This is why im finding it difficult

[soundmaster mobile disco]

At present i dont seem to be getting many bookings in my own area.perhaps this will explain why.I was asked to quote for a wedding reception,where i would be sharing the night with a band,so i gave the bride my quote and explained about my pat test.pli,back up gear ect.

this is how she replied to my email.

Thank you for taking the time to provide me with a quote. I have now booked checkers to provide me with my disco for my wedding as they offered a really competitive price and took the time to discuss how they would set up alongside the band so we have decided to go with them.


I then asked what she was getting for that price.the reply was

Hi Gary,



Yes, checked all that out to and he’s PAT tested and has insurance. Checkers were not the cheapest quote but what sealed the deal for me was he took the time to call me and discuss a number of issues to do with the wedding. In that phone call he discussed being PAT tested, his public liability insurance, how he could set up alongside the band do everyone was happy and music he would play to suit the mood.

If I’m being honest, you were the most expensive quote. All the other quotes were in the £100- £185 mark for the time we wanted them to play.

Also within that price he is offering a contract, so they are committed to date and price as well as a video screen within the equipment that will play my wedding photo’s throughout the night.


Anyone else had this kind of reply?

[Tony Scott]

Never had that kind of reply before but it sounds like the phone call did the trick rather than just an email... did they supply a phone number for you to call?

This is interesting as I very rarely talk to my clients over the phone if they have enquired by email. Usually if they have made the initial enquiry by email then all of our correspondence is done that way. I seem to have a pretty good conversion rate from enquiries to bookings so I don't think it affects me too much.

Sorry you're finding it difficult at present... :(

[TONYTIGER]

Yes what Tony says goes for me to most leads come from email but i think it is very important to talk to the client by phone it is so much more personal and i feel the client will get a better feel that you are capable re your telephone manner.I recently had a enquiry from down under and the client was most impressed that i took the time and effort to ring him hey presto £400 gig secured oh it was in the UK i will travel but not that far.

[Vectis]

In my online forms I always ask the customer how they'd like to be contacted, and I always respect that choice unless for example their email address bounces in which case a phone call might be unavoidable.

If I contact other companies and state email contact, then get a phone call, I won't deal with them as a matter of principle.

I think that unless a prospect specifically invites you to call them, then you should reply via the same method they contacted you in the first instance.


It sounds like in the OP's instance that this particular customer's main interest is in her band, with the disco being a necessary annoyance to fill in the blanks, therefore price was paramount. It appears that you did a good scaremongering job by raising the PLI/PAT/et al issue and in the end she found the cheapest DJ she could find that ticked all of those boxes too.

Onwards and upwards :o

[UltraBeat Entertainment]

I will not take booking through emails as I believe it is open to misuse. I take and answer questions through email but only take bookings over the phone or face to face. I believe this gives a more personal level of service and it is easier for me to get the details I need for the booking.

The biggest problem I'm having at the moment people saying they want to book my services but then not contacting me or supplying me with their contact details so I can contact them:bang:

[DJ Jules]

I'm finding it difficult to compete for weddings this year. I'm quoting the same price this year as I did last year, but the majority of responses I get are "we found someone cheaper" regardless of how I pitch my services.

I'm reasonably priced compared to my local competition who offer a similar standard of service, and by no means the most expensive out there. I do, however, have kit out on dry hire almost every weekend throughout the summer at weddings for people who are using friends, laptops, or iPods :eek: so cost seems to be the deciding factor this year

Julian

[STEVE HANLEY]

Whenever I've quoted by email I've never even had a reply by the client telling me I hadn't got the job:confused: :confused: Usually they go to ground never to be heard from again.

As they never leave contact telephone numbers:(

[rob1963]

Yes what Tony says goes for me to most leads come from email but i think it is very important to talk to the client by phone it is so much more personal and i feel the client will get a better feel that you are capable re your telephone manner.

Agreed, and this explains the very high conversion rates over the phone compared to emails.

Unfortunately, 90% of my enquiries come by email, and virtually all of them ask for me to reply by email as well.


I will not take booking through emails as I believe it is open to misuse. I take and answer questions through email but only take bookings over the phone or face to face.

Interesting policy.

Nearly all my enquiries & booking requests come via email. When they say they want to book, I just ask them for a mailing address to send the paperwork & booking form to.

I wouldn't dream of insisting that bookings were only taken face to face or over the phone, as I think I'd lose work that way.


Whenever I've quoted by email I've never even had a reply by the client telling me I hadn't got the job:confused: :confused: Usually they go to ground never to be heard from again.

Same here, and that's because people have no manners these days.

About five in six people make an enquiry to me but don't go on to book, and I'm lucky if ONE of them each year has the courtesy to come back with a short email thanking me for my reply and saying they wouldn't be going ahead for whatever reason.

:bang:

[UltraBeat Entertainment]

Rob why do you think you would lose work out of curiosity? I would think it's a bit suspect if they avaoided direct contact with me:confused:

[CRAZY K]

Whenever I've quoted by email I've never even had a reply by the client telling me I hadn't got the job:confused: :confused: Usually they go to ground never to be heard from again.

As they never leave contact telephone numbers:(

Interesting thread.

