Conversion Tips

[Vectis]

We all know the scenarios... there are basically two types of new customer telephone calls...

TYPE 1

Ring... Ring...

"Hello XYZ disco"

"How much for...."


OR TYPE 2

Ring... Ring...

"Hello XYZ disco"

"Hi we're having our wedding on such-and-such a date at such-and-such a venue, are you available?"


I'm sure we're all expects at converting the Type 2's, but I'd like to get better at converting the Type 1's. Recently I've been asking if the caller has a budget in mind and then working the options around that starting point and in some cases this has proved successful. I can also tactfully redirect those who start at £100 or less to the yellow pages :rolleyes:

Anyone else with any tips?

[Vectis]

No thoughts then? Or no-one willing to give away their winning formula?? :p

[Corabar Entertainment]

OK - Quick and abbreviated reply (I'm in a bit of a hurry at the mo): Q: "How much?" A: "Well can I just ask you a few details first" Opens up a dialogue and all the way through asking them various questions I drop in info about us and try and engage them in telling me more than the bare bones. That way, you slip in why it's beneficial for them to be looking at more than price, and get them talking so you start to build up a rapport.

Doesn't work with the out and out 'price is the bottom line' brigade, but it usually works with those who are just asking about price because they don't know that there is much difference between one DJ and another.

[Dragonfly]

"hi how much is a disco"

"well madam let me tell......."

"i just want to know a price...."

"£600"

"OH MY GOD REALLY"

"no but now i have your attention let me tell you a bit about what we can offer you"

[wensleydale]

what if they say "thanks, I'll let you know" and put the phone down?

I agree with Angela- ask about as much as you can- I don't see how anyone can offer a one price fits all approach anyway- surely you need to take location, venue, timings, size of room, amount of gear etc into account anyway.

explain how you work, what makes you different, make everything you offer sound big- even if you take it for granted- eg bookings confirmed in writing, one point of contact, etc etc.

[Dazzy D]

If someone is seemingly only interested in price, try asking if quality of service, reliability (this is good one - "£80 is good price but if the DJ can get more from someone else, can you guarantee he'll keep your booking and not just not turn up?") and insured/correctly licenced dj is important. Point out that a DJ charging £100 is unlikely to have Public Liability Insurance or a PAT certificate and can be refused access by the venue, especially if it's a hotel. If Mrs Smith pays Charva Wayne £100 to DJ at her daughters wedding and the venue refuse to let him perform, is she likely to get her money back? If you don't have that someone special to set you apart from the competition, then you can resort to these kinds of scare tactics which will make Mrs Smith consider the potential consequences of trying to do things on the cheap.

Not everyone wants a cheap DJ, though. I had an email from a guy who wanted to book a disco for his engagement party. It was to be a venue outside of my usual travel zone. I explained that, if he wanted to book me, he would be charged our basic excess mileage fee of £25 which I thought would put him off. He told me that Lightning Disco & Entertainment had been highly recommended to him and that the biggest factor to him was that we have PLI. Without even knowing much about what we could offer, he decided he wanted to place a booking and promptly sent us his payment to secure it saying that our price was well within his budget.

So the thing to remember is that not everyone will have price as the deciding factor. When you get that initial contact, you need to ask questions to find out what is important to that person. And remember that everyone had different priorities. You just need to make sure that your service meets them.

[PropellerHeadCase]

I agree about striking up a dialogue, what I find is a good turning point in the conversation, and you can inject it at any time when they start to sound like they really just wish you'd give them a price...

"Can I send you out our information pack? It has references, our prices, a booking form and a sample copy of our music list." Offering the info by email is pretty much the norm, but being able to send out a good-looking hard-copy version can be invaluable.

People are often price-oriented but they also want their decision to be made as easy as possible. If only one DJ company offers them a comprehensive information pack then that company is likely to be the first choice unless the caller is completely price-oriented. Even then that company may still get a look in, if for no other reason than they have the info when said cheapie DJ doesn't show up.

The info pack and the conversation (if long enough) should probably have, at some point, a brief mention of what cheap DJs can't offer because they cut corners.

Finally, people who are really, really price-oriented are usually also the hardest clients to deal with as they'll haggle over everything and it will only take the slightest perceived error on your part for them to complain and demand a refund.

[Corabar Entertainment]

Once thing I disagree with - don't try a 'negative' sell: ie don't try and say what others can't/don't offer, always emphasize what you DO offer. Introducing any negativity into your pitch will sound like sour grapes to a lot of people IMHO

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Once thing I disagree with - don't try a 'negative' sell: ie don't try and say what others can't/don't offer, always emphasize what you DO offer. Introducing any negativity into your pitch will sound like sour grapes to a lot of people IMHO

I agree. :D