Consultation Meetings

[Dj Diddy Davies]

For those of you that offer free consultation meetings for weddings, do you have any restrictions that you apply?

I.e. how far (time/mileage) would you go to meet the client? or any other restriction?

Many thanks

Steve.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

For those of you that offer free consultation meetings for weddings, do you have any restrictions that you apply?

I.e. how far (time/mileage) would you go to meet the client? or any other restriction?

Many thanks

Steve.


I do offer free pre event meetings based on common sense really.

I go pretty much anywhere in the Cotswolds however as I travel up to two hours from here if its somewhere near the end of this "travel circle" then I don't offer it.

Most clients don't take up the pre event meeting. I usually mention it twice during the booking process but I like to think all bases are covered and that they are happy with what service I am providing. With this in mind the few that do always book so when you look at it as a whole its well worth doing so don't see a need to change in the near future.

[Charlie Brown]

I don't charge for them and don't mind doing them as long as the venue isn't miles away.

[Vectis]

Depends if it's pre or post-sale.

If it's pre, then it's either the venue itself or a local pub close to my place (my furthest venue being 18 miles :p ). Never yet not won the business after a pre-sale meeting. I figure that if they've invited you to a meeting that their mind is already made up and they're just checking you haven't got two heads or something :D :D

If it's post, then I'd be inclined to be a bit more flexible as I already have the financial commitment and booking fee in the bank ;) Their place, cafe/pub of their choosing etc.

I've even held a few meetings on the IoW ferry as we've co-ordinated travel arrangements :D

[Dj Diddy Davies]

I don't charge for them and don't mind doing them as long as the venue isn't miles away.

So in answer to the original question... how far's miles away?

Steve.

[Dj Diddy Davies]

I've even held a few meetings on the IoW ferry as we've co-ordinated travel arrangements :D

ooohhhh! so exotic!

I was just wondering how far people are prepared to go. I had an enquiry for a pre booking, 25 miles away, 40 minutes travel time, each way. If you then add in about an hour for the meeting... pushing it a bit? (in my opinion).

Steve.

[Vectis]

Depends on the value of the gig I guess :)

You could always recover some or all of the cost of the visit in your final quote in any case ;)

As this is relatively new territory for you why not treat it as a learning exercise?


One thing I found was that venue C+B managers were seriously impressed when the DJ showed up for a meeting and this regularly led to enquiries direct from the venue afterwards. And it gives you the opportunity to crawl all over new venues when there's no functions going on ...

Lots of advantages, and not just related to the initial sale.

[Charlie Brown]

So in answer to the original question... how far's miles away?

Steve.

No more than a 35 minute drive.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

ooohhhh! so exotic!

I was just wondering how far people are prepared to go. I had an enquiry for a pre booking, 25 miles away, 40 minutes travel time, each way. If you then add in about an hour for the meeting... pushing it a bit? (in my opinion).

Steve.


Sell them an add on. Loads of times I've taken a couple of uplighters with me :)

[JTRS]

Maybe I'm missing something here, or maybe it's my relative newness to the DJ world but I don't see the point in a pre-event face to face meeting, if the customer has already booked me.

Everything they need to know about me they already know, and everything I need to know from them I can find out either over the phone or in email (ie playlists). And to be honest, email leaves both people with a record of what was said/agreed.

Or have I mis-understood, and you are arranging pre-event meetings because they haven't yet decided to book you and it's effectively a sales pitch (for want of a better phrase)???

JTRS

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Maybe I'm missing something here, or maybe it's my relative newness to the DJ world but I don't see the point in a pre-event face to face meeting, if the customer has already booked me.

Everything they need to know about me they already know, and everything I need to know from them I can find out either over the phone or in email (ie playlists). And to be honest, email leaves both people with a record of what was said/agreed.

Or have I mis-understood, and you are arranging pre-event meetings because they haven't yet decided to book you and it's effectively a sales pitch (for want of a better phrase)???

JTRS

To check out the venue for access, how many uplighters for a uplighting job?, how big of a dancefloor is suitable to the room? for your clients to see whole they are dealing with and providing the entertainment for their biggest day of their life, for venue managers/owners to get to know you?

I could go on......

[Vectis]

Maybe I'm missing something here, or maybe it's my relative newness to the DJ world but I don't see the point in a pre-event face to face meeting, if the customer has already booked me.

