OldGit Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 We've had one wedding gig booking pulled as they ran out of money .. Other than that our wedding bookings are progressing as normal .. Are you finding the same? Quote
crez5150 Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 We've just finished the National Wedding Show last weekend at the NEC. We took 4 times as many bookings this year than we did last year.... so it's definitely on the up!!! Quote
coasterbass Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Likewise. 2009 is packed full and we're turning them down. People are keen to try andknock £50/100 off here and there, but overall things are still looking peachy. I'd imagine that 2010 will be the dry year as people delay setting a day/venue. At the moment we're still getting people who got engaged in happier times. Quote
Merton Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 We're dead next year, but we don't mind coz our lead singer is having a baby in Jan and I'm having one in April (well, my gf is!)... I think we're dead next year coz last year was sooo manic that we conciously stepped back a bit this year and put our prices up to do fewer gigs for more money. That means fewer referrals, which is where 90% of our gigs come from at a guess. Quote
crez5150 Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='coasterbass' post='307760' date='Oct 16 2008, 11:51 AM']Likewise. 2009 is packed full and we're turning them down. People are keen to try andknock £50/100 off here and there, but overall things are still looking peachy. I'd imagine that 2010 will be the dry year as people delay setting a day/venue. At the moment we're still getting people who got engaged in happier times.[/quote] Ah well any you can't handle chuck my way please mate.... I'll see if we can squeeze them in. Problem is getting the weddings spread across the year, obviously May through Sept is rammed. We had to turn down 15 enquiries at the Wedding show as we were already booked. 2010 is looking ok at the moment for us... I think we have 9 or 10 confirmed (with deposits) which is pretty good that far in advance... Quote
OldGit Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='crez5150' post='307773' date='Oct 16 2008, 12:09 PM']Ah well any you can't handle chuck my way please mate.... I'll see if we can squeeze them in. Problem is getting the weddings spread across the year, obviously May through Sept is rammed. We had to turn down 15 enquiries at the Wedding show as we were already booked. 2010 is looking ok at the moment for us... I think we have 9 or 10 confirmed (with deposits) which is pretty good that far in advance...[/quote] Wat do you do whan you are already booked for a date? We have a long list of helpful people we give out to the punters... Quote
crez5150 Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='307799' date='Oct 16 2008, 12:34 PM']Wat do you do whan you are already booked for a date? We have a long list of helpful people we give out to the punters...[/quote] yeah we have one or two bands we recommend too... but there are not enough decent outfits around I'd feel comfortable passing on. Quote
Merton Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='307799' date='Oct 16 2008, 12:34 PM']Wat do you do whan you are already booked for a date? We have a long list of helpful people we give out to the punters...[/quote] We refer them to an agency. Quote
OldGit Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='crez5150' post='307803' date='Oct 16 2008, 12:36 PM']yeah we have one or two bands we recommend too... but there are not enough decent outfits around I'd feel comfortable passing on.[/quote] My objective is always to give people routes to find alternatives, rather than recommend anyone directly. We're pretty much on our own with the way we do things (in our area anyway) so we just try to be helpful. They come back for their next one, or recommend us anyway so I think it works... Quote
OldGit Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='Merton' post='307816' date='Oct 16 2008, 12:49 PM']We refer them to an agency.[/quote] Do you get any brownie points from the agency for that? Quote
Merton Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='307822' date='Oct 16 2008, 12:50 PM']Do you get any brownie points from the agency for that?[/quote] Do we f**k. Actually, that's not fair, they just always seem to offer us gigs when we've already booked one ourselves. Quote
OldGit Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='Merton' post='307850' date='Oct 16 2008, 01:22 PM']Do we f**k. Actually, that's not fair, they just always seem to offer us gigs when we've already booked one ourselves.[/quote] Ask for a referral fee then ... Quote
Merton Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='307882' date='Oct 16 2008, 02:04 PM']Ask for a referral fee then ...[/quote] Now, being the naive idiots we are, we've never thought of that. Ta! Quote
OldGit Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='Merton' post='307885' date='Oct 16 2008, 02:06 PM']Now, being the naive idiots we are, we've never thought of that. Ta![/quote] Something like 5% of the fee is reasonable. They just add it on anyway ... Quote
farmer61 Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 (edited) 2 points. [list=1] [*]If you're a pub band (like we are) and not a typical functions band NEVER play a wedding unless the Bride and Groom have seen you, and what you do it's just too risky! [*]Never play the First Dance unless your can really and truely pull it off, it's too important! [/list] I hate 'em but they do pay well but will only do them if point 1 above has been adhered to. Edited October 16, 2008 by farmer61 Quote
OldGit Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='farmer61' post='307905' date='Oct 16 2008, 02:31 PM']2 points. [list=1] [*]If you're a pub band (like we are) and not a typical functions band NEVER play a wedding unless the Bride and Groom have seen you, and what you do it's just too risky! [*]Never play the First Dance unless your can really and truely pull it off, it's too important! [/list] I hate 'em but they do pay well but will only do them if point 1 above has been adhered to.[/quote] I'd add never agree to play a wedding 'til the potential mothers in law have seen you, They are the real decision makers in this situation. Quote