The rules of Internet quoting ( unwritten ) appear to be that once your quote is submitted if you are not successful you dont often get any meaningful feedback.

Move on:D

I bellieve (having worked in a selling environment) people dont want phone calls
otherwise they RING YOU--assuming your number is on your site;)

If they offer a phone contact they will get the heavy sales pitch which I believe (personal view) most people dont want.

To demonstrate my point--I got a very vague e mail enquiry for a Western Event recently with a spend of £2,000 allegedly. :

So I wrote a Professional reply stating that in view of the size of their budget it was best dealt with by phone and asking for a phone contact so I could ring them at their convenience --zilch, these people rarely if ever reply.

They DONT WANT a phone call;)

I take Martins point about choice of contact but feel I might be wasting my phone bill on a succession of people with mobiles who will gladly waste a load of my time and money telling me about their party without having any intention of booking me.

Trying to have a proper conversation with people on mobiles other than grunting yes or no seems diffcult these days--oh hang on im losing the signal---oooer my batteries going flat---yikes I hate Mobile conversations.

ALWAYS SHOUTING:bang:

Anyway--couple of specifics for the OP--the competition were offering a CONTRACT--doesnt everyone:confused:

A slideshow of pictures was on a screen--thats market edging---very clever--just including add ons for free to get the business.

Learn from those points and try some market edging strategies of your own would be my advice.

I think the phone call thing is a bit strange--we write loads of business here ( Angela my wife mainly) by email with no phone contact--but then again our Websites are very informative and full of positive facts/ videos etc to set the clients ready to buy.

Like it or not your in a selling business--especially in a recession.

Good luck with it

[deltic]

i agree with the comments above

i do find when people want a disco to play along side a band they expect it to be cheaper, because they think it is less work not playing all night.

personally i quote the same price and don't discount just because there is a band as well,at the end of the day i am still doing the same ammount of work just not playing for as long.

[rob1963]

Rob why do you think you would lose work out of curiosity?

Because nearly all my enquiries come via email, and virtually all of them ask for their reply to also be by email, which suggests they clearly prefer emailing to speaking on the phone.

I think it's the way of the world these days. People seem to find emails more convenient.


I would think it's a bit suspect if they avoided direct contact with me:confused:

If, by direct contact, you mean speaking to you on the phone or meeting you, then more than 90% of my enquirers & clients are a bit suspect!

[Vectis]

This is so weird because at last check something like 80%+ of my enquiries come via email or contact form and it's very rare that I DON'T convert... :o

Steve (H) - let's take a look at your email response as part of your bigger project ;) With a bit of work it might make a big difference.

[rob1963]

i do find when people want a disco to play along side a band they expect it to be cheaper, because they think it is less work not playing all night.

personally i quote the same price and don't discount just because there is a band as well,at the end of the day i am still doing the same ammount of work just not playing for as long.

I also quote the same price.

What they don't understand is that the hardest part of what we're doing is lugging in the gear, setting it up, packing it down & lugging it out again, and this is the same regardless of how long we're actually playing for.

Also, even if we're NOT playing music for part of the evening, we still have to be there, so it makes no sense for us to be paid less.

[RabbittsKaraoke]

What they don't understand is that the hardest part of what we're doing is lugging in the gear, setting it up, packing it down & lugging it out again, and this is the same regardless of how long we're actually playing for.



Is it really the most difficult part of a gig??

I find that bit the easiest! :D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

In my online forms I always ask the customer how they'd like to be contacted

I think that is a very good idea.

[rob1963]

What they don't understand is that the hardest part of what we're doing is lugging in the gear, setting it up, packing it down & lugging it out again, and this is the same regardless of how long we're actually playing for.


Is it really the most difficult part of a gig??

I find that bit the easiest! :D

You're lucky then!

For me, that's certainly the most difficult part of a gig, partly because I'm not as healthy as I should be, and partly because I sweat buckets, so have to set up while I'm dripping all over the place. Not nice at all!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

This is so weird because at last check something like 80%+ of my enquiries come via email or contact form and it's very rare that I DON'T convert... :o

Steve (H) - let's take a look at your email response as part of your bigger project ;) With a bit of work it might make a big difference.

You can look at mine too then. :D

[rob1963]

This is so weird because at last check something like 80%+ of my enquiries come via email or contact form and it's very rare that I DON'T convert... :o

Come on then Vectis...what's your secret?

:D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

He's very cheap and there only 1 other disco on the IOW...

:sofa:

[rob1963]

:Laugh:

[Happy Jack]

I think that is a very good idea.
Couldn't agree more. Will have to work that in before our new site goes live. Thank Vectis.

[simon1969]

Some good points but personally as a someone selling a product and if I was a customer I would want to speak to somebody over the phone (just for peace of mind).
In this economic climate you have to be careful not to outprice yourself and try and think of your unique selling point to back yourself up.
Saying that though just because there is a band sharing entertainment time doesnt mean a price should be lowered as customers are paying for your time and expertise.
So finding a balance is hard good luck !!!:)

[STEVE HANLEY]

[Steve (H) - let's take a look at your email response as part of your bigger project ;) With a bit of work it might make a big difference.]

Ready when you are Martin:beer1: :beer1: