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Thread: My view on client meetings

  1. #51

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    Sorry if it's already been covered earlier on, but we should differentiate between meetings for practical purposes (a 1 hour meeting going through the details for an all day wedding, to ensure everything is smooth on the day) and a "sales meeting" where the meeting is used pre-sale for the purpose of securing the sale.

    Quote Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
    I don't think devil's advocate is strictly true, Chris. If you're running your business model fine without them, all well and good. I don't think anyone has said they're essential, but I'll tell you something, I'll take ( almost ) every chance I have for a meeting.
    Absolutely spot on. If everyone did meetings, then I'd recommend not doing meetings to "stand out" and be different! Meetings would have evolved from the fact that up until recently, pretty much no one offered meetings, so this was a way to stand out.

    Certainly when booking a DJ, if you had 3 people just email you a quote, and 1 person take the time to come and meet with you, then the person who did the meeting is much more likely to get the work.

    However, not all clients want a "sales meeting", so that 'system' doesn't always work. Every client is different, and it's about finding a process that your typical client will want. Those who are very busy (time poor), don't live locally to where the event is happening, or simply don't like meeting (an increasing number of millennials) won't like the offer of a meeting, and will likely decline it. If you try and force it, you can often lose the sale.

    With millennials becoming an increasingly large percentage of the population, and not preferring to meet, it's likely we'll see the process of meetings to sell start to decline soon.

  2. #52
    Jim - Scotland's Party DJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ppentertainments View Post
    Just to play devils advocate, I have converted around £1.5k of bookings this past 2 weeks, although generally a quiet time for bookings, without one single meeting.

    I agree, meetings helped and when I was quieter I had meetings with almost everyone, but now just don't have the time and have not noticed any difference.
    Don't get me wrong, I'd rather save myself the time too and the majority of my bookings are fine to do it without meeting or even chatting on the phone however as my prices have gone over the £550 mark I've found more clients asking if they can meet before deciding to book. To be fair to them, at that price point they're more than entitled to see why I've 2-3-4x as expensive as the other quotes they're getting in and as I said, apart from one couple who were clearly time wasting / hoping to put me on the spot to drop my price, I've never failed to land one so you're essentially converting 100% of clients who do ask to meet / skype - it's a no brainer.

  3. #53

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    Default My view on client meetings

    I offer a meeting to everyone as it reassures some clients and they feel they are having a personal service (ooh er)
    Last week I met two customers and they felt they were getting a better service and we went through their playlist, as there were some songs that were covered by other bands.
    They had even timed all their songs and knew how they wanted their evening to run.

    I think meetings are essential at weddings.

  4. #54
    Dinosaur Excalibur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by simon1969 View Post

    I think meetings are essential at weddings.
    No. I find they're always beneficial, but not essential. Granted, some weddings could never run according to plan without one.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

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  5. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
    No. I find they're always beneficial, but not essential. Granted, some weddings could never run according to plan without one.
    As a venue's "resident" DJ, client meetings are non existant! The hotel do pass my details onto the B&G who, should they choose to do so, contact me direct, but many just deal with the venue wedding co-ordinator. They claim they cannot give be their clients details due to Data Protection. That's rubbish, as all they have to do is to tell the client they will be passing details on to their chosen suppliers, who may then contact them directly.

    I do meet several couples at the venue's Wedding Open Days at which I stand (its free and only has the venues chosen suppliers there).

    It may not be ideal for many, but it works for us. It helps no end that the venue staff on the day are good at what they do and keep things on the move.

  6. #56
    Dinosaur Excalibur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mattydj50 View Post
    As a venue's "resident" DJ, client meetings are non existant! .
    Tee hee. Been there, done that.

    Mind you, there was the exception that proves the rule. One customer worked out that by paying me beforehand, he saved the VAT the hotel would have charged him.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

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  7. #57

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    Quote Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
    Tee hee. Been there, done that.

    Mind you, there was the exception that proves the rule. One customer worked out that by paying me beforehand, he saved the VAT the hotel would have charged him.
    Not to mention the hotel's add on "commission"

    That is of course a conversation that I would never have. Ahem.

