Company Christmas Parties

How many of you are working on Company Christmas Parties?

As I said in another thread currently I am working on marketing them. I have contacted previous clients and waiting on replies or approvals. This year I decided to go after some big dogs. I took BL's advice and I have been trying to "find the person". Some of the Big Dogs for my area include: Boeing, USA Space Alliance, Kennedy Space Center, Lockheed Martin. I live in the Space Coast of Florida so this is a huge market to try to tap into. I have found with these corporations, that just a postcard won't cut it. It is necessary to submit a application as a supplier to the corporation. After submitting the application, I sent out postcards to the person who is reviewing my application.

I also sent postcards to every company that we use personally and professionally. This has taken quite a bit of time to market hopefully I will have some response.

Anyone else marketing Christmas Parties currently or have you in the past? Any success stories or not so successful?

Great ideas! I hope it works out for you. The timing is also perfect as the holidays are so close.
So far I have 2 parties booked for Dec, but I hope I can up that to 4. 2 were word of mouth referals and the others will come from a company that I dj for also.

We have 5 holiday parties booked for this season (We only did 2 last year).

2 are repeat clients from last year. 2 of them are from referrals from other events that we were performed at, and 1 is from my previous place of employment, and they are having their holiday party after the first of the year due to them not being able to book a venue in December.

We offered a 15% discount to anyone who booked and signed the contract before October 1, 2006.

Since we do photography also, we are offering "couple and or group shots" at the events and will take candid photos throughout the evening.

:thumbsup:

Well guys so far I have two Christmas parties booked and one New Years.

I have to tell you though I have had three hits so far because of the post cards out of 50 cards sent. Haven't booked any though yet. I am sending the next round within the week.

We currently have 4 booked and one for NYE. Its early though in this market its not uncommon to book these type of events 2 weeks in advance.
Ive done some face to face contact with some local business owners and plan to send out flyers and letters the first of next week

Ive also contacted a few ive done in the past and am waiting for response

i have not done any marketing for corporate parties. We have 8 corporate parties booked. All are from past clients or referels. I would like to figure out a good way to market more corporations.

From Middle of Novermber to December 23rd
13 Holiday Parties (Fridays & Saturdays, 2 Sunday Gigs)

I did do the Post card Idea 6 years ago, did it for 2 running years.
Now all of my Holiday Parties are Rebooked (Past Clients)

Cool! Great Al thanks for th input. As I said in another thread I sent out 50 booked one out of the 50 cards, A Nursing Agency.

How many cards did you send out? Did it seem that you obtained more of a response from a certain types of corporate companies?

200 a year for 2 Years

First Year Booked 3
2nd Year booked (3 Repeat & 4more)

i have not done any marketing for corporate parties. We have 8 corporate parties booked. All are from past clients or referels. I would like to figure out a good way to market more corporations.

Although its a bit slow for the holiday season so far Ive always found the direct approach with corporates is the best. Flyers or postcards accompnied by a letter of introduction for your services has always worked for me. Ive found Corporates arent as fussy as brides they will take the first they see and if you can get to them before they get to the yellow pages you are one step ahead

When I lived in Virginia, I had a local Roto-Rooter franchise and a day care center in Charlottesville book every year.

These folks went all out... rented the biggest and the best hotel ballrooms they could get. It was all catered in-house.. again, the best of the best.

I miss those parties... :)

... It was all catered in-house.. again, the best of the best. :)

Did you ever wonder how you ended up there Fred? I know I would.

Ahhhh, the good old days.

Well guys so far I have two Christmas parties booked and one New Years.

I have to tell you though I have had three hits so far because of the post cards out of 50 cards sent. Haven't booked any though yet. I am sending the next round within the week.

Carolyn....Have you followed up with either a phone call or an E -mail? Having been one who has done a lot of solicitation in the past on my day job....I would follow up with an addressee on a card/letter,... that was never sent? Most post cards/letters never make it to the addressee....thats what good staff is paid to weed out!
However you call as follow-up to a letter you never sent, realizing they would never see anyway, and make your pitch to the alleged adressee....the hit ratio, for an appt., if you get by the receptionist is quite high.... why,...it's called guilt. Try it some time it will blow your mind.....

DJ Gray

Thanks Gray great suggestion. Yes, I did follow up on about 10. Other projects have taken over. Fortunately, I don't have too many openings left for December. What I did notice though is the 2nd and 3rd Friday of the month booked faster then any other.

Ahh I see I have so much to learn in this business. I'm currently not booked for any holiday events or new years. I'm hoping this will change. I hate the fact my present job is about 55 hours a week. And I'm go after my DJ business as best I can. This is my first year and I think I have done ok. From all my clients I have gotten great reviews. Which has done wonders to boost my confidence in this business. I would just like to be much busier doing this than my other job.

I'm sure this will change over time with more experience and more word of mouth. I do believe I have to be more aggresive but its so hard working nites and long hours. I very possible next year will be the DJ For one of the Divisions of the company I work for. This is something that I have wanted for the longest time. I guess I just get a little envious when I see how busy some of you are. But then I remember that many of you have been doing this for years. And I know my time will come. :sqrolleyes:

Nextgen

Although the bookings arent rolling in remember you are probably a world ahead of where most of us were at the same time as you. You have a good start and a professional networking system in place to help you along

The bookings will take care of themselves in time

BTW Great website

Nextgen

Although the bookings arent rolling in remember you are probably a world ahead of where most of us were at the same time as you. You have a good start and a professional networking system in place to help you along

The bookings will take care of themselves in time

BTW Great website


Thanks Jeff your words mean alot to me. This business just thrills me. To work with and interact with people such as yourself are a treat. I have found myself in this business if you understand what I'am saying. You guys and gals are awesome.

I generally have picked up two or three new clients each yr on a cold call effort. Phoning less than ten securing 3 or 4. Usually my first booking for the yr is a new client who found me on the internet through prodj or the other free site I list on.

Nextgen it will happen for you. You are correct as in that many of us have been around for a while. Most of my Christmas parties are word of mouth. However wedj has sent me some bookings.

As Jeff said it is very true networking puts you so far ahead of the game things that would have taken years to learn on your own.

Well I have 3 this month, one tonight, and 2 later in the month. I got 2 of them from people who attended a dinner party, where I played music outside for a client. It was the older music (50's) that they liked....

well I will speak for myself only but

I am run off my feet show after show this year actually more than I have had to do

even christmas Day is a company party for thier workers 10am to 1pm so hopefully the rest is for my family

just have a good one get over this year and wait till 2007 its going to be BETTER

I'm late on this but I'll share...

Thanksgiving week-end I was looking at 2 gig for all of December,,, I finished December with 11 gigs...

People book late... I called the ones I did last year in mid- September,,, The first week of December my phone went nuts and the agents went nuts!

It's so strange here. In Cali I could look at my December in September and be all booked out. I'm trying to get used to it even after 3 years! LOL