Anybody here tried Wedding.com?

To many ads? Support ODJT and see no ads!
rickryan.com

rickryan.com

DJ Extraordinaire
ODJT Supporter
Dec 9, 2009
19,244
17,337
59
Hendersonville, TN
www.rickryan.com
These guys appear to have a substantial number of leads available. Of course, it doesn't tell if these are quality leads (people with actual, decent budgets) or even if they're REAL (not fake) leads but the offer sure seems right. $120 for 6 months with a guarantee that if you don't book in that time, they'll give you another 6 months for free. Has anyone here tried them out? Wondering if you get the actual contact info (email, name, phone, event date, etc.) or if you have to submit quotes thru their system? Here's the response I got from them on my rate inquiry:

Thanks for your interest! The premium membership is $19.99/month for a 6 month membership. This is billed upfront as a one-time payment at $119.94. This comes with a booking guarantee that if you do not book with us the first 6 months then we can give you another 6 months for free on our website.

Please let me know if you have any more questions.
-Natalia
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chuck The DJ
I got a response over on the weddingwire forum. Same results. They paid, and not one gig out of it. I just noticed the rep's name, "Natalia". Russian maybe? I wouldn't be a bit surprised if all the leads were faked. If you pitch to 40 legit leads, you're going to get some replies back.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chuck The DJ
rickryan.com said:
I got a response over on the weddingwire forum. Same results. They paid, and not one gig out of it. I just noticed the rep's name, "Natalia". Russian maybe? I wouldn't be a bit surprised if all the leads were faked. If you pitch to 40 legit leads, you're going to get some replies back.
Click to expand...
Agreed.
 
Yeah,
40 pitches, and not even a "NO"....?
I'd say that's an easy way to make 120 bucks for no work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ron
I just saw this, or I would have answered sooner...
I had the same concerns, but I did give it a try. I have now had a handful of responses, and had some strong online interaction and a couple of phone consults at this point. No bookings yet, but these are real people. I think they're (Wedding.com) just dealing with the problems any online start-up service would have, but it's not a scam. I do have about 150 or more inquiries out there, and only about five positive responses and five "declines," so ROI is under 10% so far, but I'm confident things will pick-up; just have to give it time. I'm considering the "featured" membership, but it's a little pricey so we'll see how things go like this for now.

If you pay, you get access to the client database. If you only have a free subscription, you can see submissions, but you can't respond to them, and you have to hope that local/regional prospects find you! Better to pay the fee for direct access...

GJ
 
I've been considering them myself. They used to post how much a brides budget was for their entire wedding. for some reason they stopped doing it. Yes they are fairly new and I just want to get some online advertising. Even if it boost our online presence on Google.
 
Ron said:
Been with them 7 months ... no gig, so I am on free 6 months now. I have answered to over 40 potential clients in those 6 months..... not one has responded. Me thinks they make up some of these prospects....
Click to expand...

Do you get the prospect's contact info? Do you make a bid? Both?
 
rhythmgj said:
I just saw this, or I would have answered sooner...
I had the same concerns, but I did give it a try. I have now had a handful of responses, and had some strong online interaction and a couple of phone consults at this point. No bookings yet, but these are real people. I think they're (Wedding.com) just dealing with the problems any online start-up service would have, but it's not a scam. I do have about 150 or more inquiries out there, and only about five positive responses and five "declines," so ROI is under 10% so far, but I'm confident things will pick-up; just have to give it time. I'm considering the "featured" membership, but it's a little pricey so we'll see how things go like this for now.

If you pay, you get access to the client database. If you only have a free subscription, you can see submissions, but you can't respond to them, and you have to hope that local/regional prospects find you! Better to pay the fee for direct access...

GJ
Click to expand...

Let me get this straight, 150 leads, 5 "postivie responses" and 0 bookings? For what it's worth, I get about 240 leads in a year and book 80 of those (1/3). That's from a combination of direct (my website), Weddingwire and Gigmasters leads. If you're 0/150, that's dismal.
 
Yes, but your 240 is over a one-year period Rick. I'm just getting started, have been a paying member of Wedding.com for about a month and a half, and now have access to couples in my local area, and as far around the state (or out-of-state) as I'm willing to travel. Not really dismal at all, from my point of view. You've been doing this for quite a while Rick; I've got to re-tool my whole operation/prospecting/booking efforts towards pretty much exclusively weddings as opposed to band gigs (which, along with weddings, I've been doing for _more than 25 years_). It's an adjustment, and I've got to start somewhere, and there's a lot of competition in my area. It may or may not benefit you, from your perspective of having an already established business and clientele and referral network, but for me, having the opportunity to blitz 150-plus couples in a very short span of time (I've probably really only actively been prospecting on Wedding.com for two or three weeks, tops) is a pretty big deal. I talked to one of my old agents, I spoke with another local independent wedding jock to get on his sub/double-booked list, and I printed business cards and have been handing them out, well, hand-over-fist. But I need more than that, obviously. And I take my time when making important decisions about promotion, marketing, booking, etc. (it used to drive some people I worked with crazy, but I like to know as much about a topic as I can before making a decision... then, when I go with it, I _GO_ with it!)...

So, after checking out the site pretty thoroughly, I decided to give Wedding.com a try, and I for one am happy with the results so far. YMMV.

