How Are The Internet Enquiries Going?

[Dukesy 0]

Please answer the above poll honestly, remember that polls are anonymous.

[Danno13 0]

Enquiries are down in December, but I don't think its a sign of the times because looking back, last December was the same.

 

January and February are usually the big months for enquiries, so we'll see how those pan out...

[YourBigEvent 0]

December is always quiet on the enquires front.

 

 

 

 

Spooky

Just as I was writing that a telephone call came in for Thursday 30th July 2009

 

 

 

 

Anyway still quite quiet

[vokf 0]

The few I've had have been under budget.

I quoted competitively (IMO!), but it was outside their £100-£200 budget for a 30th Anniversary for this Saturday.

 

Also had a similar inquiry for March, £150 for 7hrs work...

 

Traffic levels are down on my site, but most people have packed up for Christmas- or were spending their online time shopping.

 

On online stores also peaked about a week ago- I expect them to be very quiet until Feb (valentines).

 

Now would be a good time to tidy-up websites, perhaps adding any Christmas party photos, and any new services.

 

Jason

[McCardle 1]

Of course people are shopping on price!. This xmas spend which the newspapers are predicting is a result of people ordering in their christmas cheer to be delivered in a Van. Its a false prophet because its a result of the buy now - pay later mentality of living in sin with the cost of it added to their flexible friends. As many of us, don't accept credit cards, its far harder to spread our fees in convenient monthly payments, maybe we should diversify and offer our clients interest free credit.

 

The last minute high street spend has only been as a result of people being urged to wait until the last minute to shop in order to take advantage of falling prices. With the press and key journalists urging everyone to shop around on price and price alone and to always bargain and hold out for the best offer then what chance have we got by bucking this new trend and selling on service?. Interesting that the retail take up has been as a direct result of price cutting, by upto 50% in some stores and without this incentive it probably would have remained stagnant. Does that mean we have to do the same in 2009?.

 

Also the increase in Wedding / Entertainment directories like Good Party and the many clones just makes it easier for the client to shop around and compare prices and play us against each other. In the old days people used to have to trawl search engines to visit website and use first impressions to decide whether a DJ suited their needs. The opportunity to also contact DJ's individually in order to ask questions meant that those DJ's had a chance to sell or market their business one-2-one and clinch the deal there and then with the client. Now all the client does is to fill in one form with the requirements that years ago, they used to have to discuss in person over the phone, then click a mouse and await the flurry of Dj's all bidding for their business. Note the word Bidding, its not been put there coincidentally!.

 

This just encourages the client to 'dutch auction' DJ's against each other IMHO and gives them an easy means of doing so with several djs at a time and whilst we may congratulate ourselves on gaining one booking this way, how many other enquiries go unanswered or are simply lost?.

Edited December 23, 2008 by McCardle

[sandysounds 0]

Enquiries are slow for the first few months of next year. This December has been stacked out for me, but many of them are repeat bookings from the previous year, and on most i was able to up the price a tad.

 

Unfortunately, I'm turning enquiries down for June onwards next year as i'm upping sticks and starting anew in a completely different location....so will be interesting.

[Paul Smith 0]

You'll just have to cut down on lippy then (or hope the price drops) :joe:

 

 

 

Now all the client does is to fill in one form with the requirements that years ago, they used to have to discuss in person over the phone, then click a mouse and await the flurry of Dj's all bidding for their business. Note the word Bidding, its not been put there coincidentally!.

 

 

 

If you market yourself by, or compete on, price alone then there will always be someone who can match or even beat it. We are in a service industry and in many (not all) cases, quality of service and meeting the clients needs & expectations makes price less of an issue - they will pay a premium to get exactly what they want. We just have to be able to find out what it is and offer it to them.

 

 

 

 

[YourBigEvent 0]

Just confirmed that Thursday gig BTW !!

 

 

[Kingy 0]

Just confirmed that Thursday gig BTW !!

 

One born every..... :scared: tongue out icon

[YourBigEvent 0]

Thats 2 I have booked all on my own in 2009

[Spear 0]

Thats 2 I have booked all on my own in 2009

 

 

:ads: Yeah but they're both from your wife to make sure she gets to see you..........

[YourBigEvent 0]

I have been home all day today !

 

Off to rugby tomorrow AM, then a meeting in the afternoon, but she will see me again on January 9th hopefully, as I may even take her out then.