When a client asks to meet you to discuss their function, which one of the above options applies to where you meet them?

Do you make house calls?, Do you invite them around to your address?, Do you meet them at the venue or do you meet them on neutral territory at the local pub?

Visit them at their own address at a convenient time always works for me. Occasionally, I will follow up with a venue visit with them too if it's appropriate.

Tip: be smart at all times.

Venue is best. Don't see the point in any of the others personally.

in order of preferance

1. Meet at the venue, that way we can arrange the best place for me to be set up etc
2. Their Home
3. Venue convienient to them

Any of the above to suit the customer.

I have only just started doing it and have to say with the greatful help from Chris Shep (C.S) its well worth making the visit.

I offer the pub/coffee shop etc but the client has invited me to their house on all occasions.

Good tip from Brian, be smartly dressed.

They can visit me if they choose as long as they bring there own bun's...

Could've done with being multiple choice, went with option 2 but could also have been option 3.

At their own address.
The customer is at ease, and feels in control.

Nearly always at their home where they're most comfortable, but wherever the customer wants really.

Need to see venue at some stage, unless the venue is known to me.

Will meet client where convenient for the client.

Jimbo

The vast majority of my clients don't ask for/want a meeting beforehand but for those that do I give them all the options.

Last week I met with clients at the hotel I was about to do a gig in. It wasn't the one they were having their function in but it was close to their home so we discussed their event in reception before I went in to set-up. Cheeky I know but it suited them & me

I don't do that many weddings these days (personal choice), but for most mobile gigs where a client meeting is necesarry, usually meet in a neutral hotel/bar/cafe ... most of the time the client suggests that themselves, at a place between my address and theirs, so it works out quite well.

Often both go down to the venue together also, to discuss layout and liase with venue managers about setting up and staging etc.

Meeting them at a location??? .... so we're not entertaining the suggestion of Meeting the client on the phone" "

I'm finding that whatever the clients used to feel they gained from a face-to-face meeting is being satisfied by the information exhange which happens on my initial (post-contract) paperwork, telephone calls, or emails - even though I offer a face-to-face meeting at their preference, I don't have any reason to insist on one - eg: Fee justification.

My "Additional Information" paperwork covers such things as "Best mans name", "Bridemaids names", "honeymoon destination", "Will both sets of parents be there?, what are their names?, "Are there any recent family bereavements, divorces/re-marriages, key abscentees etc, which I should be aware of -" etc.

If/when asked, I usually cover the last point above, in more detail. What I'm keen to avoid is of course a mic announcement of say "Please may we have Diane and Steves parents up to the dancefloor" when perhaps Dianes Father died 2 years ago.

Some such annoucement gaffs are just un-avoidable. I went to a disco at a friends wedding about 3 years ago where the DJ ended the nights entertainment with "And lets wish Sue & Steve every happiness in the future, and lots of kids very soon...". Half the dancefloor turned around and advised that the kids bit was somewhat unlikely as Steve had had "the op" several years previously - some also added however, that the local milkman hadn't had the op...

When a face-to-face meeting is still requested, I'll normally suggest the venue that they've booked. As its primarily hotels that I perform at now, it means that there will be comfy seating, refreshments, and an opportunity to view the dancefloor/disco area etc, with the added bonus of being able to bring the venues conference/banqueting manager in "live" on any joint decisions, if needs be.

I used to prefer the "over the phone" meeting, but after a suggestion from a wedding photographer, I have started to meet with the clients, and \I prefer at the venue.

My reason for this is that it help me show the bride & groom how I can make their event unique and even more special, plus it gives me an oppertunity to sell a few more services to the client, such as music during the wedding breakfast, MC duties, Plasma screens etc

I picked "ask clients around and invite them to some tea and a slice of cake"
Although If the client wanted to meet at the venue then I would arrange that too. Of course I'd be buying the rounds too.

I would prefer if a client came around to mine so I can understand their exepctations for their event - I think it relaxes them so no one is rushing into the all important question of "cost". Almost 90% of clients before I physically get to meet them ask about the "how much is it going to cost " element of it.

I offer all of the options except the last one and go with whichever is most suitable for them. It's approximately a 3 way tie between cafe, my place and their place.