My new Insta-Quote is online

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rickryan.com

DJ Extraordinaire
ODJT Supporter
Dec 9, 2009
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Hendersonville, TN
www.rickryan.com
I've just finished putting into production a new interface for prospects to get quotes and to handle online booking. This is a custom-designed booking system that's written in C# and hosted on godaddy. It's wrapped inside an HTML web app wrapper on Wix.com, so it works on both laptop, ipad and iphone. The way it works is, the prospect clicks on my call-to-action "Instal-Quote" button that's at the top-right of every page on my wix site. The next page then asks for email, event date, event type, phone and records the lead. Here's a screenshot:
screenshot.jpg

They then get taken to the actual quote builder. I've dummied up a bogus event. Feel free to bang around on it.

http://www.rickryanadmin.com/AdminQuoteBuilder.aspx?i=4165&[email protected]

If you hit the "Send Quote" button, it fires a quote email with a booking link back to the person's email. They can also click the "Book Now", which asks for the rest of the info, generates a contract, then takes them to paypal for the deposit. Incidentally, the link above doesn't show the nice wix wrapper (couldn't include the querystring parameters). It looks better directly from the site. Would appreciate any comments, especially if you see any bugs or if it looks funky on your system. I'm cautiously optimistic and hoping it will at least capture more of the prospects that my previous booking form was dropping. Any constructive comments are welcome.
 
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Got my first booking via the new system last night. Using the package approach, I believe the client would have bought basic DJ + Ceremony, which would total at $900. With the new system, they were able to add a dance floor lighting rig for an extra $150. Total at $1050.
 
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A little update, I'm encouraged by the new quote system. I know it could coincidence but there has been a marked uptick in action this week with 9 leads that have come in ranging from $600 (photobooth only) to $1750 (DJ + lighting). It's going to take time to tell whether it's actually an improvement or just an anomaly but my fingers are crossed. BTW, I showed it to a friend of mine who's opening a venue and he was all over it. He's asked if I'd be willing to do the same thing for his venue and is offering to make my photo/dj/lighting first-call at his place. Fingers crossed.
 
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Do you actually do many weddings without dance floor lighting (which I presume is just regular "dance lighting", right?)?
 
I really like the premise, however I wasn't a fan of some of the layout and integration. I selected a "prom" so I would prefer not seeing a package item titled Bridal Portrait (or whatever it was...I closed the page already). I expected the base packages up top, and add-ons after, and I sort of expected any items already included in the base package to be tagged or grayed out or something....I discovered I could add 2 photographers to the 3400 package that includes them already....then my curiousity got the best of me and I discovered I was able to select several packages.....but overall I really do like the concept and use. Very clever. LOVE LOVE LOVE the direct email feature.
 
Do you actually do many weddings without dance floor lighting (which I presume is just regular "dance lighting", right?)?

Yes, I do and I've heard a lot of brides who didn't want "club style lighting" at their event either. Since putting in this ala carte system, it's backing up the notion that I've suspected for a while.....only about 20% of the brides even want or care about a dance lighting system. Like many here, I've spent tons of money on dance lights. Used to load up 2 t-bars, wireless DMX, the works. I thought it was what sells. I was wrong.
 
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I really like the premise, however I wasn't a fan of some of the layout and integration. I selected a "prom" so I would prefer not seeing a package item titled Bridal Portrait (or whatever it was...I closed the page already). I expected the base packages up top, and add-ons after, and I sort of expected any items already included in the base package to be tagged or grayed out or something....I discovered I could add 2 photographers to the 3400 package that includes them already....then my curiousity got the best of me and I discovered I was able to select several packages.....but overall I really do like the concept and use. Very clever. LOVE LOVE LOVE the direct email feature.

Thanks Val. That implementation was thrown together pretty fast and I've got some tweaking to do on it. Biggest thing, I realized that my former reservation form (they fill it out only if they're ready to book) was not capturing a lot of prospects so my follow-up module couldn't do its thing. This one gets the email and the date and I've got down the exact package they're wanting. Speaking of packaging, I'm moving away from the pre-packaged concept and planning to go the ala carte route this season. I'll see how the numbers shake out and decide next year but so far it looks like a pay raise to me.
 
Yes, I do and I've heard a lot of brides who didn't want "club style lighting" at their event either. Since putting in this ala carte system, it's backing up the notion that I've suspected for a while.....only about 20% of the brides even want or care about a dance lighting system. Like many here, I've spent tons of money on dance lights. Used to load up 2 t-bars, wireless DMX, the works. I thought it was what sells. I was wrong.

Rick,

I agree with you here 100%. I only did 10 weddings last year, and only had one B&G book dance lights. It was an outdoor in a huge tent, with a 30'x30' dance floor and they wanted haze and lights.

I have 12 booked so far this year and not a single one wants any kid of lights. Of course this is at a beautiful outdoor venue (Sugar Grove Carriage House) and most of the stuff happens during daylight hours.

All of my kids stuff (school, birthday and private parties) want lights. My military and class reunions all have asked for both uplights to set a color scheme in the room and dance lights.
 
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I liked it, definitely has a lot of potential. Rick, what do you use for your lighted monograms? The one in your example pic is well lit and looks good.
 
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Yes, I do and I've heard a lot of brides who didn't want "club style lighting" at their event either. Since putting in this ala carte system, it's backing up the notion that I've suspected for a while.....only about 20% of the brides even want or care about a dance lighting system. Like many here, I've spent tons of money on dance lights. Used to load up 2 t-bars, wireless DMX, the works. I thought it was what sells. I was wrong.

I think many don't want or care about dance lighting .. until you show them the atmosphere that it provides. Great upsell IMO. Maybe I'm wrong too?
 
My basic lighting package is a four head wash system and an American DJ Trispherion, it's all most want, if it a huge venue I'll add another set of washes
 
I think many don't want or care about dance lighting .. until you show them the atmosphere that it provides. Great upsell IMO. Maybe I'm wrong too?

Nah, I wouldn't say you're wrong. I'm just saying that I think brides care about it much, much less than we DJs do. I agree totally to keep it as an up-sell and let the money prove out the demand.
 
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