It's fun being a mobile DJ. You get to meet all sorts of cool people. You get to deal with awesome equipment. You get to figure out what songs work; and then watch the fruits of your labor in action: the blissful sight of a packed dance floor. All of this is great, provided you can find the work to begin with. If you're not working enough, here are a couple of things to think about to keep you booked every weekend... or more.
Before we go any further, keep this in mind; if you book just ten more gigs per year at $1000 a night, you've just put ten grand in your pocket. And as you'll see, with a little bit of effort and know-how, it's not too hard to do. Being able to market and sell your services as a DJ will also allow you to get more dollars per gig. If you are now charging $800 and doing 30 gigs per year, you can make another $6000 per year by charging $1000 per night.
The two words of getting booked and getting paid decently are: sales and marketing.
In the internet era, these two basic aspects of business are still around and just as important as they've always been. Somewhat differently than in the olden days yes, but the fact remains that you need to get your message in front of people who are looking for your services (DJ-ing their party, wedding, or club) and then convincing them to hire you.
"Marketing" comes first. It's easy to see if your marketing efforts are working by answering one simple question: Is your phone ringing? Are people contacting you to find out more about your services? It doesn't have to be by telephone, of course; email, texts, seeking you out at gigs, chatting with you at trade shows, etc are all different examples of your "phone ringing."
Marketing is the procedure of getting your name out in front of people who want to use your services and, hopefully, creating a favorable image to those people (prospects). It can include things like advertising or even cold calling. "Cold calling" is when you simply call people "cold" who MAY be interested in your services; but it's probably not the most efficient use of your time. You will most likely have better luck contacting people who are actually in the market for your services... and are somewhat prescreened. An example is a mobile DJ who sets up a booth at a bridal show. Quite a few of the people, who go to bridal shows, are future brides who are looking for the exact services that you offer.
Another form of marketing is a web site. Brides will search out DJs in their area by surfing the net. If your website is enticing enough, they will email or call you asking for more information.
Most business use a multi-pronged approach known as a "marketing mix;" using a variety of methods to get your name out in front of people that will be interested in your services. A marketing mix may include: word of mouth/referral, website, internet advertising, print advertising, radio advertising, appearances at trade shows, volunteering at charity events or anything else you can think of.
There are entire books written about marketing. If your phone isn't ringing, look deeper into this area and perfect it, and then find what works for you. Sometimes finding a marketing tool that is being neglected by competitors in your market is a great opportunity. They may be putting their eggs in one basket, and missing a significant part of the market. If you can identify it, and it's truly being ignored, you can dominate it.
Once you are making contact with people who are interested in your product, you need to close the deal. In my case, that means a signed contract with a deposit received. Professional salespeople often refer to a conversion rate, or a closing rate. Often expressed as a percentage, the closing rate is the number of sales you've closed as compared to the number of prospects you've had contact with. If I talk to 100 people, and 12 of them decide to hire me, I have a 12% conversion rate. I have "converted" 12% of my prospects into actual sales.
You may find that your numbers can change based on what format you deal in. For instance, I close 100% of the prospects I meet with in person. My telephone rate is about 50%, and my email closing or conversion ratio is about 40%. So, I'm better in person than I am on the phone, and I'm better on the phone than I am on the internet. The problem with closing in person is that it usually ends up costing me the price of a dinner, and quite a bit more time than either email or telephone. (This is an expense that is not to be taken lightly... If I close 20 per year in person, and average $50 per meal expense, it costs me $1000 per year! I could buy a new sub-woofer for that kind of money!)
When dealing with prospects who have contacted you, a sales term and technique that you should be familiar with is "overcoming objections." An "objection" is a concern or unanswered question that a prospect may have. Some examples: "Do you offer a discount? Why are you more expensive than your competitor? Are you available til 3am? How long have you been doing this?"
There are a variety of objections that you will come across, but after a while you will notice several that continue to re-appear. It's important to anticipate these objections, and have prepared answers that you can deliver sincerely, honestly and naturally when asked. For example if your prospect asks you: "Why do you charge $1000 to DJ a wedding, when 'Blazin' Billy' only charges $450?" You should be able to give a reasonable answer why you are better than Billy. If you are not prepared, you may answer with something like: "I'm a lot better than Billy." That's probably not enough to overcome her objection.
What if you don't get any objections? This often happens when you get someone who is shy or uncomfortable asking you about their concerns. In this case, it's your job to draw the objections out of them. You do this by asking questions. Asking questions puts you in control of the conversation. If you fail to draw out, and then overcome objections, you will probably hear something like: "Well, I'll have to think about it. I'll get back to you." Usually this is the last time you will hear from that prospect, and hence, you've lost a sale. You need to get your prospect talking to find out what objections her or she may have.
Now, for the granddaddy of them all: "the close." The art of closing is a world unto itself. If you talk to sales managers of large corporations, they are always looking for "closers." If you ask a sales manager to explain what most salespeople do wrong, they will usually talk about problems with closing. The simplest way to define closing is "the act of asking for, and getting a commitment for a sale." An example might be: "Should I pencil you in for the 24th?" Once she says "yes," you have a sale. Closing needs to come naturally and easily as part of the whole process. Clumsily asking, "So, do you want to hire me?" may work occasionally but it could also turn off a potential prospect. Closing too early, before all of the objections have been overcome, will often chase away business as well.
