MobileBeat DJ show in Las Vegas

[Award Entertainment 0]

I'm hoping to get over to America for this incredible mobile entertainer's show. I believe Derek Pengelly is going back for another dose. Who else is making the trek?

 

Mobile Beat Show

[damo1023 0]

could be really tempted by this as i have always wanted to go to vegas.

even better to have an excuse through work to go.

[Award Entertainment 0]

If you are looking at going, get your show tickets before the end of August. They're on early-bird special rates. US$100 each instead of US$249.

[Derekpen 0]

Never been to a Mobile Beat Show?

 

Well, sometimes a picture is worth 1,000 words. We've just added about 80 additional pix from past MB shows to the photo archive page to give you a first hand look at what it's like.

 

You say you HAVE been to a show or two? Smile...you may be on Candid Camera!

 

http://[This url is not permitted to be promoted on this forum]/showpix.asp Mobilebeat Pics

 

My thanks to Waldo of Mobilebeat Magazine for providing these pics.

 

 

 

Show Pics

 

only one week to go for the $100 show pass

[brianmole 0]

http://www.mobilebeat.com/showpix/showpix75sm.jpg http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/wacko.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/yucky.gif

 

Americans, no taste in clothes

[damo1023 0]

hmmm some nice corporate outfits there.

been tol by her indoors that we cant go to this in 2006 but will have to wait till 2007.

 

the reason?.

 

shes not 21 till after the show next year and doesnt want to go if she cant drink and gamble .

 

women. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/sterb188.gif

[Gary 0]

Nope not going, and on the strength of what 2 independant (from each other) UK mobile DJ's have told me about Mobilebeat their views of it, I'll give it a miss.

 

The manufacturer exhibits are ok, but the culture especially with regards to the "How to get and treat customers" is just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay toooooooooooo much of the "Have a nice day" http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif idealisms - many of which dont translate well to the UK customer base.

 

There are of course, areas of middle-ground, where some of the business ideals could just about be applied to the UK market - eg: Minimalist set-ups eg: "You wont know we're there" versus the good ol' UK "fill-a-room" roadshow...

 

If I was holidaying in the area for 14 nights, I might pop-in for a few hours, but I couldnt justify a trip out there just for mobilebeat.

 

 

[Derekpen 0]

QUOTE (Gary @ Aug 23 2005, 02:35 PM)

The manufacturer exhibits are ok, but the culture especially with regards to the "How to get and treat customers" is just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay toooooooooooo much of the "Have a nice day" http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif idealisms - many of which dont translate well to the UK customer base. There are of course, areas of middle-ground, where some of the business ideals could just about be applied to the UK market - eg: Minimalist set-ups eg: "You wont know we're there" versus the good ol' UK "fill-a-room" roadshow...

Actually Gary, IMHO the main difference between us over here and the guys in the USA is this.

 

Over here clients ask for and are supplied with a "Mobile Disco".

 

Over in the States clients hire a "Mobile DJ"

 

We sell the toys, speakers, big amps and lots of lights.

 

They market their talent and emphasize how they will contribute to the success of the event. In many cases, but not all, lights are extra!

 

I have had great success by delivering good customer care and i have been able to raise my fees based on client feedback and basic business principles of supply and demand.

 

This is not not rocket science, and i agree that you don't have to go the America to learn these skills, but it was refreshing for me to find a bunch of DJs in one place, at one time that were prepared to help me with the task.

 

Oh, and the parties are pretty cool too http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (Derekpen @ Aug 23 2005, 04:09 PM)

Over here clients ask for and are supplied with a "Mobile Disco". Over in the States clients hire a "Mobile DJ" We sell the toys, speakers, big amps and lots of lights. They market their talent and emphasize how they will contribute to the success of the event.

Yuk!

 

Actually Derek.... Yuk, yuk, yuk...

 

I would imagine a great many DJ's in the United Kingdom, would be innocent of what you're suggesting and quite understandably annoyed to have someone try to tar them all with such a huge, wide brush.

