29 Ways to Maximize your Bookings


Don't just sit by the phone -- make it ring!

Is your calendar as full as you would like it to be? Do people know how to find you when they need a Mobile or Club Dj? Are you expanding your customer base? If you didn’t answer yes to these questions, then it’s time to get to work! Before you reinvent the wheel, however, check out this list of 29 ways to maximize your bookings in 2003/4!


1. CHECK YOUR BUSINESS CARD. Do you have a good supply? Is the information current? Is it a great-looking billboard for your DJ services?

2. UPDATE YOUR PROMO KIT. All the information should be current. Are your references up to date? How about your music list?

3. NETWORK YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS. It’s not who you know, it’s who can you knowl. Expand your circle of influence.

4. DON’T BE SO CHEAP! Throw out that cheapo answering machine and get one that makes you sound as professional as you are.

5. JOIN YOUR LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. Offer to trade your services for a membership. That way you can showcase your talents and pick up corporate and other referrals at the same time.

6. SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! Have a quality video produced, showing you at your best, or update the one you have. Make sure your name and phone number are on the label and on the video.

7. SEND OUT A MAILER OR NEWSLETTER. Let people know where they can see you regularly. Send it to all past clients and the great leads in your database. (You have a database don’t you?)

8. LOOK GOOD IN PRINT. Do you have decent letterhead and envelopes? Make sure you look as good, if not better in print than you actually are.

9. CALL SIX PEOPLE EVERY DAY. Call just to say hello and confirm their information in your database. Ask these people if they know of anyone who could use a Mobile DJ.

10. KEEP IN TOUCH. Drop a postcard to three previous clients every day, asking for a referral.

11. CHECK YOUR YELLOW PAGE AD. Are you in the yellow pages? Are you paying too much? Are you paying too little? Do you look like you’re easily accessible and ready for work?

12. READ THE NEWSPAPER DAILY. See who’s getting married, what corporate events are coming up, and what other functions could use your services. Note the week’s social calendar so you can contact those people for next year’s gig.

13. CHECK YOUR CHECKBOOK. To whom are you writing checks month after month? Ask these people for referrals. They get your business - why not get theirs?

14. APPLY YOURSELF. Staple your business card to every bill payment check you send. They will need a staple remover to take your card off the check, and will see your name.

15. WATCH YOUR PRICING. How do your rates compare to the competition? Strive to offer a good value, but get the price you deserve.

16. CLEAN UP YOUR ACT. Is your equipment up to date? Do you have the best in lights, audio and cases? How about your attire? Could your appearance stand to be updated as well?

17. TWEAK YOUR MATERIAL. Constantly update your tunes. Keep in touch with what’s going on in today’s music scene. Listen to all types of music, not just what you like personally.

18. BE WELL-READ. Read books on sales and marketing. The DJ business is market driven. Find out what other businesses do to create more customer contact.

19. READ THE DJ/MUSIC TRADE MAGAZINES. Keep current. Know what’s going on around you and in other parts of the world.

20. SPREAD THE WORD. You never know where that next gig is going to come from. Don’t limit yourself!

21. GET A NAME AND NUMBER. Never quote a price on the phone without first finding out who’s calling. They don’t always book you on the phone right away. You might need a name and phone number to call back.

22. BE PREPARED. Have handy a print piece on yourself that fits in a #10 envelope. You can also carry these smaller brochures around with you like business cards. When you’re at the supermarket and run into someone who needs your services you can say, "Here’s my card.... and here’s a brochure, too!"

23. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK. Ask every person who books you if you can use him or her as a reference. They might even suggest some leads.

24. KNOW YOUR SELF-WORTH. Don’t start hacking away at your fee if somebody says, "Your price is too high." Explain the benefits of using you: your talent, your experience, your past performances. Always start at the top, you can go down in price later.

25. BE CHARITABLE. Do a couple of gigs for charity every year. Remember, you get what you give.

26. GET SOME HELP. Read a couple of books on self-promotion. They’re inexpensive, and they’re in every major bookstore.

27. IF YOU DON’T ASK, YOU DON’T RECEIVE. When somebody calls asking about booking you, never end the call without trying to close a definite date. Never give a price and then let the caller say, "they’ll get back to you." Get specifics. Find out what it will take to book the gig.

28. KEEP YOUR CHIN UP! Don’t let a bad gig get you down. People can hear it in your voice on the phone or in person. Clients want to book a DJ who is excited and confident.

29. COP AN ATTITUDE. Your attitude will make or break you. People pick up on it and respond accordingly. If you want to be a success, start believing that you are one!


These Hints can be applied both for Club Jocks and Mobile Dj's as well..

Have a Great day

Good Advice Dennis, thanks for sharing.

In Addition to Point 28, somebody (who was heaviliy involved in Telesales), once told me that the key to Sounding good on the phone was to smile whilst you were talking to the person on the other end .

Whether this was just a load of Spin (Sorry Tony!), or if there was any truth in it, I don't know, but I have tried this and it does make you feel a little brighter so maybe this comes over to the person you are talking to.

Try it! - so remember when the phone rings....Smile!.

Definitely some helpful hints there, cheers Dennis..

Another good tip is to think a bit about the future punters, do an occasional gig or dj course at the local youth club, these kids are your future customers. Also doing a couple of hours in popular shops on a saturday afternoon also seems to work here in Scandinavia.

