Why are so many DJs afraid to talk to people

[Ausumm]

I'm noticing a trend that more and more brides do NOT want personal interaction. They prefer email, text, facebook messaging, etc. A phone call seems to annoy them and in terms of winning the sale, my only concern is to get it done in whatever manner works best for them (and me).

I would not rely on email and texting to communicate with someone I had not already developed rapport based on personal phone conversations or meetings in person. Absent established rapport, people's perception of you in an email or text originates from within themselves. It forms around their own wants, needs, strengths, or insecurities and not necessarily from what you have written or any clear understanding of intention.

I let the customer establish their preferred method of communications by asking them. Easy Peasy. My current favorite is facebook video chat or google video chat. Rapidly becoming theirs too.

Funny,
at first I thought we were all on different pages....but we are essentially saying the same thing.
There are times for personal interaction, times for a calming phone call, and times when electronic communication is the way to go!
Choosing the right way to communicate,
depends on the timing, the client, and even what part of the country you live in.

 

[Dan The Man]

I let the customer establish their preferred method of communications by asking them. Easy Peasy. My current favorite is facebook video chat or google video chat. Rapidly becoming theirs too.

To each their own. Just find out what their own is.

Anyone else find adding clients on Facebook to be a headache? That little green "available light" lights up it seems every time you use a device with FB messenger installed. That means 24/7 availability and believe me people will think nothing of writing at 1 AM and expecting an answer because your 'online'. I'm not conducting business at 1 AM unless your overseas.

I've moved a few clients into a group where chat is always offline simply because it's ridiculous. It's not even a generational thing. I've had 20-somethings and 70-somethings get huffy because I didn't answer until the next day. Telling them that after hours contact is off limits unless you want to say hello or it's an emergency seems to do more harm than good. Don't get me wrong I'm all for casual "How's the wife and kids" conversations with clients but don't send me benign requests at 1AM that's what email is for.

 

[DJ Ricky B]

We could operate like a product distributor.

Clients call the main office, and a receptionist picks up. If they want info, the office sends out a sales rep to the customer. When the customer is ready to book a DJ they never met, they have to fax in a Purchase Order. The Purchase Order get's turned into an Invoice marked COD if credit card payment has not been made prior to the event date, and the DJ automatically shows up on the event day with a Invoice for the customer to sign. The DJ does their job, packs up and goes home. Repeat for the next customer.

If that was how it worked, we wouldn't be having this discussion about whether or not text/email/phone or live in person sales meetings is better.

If that is how it worked, the DJ Community's prices would probably be higher as trained sales reps would sell the service, and the overall business side of our industry would be perceived as much more professional.

 

[Scott Hanna]

Now there are also times where we have to deal with ruffled feathers. In cases where a phone call can smooth it over quickly, I'm all for it. Others, especially in cases where you're having to tell them "No", the impersonal nature of an email works better. Take that girl that wanted me to attend her rehearsal. We had covered it clearly, on the phone, at the time of the sale. She understood my position and accepted it. She then came back a few weeks ago and wanted me to change my stance and attend the rehearsal to "make her feel better". A phone call in that scenario would have been very hard to pull off without alienating her (unless I was going to just fold and give in to her requests). It's certainly possible that I might have alienated her all the same but, my opinion, an email was a much more effective and less alienating way to tell her, "Just like I told you at the beginning, if you want an extra night of service it's an extra night of pay." You, or anyone else here, doesn't have to agree with my stance but this one is my business. I'll do it my way.

Thanks for the discussion.

While I agree with most that the client's preferred method of communication is the easy to go, I don't agree with this part.

When I have to tell someone something I believe they are not going to want to hear or any delicate subject, I'd prefer to talk to them rather that send an email. It's too easy for someone to misinterpret something in written words. I find it's not the easy way, but it's the most effective long term.

I tell my people all the time, if there's a call you're avoiding making, that's probably the call you need to make.

I used to work with a manager that used to correct and discipline employees via e-mail. He led the company in having employees walk of the job because of it, often over minor things. I tried to convince him to talk with the employee, then he could lay out what was discussed and the corrective action plan in a follow up email.

Also, if I get a very long email from someone that sounds like some frustration, I'll often suggest that we talk about this to make sure we are on the same page

 

[rickryan.com]

While I agree with most that the client's preferred method of communication is the easy to go, I don't agree with this part.

When I have to tell someone something I believe they are not going to want to hear or any delicate subject, I'd prefer to talk to them rather that send an email. It's too easy for someone to misinterpret something in written words. I find it's not the easy way, but it's the most effective long term.