GJ
 
^^^^ A good idea that I will have to (re)consider, Rick. I'm kind of doing an introductory special all the time, as I do not have "packages" or any up-sells, really, I just charge a flat fee for a standard package-- sound, dance floor lights, wireless mike, and a small uplighting set-up for the head table only. Additional charges are only for outside-of-area travel (mileage and hourly rate-- two hours or more), or for anything additional that they want that I don't have, and thus would have to rent (a room full of lights, bubble/foam machine, etc.). But I'm not going to push that stuff, I want to be in the affordable range within the cost structure array that my market has to offer (I'm lower than a lot of local companies without "giving-away the store" or seriously undermining the market).

Anyway, back to booking sites, I did go back to Gigmasters to have another look. I signed-up as a musician years ago when they first got started; never got anything out of it, and the last time I was there-- granted, quite awhile ago-- they still had a real cheesey 90's-looking format and pretty unfriendly user interface... Man, they have made a lot of changes! The site looks great and I'll probably give them a try at the Pro level as well, if my research supports...

GJ
 
rhythmgj said:
^^^^ A good idea that I will have to (re)consider, Rick. I'm kind of doing an introductory special all the time, as I do not have "packages" or any up-sells, really, I just charge a flat fee for a standard package-- sound, dance floor lights, wireless mike, and a small uplighting set-up for the head table only. Additional charges are only for outside-of-area travel (mileage and hourly rate-- two hours or more), or for anything additional that they want that I don't have, and thus would have to rent (a room full of lights, bubble/foam machine, etc.). But I'm not going to push that stuff, I want to be in the affordable range within the cost structure array that my market has to offer (I'm lower than a lot of local companies without "giving-away the store" or seriously undermining the market).

Anyway, back to booking sites, I did go back to Gigmasters to have another look. I signed-up as a musician years ago when they first got started; never got anything out of it, and the last time I was there-- granted, quite awhile ago-- they still had a real cheesey 90's-looking format and pretty unfriendly user interface... Man, they have made a lot of changes! The site looks great and I'll probably give them a try at the Pro level as well, if my research supports...

GJ
Click to expand...

Let me challenge your paradigm. Not saying you're doing it wrong, just food for thought. You have a single "package" that you offer. When I first started I did the same and thought I was making it easier for the client. What I found (or rather I believe) is that when I started adding higher-priced packages, it raised what prospects thought I was worth. If their budget was limited, then they go for the basic package but you better believe they have stars in their eyes over the bigger budget packages. I believe it makes me appear to be more valuable than the guys who DJ-only. I've formed this opinion after hundreds/thousands of phone calls, emails and face to face meetings. Having a bigger price tag associated with your name, and delivering the goods, makes the lower budget brides want you that much more. Don't keep looking for a way to lower your rate. Find stuff to add that will add value to your presentation.
 
One more thing, it sells much better to claim a high regular price tag and then offer a "Super limited time offer" than it is to just offer the lower price to begin with. It seems backwards to our guy mentality but chicks live to get a deal. If they think they're getting a $1k DJ for $600, they're all over it.
 
I guess different packages depends on what's in them. I've been using 3 packages that mostly differ by how many speakers and how many hours. I've been advertising club lighting (which is just adding 2 scanners and 2 color changers or mirror ball) as an add on and only had one client that wanted the extra lights in the last 3 years. I've also had prospects that thought I was pulling a fast one by suggesting they need more speakers for an extra $100. So those packages haven't been doing too well. I've also had weddings in venues that I didn't know the layout of, and had to add more speakers anyway once I got there. :(

What I've been doing is raising my price a little each year, but offering a discount that's still yields a higher profit than last year's price. But I like that limited time offer idea Rick. That should motivate prospects to sign up quicker. Everyone likes to feel they're saving money IMO.
 
Great ideas and input guys, thanks. A lot to consider.
Remember those client questions from the other thread a few days ago? I saw those exact questions and some bride advice (including "Don't book any DJ that offers 'special one-time only' pricing") in a book called "Don't Hire that DJ!"

So man, this stuff is hard to figure out!! I just hope today's average bride is more realistic and easier to work with than the average club/bar owner!

GJ
 
Jas said:
I guess different packages depends on what's in them. I've been using 3 packages that mostly differ by how many speakers and how many hours. I've been advertising club lighting (which is just adding 2 scanners and 2 color changers or mirror ball) as an add on and only had one client that wanted the extra lights in the last 3 years. I've also had prospects that thought I was pulling a fast one by suggesting they need more speakers for an extra $100. So those packages haven't been doing too well. I've also had weddings in venues that I didn't know the layout of, and had to add more speakers anyway once I got there. :(

What I've been doing is raising my price a little each year, but offering a discount that's still yields a higher profit than last year's price. But I like that limited time offer idea Rick. That should motivate prospects to sign up quicker. Everyone likes to feel they're saving money IMO.
Click to expand...

I think many clients do a little research and 2 scanners and 2 color changers don't come up to "club" levels ... maybe you need to differentiate more and instead of a $100 add-on, make a few $400-$500 add-ons that are worthy of consideration, such as full room uplighting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MIXMASTERMACHOM
steve149 said:
I think many clients do a little research and 2 scanners and 2 color changers don't come up to "club" levels ... maybe you need to differentiate more and instead of a $100 add-on, make a few $400-$500 add-ons that are worthy of consideration, such as full room uplighting.
Click to expand...

Now you're talking. That's exactly what helped me break the $1k threshold. You just never know what pushes a brides buttons. Best to have several $500 add-ons and they'll usually add at least one and you'll see your revenue head north quickly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back