Unspecified Venue.

[Excalibur]

This may not apply at all to those lofty souls whose work all comes from clients who have found the website unaided, and definitely not to those folk who are residents.
Currently, I'm seeing a very high percentage of prospective clients who don't specify a venue ( usually because they haven't booked one ) but want to secure a disco on a given date. Many of them are actually asking for venue recommendations! One particular client booked me for a definite date and services. She was very keen, but after a long search, she couldn't find a venue that suited her needs at a sensible price, so apologised and cancelled.

Over to you folks, do your prospective clients always have a venue confirmed, or are they just hoping we know of one, or that one will magically appear?

[Vectis]

Could this be interpreted as a good thing? For years DJs have moaned about being the last thing on a long list of services to be booked. If this means that DJs are now higher up the pecking order (with or without the help of certain intermediary websites ), does this mean that DJs may have more influence over add-on sales for example?

Also, and I think I posted about this not so long ago, during the worst of the pandemic we were seeing a lot of exasperation on the part of enquirers that were struggling to actually make contact with their preferred venues due to them being closed / staff furloughed etc. - maybe some of this is still happening?

Maybe there's opportunities here for some to strike up relationships with local preferred venues and offer to make introductions for some kind of return (financial or otherwise)?

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I can't say I have but most of my bookings if not all are for weddings. I can't see how you can take a booking and block off a date without one (because of what happened to your client for example).

Might be people are costing up events before booking a venue. We know how out of control it can get particularly with peoples expectations of prices being rather "wild" at times.

[DJWilson]

When I get contacted directly everyone seems to have a venue booked or awaiting confirmation from the venue.

A lot of the middle man website enquires seem to have 'venue TBC' from the person looking for a quote which is happening a lot more often on there. Give them a wide birth!

[Excalibur]

I can't say I have but most of my bookings if not all are for weddings. I can't see how you can take a booking and block off a date without one (because of what happened to your client for example).

NaD enquiry for wedding in Sheffield just come in. A date given, and a postcode covering half of Sheffield. Asking like so many for venue recommendations. Think I'll become a wedding planner.

And while I'm having a gripe, Add to Event enquiry confirmed me as winner, so I emailed them for details. No reply. Texted them and they didn't even know they'd responded to me! Grrr.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

NaD enquiry for wedding in Sheffield just come in. A date given, and a postcode covering half of Sheffield. Asking like so many for venue recommendations. Think I'll become a wedding planner.

I'd understand that for a general party when you're trying to keep costs down as "it's only a party" but for a wedding it's kinda odd. Most people have an idea of the type of venue they want. Wedding planners can make some good money too Peter I know a few that take a double digit percentage of the total spend for example.

[Excalibur]

And if anything, it's getting worse. How difficult can it be to comprehend that if it's a venue with a car park big enough for 42ft lorries to get lost in, and double fire doors adjacent to the stage, it's more attractive/less likely to attract a surcharge than one where you park on double yellows, with someone riding shotgun in case of wardens, and then hump the gear up endless stairs? Many Golf and Rugby Clubs are notoriously awkward, I have found.

How on earth they think that all discos cost the same in all areas/venues in a given conurbation baffles me. I don't blacklist many venues, but there are a few I tend not to quote for.
When I see that an enquiry wants suggestions for venues, sceptical old me thinks they're only tyre kicking. If it has come through A to E, I'm unlikely to invest money on quoting. Granted, I did convert one by suggesting a venue I have worked before, but that's not the norm.
If it's one of Martin's, from NeedaDisco, I'm more likely to quote, as it doesn't cost me, but how on earth can you have a definite date for a wedding when you don't have a venue?

I just don't get it.

[Excalibur]

Could this be interpreted as a good thing? For years DJs have moaned about being the last thing on a long list of services to be booked. If this means that DJs are now higher up the pecking order (with or without the help of certain intermediary websites ), does this mean that DJs may have more influence over add-on sales for example?

Also, and I think I posted about this not so long ago, during the worst of the pandemic we were seeing a lot of exasperation on the part of enquirers that were struggling to actually make contact with their preferred venues due to them being closed / staff furloughed etc. - maybe some of this is still happening?

Maybe there's opportunities here for some to strike up relationships with local preferred venues and offer to make introductions for some kind of return (financial or otherwise)?

Blimey Martin, I bet your glass is always half full, isn't it? You never miss a trick. I hadn't necessarily looked at it this way, but a recent enquiry passed on from another DJ said something interesting. That it was proving difficult to find a ( wedding ) DJ, beginning of October. From this, I'd assume we're discounting Sid, as it's a wedding, but it may be a combination of DJs retiring after a nearly two year lay off, and a bit of " fixture congestion" with dates being pushed onward from covid restrictions. Perhaps it's currently a bit of a seller's market for higher grade DJs?

[rth_discos]

If nothing else, at least you can guide them towards a venue that is conducive to dancing and has good access. Win win!

[DJ Jules]

I generally tell people that I can't take a booking or hold a date until they've secured the venue, but I'm happy to help them find a venue.

It doesn't happen that often for me, and usually for birthday/engagement/anniversary parties far more than for Weddings.

Julian