I tell my people all the time, if there's a call you're avoiding making, that's probably the call you need to make.

I used to work with a manager that used to correct and discipline employees via e-mail. He led the company in having employees walk of the job because of it, often over minor things. I tried to convince him to talk with the employee, then he could lay out what was discussed and the corrective action plan in a follow up email.

Also, if I get a very long email from someone that sounds like some frustration, I'll often suggest that we talk about this to make sure we are on the same page

I believe we are like-minded, for the most part. Perhaps where we part is that I don't believe that a phone call is always best. In this particular case, we had already been over this subject. I felt it was best to re-iterate, in writing. You may feel it was a mistake but I don't. There are times where phones work best and there are times where email works best.

 

[Scott Hanna]

I believe we are like-minded, for the most part. Perhaps where we part is that I don't believe that a phone call is always best. In this particular case, we had already been over this subject. I felt it was best to re-iterate, in writing. You may feel it was a mistake but I don't. There are times where phones work best and there are times where email works best.

Yes I was speaking in general, not in your specific case

 

[SEDJ]

I no issues with having phone conversations with potential clients, I think for me, talking with them at least over the phone helps me get a better idea of who might be wanting to hire me and if I may or may not be a good fit for them, and them for me. But I am open to all forms of communication that the clients what to use( with in reason of course) .

 

[rickryan.com]

Yes I was speaking in general, not in your specific case

Don't get me wrong. There have been plenty of times where I'd reflect and think, "Man, I should've just called her and straightened it out." Problem is, there have probably been just as many times where I reflected "That phone call was a bad idea. I should've emailed and let her cool off a bit." For some reason, I suspect that you're probably a LOT more of a consistent, patient personality than I am. I get in the middle of a bad day, or am rushed for time, and it just comes across that way on the phone. I usually end up having another phone conversation to then apologize for my lack of syrup-sweet talking.

 

[rickryan.com]

Anyone else find adding clients on Facebook to be a headache? That little green "available light" lights up it seems every time you use a device with FB messenger installed.

No. I regularly send friend requests to people who have signed a gig with me, especially for photography jobs. There has been very few hassles and the extra hands-on and social interaction both before and after the wedding, pays off big time. I highly recommend it.

 

[IceBurghDJ]

Maybe Trump is supported by folks that want to turn the clock back to 1958, but I doubt you can do that with your business and be successful.
I know I WANT to respond right away, but alas, can't so much of the time - 4 hours every day while driving the bus (have a short break in the morning, but nobody's texting or calling at 7am..so far), 6 or 7 hour while I sleep - and while i'm driving to/from anyplace (if you call I probably will answer, blue tooth phone,but i'm not texting while driving..my kids do it to me all the time and it drives me nuts).

And if i'm at a gig - no practical way to respond, and when I'm doing taxes the rule is no private cell phone activity - it's not professional, duh.

So i'm 'out of touch' for what, nearly half the hours of a week as it is.

I had to add messenger to my phone and hate it. OK, once in a while it's handy,but too many people FB message and I detest trying to type more than a short reply on my phone.

- now i've talked to two prom folks this week - via email. and am communicating via the knot's message thing with a couple. I've booked repeat business via email and even text this past year. It's more accepted I guess you'd say. Informal, but practical?

Anyone else find adding clients on Facebook to be a headache? That little green "available light" lights up it seems every time you use a device with FB messenger installed. That means 24/7 availability and believe me people will think nothing of writing at 1 AM and expecting an answer because your 'online'. I'm not conducting business at 1 AM unless your overseas.

 

[IceBurghDJ]

Absolutley. Last year, a HS senior I shot had the last baby in the county in 2015 and a wedding couple the first of 2016.
Who cares?
Well...the couple got me 2 weddings and the I ran into the 'senior' twice in the past year - once at the county fair and again on sunday at the bridal fari.

She remembers me..I can ask about the baby, their new house..it's great.

No. I regularly send friend requests to people who have signed a gig with me, especially for photography jobs. There has been very few hassles and the extra hands-on and social interaction both before and after the wedding, pays off big time. I highly recommend it.

 

[Ausumm]

Anyone else find adding clients on Facebook to be a headache?

I usually don't connect with clients on Facebook until AFTER the gig.
Just to keep tabs on their new, growing family.

 

[DJ Ricky B]

I connect with very few of my clients. I believe that title is "FRIENDS" on Facebook. If I don't consider them a "FRIEND" I don't accept their request. I find it humorous when I see people with like 1,200 friends on Facebook...get outta here!