 

In your post you've put

QUOTE

We sell the toys, speakers, big amps and lots of lights.

.

 

You've use the word "we"...which I guess means that you emcompassed yourself in the phrase. Having heard you at a NADJ meeting, and more recently, I dont believe that the phrase is true of you, or indeed the majority of the DJU Members.

 

Still... Have a nice day. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/patriot.gif

 

 

That said, I'd be one of the first to say that customer service is one of the ingredients in our recipe for success (anyone hear my American Accent yet?). Yes, those first words we utter into the phone on that incoming call matter, yes having pen and paper nearby to take notes rather than saying "'ang on, i jus' need to find a pen" matters, and yes - dispatching all the right paperwork before and after (comment reply form) the night matters...as well as the actual music and personality bit.

 

Professionalism comes in all shapes and sizes too...eg: Bringing the dedicated professional DJ equipment into the venue in nice shiny flightcases rather than a PC world laptop, a "I Luv Kazzaa" sticker and speaker leads in a Sainsburys bag, for instance.

 

In that last paragraph, I'm stereotyping, typecasting, and pigeon-holing. In my honest opnion, that makes two of us.

 

I appreciate marketing has its place, and I appreciate too, that some DJ's could benefit from some marketing "pointers", but I think that the most practical advice of how to serve a UK customer, will be gleamed from someone (or many) talking about UK, rather than US customers - especially when what most UK DJ's need (at most) is very slight enhancements to what works well for them already.

[Eskie 0]

QUOTE (Derekpen @ Aug 23 2005, 04:09 PM)

Actually Gary, IMHO the main difference between us over here and the guys in the USA is this. Over here clients ask for and are supplied with a "Mobile Disco". Over in the States clients hire a "Mobile DJ" We sell the toys, speakers, big amps and lots of lights. They market their talent and emphasize how they will contribute to the success of the event. In many cases, but not all, lights are extra!

I'd agree with this on the whole; far too many DJs in the UK place far too great an emphasis on how much equipment they have and what the equipment is; and just can't seem to comprehend that the average punter isn't really interested in details about gobo's and how many lightscreens etc. All they care is that there is sufficient volume of a clear quality and that the lighting adds to the atmosphere.

 

I received an email out of the blue a few days ago from exactly the type of DJ i refer to. I've never met this guy or even spoken to him/heard of him and have no idea why he chose to send such an immature email:

QUOTE

how the hell can you charge £500 for your smallest system and £850 for a 'platinum plus package'. I run a mobile disco and my equipment is of far better quality and I would never charge £500 for my smallest system (which is so much better then yours!). It's people like you that give mobile discos a bad name! You're a joke mate! A joke! Lots of love Anton at Switched on Sounds Mobile Discos p.s. come and have a go if you think your system's good enough!

 

As far as this guy is concerned the experience and quality of the dj plays no relevance to the price whatsoever http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/wacko.gif ...mind you I'm quite happy that there are a lot of dinosaurs like this, means more of the quality work for me http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/rolleyes.gif

 

Mobile beat show sounds good, but I'll be in Vegas later in 2006 as I'll be cycling around the Grand Canyon so two trips in a few months is a bit much.

[Derekpen 0]

Yes, the "We" was me a few years ago.

I used to think more speakers and lots of lights equaled higher fees.

 

You only have to look around at some of the posts on other forums and view what i believe to be the majority of Dj's web sites, to see that they are gear heads.

 

I have spent a lot of time looking at forums and visiting web sites. I have seen a lot of DJs at work in my almost thirty years as a mobile jock, and i do firmly believe that the majority of DJs sell their services this way.

 

I also believe that about twenty percent of jocks are not like this.

 

In time i am sure we will assemble a group of industry leaders that will show the rest of our profession just how they managed to become successfully.

 

The question is, how many DJs will want to listen to them?

