Disco Enquiry Websites

[Wayne 74 0]

I am already a member with Goodparty.com, but I was just wondering if anyone was aware of any other Disco / Party enquiry websites, that they use, where I could look to bring in more work for myself.

 

All assistance is much appreciated.

 

Cheers in advance,

 

Wayne

 

:wall:

[Dukesy 0]

Goodparty appears to be the most popular and rooted, and then some. Apparently, they will become MyGoodParty.com in the summer and take over the world by the following summer! LOL!

 

The problem though when you sign up to these sites is that you'll likely receive the same enquiries from more than one source, hence why the quality of potential leads are driven down with people looking for reduced prices and the expression 'dutch auction' begins to make total sense.

 

Because technology has progressed leaps and bounds to permit the 'potential client' to contact literally hundreds of disco services in a few clicks, in a matter of minutes, with 'lead generating websites' evidently encouraging a lower quality of enquiry, it's easy to see why the 'Dutch Auction' happens when you take away the 'human element'.

 

The 'Dutch Auction' enquirer is just looking for a price, and usually the cheapest, so it is difficult to 'sell' your self to these type of enquirers from the off!

 

As I stated a while back (broadly speaking) there is a broad diversity of entertainers out there, but DJs will never be generally regarded as a first point of call service in the Wedding or hospitality and leisure industry any more than a singer, group or band, as ‘entertainers’ are lower tier services, not top tier.

 

Sites like Goodparty are of course pay-for-the-lead services and simply allow the member to pay to access contact information. But that is only half the battle. Once you've paid to access the info, you have to convince and quote that you are the service to hire!

Sure, it's extremely attractive and some DJs boast of receiving lots of work from them. But it's interesting, unlike other service industries where the operator will be moaning about how much their Tax bill is, I've yet to hear one DJ whinge and moan about their Tax bill! LOL!

 

Anyway, because Goodparty advertises well and attracts a lot of traffic, I'd personally stick with the 'leader' but concentrate on promoting your service - don't become complacent.

But do bear in mind that there has been an increase in 'DJs' over the last few months who are also looking for work and joining these auction sites. Even good old Sid!

 

Of course, semi professional and professional DJs charge a rate which is influenced by many factors but no service industry will ever get rid of the sixty-quid-Sid’s, and to be fair, whether a DJ charges a rate influenced by competition or demographic location or some other factor, you have to bear in mind that there are many operators who provide a professional service who turn over an income under the Tax threshold LEGALLY, which is currently equivalent to two £60.00 gigs per week!

 

Of course, the buck stops with the DJ, each individual DJ. Its been all too easy for people to blame something else for any failing / reduction in their business. The recession, the influx of polish workers, somebody going out cheaper than them....

 

I've still not had an answer to who'll be the first to step from the mist, and say that they have actively tried to better their business in light of these 'market forces'?

 

Again, who is now working twice as hard and putting in twice the effort in promoting themselves?!

 

Who trudged through the snow today, last week, last month visiting venues and 'knocking on doors' for new business?

 

Who took their valued clients out to lunch before the xmas period as a PR exercise and goodwill gesture?

 

Seriously, if you can't answer YES to those questions, and come up with some methods of promotion yourself then the fact is that you simply aren't doing everything in your power to better your situation. Far too many people are happy to sit back, letting only the statements on their websites about which membership to which Jolly Boys club they belong to, or what bits of paper they have BOUGHT or how they will undercut the best quote do the promoting for them, and hope that the client will be suitably impressed to make the phone ring.

 

To be fair, no one will find the business holy grail watching the Plasma TV or being sat in front of the PC signing up to dutch auction sites. Even DJ Forums like this one aren't the be all - end all of the answer, it takes effort, because no situation has ever been solved from one forum post!

[vokf 0]

UK-Disco can be ok, but unless you get a decent (paid) listing, you'll be far down the list.

A gold listing is supposed to be worthwhile, but difficult to get.

 

To be honest, I've let all my paid listings lapse, and not noticed any loss of bookings.

 

 

My advise would be;

-Website with Photos, with good text detailing what you can offer

-Google Local listing... !

