Bookings for us are at a snails pace right now!

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MIXMASTERMACHOM

MIXMASTERMACHOM

Mac Daddy DJ
ODJT Supporter
Oct 16, 2011
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Right now we're contracted to do a graduation party July 7th. We just finished doing a wedding anniversary on Friday. And that came as a result of a lady I used to work with remembered I'm a DJ. Bookings are far and few between. On one hand that's good because of my bulging disk in my back. So sometimes the next day after doing a gig I'm in pain from moving the gear.

Yet I'm not ready for a wheel chair. Just looking for suggestions on how to get more bookings? It's a PITA moving the gear but well worth it when you know people at an event had a good time because of you. Just looking for any tips or suggestions.
 
For us the major chunk of business comes from the two bridal shows we do each Janurary. Other than that we've got a couple of venues where we're either at the top of their list or the only ones on their list. We also get a decent amount from previous client word of mouth, or someone saw us at a previous wedding.

When we started, the bridal shows allowed us to get the foot in the door and once we got in, we had to prove to the venues and vendors that we knew what we were doing and that we can rock the party. In this aspect, it takes time...I know that sucks to hear, but you've gotta earn the respect of the other vendors for them to start referring you.

Making sure your website ranks well in google searches and a listing on wedj.com (even just the free listings) can be a major help.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Right now we're contracted to do a graduation party July 7th. We just finished doing a wedding anniversary on Friday. And that came as a result of a lady I used to work with remembered I'm a DJ. Bookings are far and few between. On one hand that's good because of my bulging disk in my back. So sometimes the next day after doing a gig I'm in pain from moving the gear.

Yet I'm not ready for a wheel chair. Just looking for suggestions on how to get more bookings? It's a PITA moving the gear but well worth it when you know people at an event had a good time because of you. Just looking for any tips or suggestions.
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Mix,
If you are in that much pain the next day after a gig, maybe you might want to reconsider DJing. Get a young or able person to help you if necessary. You are only endangering yourself by lifting heavy objects. The stress does not help.
 
Trust me I stopped moving gear by myself. If God blesses me to see it on June 2nd I'll be 54.

Now onto a few questions about a bridal show. How much should I spend to be a part of a bridal show? What should I have at a table besides business cards for people to take a look at and take with them? I know to dress proper. What else should I know about doing a bridal show? I'm asking these questions because I have been contacted about doing a bridal show but have never done one.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Trust me I stopped moving gear by myself. If God blesses me to see it on June 2nd I'll be 54.

Now onto a few questions about a bridal show. How much should I spend to be a part of a bridal show? What should I have at a table besides business cards for people to take a look at and take with them? I know to dress proper. What else should I know about doing a bridal show? I'm asking these questions because I have been contacted about doing a bridal show but have never done one.
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The main purpose of being in a Bridal Show is to Book Events, there and then! Get your own leads and don't depend on the Event's Organizer's list. Call the "Warm" prospects ASAP after the show. Photos, slide shows and a free drawing box are a must.
 
There are tons of approaches to a bridal show and part of it depends on your specific market. Here's how we approach it for our market and it works very well for us.

We bring a basic system to play music on, so mixer, amp, speakers, etc. We purposely select music that is more upbeat and fun...we stay away from slow lovey songs because several other companies do that music and it does not convey energy and fun. We only bring two of our lights, the Chauvet Eclipse and Cirrus, they are pointed at the ceiling (it's a higher ceiling) and they attract attention to us (for 3 straight years now). We've got business cards that match the brochures. Our photo albums are out with snapshots from different events we have done. There are no pics where you can easily tell who it is and any minors have had their faces blurred. We always have a bowl with Lifesavers Wint-O-Green mints that sits next to one of our business card holders. This bowl is kept near the front so that anyone walking by can grab a mint and a card.

As for give-aways/free drawings. This past year we gave away a Vermont Teddy Bear each day. In order for a person to sign up for it, they actually had to talk to us (this helped avoid the ones only looking for freebies) and only the bride and groom could enter, the mother of the bride couldn't do it for her daughter, etc, it had to be the bride or groom.

In regards to booking at the show, I'll disagree with Houston. Our entire model is designed to get the couple to sit down with us at a future meeting to discuss their specific reception (we're at about a 93% rate of meeting to booking). We always have contracts on hand at the shows because some people will want to book on the spot and we'll never turn then down at that point (we've had at least one on the spot booking each year).

How much to pay for a booth at a show, it depends on your area. For our main show we pay almost $700, but that's for 10 hours of show over two days. Our smaller show is $225 for one day and many of the other shows around here run about the same.
 
