It must be the weather!!?

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I reckon the recent spell of hot weather has sent a few people a bit of the rails or doolally.
Amongst my enquiries this week were 2 that were very similar. One was for a wedding in November and the other was for an 18th next year.
BOTH enquirer's called me and BOTH said they'd been at weddings that I done before.
BOTH said I came highly recommended.
So, you'd think that they were nailed on bookings wouldn't you.....Nope!

The enquiry for the wedding - "We're on a strict budget now as we've overspent but we really would like a decent Disco" - Ok, I'll see what I can do (thinks to himself that it is early November so I could discount slightly to guarantee a booking)....Could you tell me how much you've budgeted for the Disco? - "£200.00 is our limit".
They went on to tell me that they wanted the Disco to run from 6.00pm - Midnight.
Having done it in the past where I have discounted a booking to confirm a night's work only for another enquiry to come in that could have been full price, I decided a long time ago to stick to my guns. I told this one that I couldn't meet their budget, especially for 6 hours DJing, thanked them for enquiring and then shook my head once I'd put the phone down.

The enquiry for the 18th Birthday was along the same lines really - The lady wanted to make a big deal because it is her only daughter's 18th. She'd been at a wedding I'd done last year and apparently asked the Bride for my card. She mentioned the venue she's booked (a very nice one, not cheap) and I had a feeling that it could be a goer but again......it doesn't look likely. I chatted to her for around 20 minutes and she was very complimentary. The conversation was encouraging and she seemed very interested in the 'Free' Photo Projection I said I'd add in for her. "I'll need to check with my husband" she said and that was it. I received an email reply to my full quotation that said "We can't make a decision just yet so please don't turn down any bookings for that date". Ok, so it's not a definite NO as such but you know when you know because you get a feeling about it.

I told each of these exactly what they were getting for their money and confirmed it all as always in a full quotation.
Maybe it's the hot weather or maybe these 2 ladies were just lonely and needed a chat?

[Benny Smyth]

I've got a potential client desperately trying to drive down my price too and I won't budge, even if she did use the argument that if I dropped to £400, I'd still be getting £150 more than what some other DJ's have quoted.

Because, y'know, I base my prices on what John Smith up the road is doing and not on costs, overheads and profit.

[Imagine]

I had a really strange one this week.

Enquiry came in from my own website for a wedding next year, off peak and very local (it's a village hall in the same village where my kit is stored), and really easy load in/load out (must be out by midnight). It was literally for around 3 hours playing time so I kept it sensible.

Next day, the job appears on NaD for a budget of £150 MORE than I'd quoted! OK - she obviously thought I was too cheap so I sent her a little follow up to nudge her (by the way, I track email opens and she's read all the mail from me several times - she unfortunately never gave a phone number). As you'd expect, double figure responses started showing up on the dash.

Then - the lead closure came in....at £100 LESS than I'd originally quoted!!

Why go to all the trouble of visiting and looking around my website (I track that too ), completing my enquiry form, and then going to NaD with a higher budget just to take what would appear to probably be the lowest quote she got? She'd obviously liked what she'd seen on my website otherwise wouldn't have gone to the trouble of getting in touch.

I just can't work out some people.