Weddings Seriously.....I am reconsidering using some sort of banner. Talk to me!

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Should I consider using an elegant banner again at my gigs?

  • Yes

    Votes: 24 100.0%

  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Here is what I think: Comment in thread please!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    24
D

DJMN

New DJ
Feb 6, 2007
4,533
1
45
Northern Minnesota
I was so anti-banner for the last few years, since it looks super tacky at an elegant wedding, right?

Ok..so when you dj, do you throw your name on the mic a bunch of times, and self promote yourself, or do you throw it in a key moments?

I hate doing this...but again..I start my 2010 wedding season off to an incredible start...and the bar..books me on spot..they tell me charge what you need to charge to make money, and we want you...blah blah blah.

They then say..you are XXXXXXXXXXXX Dj service right? I'm like..ummm no...(big smile) and I say who I am.

Now when I do weddings..I keep it elegant..and only one time...at the end of a night, I will mention something like "We are Party Revolution, thank you all..blah blah blah"

But how on earth should I go about this.

I am anti-banner..because it does look tacky...but I just don't feel I am drving home my name enough when I do events like this.

I am on the fence..I am seriously reconsidering this banner thing.

I have my new logo..maybe I should logo my cart really basic.

Talk to me...Pros and Cons. I am 100% open ears..I really am unsure what I should do.


Thanks.
 
Leave the banner for "other" partys and stuff...

I wouldn't use one at a wedding. A little card holder, With some business cards
will be more than enough...

If your rocking the house and people want to hire you, They will seek the info from you..
 
I am getting a vinyl sticker with my logo (don't think I am going to have phone #) on it that I am putting on the top of my laptop. It's something simple, but still shows who we are.

We also just ordered a 6 ft wide by 3 ft tall banner as well. This is for events we sponsor or events we are doing for free or discounted. I have a events next Thursday at the local college. It's a Robotics competition and there are about 50+ school districts there. I am doing the event for free and you better believe we are going to advertise. There are school principals, super intendents, fund raiser people. Everyone. We are also doing a promo, if you book us and mention that you saw us at the robotics event. You get 15% off the normal school rates. Private gigs are getting 10% off.

We are also going to be considered a local sponsor by the competition. So they are going to be putting our logo on the big screens that rotate with the other sponsor logos.

As far as banners at weddings, I wouldn't even think about it. That is the bride and grooms day. They pay you enough to come out and play. And if you do a good job you hope to get referals from them.

School events can go either way. I wouldn't put a huge banner but it doesn't hurt to have your name placed somewhere in sight.
 
I don't Banner: Wedding Receptions, Proms, and Formals. Ask If I can have a card holder with business cards.

As for Class Reunions I have the banner with me and if they start showing up with suits on I leave it down, casual I put it up. I banner parties and school dances.

I will be putting my name and number on my laptops next month.
 
A digital frame is all you need. I use it to display the bride & groom's/guest of honor's names and my logo/URL.

When you do a good job, people ask for a card. They don't need to see a banner. When you're going to be on TV or in a crowd, use a banner.
 
I don't and won't use my banner for anything other than bridal shows.

The reason: When I impress the folks with my abilities and everyone is having the time of their lives, they will come to me and ask for my card or brochure.

I don't need to hang a sign like a hotdog stand at a carnival regardless of how elegant it is.
 
Briar said:
I don't need to hang a sign like a hotdog stand at a carnival regardless of how elegant it is.
Click to expand...

I've been to places that have $100 steaks and I've been to McDonalds and the one thing they both have in common....Neither are ashamed of thier name. They both proudly display it every chance they get on signs, menus, napkins whatever..

Personally I don't use a sign at weddings but to each thier own
 
Jeff Romard said:
I've been to places that have $100 steaks and I've been to McDonalds and the one thing they both have in common....Neither are ashamed of thier name. They both proudly display it every chance they get on signs, menus, napkins whatever..
Click to expand...

I have been saying that for years. There is nothing wrong with some sort of self promoting as long as it is done in an appropriate manner based on the kind of event. Most restrictions that DJs have are self imposed!
Humans are affected by one of more senses. Seeing, and hearing are two of those........its sometimes takes at least one or more of those kind of senses to affect an individual. How is one going to know which one affects each individual in the audience?
Seeing........put something visual up for all to see. Even if it is included in a slide show designed with pictures for your guests.
Hearing.......people will hear you play but they would also like to hear your name. You can do it subtly.... for example, don't make an ad for yourself..instead say something like this "ABC DJ Service would like to congratulate John & Mary for their new Marriage." There, you have just mentioned your company's name without making an ad out of it.
However, to each his own!
 
I don't use a banner or sign but I do put a card holder on my table, sometimes on the stage and a lot of times at the end of the bar. I make sure that they are neatly placed and kept neat all night.

Another option is to buy a picture smaller electronic frame and have pictures of the B&G scrolling all night with a couple shots of your logo interspersed. Again, you can't be overbearing, it has to be done subtly.

It is a judgement call as to if your placement is good, step into the customer's frame of mind for a minute and act accordingly.

If people's A.D.S. (Advertising Defense Shield) is activated, you are sunk.

young...
 
