Monthly Archives: October 2018

3 Tips for Wedding Show Success!

By Eric Wenning

Whether you’re a seasoned vet or a novice in this business, at one time or another you’ve probably advertised at a Wedding/Bridal Show (or thought about doing so). What a lot of people don’t understand is there is a lot of psychology required in advertising at these shows: reading people’s reactions, knowing what to say when breaking the ice, your appearance and the appearance of your booth, and so on. All equally important if you’re going to successfully generate leads or even a sale or two. Screw up one and it could turn into a snowball effect and, soon enough, you could be left with a lot of money out of your pocket and no sales to account for it.

Let’s dive into some tips that can help you turn that around…

  • Stop Sounding Like Everyone Else!
    Your opening line to an already anxious bride needs to be something other than, “Do you have a DJ picked out yet?” The majority of brides are going to say “yes” because even though they came to the show, they really just want to grab your brochure and deal with you later. So, the trick is to ask them a question they will say yes to without knowing they are doing it. Here is a question that has made my company tens of thousands of dollars… ready?

“Wanna Play a Game?”

Now I have you scratching your head while you are reading this, don’t I? I have actually hidden a photo of ‘Where’s Waldo’ in my brochures. So I tell them, “Find Waldo in 30 seconds or less and I’ll give you an extra discount off your wedding.” What happens next is amazing. The bride grabs a brochure, the mother grabs a brochure, the maid of honor grabs a brochure, heck even the dad grabs a brochure. Smiling. Laughing. Pointing. Now visualize this, another prospective bride is walking down the aisle and sees a herd of people intently looking at my brochure and seems genuinely interested in what we are offering. We made them curious! You are now creating a buzz around your booth and people want to get in on whatever you have to offer!

  • Give Out a “Yes Bag!”
    Have you ever noticed a bride carrying a bag and the mother or fiancé carrying another bag? Did you know most bride’s have a “Yes Bag” and a “No Bag?” Did I just blow your mind? They don’t want to be rude to your face, so they will politely say, “We’ll look it over and give you a call.” Now, if you give out a bag with your logo on it (you’ve just built rapport with that prospect!) you can then say, “Make this your Yes Bag moving forward (with a wink, of course) and you will get a smile and a giggle, and hopefully a new client too!
  • Brand Your Sweets n’ Treats
    Everyone always hands out candy and treats at their booth. What you need to do is, once again, be different! Brand your sweets n’ treats. Put your brand all over suckers, candy, mints. Anything that will stick out from the rest. Because when those brides get home they will dump their bag all over their table and start to narrow down the yes, maybe and no literature. The more they see your brand/logo everywhere, the better your chances are that they will remember you!

Now go make a Great First Impression!

In addition to his highly successful multi-op business in Pittsburgh, PA, Eric has degrees in Graphic Design and Marketing and also owns a full ad agency that specializes in Social Media Advertising for many different types of companies. For more info or to contact Eric visit www.wenningmethod.com

Pioneer DJ Introduces New HDJ-X5BT Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones

Pioneer has upgraded their affordable HDJ-X5 DJ headphones, adding Bluetooth® wireless technology to create the HDJ-X5BT. The new over-ear DJ headphones are ideal for DJing in the club and monitoring tracks on the move.

They are available in three colors: HDJ-X5BT-K (metallic black), HDJ-X5BT-R (metallic red) and HDJ-X5BT-W (gloss white).

DJs need equipment that is flexible and seamless to help them practice, prepare and perform wherever they go. Thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity, the HDJ-X5BT headphones make it easy to monitor music in any situation – whether you’re at home or on the move. When you connect the included cable, you can also use them for comfortable DJing in the club. Whether you go wireless or wired, the HDJ-X5BT headphones offer the same outstanding audio quality, durability and functionality as the original HDJ-X5 model.

The HDJ-X5BT headphones will be available from early-November at an MAP of $149. Watch the introduction video or find out more about the new Bluetooth headphones.

KEY FEATURES OF THE HDJ-X5BT HEADPHONES 

  1. Wireless technology for monitoring music anywhere you go

With easy set-up, you can simply power up the HDJ-X5BT headphones and pair them with your Bluetooth device – such as a smartphone or PC/Mac – then start monitoring tracks. A 3-hour charge gives you up to approximately 20 hours of playback. Thanks to the built-in microphone, you can talk hands-free on calls when the headphones are connected to your phone*1.

  1. Well-balanced, dynamic sound

Hear every nuance in your tracks whether you’re mixing in the booth or monitoring music at home. High-resolution, well-balanced tuning and bass reflex chambers in the housings allow the airflow to deliver an excellent bass response and sound insulation. The high-quality Qualcomm® aptX™ audio codec is supported as well as AAC and SBC for high-quality sound, even when listening wirelessly.

  1. Lasting durability

Take your cans on the road with confidence. The HDJ-X series headphones are rigorously tested and each model has cleared the US Military Standard MIL-STD-810G Shock test*2 as well as our own demanding stress testing to ensure they can handle severe conditions and heavy use.

