The "Signs" of the times.
Do you still hang signage for your business at events?
Signage at the event has always been a hot topic amongst DJs, here's my experience with it.
For most of my career I had some form of signage. I thought that I had to have a sign in order to get people to remember and possibly hire me in the future. At one event I even got into an argument with the location manager because she thought it was blocking the view from the window behind me. Through the years my signs got smaller and at the same time more professional and attractive. My last sign looked like a compact disc in the colors and design of my company.
After a long conversation with a fellow DJ whom I respect greatly, he challenged me to not hang my sign and see what effect it would have.
I completely stopped using signage over eight months ago and have found not having a sign did not hurt my business, but may have actually helped it.
Not displaying a sign helped to look more professional and at the same time helps me to qualify possible clients. I’m not the DJ for everyone, but for those who enjoyed my work, they will come up after the event and ask for a business card.
This gives me a chance to have a one on one conversation with them. They get to know me a little better and qualify myself as their possible DJ while I qualify them as my possible clients.
Looking around the internet I have noticed that a majority of DJs are using signs at events like weddings, corporate events and bar/bat mitzvahs.
For many years I thought it was the right thing to do....why? Because every other DJ does it. But looking back now, hanging a sign at a private event like a wedding is very, very tacky and very unprofessional.
IT JUST LOOKS HORRIBLE! No matter how nice of a sign you have.
Try this experiment: don't hang your sign up for the next three months. See if your sales drop because of it and also keep track of how many business cards you are asked for at events.
If they like you and possibly want to hire your service in the future, they read the sign and think to themselves, "I'll remember the name” but they don't and they call someone else.
If they liked you and want to possibly hire your services in the future and they have your business card in their hands, what are the chances they will call you.
Think of all the other wedding professionals vendors at that event - the caterer, the flouriest, the cake baker, the decorator, the chair and table covers rented.....etc...etc..etc.. Do you see any of them hanging a sign up advertising thier business?
Jeff Richards: Party Time Productions