spinner
-
Content Count
4,065 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Calendar
Posts posted by spinner
-
-
Half of ours ( the half that usually goes out ) is in a ( carpeted ) Transit which is then reversed into our garage ( with extra padlocks - an insurance requirement ). That way there's no loading before a gig and none when we get back. The rest of our gear is flightcased and in a secure workshop extension to the garage. Never had a problem with condensation.
-
My wife and I do the gigs together. Couldn't do it solo anyway, too much for one person.
We each have our own parts of the rig to put up and take down. She takes requests so that I'm free to concentrate on what I'm doing. And it was her idea for me to go back into mobile work 10 years ago.
-
The Thrill Is gone - BB King with Bobby Bland
-
We always direct people to the side to make requests. Another occasional problem we get is people putting their drinks on our bass bins. We either request, politely, that they desist, explaining that the drink will not be safe there and could easily fall over and ruin our equipment, or simply remove the offending item and put it on a table. Either way the drinks are gone within seconds.
A variation on this subject is the time I am reminded of when someone hung his jacket on our lighting rig!!
It didn't stay there long.
Some people, and they are few, fail to understand that they are abusing the tools of another's trade. I have no doubt that they would complain immediately if I were to go into their place of work and leave something on their desk or workbench.
-
We've used a less expensive pen from this firm for years. We give them to guests so that they can write down their requests.
-
Download it from Napster or buy the album. Alternatively borrow it from the local library, if available.
-
Without doubt the most cost effective method of advertising ( when done thoroughly ) is via the Internet. We had been spending around £1500 a year for a 2 colour ad with YP and were considering cutting it right down. The area rep came in with the usual sales ploy "if this could get you X number of extra gigs it would be worth it, wouldn't it?" etc.
Together we designed a slightly smaller ad, but in 4 colours, that conveyed an impression of quality and emphasised that we specialise in weddings. It cost the same. Yet still we received calls asking if we could do a 2 hour childrens' party or from people expecting to pay £100!
Although we did get some decent enquiries the fact remains that, at best, the ad paid for itself.
Very often the first question from enquirers would be "how much do you charge for a disco?" 9 times out of 10 enquirers asking that question will ring round looking for the cheapest. That's not the market we're aiming for.
A while ago we did a wedding reception in a local hotel. At the end the bride's father came up to us and said "if we'd known you were this good we'd have booked you for our wedding anniversary party". In fact they had booked another local disco, run by a team with less experience and with equipment not as good as ours. They booked after responding to a small panel ad in Yellow Pages.
We've now cut ours to the same size.
-
www.wingmusic.co.uk have some ex-hire BST equipment on their website. You may find that helpful.
If I remember correctly BST is a French or European brand. I saw some of their equipment at a show in Manchester 6 or 7 years ago.
-
As a PS to our earlier post. We have a dedicated business line, answered with our trading name and in a separate room, in which there will be no background noise or interruptions.
-
We rarely quote a price when receiving a first phone call. In fact we don't try to close people at that stage. If someone says "what do you charge for a disco?" we explain that it depends on a number of factors. In some ways that question is like asking a restaurant proprietor "what do you charge for a meal". It all depends on what one chooses from the menu. Same applies to a mobile disco. If price is the main or only criterion we consider that a bad sign. We ask for function details, venue, number of guests etc and explain the salient points of our service and the fact that we offer a choice of packages. We then send an illustrated colour brochure showing those package choices and prices plus a covering letter detailing the various aspects of our service. In the majority of cases we then get a booking.
Almost all our bookings are for weddings or adult parties. We do not do childrens' parties.
Interestingly the enquiry quality and success rate are higher from those who have made contact via our website than prospects coming from Yellow Pages. So much so that we have cut our YP budget quite dramatically.
-
I have used a pair of DAP K112 moulded cabinets for mid/top in an active system for just over a year. I have found them to be very good. Detailed, warm sound. Need occasional slight EQing depending on venue acoustics. They are very similar in appearance to the EV SX300 but at a fraction of the price.
Lazy customer, what do I do
in D.J and Karaoke Chat
Posted
If you're running a business then being business-like comes first.
Had a similar situation to this one recently, although no friends involved.
We sent an information pack. Client rang back and booked for a wedding reception but wanted to see us in action. Couldn't invite them to a private party so sent a DVD. Client wasn't entirely sure about times so agreed we'd send a contract for 7.30-1 which could be amended if necessary.
As usual we asked for signed contract and deposit back within 7 days of receipt. 31/2 weeks later nothing.
Sent e-mail asking for reply by return, not least because we'd had other enquiries for the date.
24 hours later received a reply to the effect that the clients had been to Cyprus for a week and in the meantime their parents had been looking at other discos. Would it be OK to let us have a reply in 72 hours time?
Told them we couldn't hold the date. If they had subsequently come back with a positive response would have refused the gig.
Obviously where friends are involved more than a degree of diplomacy is necessary. However, if you have rules/procedures stick to them. Make no exceptions.