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Thread: Time to start advertising, but one small annoyance ...

  1. #21
    Dinosaur Excalibur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ View Post

    Sidenote: Not that I'm anti-social but networking is over rated I've never bought into this idea that you should be pals with everyone in the industry and hopefully they'll fire work your way.
    Blimey Jim, talk about setting them up for someone to knock down! I'll just say that networking ( and even random meetings ) have both been valuable for me, in more ways than just work.



    Quote Originally Posted by Centre Stage Discos View Post
    If I am honest, I detest business speak. I'm old-school and quite stuck in my ways. The idea of social media and networking fills me with dread. I only created a Facebook account because my job insisted that it was necessary, but I found it really useful to keep in touch with old friends via Facebook when I moved out of the area.
    I hear you Brother, I hear you. It is however an insidious thing, which can generate work, and keep you informed. Can, not will.

    Quote Originally Posted by Centre Stage Discos View Post
    I do see the potential and I will use it as necessary, but most of my work used to be word of mouth and enquiries from people who have attended a function where I was doing the disco. I don't have that luxury right now and I expect the initial phases of this will be challenging.
    Right then, just let me drag a few more of these round before I make this suggestion. Once I've posted it, there will be a mob with pitchforks and flaming torches baying for my blood.

    To get work from recommendation and word of mouth you need to be in front of people, working. If you're not out there working, you don't get the work from recommendation.

    There are sites which can help you to get work.

    They're a little bit Marmite.

    Until you've had work from them, and built up a recommendation, they can be a little tricky.

    Right, just need a couple more before I say it.

    Add To Event, and NeedaDisco. There, I've said it.

    You will
    be asked to provide ten hour wedding discos, with Karaoke and love letters for less than £150, on A to E from time to time, but you can risk around £20 to try it out. NaD is more of a long term animal, as it's not cheap unless you got in at the beginning. According to the figures, every pound I have given NaD has generated over £100 worth of work, that they know about, so it can work. It's not for everyone.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

    www.excaliburmobiledisco.co.uk

  2. #22

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    Wedding fayres are what has enabled me to grow my business, but then again I only take wedding bookings.

    It does depend what you are wanting out of it though, if full time I would strongly recommend them, but if you are doing it for a bit extra cash or as a hobby they likely won’t be as attractive.

    I always had a love/hate relationship with wedding fayre but the big change came when I changed my outlook. I no longer look at wedding fayres as a selling opportunity, but more of a network event. Those that get the most out of fayres are the ones their first and out last – because it is the networking with other suppliers that bring the most gains.

    They can be expensive though, and prices seem to have dramatically increased lately. However, if you build on the networking side you do often get invited to free fayres from venues or open days/evenings. I am now in a position where I do not pay for fayres, just attend venues free ones – but again this relationship was a result of attending fayres over the years.
    Semi-Retired Multi Award Winning DJ

    www.ultimateweddingdj.co.uk

  3. #23
    Jim - Scotland's Party DJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
    Blimey Jim, talk about setting them up for someone to knock down! I'll just say that networking ( and even random meetings ) have both been valuable for me, in more ways than just work.
    Just an opinion and I totally get that it really works for plenty of people but I've never felt the need.

    I'll vouch for a very select few other DJs and the suppliers from my own wedding but making kiddy on friends so we can recommend each other to brides isn't my bag. The biggest issue I have with award ceremonies is the really awkward schmoozing everyone seems to be doing. I'll talk to my actual pals,I'm not leaving my wife sitting with a bunch of randoms so I can work the room. I know it's all part of the game but it's not one I can be arsed to play and I don't feel like it's hindered me at all business wise.

    I'm a world class schmoozer btw. In my teaching gig my work will happilly put me to task buttering up the great and the good from all sorts of places right up to governmental level. I see a value in that so I'm happy to do it but get cosy with Maria from the shortlist of best chair covers, north east region,pass.

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Centre Stage Discos View Post
    Thank you for that Deckstar.

    Yes, I think you have swayed me into trying at least one wedding fair, or at least until we can get fully on our feet. Nothing is going to happen overnight. There are also a few wedding planners in this area, a couple of whom have shops, so I will be paying them a visit once the new business cards and flyers have arrived. I'm sure the local competition will be fierce but that's life.