[tonyj 0]

QUOTE (Eskie @ Aug 23 2005, 05:28 PM)

I received an email out of the blue a few days ago from exactly the type of DJ i refer to. I've never met this guy or even spoken to him/heard of him and have no idea why he chose to send such an immature email: QUOTE how the hell can you charge £500 for your smallest system and £850 for a 'platinum plus package'. I run a mobile disco and my equipment is of far better quality and I would never charge £500 for my smallest system (which is so much better then yours!). It's people like you that give mobile discos a bad name! You're a joke mate! A joke! Lots of love Anton at Switched on Sounds Mobile Discos p.s. come and have a go if you think your system's good enough! reading that email is the best laugh i've had in a long while. even my wife found it funny.   cheers Tony for sharing that with us http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thumbup.gif

[brianmole 0]

QUOTE

I received an email out of the blue a few days ago from exactly the type of DJ i refer to. I've never met this guy or even spoken to him/heard of him and have no idea why he chose to send such an immature email: QUOTE how the hell can you charge £500 for your smallest system and £850 for a 'platinum plus package'. I run a mobile disco and my equipment is of far better quality and I would never charge £500 for my smallest system (which is so much better then yours!). It's people like you that give mobile discos a bad name! You're a joke mate! A joke! Lots of love Anton at Switched on Sounds Mobile Discos p.s. come and have a go if you think your system's good enough! As far as this guy is concerned the experience and quality of the dj plays no relevance to the price whatsoever wacko.gif ...mind you I'm quite happy that there are a lot of dinosaurs like this, means more of the quality work for me rolleyes.gif

Unbeleiveable! Well it just shows you can't educate pork.

 

I can't justify Mobile Beat this coming year either, although I am curious about it, I don't think it's for me at this time. If I go full time at some stage, I may reconsider. Enjoy yourselves when you go! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/patriot.gif

[Award Entertainment 0]

Well I just booked tickets for both myself and my wife to the show and als reserved our hotel room. I guess we're really going!

 

Derek is absolutely bang-on with what he's saying. Like it or not, the Americans are years ahead of both England and New Zealand in terms of service marketing. Generally speaking, we just don't know what we don't know and we are extremely protective of our ignorance. I've recommended an extremely good book for helping market any service-based business on many occasions, but I'd be surprised if even one UK DJ has bothered to check it out and read it. It's a goldmine of simple, no-nonsense ideas that can help earn you better rates and delight your clients.

 

How dare we assume we are already doing things the best way possible if we don't expose ourselves to other ways of doing things? There are many reasons not to go to a DJ convention overseas, but in my opinion, there are a great many more reasons to go. It's a lot more expensive to go from New Zealand than it is from the UK, so believe me when I say it's not a decision I've made lightly.

 

OK, let the flames begin.... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/hide.gif

[ChrisPointon 0]

Firstly, the one thing which is the most likely to turn people away from reading advice, even good and well intentioned advice is when it is delivered to an audience as a lecture http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/rolleyes.gif .

 

Secondly, if the grass is greener on the other side, when are you Emigrating? http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif

 

Incidentally, I agree, to a point, that as DJ's we spend far too much time concerned with Equipment and bigger lighting rigs, whilst perhaps not spending much time on more boring (to that individual) marketing aspects. I also agree that in my personal opinion that equipment doesn't really matter to your clients that much, but then again don't mechanics spend time talking amongst themselves about engines and BHP?, and don't car manufacturers sell their products on speed and technical spec?. Doesn't the whole idea of the marketing concept base itself on overselling certain aspects of a business or service?. Let's be honest if we had all of the answers, we wouldn't be DJ's we would be marketing leaders headhunted by the biggest corporations.

 

I'm not saying that this type of approach is right or wrong, but I doubt that it is interesting to the consumer, and neither is it the first question they ask when booking, however I am saying that the Entertainment Industry is not the only consumer market guilty of this practice, and a search on google reveals that the UK and NZ are not the only countries where DJ's are guilty of this practice either!.

[Award Entertainment 0]

QUOTE (Chris_Pointon @ Aug 24 2005, 09:57 AM)

Firstly, the one thing which is the most likely to turn people away from reading advice, even good and well intentioned advice is when it is delivered to an audience as a lecture  http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/rolleyes.gif . Secondly, if the grass is greener on the other side, when are you Emigrating?