Adam,

It's true that I don't suggest displaying a banner at weddings. That said, I honestly believe that some type of sign is appropriate and even encouraged at most other types of engagements. The more people who see your company name, the better.

Banners are really outdated in this biz. They're OK for car lots and majorettes or Boy Scout troups. Not so much for a DJ company. Lighted signs look much better.

Years ago I made a backlit sign from a flourescent light fixture. Used a printshop utility to make a template with the company name. A can of tacky spray-on adhesive, black spray paint and an Exacto knife to cut out the lettering after painting.

Wrapped the lamp tubes with blue gels and there ya are ~ a nice backlit sign.

Edit: Right after I posted I rememberd this. Figured I'd get a snapshot of it so you can get an idea of what I did. This is our old company name, by the way. It was a spare sign in case the original got broken. :)
 

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I don't use a banner. At a formal event, like a wedding, I mention my name twice - once in the opening, and again in the closing - but never my company name. I keep cards behind my console so if anyone ask for them I have them available - but I do NOT put them on display.

For a formal event, I would NOT use any banner or advertising at all. Same goes for charity events that I am doing for charity. Actually, I'll take this a step further - any private event I wouldn't use any form of self promotion.


Here's how I feel about it. If I do a good job, they'll ask for my card. If someone is interested, the planner/bride/groom/etc will tell them who I am.

For a public event - like a bridal expo or something similar - I would say that it's a MUST to use a banner or other form of self promotion. It's expected. Same goes for most of the bar events I've done in the past. They EXPECT you to use it for shameless self promotion. But I opted for a more elegant route and printed one side of my karaoke slips with my company information and the back with the slip information - on business cards. I always thought self cut (poorly) slips on normal paper just looked tacky. But hey, that's just me...
 
MusicMeister said:
I don't use a banner. At a formal event, like a wedding, I mention my name twice - once in the opening, and again in the closing - but never my company name. I keep cards behind my console so if anyone ask for them I have them available - but I do NOT put them on display.

For a formal event, I would NOT use any banner or advertising at all. Same goes for charity events that I am doing for charity. Actually, I'll take this a step further - any private event I wouldn't use any form of self promotion.


Here's how I feel about it. If I do a good job, they'll ask for my card. If someone is interested, the planner/bride/groom/etc will tell them who I am.

For a public event - like a bridal expo or something similar - I would say that it's a MUST to use a banner or other form of self promotion. It's expected. Same goes for most of the bar events I've done in the past. They EXPECT you to use it for shameless self promotion. But I opted for a more elegant route and printed one side of my karaoke slips with my company information and the back with the slip information - on business cards. I always thought self cut (poorly) slips on normal paper just looked tacky. But hey, that's just me...
Click to expand...


:sqerr:Isn't it usually a trade off that for doing Charitable Work one gets to advertise their business in exchange?:sqconfused:

:sqerr:What is the point printing your name on the back of a Karaoke Slip when they will be giving the slip to you anyway? Some may not even turn it over! :sqconfused:
 
I do not own a banner. My logo is shown in the TV screens in a bar when I am doing something that uses video ( Karaoke, Music Videos, Trivia or Bingo and soon Fire Text)

When I have a wedding that a photo montoage is booked I put my logo between the loop if I created the video.

Anything someone uses my projection or tv's for a party the same logo I use in bars will be up.
 
ahoustondj said:
:sqerr:Isn't it usually a trade off that for doing Charitable Work one gets to advertise their business in exchange?:sqconfused:
Click to expand...

That depends. Are you doing a charitable event out of charity or for selfless promotion of your business?

I do CHARITY events. I expect NOTHING in return because it's CHARITY. My PERFORMANCE is what drives people to come up and ask for my card - not my banner.

ahoustondj said:
:sqerr:What is the point printing your name on the back of a Karaoke Slip when they will be giving the slip to you anyway? Some may not even turn it over! :sqconfused:
Click to expand...
The cards are in a pouch in the front of the books. I've had people take them instead of asking me for a card. In other words, I have business cards all over the place... ;) I don't use pens or pencils with my company name on them any more - they kept disappearing! And the number that disappeared (when I still had them) went way down when I moved to the cards the way I did.
 
ditto on most of the responses...

banners are too tacky for me

saying your name is good, but not every time you crack the mic

if people like what you're doing, they will make it a point to find out more about you

and Hank's digital photo frame is superb!
just the right size, and can be personalized for any occassion.
 
I never use my vinyl banner anymore, for any type of gig. I do have a 1X2 placard that I put up for non-wedding events. It has a super-brief bio mentioning (i.e. name-dropping) my Grand Ole Opry experience and, believe it or not, that does gain some credibility with guests. For weddings, I never put up a banner or placard but do have my website at the top of my slideshow screen. It seems to work and no complaints about it being tacky.
 
Another situation where the frequently ignored, abandoned, discarded "Time & Place" ethic is paramount.

A simple test: Open to public = signage, if desired, appropriate, Bar/Lounge/Club open to public = possible appropriate, Private event to honor or acknowledge others = not ever appropriate.
 
:sqwink:I dont have banners because it takes away from the occasion you are doing.The only thing i have is a nice Sticker with my name on it in big and I have business cards at the table if they want any.This is just my opinion.
 
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