Shakermaker Promotions
07-07-2014, 07:20 AM
Hi all,
Hope things are going well for everyone.
Just wanted to post up a couple of conversations I have had over the weekend that I have found slightly annoying with reference to suppliers, wannabe DJ's etc.
Firstly, I have a wedding this evening. I was at the venue yesterday to set up the Disco and Uplighting as pre-arranged. The room was already made up when I arrived and there were a couple of people in the room. I said hello and was ignored at first. I received a look that kind of gave me the impression of "Who are you?"
Anyway, I noticed boxes and flight cases everywhere and wondered what was going on but didn't say anything at first. I told the couple that I was there to set up the Disco and Uplighting for the wedding and we got chatting........eventually.
I asked them (politely) what they were doing and the woman told me that they were sorting the chair covers (flight cases for chair covers I wondered?). The guy was on the floor trying to put some kind of stand together. I just decided to get on with what I was doing and started to unload my van. I was bringing the equipment in when the guy asked me if I had a screwdriver. I got my tool box from the van and let him continue with what he was doing.
To be honest they were getting in my way a bit and I was getting hot and flustered at times but I kept calm and worked around them. The guy then asked me if I knew anything about LED Curtains. It turned out that the couple had just purchased a large white LED Curtain and hadn't received any instructions on how to put the thing together.
I didn't have time to help as I was busy myself and I just said "Have a look on YouTube". By the time I had set up the Disco and Uplighting, he had just finished putting the LED Curtain together (no chair covers were done as yet). When I chatted to the couple it turned out that they weren't even supplying the curtain for the wedding, they'd just got it delivered the day before and had asked if it was ok to set it up so they could take some photos. I thought that was a bit out of order to be honest because they had been getting in my way a bit. Anyway, once I had finished doing what I was doing I sat down for a moment to have a rest as I was a sweaty mess (I was in a rush as I needed to go and collect some kit from somewhere else too). I asked them if they just did chair covers etc and I found out that they were both new to the whole wedding suppliers business. I offered them a card as the woman was asking me about the Uplighting and how much it cost etc etc.... The guy then said, we're going to start supplying Discos too when we're up and running. I thought to myself "Ok, this could be another contact that might come in handy". I asked him if he was going to do it himself or use a regular supplier (trying to get my foot in the door with him) and he said "Oh, I'll do it myself, it can't be that hard eh".
I wasn't sure what to say after that but asked "Do you have any experience then?" - His reply was "No, never done it before but like I say, it can't be that hard. It looks like easy money".
I shook my head and said "Good luck, give us a call if you need any help".
The other annoying comment came on Friday. I was setting up the equipment (Disco and Uplighting again) at a venue that I do a number of times a year. The venue recommend me which is good and on average I am there probably 10 times a year. I'd like to be there more as I really like the venue and have never had a bad gig there.
I always chat to the owner when I am there over a cup of tea and I always ask what the bookings are like and he always tells me that he is nearly full for the following year so it's encouraging. Now, I know that even though I am recommended by certain venues and I have residencies at other venues, it doesn't mean that I get everything and it doesn't mean that the customers have to book me. I am not that naive to think that I will get everything.
Like I said, I'd love to be at this particular venue a lot more but it seems that from April to November (when this venue takes wedding bookings), I am missing out on a lot.
When we chatted on Friday the owner mentioned to me that just lately there were "a hell of a lot of bands at the weddings". He said that most of the bands played music in between their sets via iPods or Laptops.
I know this has been happening for a while now and it may come down to budgets at the end of the day but I find it slightly annoying, Don't get me wrong, I'm busy and that's great and these bands may well be good too and do what they need to on the music side of things too but, well...I don't know.....it's a pet hate I guess.
I've just put the 2 scenarios from the weekend together and not been too happy about it to be honest.
Hope things are going well for everyone.
Just wanted to post up a couple of conversations I have had over the weekend that I have found slightly annoying with reference to suppliers, wannabe DJ's etc.
Firstly, I have a wedding this evening. I was at the venue yesterday to set up the Disco and Uplighting as pre-arranged. The room was already made up when I arrived and there were a couple of people in the room. I said hello and was ignored at first. I received a look that kind of gave me the impression of "Who are you?"
Anyway, I noticed boxes and flight cases everywhere and wondered what was going on but didn't say anything at first. I told the couple that I was there to set up the Disco and Uplighting for the wedding and we got chatting........eventually.
I asked them (politely) what they were doing and the woman told me that they were sorting the chair covers (flight cases for chair covers I wondered?). The guy was on the floor trying to put some kind of stand together. I just decided to get on with what I was doing and started to unload my van. I was bringing the equipment in when the guy asked me if I had a screwdriver. I got my tool box from the van and let him continue with what he was doing.
To be honest they were getting in my way a bit and I was getting hot and flustered at times but I kept calm and worked around them. The guy then asked me if I knew anything about LED Curtains. It turned out that the couple had just purchased a large white LED Curtain and hadn't received any instructions on how to put the thing together.
I didn't have time to help as I was busy myself and I just said "Have a look on YouTube". By the time I had set up the Disco and Uplighting, he had just finished putting the LED Curtain together (no chair covers were done as yet). When I chatted to the couple it turned out that they weren't even supplying the curtain for the wedding, they'd just got it delivered the day before and had asked if it was ok to set it up so they could take some photos. I thought that was a bit out of order to be honest because they had been getting in my way a bit. Anyway, once I had finished doing what I was doing I sat down for a moment to have a rest as I was a sweaty mess (I was in a rush as I needed to go and collect some kit from somewhere else too). I asked them if they just did chair covers etc and I found out that they were both new to the whole wedding suppliers business. I offered them a card as the woman was asking me about the Uplighting and how much it cost etc etc.... The guy then said, we're going to start supplying Discos too when we're up and running. I thought to myself "Ok, this could be another contact that might come in handy". I asked him if he was going to do it himself or use a regular supplier (trying to get my foot in the door with him) and he said "Oh, I'll do it myself, it can't be that hard eh".
I wasn't sure what to say after that but asked "Do you have any experience then?" - His reply was "No, never done it before but like I say, it can't be that hard. It looks like easy money".
I shook my head and said "Good luck, give us a call if you need any help".
The other annoying comment came on Friday. I was setting up the equipment (Disco and Uplighting again) at a venue that I do a number of times a year. The venue recommend me which is good and on average I am there probably 10 times a year. I'd like to be there more as I really like the venue and have never had a bad gig there.
I always chat to the owner when I am there over a cup of tea and I always ask what the bookings are like and he always tells me that he is nearly full for the following year so it's encouraging. Now, I know that even though I am recommended by certain venues and I have residencies at other venues, it doesn't mean that I get everything and it doesn't mean that the customers have to book me. I am not that naive to think that I will get everything.
Like I said, I'd love to be at this particular venue a lot more but it seems that from April to November (when this venue takes wedding bookings), I am missing out on a lot.
When we chatted on Friday the owner mentioned to me that just lately there were "a hell of a lot of bands at the weddings". He said that most of the bands played music in between their sets via iPods or Laptops.
I know this has been happening for a while now and it may come down to budgets at the end of the day but I find it slightly annoying, Don't get me wrong, I'm busy and that's great and these bands may well be good too and do what they need to on the music side of things too but, well...I don't know.....it's a pet hate I guess.
I've just put the 2 scenarios from the weekend together and not been too happy about it to be honest.