-Networking (with other DJ's) - find local guys and exchange gigs

-FaceBook etc - social networking. Create a Facebook page/group, and invite your friends to become fans. Add photos, and post updates.

-Link exchange with other DJs (not in your area)

-Signature link in DJU :-) (but ensure you link back to the forum)

 

These are all free :joe:

Google Local, Facebook and Networking can be done TODAY. If you don't have a website, this will take a while to build, but the sooner you start etc....

 

Hope this helps,

Jason

[MintyDave 0]

here is a bit of evidence regarding increased traffic

 

last spring and throughtout summer i sat for hours on t'interweb and looked for all the free directories that i could list on

 

the result was my website appeared on google page 1 and the phone was as busy as. I turned away a lot of bookings.

 

being complacent i never continued on said t'interweb and now my diary is rather sparse. This was intentional for Jan Feb as im rather busy with other things but may take some recovering from for spring. granted i was still working lower end gigs but i realise now that i was happy with that (not underselling too much and was charging what the local market supports)

 

I have thought long and hard over the cold snap and am in the process of promoting again. I have spent hours doing research, reviewing what other people do, looking at websites and promotional material and am developing a new web site, full of relevant info with quality pics etc (ok Andy is doing the hard bit, im adding the frills) ((had to say that - he may be watching)) I have just written a letter to send to all the venues i have worked at in the past, wishing them happy new year, thanks for your support, hope to see you again etc.

 

so far it has cost me the price of a few 1st class stamps

 

I dont expect overnight sucess and im thinking long term. My gear is a bit delapadated and needs some investment before i hit wedding fairs but again thats long term.

 

As i said i am a bit busy with other things - working part time, in the middle of building an extension with major renovation to the rest of the house as well as being a house wife.

 

Back to topic - goodparty has not worked for me yet as the number of enquiries in my area are limited. There are pleanty of enquiries within about 1 1/2 hours travel but i cant really provide a cost effective service within their price range, to be honest i wont travel 70 miles for a £180 gig

 

 

[Dukesy 0]

There are pleanty of enquiries within about 1 1/2 hours travel but i cant really provide a cost effective service within their price range, to be honest i wont travel 70 miles for a £180 gig

 

 

Well in 6 months time, after competing against the £999 All-in Wedding Package ( http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=25875 ), and £80 a Week Media System rentals (How technology is pushing DJs to extinction article) you might be reconsidering that stance.

 

I don't think that this industry is currently in a strong enough position to cherry pick or become too complacent in that the fruit we may be harvesting at the moment, won't all have rotted by the Summer. Who knows what else is around the corner?

 

I do know one thing, I've never seen so many DJ's looking for full time occupations to supplement their DJ'ing income, and I've never seen so many DJ's calling it a day. I guess there is the slow realisation dawning that DJ'ing is not as lucrative as once it was.

 

Charles Dickens' character Wilkins Micawber got it right.......

 

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result = happiness."

 

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds and six, result = misery."

[MintyDave 0]

Well in 6 months time, after competing against the £999 All-in Wedding Package ( http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=25875 ), and £80 a Week Media System rentals (How technology is pushing DJs to extinction article) you might be reconsidering that stance.

 

I don't think that this industry is currently in a strong enough position to cherry pick or become too complacent in that the fruit we may be harvesting at the moment, won't all have rotted by the Summer. Who knows what else is around the corner?

 

I do know one thing, I've never seen so many DJ's looking for full time occupations to supplement their DJ'ing income, and I've never seen so many DJ's calling it a day. I guess there is the slow realisation dawning that DJ'ing is not as lucrative as once it was.

 

Charles Dickens' character Wilkins Micawber got it right.......

 

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result = happiness."

 

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds and six, result = misery."

 

Hard to think of a response other than - i will call it a day if things get that far. My ultimate goal even though i actually love this job is to make money. if somebody wants to go out after spending a considerable amount of money on gear to stand around for literally nothing then they are welcome to it.

 

do these media systems do requests and tell bad jokes?