Now, I would appreciate if clients LIKE my BUSINESS Page on Facebook! If I don't know them, and they don't hold some sort of significance in my life, they aren't friends of mine on FB.

 

[Cap Capello]

DJ Ricky B has snapped a dart right into the bullseye.

Now, I would appreciate if clients LIKE my BUSINESS Page on Facebook! If I don't know them, and they don't hold some sort of significance in my life, they aren't friends of mine on FB.

I believe there is some sort of Facebook protocol that says if you're a business and are promoting it as such, you're supposed to have a business page separate from a personal page.

Many of my local DJ friends and fellow wedding pros also use their personal facebook page instead of setting up an actual business page to thank clients for an "awesome time" and then link other vendors and their personal pages with "high praise" for "working together". I don't really give a hoot about that part of their lives and, as the number of these grow, the more frequent my facebook "unfollow" is used.

Any solid suggestions on how to politically nicely make a statement to say it's time to separate church and state, personal and business, or it's gonna result in a gag order? Maybe quoting the protocol (if I can find it) would suffice?

 

[rickryan.com]

DJ Ricky B has snapped a dart right into the bullseye.
I believe there is some sort of Facebook protocol that says if you're a business and are promoting it as such, you're supposed to have a business page separate from a personal page.

Many of my local DJ friends and fellow wedding pros also use their personal facebook page instead of setting up an actual business page to thank clients for an "awesome time" and then link other vendors and their personal pages with "high praise" for "working together". I don't really give a hoot about that part of their lives and, as the number of these grow, the more frequent my facebook "unfollow" is used.

Any solid suggestions on how to politically nicely make a statement to say it's time to separate church and state, personal and business, or it's gonna result in a gag order? Maybe quoting the protocol (if I can find it) would suffice?

My question to you, if I'm understanding you correctly, why do you have any concern over whether they mis-use their personal FB pages for business purposes? I see the same thing around here but couldn't care less about what they're doing. I have mine separated. Anytime I sign a client, I send a friend request from my personal page. At this point, I have clients who are also FB friends, dating back to when I first started DJing. They seem to enjoy keeping up with my exploits and I believe it helps validate them as having made the right choice. It also results in continual networking and referrals.

 

[Albatross]

The issue with the personal vs. business page on Facebook is exposure. The newsfeed algorithm is designed to show preference towards personal pages, and to force businesses to pay for exposure. I try not to burn my personal Facebook friends out on business posts. But the number of views and reactions it gets when I share to my personal account is WAY higher.

Un-bosted posts for me get somewhere between 30-200 "people reached" from those posts, with maybe 2-6 reactions. I posted my WeddingWire Couples Choice on my personal feed the other day, and it got 7 comments, and 48 likes. It is LEAPS AND BOUNDS more powerful of a channel.

I keep my business page active so that if people are searching for a DJ, they find recent and relevant content. I point them towards my website if I can. But, if I wanted to make my network aware of something, my business page is useless. And keeping my personal network aware of my business tends to lead to several good referrals per year at 0 cost.

 

[steve149]

It works both ways .. I have shut off feeds from actual friends because they post a lot of business stuff that clogs my Facebook stream.

 

[Cap Capello]

Exactly what Steve said. And, sometimes the tone is such as to wipe other DJ's noses with how busy and how great they are. Not a fan at all.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

I think all forms of communications have their advantages and disadvantages, their time and place. There are times that each one comes in very handy.
I prefer face to face meetings for in depth discussions and planning.
Phone calls are also good to have in depth discussions
An email is great for a series of questions. It's also good for a follow up to a phone call to put in writing what was discussed.
A text is fine for a quick question.

However, it's also important to read the customer too. Do they preferred more face to face meetings? Do they prefer to text?

I had a contractor do some work on my house. He did some good work, but every time he called me with a question that needed a yes or no, I'd get the voicemail If I wasn't able to take the call, then send him a text with the answer. I told him you can just text me the question, but he said, " I don't think it's professional to text a question" Well, your customer just told you it was and had been showing you he prefers it on occasion. Plus he was a chatty Kathy and would tell me everything that was going on.

You said what I learned. Different people like to communicate in different ways. I hate texting but if that's what they want to do fine.

 

[SEDJ]

My personal FB is just that, for personal stuff, I will however do like Ross does and share post's from say the DJ page on my personal page from time to time.

The only time that I use my personal page for the DJ stuff is with this local networking FB group.