Weddings Yet Another Prospective Wedding Client Asked to See Me in Action

[Esoteric]

What would you guys think of this question (which I often ask):

Tell me about an event where everything didn't go perfect, what did you do to fix the situation?

Can you provide a reference where everything didn't go perfectly as planned?

Mike

 

[jokerswild]

What would you guys think of this question (which I often ask):

Tell me about an event where everything didn't go perfect, what did you do to fix the situation?

Can you provide a reference where everything didn't go perfectly as planned?

Mike

What event ever goes completely as planned? All you can do is adapt the situation and transform it to the best of your ability...

As to the second question... who in their right mind would want to provide a reference that is a negative.... I for one wouldn't.

 

[Esoteric]

What event ever goes completely as planned? All you can do is adapt the situation and transform it to the best of your ability...

As to the second question... who in their right mind would want to provide a reference that is a negative.... I for one wouldn't.

*shrugs* Sometimes you learn more about a person from the shows they don't win than from the ones they win.

For example I would say I have a 95% win rate with my shows. But someone could find out a lot about me from the 10-20 shows that I would classify as shows I "didn't win".

However someone might have done hundreds of shows and have a 10% win rate, and have 20 or 30 good references. I would be more interested in how they handled one of their not good references.

I guess it is all a crap shoot.

Mike

 

[Guest]

What would you guys think of this question (which I often ask):

Tell me about an event where everything didn't go perfect, what did you do to fix the situation?

Can you provide a reference where everything didn't go perfectly as planned?

Mike

Actually I can provide several and even those that were my fault the clients will still say they would use my service again! Why you ask? because if I make a mistake at a wedding I give them their money back!

 

[Bryan Durio]

? ? ?

Ahhh... Cap's overt subtlety escapes detection yet again, eh?

 

[djrox]

Really? I don't see that anywhere in the original post. It just said that she wanted to peek in on an event.

Mike

OK. If the peek-a-boo reception is in a public building, hotel, auditorium, reception mill, where any random pedestrian passing by might glimpse in, then by all mean offer that valuable opportunity and experience to all your clients. It should do wonders for you booking quotient. I predict a Blutarskyesque improvement, Zero point zero.


Are you serious? No, really, are you?

If a client thinks "peeking" into a room while I perform will assuage her doubts or confirm her expectations, I have truly failed to provide real, understandable, and legitimate proof of my service's value.

Have her call your cell phone so she can hear you, same benefit but without travel expenses.

Peeking is for hide-and-seek cheats or a title held by someone with with a huge bladder!

 

[djrox]

What would you guys think of this question (which I often ask):

Tell me about an event where everything didn't go perfect, what did you do to fix the situation?

Can you provide a reference where everything didn't go perfectly as planned?

Mike

Listen Dr. Phil,

Is your goal to find out everything useless about your reception entertainment or would you rather discuss how and why we can work together to provide the celebration your wedding and marriage warrants?

Unless you are offering to trade qualified psychoanalysis for DJ services your question is ridiculous.

Why not ask your DJ to undergo a Rorschach test or delve into his/her childhood? You know, Anna, sometimes a banana is just a banana!

 

[Esoteric]

Actually I can provide several and even those that were my fault the clients will still say they would use my service again! Why you ask? because if I make a mistake at a wedding I give them their money back!

BINGO! WE HAVE A WINNER!!

Mike

 

[Esoteric]

Listen Dr. Phil,

Is your goal to find out everything useless about your reception entertainment or would you rather discuss how and why we can work together to provide the celebration your wedding and marriage warrants?

Unless you are offering to trade qualified psychoanalysis for DJ services your question is ridiculous.

Why not ask your DJ to undergo a Rorschach test or delve into his/her childhood? You know, Anna, sometimes a banana is just a banana!

Interesting the hostile response. I would say that anything that takes you out of your comfort zone is met with overt hostility.

I assume I have already discussed those other things. There are hundreds of DJs here that will give me platitudes about how they will work with me to make my day special. I want more than that.

There is only one shot at this to make it work. Why take chances?

Mike

 

[Esoteric]

OK. If the peek-a-boo reception is in a public building, hotel, auditorium, reception mill, where any random pedestrian passing by might glimpse in, then by all mean offer that valuable opportunity and experience to all your clients. It should do wonders for you booking quotient. I predict a Blutarskyesque improvement, Zero point zero.


Are you serious? No, really, are you?

If a client thinks "peeking" into a room while I perform will assuage her doubts or confirm her expectations, I have truly failed to provide real, understandable, and legitimate proof of my service's value.

Have her call your cell phone so she can hear you, same benefit but without travel expenses.

Peeking is for hide-and-seek cheats or a title held by someone with with a huge bladder!

Serious as a heart attack.

You can have all the pictures you want, talk all you want, have all the (only the good ones though!) recommendations you want and still be a crappy artist. The only way to know for sure is to see someone in action or see their work for yourself.

Mike

 

[WaydeWest]

Listen Dr. Phil,

Is your goal to find out everything useless about your reception entertainment or would you rather discuss how and why we can work together to provide the celebration your wedding and marriage warrants?

Unless you are offering to trade qualified psychoanalysis for DJ services your question is ridiculous.

Why not ask your DJ to undergo a Rorschach test or delve into his/her childhood? You know, Anna, sometimes a banana is just a banana!

Dude...I think you are confusing threads. This one has nothing to do with Anna/Ducky's DJ search AND the post you specifically responded to was from Mike (in no way related or involved with Anna or her search for a DJ, which this thread also has nothing to do with as previously stated, nor were any llamas harmed in the writting of this thread or the one in which Anna is looking for a DJ, which I must remind you again is not this thread...and now for something completely different...)