DJ J Mac said:
In regards to booking at the show, I'll disagree with Houston. Our entire model is designed to get the couple to sit down with us at a future meeting to discuss their specific reception (we're at about a 93% rate of meeting to booking). We always have contracts on hand at the shows because some people will want to book on the spot and we'll never turn then down at that point (we've had at least one on the spot booking each year).
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Isn't it better to close the sale at the event and come home with booked Events rather than having to spend more time afterwards calling prospects while other competitors are also calling them? Again, what you do works for you and that is good. Efficiency is my goal. I pick the fruit off the tree when I see it. Going back the next day to find and pick it may not give me happy results.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Trust me I stopped moving gear by myself. If God blesses me to see it on June 2nd I'll be 54.
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Dude, 54 is not old.

Can you think back to when bookings weren't at a "snail's pace"? If yes, then think about what you did differently back then and start doing it again. If bookings have always been at a snail's pace, you need to change things up starting today. The problem isn't gear - you've got new gear. The problem isn't pricing - your prices are already low. The problem isn't how people find you - because you're getting jobs based on referrals from people you used to work with.

I hate to say this... but maybe the problem is your attitude. Doom and gloom and everything unfortunate in your past won't take you far in an industry based on service and smiles.

Three suggestions:

1. Throw away your opinions about "goonie goo goos" and accept that this music is what people enjoy dancing to in 2012.
2. Join a Toastmasters group and work on your public speaking skills.
3. Drop your Wedplan advertising and go shake some hands.

And a fourth, just for kicks. Ask yourself this question:

If I didn't know how old I am, how old do I think I'd be?

Forget your age. Let your game do the talking.
 
B Sharp thanks for some of your input. I have made changes in prices and I only let my closest friend know that I think that music is trash. It's not about me and what I like, it's about what the client wants and then I ask myself do I feel it's going to be a fun safe event.

I grew up on the days of hanging in Club Zanzabar which was located in downtown Newark, NJ. At that time in the beginning they played house music and at a certain point a couple of slow jams. That was when they first opened up. Then they strictly only played house music. That's what I grew up on and that's my personal love. Zanzabar had the best sound system in NJ. The only one that could touch them was the Paradise Garage in New York.
 
MixMasterMachoMachoMan BSharp hit it on the head. You are a paying member to the NJDJN. You should be directing those questions in your post to some of those guys. Some of the members run very successful dj operations. I told you in pass posts that you should try to work for a multi op. You will get more gigs thay will pay you more than the 250 you keep chasing.
 
DJ JohnThe1 said:
MixMasterMachoMachoMan BSharp hit it on the head. You are a paying member to the NJDJN. You should be directing those questions in your post to some of those guys. Some of the members run very successful dj operations. I told you in pass posts that you should try to work for a multi op. You will get more gigs thay will pay you more than the 250 you keep chasing.
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I stopped chasing $250.00 gigs and i'll certainly ask such questions of the association. I just thought i could get ideals here first.

Maybe that's just it. Lately all i get to see is clients looking for the cheapest DJ they can find in most cases. One thing i will admit i probably need to get better with what i send in an email. Not to sure about that but that could be a big problem.
 
When they fill out our request for more information on our website they get an auto email stating that we will be in contact with them within 24 hours. After I review thier needs I send them a custom email that tells them a little about me and the price quote for thier event. If I need more info in order to give them a quote I send an email asking the questions I have.

Send me your email address and I'll send you some of the emails we send out.
 
Mix, it might help you a lot if you were to go to your library and check out a few books on Sales and Marketing. Taking orders is nice but you have to learn how to generate your own leads and turn them into bookings.
 
DJCC said:
When they fill out our request for more information on our website they get an auto email stating that we will be in contact with them within 24 hours. After I review thier needs I send them a custom email that tells them a little about me and the price quote for thier event. If I need more info in order to give them a quote I send an email asking the questions I have.

Send me your email address and I'll send you some of the emails we send out.
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Pretty much the same thing here.
 
Thanks DJCC those emails you sent me showed what I need added to our site besides more pictures of events we've done.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
What do you do if they don't give a phone number? Just move on till you get to a client that gives their phone number?
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In that case, I'll email. But in general, people who give you a phone number are more motivated to actually book you. Emails are time-wasters. There's no way tell how interested someone is in actually booking you, and you could spend all day crafting the perfect response with no guarantee that they'll even open your message, nevermind whether or not they'll reply to it.
 
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