I don't mean to lecture and I'm sorry if it came across that way. As for emigrating, I suspect the grass is actually greener here in paradise (NZ).... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif

 

I actually have a UK passport because I was born in Wales, but I've lived here since the age of 1.

 

 

As for selling a car based on specs, features and benefits, this is because it's a product, not a service. The two need to be marketed extremely differently. The book I referred to explained this to me in such simple terms that even I understood it and made radical changes to my marketing strategy, with spectacular results. I would happily learn more about this, which is part of why I'm off to Las Vegas.

[Paul Forsyth 0]

I think that even the term marketing is misunderstood by many here in the uk. I was really surprised when I had to start to market my first business how much I needed to learn and how much fun this subject could be, as well as earning you more money.

 

Richard I know you've mentioned that marketing book before, but at the risk of being lazy could you give us it again http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/notworthy.gif

 

It's interesting that some would say it's all about how good a dj you are. But the people looking at your

Business card

Advertising

Flyer

DVD

may never get to find out how good you are if your marketing skills don't stand up to the next guy.

 

Hopefully, we are all here because we are willing to look at new ideas and have our vision expanded (sounds like marketing gibberish)

 

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/tongue.gif

 

Vinnie

[Hugmaster 0]

Hi

 

At the risk of causing even more trouble, I'm with Richard and Derek on this one.

 

I've said it in another post, your primary skill shouldn't be that of a DJ, it should be as a marketer.

 

I'll give a quick illustration...

 

In February 2004 I introduced a series of huge changes to my website to enable a client to check my availability, get a price quote, book and pay their deposit online. furthermore I added a playlist builder and several other tools to make planning a party more interesting, fun and interactive for my clients.

 

Bookings via my site have incrased massively, and in a lot of cases the client hasn't even contacted to ask any questions. Why? Because they have all the information they need to help them make their buying choice.

 

Up until the end of 2004, I used traditional web hosting costing aprox £30 a year and received a steady enough stream of traffic, between 250 and 400 unique visitors a month.

 

Then, after much deliberation and cracking of nuckles I did a total paradime shift and started using an all in one system that costs aprox £165 a year.

 

I won't go into what extra facilities I get for my money, however I will say that this system has been a huge help in identifying where I needed to make changes on my site.

 

My traffic now averages between 600 and 700 unique visits a month and draws from a much wider base of sources. Incidentally, my traffic from search engines has hugely increased and for the right keywords too and this is as a result of using their new system.

 

I'm now looking at adding their online store module for selling party goods, fancy dress etc.

 

I've been able to increase my prices by around 50% without needing to change how I actually do the DJing. I'm just charging what I feel I'm worth, but the marketing is able to show my potential customers why I feel I'm worth that price.

 

If you don't get your marketing right, you'll never get the fees your worth and you'll always be wondering how other DJ's command the fees they do.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not their yet, but I'm headed down the right path now and there's a long way still to go.

 

From performing in venues with other DJ's, working for other DJ's and taking part in other forums, I can honestly say that the mentality seems to be if you spend tons of money on gear, this will turn you into a good DJ.

 

Having said that, I've seen a good deal of evidence from the folks here that service is more important and they most want to give the customers exactly what they want.

 

Right time to shut up, lol

Darren

[Award Entertainment 0]

QUOTE (Vinnie @ Aug 24 2005, 12:02 PM)

Richard I know you've mentioned that marketing book before, but at the risk of being lazy could you give us it again http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/notworthy.gif

My pleasure Vinnie. I just can't recommend this book enough. It's helped me change from being an average (but good) mobile DJ to being (hopefully) a cut above and certainly has helped me triple my rates and still book the same number of quality functions. Here it is:

 

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/1587990660.02._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

 

If you click on the image, you'll be taken to Amazon.co.uk, where the book is only ten pounds. For goodness sake BUY IT and READ IT before your competitors do. It's one of the best investments I've made so far!

[Derekpen 0]

I guess what I am all about these days is trying to get DJs to look outside the box.