Each one of the areas we've talked about, are simply introductions to get you thinking in the right direction. In the meantime, get your name out there and get your phone ringing, build some rapport, search out and overcome objections, then watch your bookings soar. With a little effort, you can be working every weekend and raking in big bucks. Being a DJ is a blast. Making a huge income while doing what you love is off the charts!
Before we go any further, keep this in mind; if you book just ten more gigs per year at $1000 a night, you've just put ten grand in your pocket. And as you'll see, with a little bit of effort and know-how, it's not too hard to do. Being able to market and sell your services as a DJ will also allow you to get more dollars per gig. If you are now charging $800 and doing 30 gigs per year, you can make another $6000 per year by charging $1000 per night.
The two words of getting booked and getting paid decently are: sales and marketing.
In the internet era, these two basic aspects of business are still around and just as important as they've always been. Somewhat differently than in the olden days yes, but the fact remains that you need to get your message in front of people who are looking for your services (DJ-ing their party, wedding, or club) and then convincing them to hire you.
"Marketing" comes first. It's easy to see if your marketing efforts are working by answering one simple question: Is your phone ringing? Are people contacting you to find out more about your services? It doesn't have to be by telephone, of course; email, texts, seeking you out at gigs, chatting with you at trade shows, etc are all different examples of your "phone ringing."
Marketing is the procedure of getting your name out in front of people who want to use your services and, hopefully, creating a favorable image to those people (prospects). It can include things like advertising or even cold calling. "Cold calling" is when you simply call people "cold" who MAY be interested in your services; but it's probably not the most efficient use of your time. You will most likely have better luck contacting people who are actually in the market for your services... and are somewhat prescreened. An example is a mobile DJ who sets up a booth at a bridal show. Quite a few of the people, who go to bridal shows, are future brides who are looking for the exact services that you offer.
Another form of marketing is a web site. Brides will search out DJs in their area by surfing the net. If your website is enticing enough, they will email or call you asking for more information.
Most business use a multi-pronged approach known as a "marketing mix;" using a variety of methods to get your name out in front of people that will be interested in your services. A marketing mix may include: word of mouth/referral, website, internet advertising, print advertising, radio advertising, appearances at trade shows, volunteering at charity events or anything else you can think of.
There are entire books written about marketing. If your phone isn't ringing, look deeper into this area and perfect it, and then find what works for you. Sometimes finding a marketing tool that is being neglected by competitors in your market is a great opportunity. They may be putting their eggs in one basket, and missing a significant part of the market. If you can identify it, and it's truly being ignored, you can dominate it.
Once you are making contact with people who are interested in your product, you need to close the deal. In my case, that means a signed contract with a deposit received. Professional salespeople often refer to a conversion rate, or a closing rate. Often expressed as a percentage, the closing rate is the number of sales you've closed as compared to the number of prospects you've had contact with. If I talk to 100 people, and 12 of them decide to hire me, I have a 12% conversion rate. I have "converted" 12% of my prospects into actual sales.
You may find that your numbers can change based on what format you deal in. For instance, I close 100% of the prospects I meet with in person. My telephone rate is about 50%, and my email closing or conversion ratio is about 40%. So, I'm better in person than I am on the phone, and I'm better on the phone than I am on the internet. The problem with closing in person is that it usually ends up costing me the price of a dinner, and quite a bit more time than either email or telephone. (This is an expense that is not to be taken lightly... If I close 20 per year in person, and average $50 per meal expense, it costs me $1000 per year! I could buy a new sub-woofer for that kind of money!)
When dealing with prospects who have contacted you, a sales term and technique that you should be familiar with is "overcoming objections." An "objection" is a concern or unanswered question that a prospect may have. Some examples: "Do you offer a discount? Why are you more expensive than your competitor? Are you available til 3am? How long have you been doing this?"
There are a variety of objections that you will come across, but after a while you will notice several that continue to re-appear. It's important to anticipate these objections, and have prepared answers that you can deliver sincerely, honestly and naturally when asked. For example if your prospect asks you: "Why do you charge $1000 to DJ a wedding, when 'Blazin' Billy' only charges $450?" You should be able to give a reasonable answer why you are better than Billy. If you are not prepared, you may answer with something like: "I'm a lot better than Billy." That's probably not enough to overcome her objection.
What if you don't get any objections? This often happens when you get someone who is shy or uncomfortable asking you about their concerns. In this case, it's your job to draw the objections out of them. You do this by asking questions. Asking questions puts you in control of the conversation. If you fail to draw out, and then overcome objections, you will probably hear something like: "Well, I'll have to think about it. I'll get back to you." Usually this is the last time you will hear from that prospect, and hence, you've lost a sale. You need to get your prospect talking to find out what objections her or she may have.
Now, for the granddaddy of them all: "the close." The art of closing is a world unto itself. If you talk to sales managers of large corporations, they are always looking for "closers." If you ask a sales manager to explain what most salespeople do wrong, they will usually talk about problems with closing. The simplest way to define closing is "the act of asking for, and getting a commitment for a sale." An example might be: "Should I pencil you in for the 24th?" Once she says "yes," you have a sale. Closing needs to come naturally and easily as part of the whole process. Clumsily asking, "So, do you want to hire me?" may work occasionally but it could also turn off a potential prospect. Closing too early, before all of the objections have been overcome, will often chase away business as well.
Each one of the areas we've talked about, are simply introductions to get you thinking in the right direction. In the meantime, get your name out there and get your phone ringing, build some rapport, search out and overcome objections, then watch your bookings soar. With a little effort, you can be working every weekend and raking in big bucks. Being a DJ is a blast. Making a huge income while doing what you love is off the charts!
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