Weddings Mastering the ART of saying NO.

Some decent content but man he takes a long time to get to the details

I have NO problems refusing a gig.
ESPECIALLY if it is due to lack of experience or interest in the kind of music needed.

I'm often working outside my comfort zone.
It has the benefit of constantly expanding the size of the zone I'm qualified to work in.

Yes and no, can be an unhealthy dipole. I prefer how to, and how not; and for that we need only be willing and able to seek help whre needed.

Here's a question I have. Besides being unavailable for a certain date, what would get you to say no to doing an event for a potential client?

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:

Here's a question I have. Besides being unavailable for a certain date, what would get you to say no to doing an event for a potential client?

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Mixy, why do you keep asking such BASIC questions? I'm sure you've gotten the answer dozens of times before...

I'd figure after all the years you've been in this business, you'd know the answer already...

dunlopj said:

Mixy, why do you keep asking such BASIC questions? I'm sure you've gotten the answer dozens of times before...

I'd figure after all the years you've been in this business, you'd know the answer already...

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I have my answer. Just wanted to see how others deal with such an issue.

I have no issues refusing gigs, I am in the position that I can be very picky about the gigs I do , most of the gigs I am refusing are coming thru the lead sites that are looking for the cheapest they can get, and or , I may not the be the right DJ for their event.

The last time I actually told a bride "I don't want to DJ your wedding." I ended up with a scathing "review" out of it. My opinion, there is NEVER a good way to say "I don't want to work with you." If I'm in a meeting, and discover this isn't a bride I want to work for, I'm always going to finish the meeting politely then, if she calls back wanting to book it's "I'm sorry but that date just got taken."

My Reasons for declining an event request:

1. The Venue is a Venue I refuse to ever work at due to a bad experience or simply knowing how awful loading in there can be.
2. The Event Start's before 10:30 a.m. - I am simply not willing to wake up super early, and go drive 1+ hours away, load in, set up, and be ready to go to do an early morning event. I simply decline these all together. I just had a phone call about a Charity Walk A Thon. Start's at 8:30 a.m., and would be like a 1 hour 20 minute drive to get there. Not to mention I know they have a tight budget. Not bothering with it.
3. Private House Party and they want music to go to 2 a.m. or later? No Thank you. Maybe when I was 27, but I will pass on those types of events today.
4. Any Lead Request where they state their budget is "Under $300". I won't even bother taking the time to send them a quote. Automatic Decline.
5. The location is over 85 miles drive, and it is not a wedding...like a birthday or grad party for example. I have quoted enough of them over the past 10 years to know that these prospects never book me, so it's a waste of time to bother sending them a quote. Same goes for if they somehow got my info from the internet and called me.

6. If I am already booked, and my bro and sister are also booked. I will have to decline due to no availability.

DJ Ricky B said:

My Reasons for declining an event request:

2. The Event Start's before 10:30 a.m. - I am simply not willing to wake up super early. . .

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LOL. Call times for some of my events are 4:30am with a start time of 9am or 10am (before you're even out of bed) and I'm usually leaving by 1pm or 2pm with plenty of time to do another gig that evening.

I'm 100% referrals and repeat business so I don't get calls for anything unatttrcative. For me, it's a matter of availability. Short money gigs - I do plenty. They just tend to be for people and venues that hire me all the time, for things large and small, customers with whom I have a standing agreement.

DJ Ricky B said:

My Reasons for declining an event request:

1. The Venue is a Venue I refuse to ever work at due to a bad experience or simply knowing how awful loading in there can be.
2. The Event Start's before 10:30 a.m. - I am simply not willing to wake up super early, and go drive 1+ hours away, load in, set up, and be ready to go to do an early morning event. I simply decline these all together. I just had a phone call about a Charity Walk A Thon. Start's at 8:30 a.m., and would be like a 1 hour 20 minute drive to get there. Not to mention I know they have a tight budget. Not bothering with it.
3. Private House Party and they want music to go to 2 a.m. or later? No Thank you. Maybe when I was 27, but I will pass on those types of events today.
4. Any Lead Request where they state their budget is "Under $300". I won't even bother taking the time to send them a quote. Automatic Decline.
5. The location is over 85 miles drive, and it is not a wedding...like a birthday or grad party for example. I have quoted enough of them over the past 10 years to know that these prospects never book me, so it's a waste of time to bother sending them a quote. Same goes for if they somehow got my info from the internet and called me.

6. If I am already booked, and my bro and sister are also booked. I will have to decline due to no availability.

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wierd I just booked 50th birthday party in the event space at Lambeau field, it a 4 hour drive they agreed to my price no questions asked

tunes4046 said:

wierd I just booked 50th birthday party in the event space at Lambeau field, it a 4 hour drive they agreed to my price no questions asked

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When is it? We look forward to seeing pictures and video of the event in the gig reports section

Proformance said:

LOL. Call times for some of my events are 4:30am with a start time of 9am or 10am (before you're even out of bed) and I'm usually leaving by 1pm or 2pm with plenty of time to do another gig that evening.

I'm 100% referrals and repeat business so I don't get calls for anything unatttrcative. For me, it's a matter of availability. Short money gigs - I do plenty. They just tend to be for people and venues that hire me all the time, for things large and small, customers with whom I have a standing agreement.

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I am waking up at 4:30 AM for work tomorrow! The difference is my work is a 14 minute drive from my house, and I don't have to load in or set up anything. I attend a meeting at 6 am then go to my desk where I sit down. ...I HATE waking up at 4:35 AM regardless though. NOT a normal time to be waking up and functioning. Saturday I am waking up at 4:30, going into work, then leaving work early at Noon to load my SUV, and go to a DJ event down in D.C. Then waking up Sunday morning at 4:30 AM for a 13 hour day at work...I am sure I will be a zombie Sunday Morning.

Jeff Romard said:

What time will you get home from your wedding?

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It's not a wedding on Saturday. It is a "Family Party". This was booked by a Travel company that puts on conventions and retreats for various travel groups. The party could have 600 guests there. I start music at 5:15 and end at 9 p.m. Big Hotel in D.C. so I expect a long load out. Maybe leaving hotel at 10ish, and getting home at 11:20ish. Probably end up eating something before getting to bed since I will miss dinner.

Will have later Saturday nights in September and October though. There might be some Sundays I don't make it in at 6 am at work this fall.

Jeff Romard said:

I don't miss working Sunday mornings let me tell you. I remember many nights finishing at 1:00 being on the road for 1:30 getting home 3:30 or 4:00 and being on air by 7:00 A few mornings I just went to the station and slept on the couch to get the extra few minutes. One morning my van broke down on the way home I had to wait for the tow truck I got there at 6:58 for a 7:00 start

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I was forced onto this schedule due to the department I am in. They had a big schedule change. Mondau thru Thursday, or Friday thru Sunday. EVERYONE wanted Monday thru Thursday, so HR simply picked workers due to their seniority. Most everyone in my dept started working there 1 to 3 months before I started there so I got stick on the weekend schedule. Even through HR knew my file said I am a DJ, and can't work Saturdays. After 3 discussions with upper management, I was essentially told they are not changing my schedule, and to figure it out myself. My manager works with me on the Saturdays I need off because he likes me, and I am a reliable person, and he needs reliable people on the weekend shift. In my department there are 4 of us on the weekend and are under staffed. 1 of us hardly ever works (She comes in 1 day usually Friday, and will not show the other 2 days every weekend). I think she will be fired soon. Probably should have already been fired. The other 2 are solid workers, but will take a weekend day off at least 2-3 times a month because things happen on the weekends, and employers can't expect people to work all of their weekends away.

I like working there, but this weekend schedule won't work out long term for me. Things will change eventually. Either I find another job that works better with being a DJ, or they somehow cave in and get me on the Monday thru Thursday shift.