  8. #58

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    I've yet to do a pre booking meeting but I find that for all my private work (ha! All!) a face to face meeting is really useful for relationship building.

    With regard to the residency there have only been 2 meets requested out of probably 170+ gigs. No. 2 is early next month. Still useful but my motivation to do these is based purely upon so few customers wanting them.

  9. #59
    Resident Antagonist Benny Smyth's Avatar
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    At the beginning of this month, I performed for a couple's wedding on a date that just so happened to have been my 32nd birthday.

    About 6 weeks beforehand, they came round to my house where we sat in my kitchen and had a chat over a cuppa. She had just come off her hen do and was hungover and limping (twisted her ankle on the night out), and it took about 15 minutes before we actually started talking about their evening entertainment because we were getting to know each other. At some point, Mrs. B blurts out "Oh, this is the one on your birthday." and we had a bit of a laugh and joke about it, and how I promised that I was going to get all their guests to sing happy birthday to me on the night. On top of this, there was the obvious chat about timings and music. As the meeting ended, Mrs. B and I received a hug from both of them.

    On the night itself, the bride made a beeline for me after I set up (well, as much as a bride can beeline for anyone on her wedding day, what with being stopped every step by someone else) and there came another hug. Mrs. B and the nephew was with me that night, and they got hugs too. The night itself was fantastic, the bride danced herself silly and became exhausted. I'm handing out hugs and high fives to people I have never met before because the bride and groom told their guests about this DJ who was really nice and has really worked hard to tailor the night to them. She also told most folk that it was my birthday and I had people shout happy birthday to me throughout the night. It was at this point I thought 'Sod it!' and got everyone to sing happy birthday to me. It was hilarious, and I wish I got it on film. Couple of days later, I got an amazing and unprompted review on Google that bought a smile to my face.

    Could I have given them an amazing night without the consultation, but instead an exchange of emails? Too right - I am very good at my job, so you're damn skippy I would have.

    Could I have made an emotional connection with my clients, and subsequently their guests, whilst also demonstrating how much effort I've put into their night and displaying genuine sincerity that I do give a crap about their evening entertainment without a consultation, but via the medium of an email? I'm less certain of that one.

    Sometimes, it's the intangible that makes all the difference.

  10. #60
    Jim - Scotland's Party DJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Benny Smyth View Post

    Could I have given them an amazing night without the consultation, but instead an exchange of emails? Too right - I am very good at my job, so you're damn skippy I would have.

    Could I have made an emotional connection with my clients, and subsequently their guests, whilst also demonstrating how much effort I've put into their night and displaying genuine sincerity that I do give a crap about their evening entertainment without a consultation, but via the medium of an email? I'm less certain of that one.

    Sometimes, it's the intangible that makes all the difference.

    Knowledge is power - there's a guy on a local fb group who prides himself on the fact he can turn up to a wedding, get the first dance 10 minutes before time and get the gig done.

    That's all well and good, what we do isn't rocket science and anyone with a few brain cells could do that same but - just off the top of my head - he won't know that the name of the MoG or that she's a Billy Joel fanatic like my first wedding of the year in January which involved a 4 hour round trip for the meeting in November...

    He won't know the dynamic between the bride and groom that she loves naff 90s pop, he really doesn't but she wears the trousers and you can make a play on that during the wedding...

    Or that HE likes naff 90s pop but doesn't like to admit it...

    Or that the groom plays in a Frankie and the 4 Season tribute

    Or that their wedding is themed on the Labyrinth movie

    And so on and so on and so on... those are just some off the top of my head examples.

    I used to do the odd diary filler for an agency because they had a venue 5 minutes up the road that needed a minimal rig and the load in was a skoosh but I just couldn't settle myself with the idea that I got a text from the agency with their names and first dance tune and then I'd just to turn up and do it - I got great feedback from every client and the venue but I walked away because I can do so much better and offer so much more when I'm actually given access to my clients.

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