    I've already put out some feelers for a couple of charity discos and it looks like I will have something soon, so that's another bonus.

    Google and Yell listings are now in place, but WOW was Google a pain to sort out. It took THREE registration attempts and even then Google were telling me to register for the postcard confirmation.

    Slowly but surely!
    I can't warn enough about NOT doing free charity discos, thing most of us have been there, done that, so you will probably learn the hard way like the rest of us lol

    Talking about local competition, are there no multi-op DJs you could work for ? I know most areas have a shortage of DJs at the moment, even personally I have had to turn away bookings galore due to not having DJs to cover. Could be a good starting point and you will pick up hints and tips along the way
    Semi-Retired Multi Award Winning DJ

    www.ultimateweddingdj.co.uk

  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
    Add To Event, and NeedaDisco. There, I've said it.
    I'm not sure if it's just round my way, but I'm not seeing any leads (of any value) come through either site at the moment. That could be because I've set the price filters too high and everything coming through is below them, but I doubt it as I have them set pretty low (after converting several who said they were after a £150 disco into 4 figure gigs).

    Julian
    http://www.bristoldiscohire.co.uk - Quality Disco and Equipment hire for Bristol & Bath
    Weddings, Birthday Parties, Kids Parties, School Disco's and more
    https://julianburr.co.uk - Wedding, Family, Portrait and Product Photography

  6. #26
    Disco Dude! DeckstarDeluxe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ppentertainments View Post
    I can't warn enough about NOT doing free charity discos, thing most of us have been there, done that, so you will probably learn the hard way like the rest of us lol
    Oh a thousand percent stay away from doing the freebies unless it's something that means something to you. Some of us have to learn the hard way on that one
    The Cheltenham Wedding DJ
    www.cheltenhamweddingdj.co.uk

    DDWES Event Hire

    www.ddwes.co.uk

  7. #27

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    Thanks for the links Excalibur. But £150 for a 10 hour karaoke? That's not going to happen. I HATE karaoke. I will NEVER do a karoake. I have actually tried a couple but the less said about those events, the better. They're not for me - and I'm not for them.

    I am beginning to see the need to just get out there and spread the word, but the problem with starting off at a lower price than I'd like will probably result at me straying at those lower prices. I definitely need to get out there on the road to make some inroads into this. I will take a look at the sites. Marmite?

    Deckstar ... I will still consider charity discos, providing they are not overly complicated and they are local, but I have gained work before from doing charity discos so I am happy to consider 'something' for now. It will also give me the experience of operating a totally different system to what I've been used to. I had a Denon DN-HC4500 system before, now I will be using an American Audio VMS4.0 and I'm making quite a few mistakes at the moment so practice really is needed. It's just not the same operating the gear from home. Anyway, I digress.

  8. #28
    Dinosaur Excalibur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Centre Stage Discos View Post
    . I definitely need to get out there on the road to make some inroads into this. I will take a look at the sites. Marmite?
    Marmite evokes one of two responses.
    1) Love
    2) Hate.
    People either understand them, and use them to their advantage, or decry them as being simply a race to the bottom, price wise. There are enquiries wanting a full disco for less than £150, conversely I have had bookings of over £500 from both. All human life is there.


    Quote Originally Posted by Centre Stage Discos View Post
    I had a Denon DN-HC4500 system before, now I will be using an American Audio VMS4.0 and I'm making quite a few mistakes at the moment so practice really is needed. It's just not the same operating the gear from home. Anyway, I digress.
    The VMS 4/4.1 are good controllers. Fine for mobile work.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

    www.excaliburmobiledisco.co.uk

  9. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
    The VMS 4/4.1 are good controllers. Fine for mobile work.

    Thanks for the vote of confidence. I like it a lot. I got it at a good price and it's in superb condition. Lots of knobs and buttons, which will almost all be used, but it's on the fiddly side. I know I am going to knock something I shouldn't while playing live. Happens to us all at some point.

  10. #30
    Dinosaur Excalibur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Centre Stage Discos View Post
    I know I am going to knock something I shouldn't while playing live. Happens to us all at some point.
    Been there............................................. .

    Biggest cause of grief is moving a selector switch on the front from Midi to Aux, while moving it. Can take a while to figure out why you have no sound in one channel.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

    www.excaliburmobiledisco.co.uk

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