting was 60 miles away, so I charged a fee to cover my travel and time.

I booked all of them, so all's well that ends well.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Well, I think the general concencus on here has changed my mind, as I always feel I should be charging for everything.

I have emailed them back and asked if there was a particular reason they wanted a face to face?

[Ferks]

Personally, I wouldn't charge for a meeting with clients before anything was booked. A sparks or a builder wouldn't charge you for a quote!

I think I'd be put off hiring you if I was the client and you were charging for a meeting before I'd booked you.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't charge them though, it's your decision.... :)

[rob1963]

Personally, I wouldn't charge for a meeting with clients before anything was booked. A sparks or a builder wouldn't charge you for a quote!

I think I'd be put off hiring you if I was the client and you were charging for a meeting before I'd booked you.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't charge them though, it's your decision.... :)

:agree: