Weddings Pricing policy and methods for disclosing rates

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Jim Horn

Jim Horn

New DJ
Jan 23, 2007
105
1
55
Gautier, MS
www.jimhornentertainment.com
I wanted to read about your policy for disclosing your rates.

My policy is via face-to-face meeting only. Of course, there are circumstances that hinder me from doing this (out-of-town prospect, work schedule, etc.).

Upon determining the rate for their event, do you require them to meet with you?, OR do you email the rate?, OR do you disclose that information on the phone with them and WHY?
 
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Face to face, and on very rare occasions, by phone. While I will reply to e-mails, I require a phone number at minimum to take it to a serious level.

It's been my experience that those who wish to communicate my e-mail alone are generally price shoppers. On top of that, I need to get a "feel" for the prospective client- In the end, I still choose who I will work for....:sqwink:
 
For me since the majority of leads come via the internet for me... they get an instant quote via email within 5 minutes of requesting one.... as they are filling in the form they can see the base rate right on screen.... but to get a full quote including additional hours and add-on items they have to submit the form.

After they submit I get a notification and they get an email with a solid quote and even client login information. I find that 9 times out of 10 they will proceed to login and take a look around at what I offer by way of planning services.... and this cuts down my sell it to them speach...

I then follow up, unless indicated in notes that they prefer email, by phone within' 24 to 48 hours but usually within' an hour or two of me getting the notification.

I then follow up our phone call with an email just to reiterate what was discussed and to invite them to log in and check us out.

When they call in directly I ask basic questions about their event and their needs and then give a quote that way.... as I'm talking I gather information such as name, phone number, address, email etc.... so that I can follow up on our phone call later if they seem genuinly interested.

Face to face sales just don't seem to happen as often these days everyone is just so busy.... that's not to say that I don't meet with someone if they ask to... it's just most are satisfied with email or phone quotes these days and as you pointed out many are from out of town.
 
Our rates are posted on our website with the stipulation that there may be an extra travel fee if the event is an hour out of our travel radius.

We get a lot of e-mail inquiries and we try to meet face to face to do everything with them. We refuse to do business with someone who isn't willing to meet. Of course there are exceptions made for folks who aren't from around here.

When people inquire, they normally ask about the rate (even if they've seen it on the site) and we tell them what it is, phone, e-mail, in person.

We look at it this way, no matter what else is said or done, in the end it comes down to what can the client afford to pay. By being upfront with our pricing the potential client knows from the start if they can afford our services or not.
 
Jim Horn said:
I wanted to read about your policy for disclosing your rates.

My policy is via face-to-face meeting only. Of course, there are circumstances that hinder me from doing this (out-of-town prospect, work schedule, etc.).

Upon determining the rate for their event, do you require them to meet with you?, OR do you email the rate?, OR do you disclose that information on the phone with them and WHY?
Click to expand...

So...what's your take on this, Jim? What is your policy for disclosing rates?

By the way, my policy's the same as the J Mac's, seeing as we own the same company and all. ;)
 
My policy is generally to disclose my rate at a face-to-face meeting; never from an email that doesn't include a phone number as others have mentioned.

If this is impossible due to distance that they are from me, I will email them the rate and proposal.

Thanks for all the replies. This helps!
 
If they are real persisitant, I will give them a starting rate, but I will not accept a wedding gig unless they meet with me face to face. For me, giving quotes & accepting gigs without getting to know them is a receipe for disaster.

I've done this too many years & have played some gigs I wished I never took.
 
I too prefer a face to face...

Now the excuse I'm hearing which has become popular.."We both have crazy schedule and really don't have time to meet, can you just just give me a quote"?

Or....

"I only need you for just 4 hours"....

Ifd they live out of town, I tell them I will need 10 minutes of their time to discuss major key points, and their basic info. Then I will give them a range.

Worst case scenerio over the phone is simply ask them "What is your price range"

I've also had them tell me "I've received 3 other quotes from others" - I will reply, Ok, I'm listening....Then they say "Oh, I can't tell you" Playing - fuc**g games....

Nice, huh?
 
I know that when I'm shopping around for a product or a service if there is no price listed I automatically move on. I don't want to have to go through the trouble of contacting someone just to find out that they are way out of my price range. I put all prices up on my website. But that's just me :)
 
mikemerlin said:
I know that when I'm shopping around for a product or a service if there is no price listed I automatically move on. I don't want to have to go through the trouble of contacting someone just to find out that they are way out of my price range. I put all prices up on my website. But that's just me :)
Click to expand...

What's your web site?
 
the website is mikemerlin.com. It's nothing fancy. I work in radio full time and do dj'ing on the side. Most of my gigs come through the Dj company that I work for. I get quite a few gigs just through being an on-air personality. I hope this isn't considered spam but you can check out the station website at hitmusici983.com :)
 
I get answers to, Who, What, When, Where, How many, and I give them a quote!

I am selling them a DJ service not a house!


Since 95% of the time I have retainer and signed contract in hand before the first meeting ever takes place, waiting for a "face to face" would be rather non productive use of my time!

I am in total agreement with Mike as well, if am looking to buy a product or service and the person I am talking to starts pussy footing around when I ask them for a price or a ball park figure............. well I don't even say bye.............. CLICK, or if in person they won't even have a chance to catch me before I am out the door!
 
AlbanyAMS said:
I too prefer a face to face...

Now the excuse I'm hearing which has become popular.."We both have crazy schedule and really don't have time to meet, can you just just give me a quote"?

Or....

"I only need you for just 4 hours"....

Ifd they live out of town, I tell them I will need 10 minutes of their time to discuss major key points, and their basic info. Then I will give them a range.

Worst case scenerio over the phone is simply ask them "What is your price range"

I've also had them tell me "I've received 3 other quotes from others" - I will reply, Ok, I'm listening....Then they say "Oh, I can't tell you" Playing - fuc**g games....

Nice, huh?
Click to expand...

Actually that last part follows one of the basic priciples of comparing rates... and negotiations...

It's pretty common and that's how we work it here at the hotel... we'll contact 3 or more contractors and get their quotes and then do side by side comparisons and then we go back and say to them well company A can do this and if you can too we just may go with you....

It's a shopping strategy not unlike using sites like pricegrabber.com to comparison shop price and shipping costs...

That's why I don't play games with needing more than knowing the Who, What, Where and When of an event... in order to give a quote.

Who = the client's info
What = type of event planned and any services desired (ie DJ, Lighting etc.)
Where = location
When = start, finish

Beyond that all I can do is show my value in my quoted price.
 
AlbanyAMS said:
I had quoted a bride at the start of our winter season here, her quote to me was "I'm not looking to buy a fu**ing house" - Let's say we didn't do business.
Click to expand...

And she and 100 others like her were my clients!
 
I prefer face to face, but it depends on the event. I really like to get a good feel for what a wedding will entail, as often times the bride and groom do not think about music within the wedding, a mic for the officiant, etc. I try to tailor each event and price accordingly, given the location, time, prep time, and difficulty in event.

However....in these tougher times, people are dwelling more on price, and often shop by phone or email. At that point I give them a minimum price (typically X per hour, 4 hour minimum). Often times they say that is competitive or similar to others they have shopped, and once we meet, they either want to do it, or go another direction.
 
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