For those of you that have good or even just decent communication with your competition, do you get many referrals from them? Like when they're already booked, so they call you with the info or give the customer your name & number.

It's quite rare anymore for me to get a referral, but I've had a few...and actually just had one reffered to me yesterday. Do you just exchange gigs and keep it at that, or do you pay them a "thank you" type fee/gift for referring the customer to you?

How do you handle it?

It's pretty simple here - If he gets a call and can't do it he just gives them my number and vice versa. We're good friends so it works out well. In fact on a few occassions we've even tagged teamed an event and had a great time.

We too get referals from other DJ's. Because we are multi-op and we are not a large multi-op, money hungry company like the other multi-op's from around here, we get a lot of them. We have "repaid" people in all types of ways, from a referal fee, to we let this one guy use some of our lights for a gig he had. The best way to meet other DJ's in your area is to go to Bridal Shows!

I've been to a few bridal shows. The first one, before I was independent, I was just working at (non-DJ stuff). There was another DJ there who I'm in good contact with, but he was the only DJ there that night.

The next year I had a booth and was the ONLY DJ there, I didn't get any bookings from it, but I really didn't do everything correctly. I didn't have anybody register for anything, so I didn't get any names. Fortunately I did meet a few of my clients there who had already booked me. All I did was had out some home-made brochures and business cards. Looking back, it wasn't too impressive, so it doesn't surprise me that I didn't get any bookings. Now a days, I know what to do different.

I definetely want to be in the next bridal show that happens and try a few different things and look even better.

I've got a bridal show coming up with 10 potential clients. I'd be happy to book just 3 of them. Last one I did I got 5 out of 6 clients that were there. These are small shows. Actually it's a caterer that is doing them and letting the people sample her foods. The last time she had a hall decorator, a photographer, planner and a few other people there along with myself. I think she's trying to make the move to becoming a wedding planner/caterer herself. I don't take my full setup since it is being held in a small room, and the music is just turned up enough to hear it, however I still do take some of my lighting effects such as the flame bowls which really impress clients, I try to stay with the more subtle lights for this kind of thing, no razzle dazzle stuff. I do have pictures of my full setup for their viewing. Still haven't actually done a promo video yet which would be a lot better.
As far as other DJ's, I send business to 2 other services whenever I am previously booked, and they do the same for me. Works pretty good.

I network with several other DJs and KJs - have gotten quite a few gigs, and passed on just as many that I couldn't do. On rare occaisions, I'll refer over to one of the multi-rigs I'm affiliated with, but generally I try to send work over to my solo friends. I prefer booking solo as well.

I have another DJ with whom I share referrals, and we have discovered that if one of us refers a client to the other, the chances of that client booking goes up exponentially.

When a DJ says, "I'm booked, but call this guy, he's GREAT." It's worth a LOT. Clients are less defensive and easier to talk with more candidly. Since they are more comfortable, I am more comfortable and able to give a better presentation.

We have often joked about automatically referring each other to make closing easier.

I am looking for more individuals with whom I can share referrals - multi-ops seem to generate lopsided results, because they always have someone available. (At least this has been my experience.)

Ron Grandia

Lopsided results...I know the feeling. I actually have stopped referring people to a bigger multi-op company that I was calling for a while; since I received nothing, NOT even one single small lead in return from them. I now call just the smaller "one or two man" type DJ businesses around town and give them the leads and they have done the same for me, some I've never even met...just have spoken with on the phone, yet they gave me a GREAT recommendation!

Without trying to sound like a phsychologist would sound...
It is a "give and take" system that CAN WORK when we BOTH give and take leads. Really I think when us DJ's work together to help each other out by sharing leads for dates we're already booked on or for whatever reason can not do, we ultimately will keep each other's and our own business thriving and growing.

There is one DJ company that I have seen do an excellent job and do a lot of things similar to the way we operate, so if we are booked we will refer to them. They have also sent a couple of weddings our way as well. Remember even if you don't like a particular DJ it is never wise to bad mouth your competition even if they deserve it. It is unprofessional, and reflects badly on your own company. So if a bride says "Oh your booked, well then maybe I'll go with XYZ DJ's". Just say I'm sure they'll do a good job, and congradulate them on their wedding. It may help you in the future if the Bride remembers this and tells a friend. I was going to book this company, but they weren't available, but they were very nice and professional.