  1. Flexible functionality for comfortable DJing

When you want to immerse yourself in a mix, connect the included 1.2m coiled cable to automatically disable Bluetooth and all other buttons. The HDJ-X5BT headphones are comfortable to use no matter how you wear them, thanks to the housing design, swivel mechanism and flexible headband inherited from the predecessors in the HDJ-X series.

  1. Other features
  • Comfortable ear pads

Wear your headphones in comfort for long sets. We carefully selected material that’s soft to the touch and provides cushioning, and we even paid attention to the positioning of the stitching to maximise its comfort.

  • Foldable, easy-to-carry design
  • Three colors available

Choose from metallic black (HDJ-X5BT-K), metallic red (HDJ-X5BT-R) or gloss white (HDJ-X5BT-W) versions to match the style of your gear and your look.

  • Original unique sounds for each beep when connecting via Bluetooth, powering and pairing, etc.

*1 You can use these headphones for phone calls if the Bluetooth-compatible phone (cellular phone, smartphone, etc.) is compatible with the HSP or HFP Bluetooth profile.

*2 MIL-STD-810G METHOD 516.7 SHOCK compliant.

HDJ-X5BT specifications

Version Bluetooth Specification Ver. 4.2
Output Bluetooth Specification Class 2
Maximum communication distance Prospective distance approx. 10m*3
Supported Bluetooth profiles A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
Supported codecs SBC, AAC, Qualcomm® aptX™, Qualcomm® aptX™ Low Latency
Play time Approx. 20 Hours*4
Charging time Approx. 3 Hours
Type Closed, Dynamic
Frequency response 5 Hz – 30 kHz
Input impedance 32 kΩ
Sensitivity 104 dB
Maximum input power 2,000 mW
Driver φ 40 mm
Connection cord 1.2 m coiled cable (extended length 1.8 m)
Weight 319 g (without cable)
Accessories φ6.3 mm stereo plug adapter (threaded type),

USB charging cable

Warranty 1 Year

 

*3 Transmission distances are a guideline. Transmission distance may change depending on the surrounding environment.

*4 Sometimes less depending on the conditions of use.

Website: http://www.pioneerdj.com/

 

The Art of The Follow Up (Bridal Show Edition)

By Mitch Taylor

Before we begin, it’s worth mentioning that all bridal shows are not created equal.  It’s up to you to decide if that show is worthy of your investment or not.  How?  Ask around, starting with your fellow DJs and vendors.  What shows have been helpful to them?  What kind of business do they run from a size and service standpoint?  Find a like-minded business in your market.  Take the owner to lunch and ask why they choose the vehicles they choose to advertise in.  Their answers may surprise you.  Oh — and bring a referral or an idea they can use to help their business with you.  Givers gain.

Next, look at the size of the show. How many potential brides attend? This number will be significantly different from the total attendees so be sure you understand the difference before signing on the dotted line. If you are going for volume and willing to price your service accordingly, than a show with a killer marketing piece and several hundred brides may be for you.  If, however, you’re focused on high-end gigs and wanting to build quality relationships, then a smaller venue that allows more interaction with brides would be the best way to go.

OK… so you’ve picked a show.  How do you follow up?  Clue:  Ask them at the show.  Have brides sign up by typing their info into DJ Event Planner at your booth.  This eliminates misreading someone’s handwriting and ensures your message gets where it needs to go. Ask them when they got engaged and what other vendors they’ll be using and take good notes.  This can help you know where they are in the sales process and when it would be best to follow up with them. Brides with dates two or more years out best separated from brides who are looking for things within a year.

Now, based upon how the brides want you to follow up, set up schedule that works for them, not you.  Once a bride is ready to hear from you, put her in your cycle with unique touches designed to help her in the wedding planning process (apply different touches with your email, phone calls, snail mail and Facebook).  Use an email subject line that will make her want to read more.  Above all, your communication with her must be respectful of her time and conversational.

If you’d like a real life example of a follow ups I send my clients, send an email to mitch@tayloredweddings.com with the subject line “dj news bridal show FU” and I’ll get it out to you right away.

Lastly, be real. I often joke with the brides that stop by my booth that half of the information in their bags will end up being thrown out or forgotten in a corner somewhere.  People relate to real.  This is why if you are advertising at a high-volume show with dozens of vendors and hundreds of brides, you need a phenomenal marketing piece that really stands out from the crowd.  By striking up a conversation and genuinely seeking to help, you can cut through the hustle and bustle and get down to what really matters: helping a bride get the wedding she wants.

After all, that’s all sales truly is.  Find a need and fill it.

Mitch Taylor has worked in the Mobile Disc Jockey industry for over two decades, first cutting his teeth as an on-board club DJ for Carnival Cruise Lines. In addition to owning and operating Taylored Weddings in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, he is a sought-after speaker and Gitomer Certified Advisor whose sales training, books, coaching and workshops are in high demand all over the country. For more info about his Creating Connections books and workshops visit creatingconnections.biz