crez5150 Posted October 19, 2008 Posted October 19, 2008 Well to be honest that really only works if your a covers band..... you see we get asked this question a lot ... it's sorta catch 22.... Where can we see you play? Well you can't really cause we only do weddings and corporate which means that every gig is virtually a private affair.... however we've not had one turn down yet because of this. Quote
OldGit Posted October 19, 2008 Posted October 19, 2008 [quote name='crez5150' post='310116' date='Oct 19 2008, 11:00 PM']Well to be honest that really only works if your a covers band..... you see we get asked this question a lot ... it's sorta catch 22.... Where can we see you play? Well you can't really cause we only do weddings and corporate which means that every gig is virtually a private affair.... however we've not had one turn down yet because of this.[/quote] I think you are in a rather different situation to most of us In your case the potential mothers in law will need to be impressed by your publicity package etc... We usually get punters in to see us at weddings if needed Most of our wedding bookings people are cool with that and probably came along to someone else's wedding to check us out anyway .. Quote
Merton Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 We do occasional (ie. once every two months ish) public gigs in a bar in East Grinstead, bring potential punters to that and job done. Quote
coasterbass Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 [quote name='crez5150' post='307773' date='Oct 16 2008, 12:09 PM']Ah well any you can't handle chuck my way please mate.... I'll see if we can squeeze them in.[/quote] I think I may actually have done that already! There've been a couple of gigs that we couldn't do, or where they've asked for a certain type of music (which we don't do) and I've pinged them a couple of band details from the signatures on this very site. As well as that I have a couple of local bands that we operate a 'scratch your back' policy with. To be honest we'd rather play 2 gigs where they really wanted US, rather than 10 gigs where they just want 'a band'. Hence we have no money We do have problems displaying our wares for potential punters, but I'd say that over 5 years probably 95% of gigs have been recommendations, and only 5% were cold calls. For example we've played weddings for a brother, sister and cousin - all from the same family (although obviously not the same wedding, even though it was Norfolk). They must be soooo sick of us by now! Quote
stingrayfan Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 [quote name='coasterbass' post='310213' date='Oct 20 2008, 09:04 AM']For example we've played weddings for a brother, sister and cousin - all from the same family (although obviously not the same wedding, even though it was Norfolk).[/quote] Quote
crez5150 Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 [quote name='coasterbass' post='310213' date='Oct 20 2008, 09:04 AM']I think I may actually have done that already! There've been a couple of gigs that we couldn't do, or where they've asked for a certain type of music (which we don't do) and I've pinged them a couple of band details from the signatures on this very site. As well as that I have a couple of local bands that we operate a 'scratch your back' policy with. To be honest we'd rather play 2 gigs where they really wanted US, rather than 10 gigs where they just want 'a band'. Hence we have no money We do have problems displaying our wares for potential punters, but I'd say that over 5 years probably 95% of gigs have been recommendations, and only 5% were cold calls. For example we've played weddings for a brother, sister and cousin - all from the same family (although obviously not the same wedding, even though it was Norfolk). They must be soooo sick of us by now![/quote] Oooo well if we had any gigs from you ta very much, I'll try and do the same of course..... I must say I do like your bands web site. We have done Family stuff before but obviously we feel we can't charge our regular rate so we only do that on very special occasions now. We do allow each member of the band a Freebie each year... though I've not used mine for the past two years... saving it for my 40th next year! Quote
coasterbass Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 [quote name='crez5150' post='310218' date='Oct 20 2008, 09:13 AM']Oooo well if we had any gigs from you ta very much, I'll try and do the same of course..... I must say I do like your bands web site. We have done Family stuff before but obviously we feel we can't charge our regular rate so we only do that on very special occasions now. We do allow each member of the band a Freebie each year... though I've not used mine for the past two years... saving it for my 40th next year![/quote] Cheers - I'm happy to claim responsibility for the website. Its the product of a very wet and dreary weekend on the sofa back in April. I have absolutely no web skills so I was quite chuffed with how it turned out. It only cost £25 for all the software and hosting too! Quote
OldGit Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 [quote name='coasterbass' post='310233' date='Oct 20 2008, 09:28 AM']Cheers - I'm happy to claim responsibility for the website. Its the product of a very wet and dreary weekend on the sofa back in April. I have absolutely no web skills so I was quite chuffed with how it turned out. It only cost £25 for all the software and hosting too![/quote] Yeah it works well .. Adding a few testimonials and quotes from happy punters might make it a tad more effective at pulling in gigs .. Quote
coasterbass Posted October 20, 2008 Posted October 20, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='310245' date='Oct 20 2008, 10:01 AM']Yeah it works well .. Adding a few testimonials and quotes from happy punters might make it a tad more effective at pulling in gigs ..[/quote] Cheers. Its still work in progress and thats definitely something we need to improve. Quote
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