 

I for one was guilty of being blinkered and ignorant.

 

I was so wrapped up in my own smug little world, thinking and believing that I was good at what I did and was better than x, y, z.

 

Going to the States changed all of that.

 

I met DJs that were far more talented than me. They took pride in what they did, but they were always looking at ways to improve themselves.

 

They paid for coaching and tuition. They employed other professionals to design and host their web sites and produce their marketing materials.................and they benefited from increased earnings as a result.

 

I genuinely want to try and introduce these principles over here in the UK.

 

I know this will never happen through forums because of the single dimension that restricts and distorts the written word.

 

If i come across as a lecturer or preacher, then i appologise. It is just a reflection of my passion and belief in these principles, and my genuine desire to help other DJs realise their true potential and earn what they are truly worth.

 

I believe I will have greater success via my DJA with real meetings and discussion and of course by sharing practical examples of how these changes have improved both my performance and revenue.

 

[ChrisPointon 0]

This isn't aimed at one person but just an observation and certainly not meant or aimed to cause offence, this is just a general point that I am making.

 

[tongue in cheek]

 

It's amazing the amount of people who publically advertise a desire to help, but usually only when it comes at a price - i.e a membership subscription, return publicity or recruitment drive.

 

For those who do want to help and pass on their experience and advice then there are questions posted here everyday from relative newcomers, on a wide and varied number of subjects who are desperate to go the right way about starting out in business or how to get established or obtain experience, and often those who have previously and publically professed a 'desire to help' are usually absent from those members who do take the time to reply and offer their advice.

 

I'm not knocking anybody, but usually those who do have a genuine desire to help and advise, often don't have to keep advertising or justify the fact, and usually just get on with it http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif . If we wait for newcomers to obtain this knowledge through books or joining an association or watching videos then it may never happen, however since they are 'here' and asking, we may as well make the most of it.

 

Why is it so important to do this?? - Well in my experience is that people who don't get answers to their questions, won't just give up on the idea, but will just go about it in their own sweet way, and through inexperience, may bugger up the industries reputation for the rest of us and make marketing our services a whole lot harder. So in other words, we all have a vested interest and a certain amount of responsibility to help the ones who do take the time to ask questions and in return offer them constructive advice, perhaps in doing so may steer them away from unwittingly becoming the cowboy of the future, which can only serve to do good and to help 'us' and the industry in general?.

 

Those members who do take the time to reply, often in great detail, to a newbie question, or who advertise / pass on surplus work to another DJ, or who pro-actively go the extra mile for another member in difficulties with no reward or recognition expected are the ones, in my mind, who demonstrate a genuine desire to help others out and I truely believe that they are a credit to the industry that they have chosen to be a part of. The same philosophy applies whether you are fundraising for charity, working in a voluntary capacity or simply offering advice to others.

 

[/tongue in cheek]

 

Incidentally, I agree with the marketing points, tips and philosophy, but given the lack of participation on this thread, and the fact that it has long sinced moved away from the original topic, if you want to start a seperate discussion on marketing tips, that is fine with me, it would be a shame to lose elements of this information just because the original title wasn't of interest to some members.

 

I also entirely agree that good business philosophy and marketing plays an equal and important role in any successful business, however it shouldn't be used as a substitute for goodwill and good advice either. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/notworthy.gif .

[ian 0]

I'm finding myself agreeing with what people like Richard and Derek are saying. I'm not sure that it's necessary to go to the states to get this sort of information, for example a lot of this stuff can be picked up from general marketing seminars in the UK - not DJ-specific ones - because if you're selling a service (which we are) then we have a lot in common with other people selling services.

 

As far as equipment goes, they're the tools of our job, so it makes sense to discuss them amongst ourselves, but clients usually don't care. To go back to the car example, I'm sure that mechanics swap tips about which tools are best, but they don't try to persuade punters to visit their garage because they use wrench X rather than wrench Y.