 

[1cdj]

Serious as a heart attack.

You can have all the pictures you want, talk all you want, have all the (only the good ones though!) recommendations you want and still be a crappy artist. The only way to know for sure is to see someone in action or see their work for yourself.

Mike

Mike we do 750+ jobs per year and refuse to do looksies.. we're number 1 rated on wedding wire and the knot for our area which actually speaks a little louder than seeing one of my guys in action.

 

[Jeff Romard]

As to the second question... who in their right mind would want to provide a reference that is a negative.... I for one wouldn't.

Exactly my point against references

 

[djrox]

Interesting the hostile response. I would say that anything that takes you out of your comfort zone is met with overt hostility.

No hostility intended. Just confusion as to how that relates to inviting prospects to private events.

I want more than that.

Then the onus is on you to express your desires and expectations, unless you're hiring a psychic medium.

There is only one shot at this to make it work. Why take chances?

...and it requires cooperation and clear understanding by all. It will fail if the relationship is adversarial.

Why begin the process with the "See if you can guess/figure out what I want" power game?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunder
Actually I can provide several and even those that were my fault the clients will still say they would use my service again! Why you ask? because if I make a mistake at a wedding I give them their money back!

BINGO! WE HAVE A WINNER!!

If a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE is the deal maker/breaker, then your motives are obvious and likely incompatible with a mutually beneficial relationship.

 

[Guest]

No disrespect intended, but aren't you a lighting designer, and NOT a wedding D.J.? If so, wouldn't the criteria for hiring be different, since they are different lines of work?

What would you guys think of this question (which I often ask):

Tell me about an event where everything didn't go perfect, what did you do to fix the situation?

Can you provide a reference where everything didn't go perfectly as planned?

Mike

Interesting the hostile response. I would say that anything that takes you out of your comfort zone is met with overt hostility.

I assume I have already discussed those other things. There are hundreds of DJs here that will give me platitudes about how they will work with me to make my day special. I want more than that.

There is only one shot at this to make it work. Why take chances?

Mike

How can you have asked a question often, when there's only one shot to make this work? The math doesn't work.

The only way to know for sure is to see someone in action or see their work for yourself.

Wouldn't video address this issue, without inviting the prospective bride and/or groom and/or their entourage(s), and the aforementioned pitfalls that accompany it?

 

[Esoteric]

No hostility intended. Just confusion as to how that relates to inviting prospects to private events.


Then the onus is on you to express your desires and expectations, unless you're hiring a psychic medium.

...and it requires cooperation and clear understanding by all. It will fail if the relationship is adversarial.

Why begin the process with the "See if you can guess/figure out what I want" power game?



If a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE is the deal maker/breaker, then your motives are obvious and likely incompatible with a mutually beneficial relationship.

1. Of course it is up to the client to express their desires. When did I say it wasn't?

2. Nope, no money back guarantee necessary. But, a willingness to do whatever it takes to satisfy the client no matter the time or expense. That is what I give to my clients and that is what I expect from my vendors.

Mike

 

[Esoteric]

No disrespect intended, but aren't you a lighting designer, and NOT a wedding D.J.? If so, wouldn't the criteria for hiring be different, since they are different lines of work?





How can you have asked a question often, when there's only one shot to make this work? The math doesn't work.




Wouldn't video address this issue, without inviting the prospective bride and/or groom and/or their entourage(s), and the aforementioned pitfalls that accompany it?

1. Sorry, sometimes I think people can keep up with my line of thought. I will spell this first part out a little better.

I often ask this question of any artist I work with (I work with many of them, sound engineers, video editors, graphic designers, etc).

But then I was speaking specifically of my wedding which is a one time event.

2. Video would be just fine. What is video but a "peek" at an event? That is all the client is asking for.

Mike

 

[DJMC]

Absolutely NOT at a private event!

I do like Cap's method of not saying "no."

 

[djrox]

sometimes I think people can keep up with my line of thought.

Yeah, I found that odd too. <insert chuckle>

...a "peek" at an event? That is all the client is asking for.

The client has no right asking for authority you don't have.

What is video but a "peek" at an event?

No a video is substantially different.
1) It can be experienced without intruding on a private event;
2) The video doesn't involve any performance distractions at an ongoing event;
3) There is no potential for accidental inclusion of your clients in the head count and subsequent charges of a PRIVATE EVENT;
4) The video can address more than one type of event, and showcase how the performer can add uniqueness to different events and not just serve as a one hit example (What's so unique and special about repeating the same performance at a later date?);
5) The video doesn't require any presumptions about a paying client's acceptance of the self serving nature of such activity;

I'd continue the list but I suspect those that would understand already do and those that do not, will not.

 

[Esoteric]

Yeah, I found that odd too. <insert chuckle>


The client has no right asking for authority you don't have.


No a video is substantially different.
1) It can be experienced without intruding on a private event;
2) The video doesn't involve any performance distractions at an ongoing event;
3) There is no potential for accidental inclusion of your clients in the head count and subsequent charges of a PRIVATE EVENT;
4) The video can address more than one type of event, and showcase how the performer can add uniqueness to different events and not just serve as a one hit example (What's so unique and special about repeating the same performance at a later date?);
5) The video doesn't require any presumptions about a paying client's acceptance of the self serving nature of such activity;

I'd continue the list but I suspect those that would understand already do and those that do not, will not.

Okay, sorry, I meant what are the negative differences between a video and getting a 'peek' at an event.

None that I can think of.

There are many positives, but no negatives.

Mike