What great ideas........... and certainly loads to think about!

my day job is working in a large call centre for the govenment, and believe it or not a smile can be heard. If your happy then the other person becomes happy it infectious. I agree with the don't give a price until you have a name, number, date and venue and then you can sell your product.

One thing i dont agree with is putting your price on your website or brouchures, you might as well say i'm too expensive don't call. A printed price is a reason for a customer not to call as they have what they want. Get them to phone you, you might be more expensive but when you explain on the phone why you have more chance of getting the booking.

Lots of good advice here - it's so easy to become complacent when the work is flowing in. Tony has a point about prices on the web site. I publish mine but I might delete them and see if it makes a difference.
We can all learn from others and I think this thread makes the point
Paul S

QUOTE

One thing i dont agree with is putting your price on your website or brouchures, you might as well say i'm too expensive don't call. A printed price is a reason for a customer not to call as they have what they want. Get them to phone you, you might be more expensive but when you explain on the phone why you have more chance of getting the booking.

This would depend on the market you're aiming at and how busy you are.
I have some blurb stating prices start from £blah blah on my website and yet I receive a lot of enquiries via the site, but never have people trying to negotiate a lower price. The way I look at it; my site tells the client how good I am and gives ample evidence of my vast experience; so if it's simply a metter of price to them, then it's probably best that they do look elsewhere!
I guess I'm probably targetting the higher end of the market and my prices reflect this, and often these type of people expect to pay a lot for a good dj

I never post prices but ask people to get in touch for a quote and then tell them a slightly higher price is normal but i am willing to give them a discount. Make your customer feel like they are getting vip treatment and you already start on a good note with them.

i agree with you on the discount thing - if you quote something like 195 - but then say that the party is especially local or something and you can do it for £180 that will make them feel special and make them more inclined to book you.
maby! lol

Having a wife who owns the company that makes most of the wedding cakes around here also helps, so my advice is marry a confectioner

You'll also get a cheap deal on your wedding cake, and DJ.

Check out the most common venues and caterers in your area and get together and offer a package deal with catering,venue and dj all in one deal.

Thanks Guys/Gals

I may actually ADD to that list so keep the Ideas rolling in

you never know could be #29 / #30 or even More


have a great weekend

Another great tip, esp if you do weddings, is to leave some cards with the local wedding hire shop/store....

Also small CD shops, many people ask the staff if they know anyone who does functions etc....I have got some great work through the above:)

Thank you that was great advice just the sort of posts this forum needs

In the dark days before the forum.... when I had given out numbers to customers because I couldnt do their gig - and they phoned me back to tell me that all the djs I had recommended were also booked..... I gave them tips for checking out a dj on the phone.... a saleable point when you are selling your services to people who have not come via recommendation

I tell people to ask the DJ how they would generally run the evening... if the dj answer "however you like"... dig deeper and ask for their suggestions... If the said DJ cannot give you a flexible plan for the evening, then think very carefully about booking him/her!

I am so lucky in that I do not have to do anything... my bookings come to me - but then again I have been in the business a very long time.

When your client phones, you must convince them that you know what you are doing. If they have confidence with you over the phone then they will book you.

Another thing - if you cant do their booking - always try to help them... say you will phone around on their behalf to the professional djs you recommend... then hook them up with each other..... I guarantee that even if you cant help on that occasion, the customer will come back to you with other bookings for being so helpful.

Failing that, have a sex change and show a bit of cleavage at every gig.... the work just floods in!

(laugh of last night... one duffer came up and said "i like your top"... my reply "no you dont, its my **** you like"!!!! and Yes, this was a very snobby party but I still got away with it

Hi

Some great tips here, i've read them before but reading again sure helps, doesn't hurt to remind yourself of the basics occasionally.

Regarding prices, especially on the website.

If someone thinks you're too expensive they're not going to book you no matter what you tell them. Some folks want budget, some don't, some will buy some won't, it isn't rocket science.

If you don't have enough information on your website, you're not going to get the call in the first place. So if all the info is there, why not display some sort of price guide.

It doesn't matter how much fast talking you do, if folks feel your too expensive, they won't book you, end of story.

When someone clicks on to a website, they want to know two things...

1. What's in it for me.

2. How much will it cost.

Darren

Some very good tips there. Thanks

Remember, that when you have been around a while, people will pay your fee.... they want to book you and will pay for you - you will know if you have priced yourself out of the market because you wont get any work at all... but if 5 out of 6 still book you, the price is right... come on down!

Reassuringly expensive

I am much more than most of the other DJ's around here, but my diary is always full, to the point that other DJ's ring me up and if I am quieter than normal it must be a quiet month, like Karen I don't need to advertise, but still do, as 99% of my work is at hotels, and when the manaager leaves, I normally follow him to the next hotel, whilst keeping the old hotel too, so I may be expensive but you get what you pay for.

thanks for the great advice people.

very much welcomed, especially as my own buisness is at the point of advertising.

luckily i know a few people that may be able to help, such as i am on friendly terms with a resident at the local night club who is more than willing to help send out my demo mixes, for a club night.

As a student still attending college, i have friends at the student union who are willing to advertise the buisnuse around the college, so i am more or less well equiped, but i cant stay at college forever so, this advice is more than welcomed as i will need all the ideas i can get as how to advertise the non club related area of the buisness.

take care for now.