By Rick Brewer – “Get More Brides”
I get this question from DJs all the time: “Rick, do bridal shows still work?” The answer is easy for me: Sometimes… or maybe. There are many variables as to why a wedding show will or will not work for a DJ, but let me share the top 3 tips on how a bridal/wedding show can work for your DJ business.
With this advice, I hope that in your preparation for this upcoming wedding season, you’ll either work the show better, or it will help in your decision to participate in the next bridal show in your town.
Tip #1: Work the show.
If you’re a wedding DJ who isn’t going to work the show, don’t do it. There are a group of wedding professionals who will do every bridal show they possibly can because they get the results. Let’s face it, they aren’t going to go stand in a show that doesn’t produce results.
How DJs mostly get results is that they find a system that works. I have seen many vendors sit in their chairs behind a table, which sets a psychological barrier. You cannot wait for a client to come to you. You have to work the show. Period. Consider for a moment: where else can you potentially meet with 70 – 80 prospective clients in a day? (I know most shows have hundreds of engaged couples in attendance, but the best you can hope for is to spend 3 – 4 minutes with 70 – 80 couples.)
Tip #2: Follow a process.
Most couples will not sign a contract with a wedding DJ on first meeting. If you think about it, many couples will not sign a contract after meeting with you for an hour (you have seen those who meet with you, ask a ton of questions, and then say “we need to think about it”). The best next step is to meet with these couples again away from the bridal show (where they won’t be distracted, overwhelmed, and rushed) so you can have a focused meeting without all the commotion.
If your process is designed to leave the show with signed contracts in hand, this may be the main reason why your results have been lacking. If you instead go for the appointment in place of the sale, and you are able to schedule 15 appointments, and 10 of them actually show up, how many of those 10 can you then get to sign a contract?
Tip #3: Follow up.
If we go back to the thought that a DJ’s prospective wedding clients often need to be approached multiple times to get a signed contract (even when they have agreed to book with you, they continue to put it off for whatever reason), imagine how much we need to follow through after the show. It’s important to get them out of the feeling of being overwhelmed and into buying mode.
When DJs follow through with the best available tools (not necessarily just sending a blind email to the list you receive, but to truly follow through), we can typically add to our results usually 20% or more. Again, you paid to be in the bridal show, so you should do all you can to get the DJ business you are seeking from it.
The job of the wedding show producer is to get the clients there. Your job as a DJ is to guide and persuade clients in an effective way that will get the most of them to purchase. If wedding couples attend the show, you should be able to book business.
Looking for more great tips for getting DJ business at bridal shows? Check out my course on Bridal Show Success Secrets for more info and a special offer.