 

So, I remember a couple of weeks ago having a rant about a booking where I had to use their shoddy decks instead of being able to use mine, but that was in here (a kind of DJ-only space). I'd never have that discussion with people dancing to my music. Similarly on Saturday, I had a lively discussion about CD decks involving the promoter who booked me (pro-Pioneer), myself (pro-Denon) and a dance teacher that the promoter had booked (pro-Numark). But none of us would dream of saying "book me because I use brand X CD decks".

 

As far as "US style" goes, I've actually been surprised at how well some of that stuff works over here. I was at one event with a dance instructor. I went along to a seminar on dance instruction and remember thinking this stuff wouldn't work in the UK - things like getting everyone to clap each other, getting people to shout out responses at certain times. But my friend tried this out back in the UK and found out it worked really well, despite both of our doubts about it. After that, I stopped dismissing things out of hand.

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (ian @ Aug 24 2005, 01:11 PM)

I'm not sure that it's necessary to go to the states to get this sort of information,

Thats my primary point -

 

I've no doubt that an American marketing course could teach Americans how to sell their services to Americans. I doubt, however that many, if any of those philosophies would be practical and/or publically acceptable over here.

 

For example: In the states, its a widely Alpha tagging for business telephone numbers is a real hot potatoe - You see an advert on the TV or on a billboard telling you to dial 07000 PLUMBER when you have a leaking pipe.

 

In the UK however, if your marketing said "Call 08000 ROADSHOW" a good many people would scratch their heads in bewilderment.

 

On that point, for those not already aware of alpha tagged numbers, its a bit like which buttons you press on a mobile phone keypad to get the letters to appear - so when someone dials 08000 ROADSHOW they are actually dialling 08000 76237469 - that marketing idea would no doubt go down a storm in the states - almost totally wasted however, on the UK population.

 

If I needed more work, or was greedy enough to want better paid work than I was getting already, then I wouldnt be against attending a UK marketing seminar, just so long as it:

 

A) Featured ONLY UK marketing ideas, which have not simply been cut'n'pasted from NON-UK markets.

 

B) It was DJ specific - the world of commerce has been around (and around) long enough for ALL the generic marketing hints & tips to have been passed around (and around) many times.

 

Whilst agreeing with what Derek has said about some DJ websites mentioning what gear they use, eg: such mentions are surpirfluous (sp?) to the potential customers, I cannot agree that such mentions instantly make the DJ owner of that website "A gear head", nor does it give anyone the right to pigeon hole that DJ owner in that way either - nor indeed does it give anyone the right to suggest or imply that the erroneously labelled "gear heads" are not doing perfectly well at running their business - after all where does it say that "one who mentions their gear on their website is failing in their business"... Far too many conclusions being jumped too, possibly a symptom of attending too many marketing seminars... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

After all, I'm certain that there are plenty of DJs who mention gear/brandnames on their websites who are running fine businesses. The only "crime" that they are perhaps commiting being that they are showing info for the benefit of other DJ's visiting their website, rather than clients - but then, thats hardly a crime.

[Ian Stewart 0]

I have read this thread with some interest, and agree 100% with what Richard, Derek and Eskie have said.

 

The one thing that come across is that it's very hard to speak to people who will not listen.

 

All these Guys seem to be saying (If I'm wrong I apologise) is that if you want to earn greater financial rewards for what you do, then is a way of achieving it

 

Gary,

 

I find you comment here quite rude, just because I charge what I perceive a fair fee for my services, does that make me greedy.

 

I'm sure that if I had posted a comment along the lines of "if you are too blinkered or stupid to try these methods" then you would have been one of the first to pick up on it, and act against it.

 

As A moderator of this forum, I would have expected more from you then cheap remarks like that

 

QUOTE

If I needed more work, or was greedy enough to want better paid work than I was getting already

 

 

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (Ian Stewart @ Aug 24 2005, 03:58 PM)

I would have expected more from you then cheap remarks like that

It was indeed more than that. Especially as the word "If" made the whole statement theorhectical, hyperthetical and probably various other -theticals too. - at least - that is the meaning in which I was using it.

Edited August 24, 2005 by Gary