Everything they need to know about me they already know, and everything I need to know from them I can find out either over the phone or in email (ie playlists). And to be honest, email leaves both people with a record of what was said/agreed.

Or have I mis-understood, and you are arranging pre-event meetings because they haven't yet decided to book you and it's effectively a sales pitch (for want of a better phrase)???

JTRS


Trust me - on so many levels it just works. Without heading off down the pricing route, this is the one offering that adds so much value for so little effort IF you have the balls and the personality to pull it off.

It's so much nicer to pull up outside the venue and get a wave from the groom, walk in and get a hug from the bride, know where to find the guy in charge.... I could go on, and on.

It makes for a much less stressful and more pleasant experience for you, and even if you only spend half an hour chatting with them over a coffee, you pick up so much detail that you can use to plan the performance.

It's the difference between providing a disco and being an integral part of their special day. And they love it. And they'll pay for it.

[Leicester Ben]

I always offer these however now that we have a proper office we invite people to come and see us.

We have done a few now and they have been great for up selling dance floors, uplighting etc.

[JTRS]

To check out the venue for access, how many uplighters for a uplighting job?, how big of a dancefloor is suitable to the room? for your clients to see whole they are dealing with and providing the entertainment for their biggest day of their life, for venue managers/owners to get to know you?

I could go on......

Oh hang on, if we are talking about checking out a venue that you don't know or haven't worked in then yes, but I class that as a venue check, and it doesn't involve meeting the clients.

I thought this thread was about pre-event meeting with the customers.

JTRS

[Wayno]

Oh hang on, if we are talking about checking out a venue that you don't know or haven't worked in then yes, but I class that as a venue check, and it doesn't involve meeting the clients.

I thought this thread was about pre-event meeting with the customers.

JTRS

It is but why not get two birds with one stone?

I prefer to meet at the venue, at a push a pub or coffee shop (theres alwasys that kid screaming though!), never at their home or mine as I like to have a private life (no dungeons here lol) and I don't feel that comfortable going into some strangers house to conduct business. Your own office has got to be the best option.

I think a 30-45 minute drive or thereabouts is a good marker but that is dependant on the value of the gig, there is no way I'm doing a 60 mile round trip for Millies 10th birthday party thats paying £150, however if millies parents wanted to drop by the office then I'd happily welcome them.

If someone is spending thousands i would be inclined to visit them at least twice even if they lived in paris and I could tie the tickets into the fee!

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Indeed I'm not moving the goalposts here JTRS but its making it what it is and as I said before it gives you a chance to upsell as well as other things.

[JTRS]

Indeed I'm not moving the goalposts here JTRS but its making it what it is and as I said before it gives you a chance to upsell as well as other things.

OK if it's a venue I don't know i will always go check it out beforehand, but that only happens once I have been booked, and once I am booked I don't see the point in having a specific face to face meeting with the clients, they can be there if they want, but that's not the main point of me going to the venue.

As for upselling etc, well that gets done in the pre-event phone calls, again I don't feel a need to be face to face to upsell.

As I originally said, maybe it's because I am (relatively) new to DJing that I don't see the point in specifically arranging a customer meeting, but what i would say is when I go check out wedding venues the staff just want to see your PLI/PAT and show you the room and get on with their day to day stuff, so I've never really experienced the 'getting in good with the venue staff' that someone mentioned, it's more a case of the function manager isn't too happy it's not been covered by their house DJ.

Neither was I knocking those DJ's that are happy to do these meets, all I am saying is they don't work out cost effective or productive for me.

JTRS

[STEVE HANLEY]

Trust me - on so many levels it just works. Without heading off down the pricing route, this is the one offering that adds so much value for so little effort IF you have the balls and the personality to pull it off.

It's so much nicer to pull up outside the venue and get a wave from the groom, walk in and get a hug from the bride, know where to find the guy in charge.... I could go on, and on.

It makes for a much less stressful and more pleasant experience for you, and even if you only spend half an hour chatting with them over a coffee, you pick up so much detail that you can use to plan the performance.

It's the difference between providing a disco and being an integral part of their special day. And they love it. And they'll pay for it.

Mary and I did a pre-wedding meet tonight. The job was already booked, but the B&G were so pleased to see us and flattered that we had taken the time out to go and visit them at their home.

They said they were so pleased they had booked us. Job half done. Complete the other half on the big day. Sorted.