 

I would like to see such systems btw any links?

with respect to the £999 weddings i bet there is a lot of small print. how many guests? Bubbly for who? dinner - 1 course of pre prepared microwave meals. it would get the cheap weddings out of the community centres and village halls and into the hotels where they charge £4 for half of lager to make up for it.

 

just remembered - the first venue i did a karaoke in bought their own system, simular to the mentioned above, as they thought it would be cheaper. I went in one night to have a look. There was a man stood at the end of the bar by the door blocking the access with an argos mic in his hand singing along to a 'bontempi organ backing track' through a set of hifi speakers. no lights, no compare, no atmosphere. They did that for several weeks then gave up. and it cost them a fortune!

Edited January 14, 2010 by MintyDave

[Big B 0]

Me and my wife both use facebook for both our business's and have had lots of booking from them and best of all its FREE

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

Me and my wife both use facebook for both our business's and have had lots of booking from them and best of all its FREE

 

not for much longer if the rumors are true that there will be a £3.95 a month charge from 9th July 2010.

I to use facebook to promote myself.

[spinner 0]

I do know one thing, I've never seen so many DJ's looking for full time occupations to supplement their DJ'ing income, and I've never seen so many DJ's calling it a day. I guess there is the slow realisation dawning that DJ'ing is not as lucrative as once it was.

 

 

 

I'm hearing this rather a lot lately.

 

I think a number of factors have combined recently.

 

I concentrate on the mid to upper wedding market and 2008 was nearly full before 2007 was over.

 

My 2009 was very slightly down on 2008 and took longer to fill up.

 

2010 is very slow. Enquiries are nowhere near as prolific as previously and website traffic is down on 2008.

 

I believe it's the recession or credit crunch,or whatever you want to call it, finally taking effect.

 

2008 weddings were probably budgeted/saved up for from 2006 or earlier, 2009 weddings from 2007.

 

With more people cutting back, facing redundancy or whatever, weddings are being postponed and/or scaled down budget wise and the chickens are now coming home to roost.

 

In addition the wedding emphasis may have been overdone with more and more people becoming wedding specialists. Also there are probably more (and cheaper) mobile DJs around now as people look for ways to supplement or even replace their income and decide to try mobile DJ work.

 

Add that lot together and (as I had expected but hoped against) 2010 will be a not very good year for some and that may include me!

Edited January 30, 2010 by spinner

[vokf 0]

not for much longer if the rumors are true that there will be a £3.95 a month charge from 9th July 2010.

I to use facebook to promote myself.

 

 

This is a very well known hoax.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/face...ging-plans.html

 

Lots of this stuff flying around. Facebook can provide very accurate demographics on their users to advertisers.

So if I wanted to advertise, I can target sex/age/education and location -and probably a few other bits. A bit more specific that Google Adwords.

To drive the majority of users away through charging really doesn't make sense.

 

I must say that Mitch and Robsta's posts work really well.

 

I don't have a regular pub slot, but have been made admin officer on my local pubs facebook page and are helping the landlord promote the acts for each weekend.

Looking to grow the "fans" and will ask people to post pictures from the nights.

 

 

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

Disco enquiry websites usually are ok for filling in the odd date. 90% of the punters are looking for the cheapest possible disco and most are not interested in whether someone has PLI or PAT.

 

Also expect a very low conversion rate per enquiry and alot of time wasters such as people who are 'thinking out it'. :wall:

[Wayne 74 0]

Disco enquiry websites usually are ok for filling in the odd date. 90% of the punters are looking for the cheapest possible disco and most are not interested in whether someone has PLI or PAT.

 

Also expect a very low conversion rate per enquiry and alot of time wasters such as people who are 'thinking out it'. :wall:

 

 

I would agree with the time wasters bit, I have had a couple of those, but I have taken 3 wedding bookings this week, and all 3 bookings have resulted in meetings with the client, and all 3 have asked me about my PLI insurance, and PAT testing.

 

All in all, I am very happy with all the bookings I have taken from Goodparty, and I hope they start coming in thick and fast from the quotes I have given out.