Seriously? I don't have to meet someone face to face in order for it to be important! I don't understand that logic whatsoever. Why can't you go over it via telephone or Skype? In many cases, other than your eye color, what could they possibly get differently than in person meeting? This is especially true if they want to pre-select all/most of the music and want no interaction other than a few announcements. I would much rather have $1000 in my pocket than do stuff around the house. The house stuff can wait until the next day when I am off anyway.
Weddings Short notice
- Thread starter dj john
- Start date
I'm not even going to go into all of the psychology behind face to face meetings, actual social interaction and human communication. Suffice it to say, the scientific research is out there, physical interactions will communicate more to all participants than any amount of phone calls, emails, web forms, etc. Welcome to being a human being; we're hard-wired to seek out social interactions with other humans. It's all part of being a social creature.
As for the importance...if someone is willing to make a meeting, show up at the meeting and interact with you it can be an indicator if we even want to take the job or not. We're going to put all of our time, effort and energy into their reception...I want to know that they're just as committed.
In regards to pre-selecting all or most of the music, we pass on those gigs.
This entire thread is a clear indication as to how everyone runs their business differently and how they want to run it.
Like Blacktie, I can not see how someone not wanting to meet face to face is an indication that their wedding day is not important to them...but Bill and Mac see it differently. That is why it is called shopping around.
But, I would like to present two bookings we actually received in the past couple months and ask Mac and anyone else who falls in the "must meet face to face" category if they would have turned them down.
Both were from military couples, one in Kansas and one in South Korea. Neither would be coming home until about 2 weeks before their wedding, therefore neither could meet face to face for any consultation. Now, if (as you have already said) "physical interactions will communicate more to all participants than any amount of phone calls, emails, web forms, etc. Welcome to being a human being; we're hard-wired to seek out social interactions with other humans. It's all part of being a social creature.".... I am going to have to assume that you would not take these gigs. And if you did take them, then your entire "scientific studies" basis for meeting face and face completely goes out the window.
Like Blacktie, I can not see how someone not wanting to meet face to face is an indication that their wedding day is not important to them...but Bill and Mac see it differently. That is why it is called shopping around.
But, I would like to present two bookings we actually received in the past couple months and ask Mac and anyone else who falls in the "must meet face to face" category if they would have turned them down.
Both were from military couples, one in Kansas and one in South Korea. Neither would be coming home until about 2 weeks before their wedding, therefore neither could meet face to face for any consultation. Now, if (as you have already said) "physical interactions will communicate more to all participants than any amount of phone calls, emails, web forms, etc. Welcome to being a human being; we're hard-wired to seek out social interactions with other humans. It's all part of being a social creature.".... I am going to have to assume that you would not take these gigs. And if you did take them, then your entire "scientific studies" basis for meeting face and face completely goes out the window.
We have taken one gig, several years ago where the groom was in the military and the bride was on base on the east coast. We were able to have several phone conferences with them and it was the mother of the bride who found us and was the paperwork person. It wasn't the best reception, wasn't the worst either, but we felt like we never got a chance to actually connect with the bride and groom and we felt that it showed in our performance. Now whether or not it did, I have no idea. But this gig is why we have a face to face meeting, even if it's with only the bride or the groom.
Taking a gig in this manner doesn't throw out decades worth of scientific research. If anything, the lack of connection reinforces the findings of research. Patrick, as much as you and others like to believe that you can gain just as much information from web forms, phone calls, etc. it just isn't true. You may get enough info to get by, but odds are strongly against you getting any deeper knowledge or information about the couple and their desires.
I know you think it's a bunch of rubbish and that's your opinion, so it's all good. For me, I'd rather stack the deck in my favor and use my knowledge of humans, our styles of communication and how we socialize.
I'M sorry but i like to know face to face who the bride and groom are, i did a wedding a few years back meet the bride did not meet the groom day of the wedding as they arrived i congratulated the bride shook the hand of the groom it wasn't the groom it was his twin brother i felt like a idiot, my its just me but i like to know who i am dealing with
Of course is BETTER, to meet in person to discuss details. However, you make it sound like it is impossible to do via telephone or video conference! 30 years and over 10,000 weddings (of which 30% we have face-face meetings) we communicated just fine AND we have an 80% referral rate.
Not sure if you have been a groom or been in a wedding, but when I was going through the wedding process, the LAST thing I had any time to do was to have a face to face meeting with any of my vendors. Not that I didn't want to, I just didn't have the time with work, picking up out of town guests, picking up tuxedos, dresses, rehearsal dinner, etc.
If you pass on the pre-selected music type of events, fair enough...I personally hate it myself. But I have DJs here that love it. This is where an multi-op can have more versatility.
Lastly, we have had the opposite happen several times. That is, met with bride and groom in person and turned out to be one of the WORST receptions ever. Communicate and connect however works for you, but there is no such thing as a "one size fits all". I find face to face works sometimes and other times it was a huge waste of time, gas and effort.
Married just over two years ago. Made the time to meet with all vendors, twice...by the way, all of our vendors were 16 hours away (we got married in Anna's home area). Our families took care of picking up folks from the airport. Even in this day and age with everyone's busy schedules (second shifts, graveyard shifts, coming in from out of town, kids, work, school, finals, etc), if a couple wants to meet the time is there...it's just a matter of importance to the couple.
DING DING DING!!!!
That is my point. If a couple insists on meeting, we are more than happy to pass along the number and website of the company we send people to when we are booked. Every now and then they will contact us back...but not normally...and that is fine.
Every single client knows what they are looking for...and my job is NOT to talk to them out of them, but to tell them what we offer and see if it fits into.
yeah, but I would think the client would WANT to meet F2F,
especially due to the last minute nature of the gig.
not only to go over music and such, but so the client can personally hand you the payment.
the last minute client probably wants to settle everything as soon as possible...just as YOU do
leave it all up to technology
and it gives them the opportunity to back out, change their minds, or just procrastinate....
since no one (you) is sitting next to them encouraging them to get it done
