Ok, so a few days ago, I posted an update on my Facebook profile stating that I need help. I have so many online inquiries that I cannot keep track of. As a matter of fact, yesterday I spent some time going through my history of emails and fond 10 (TEN) emails from the past 2 months that I had lost track of, and what I mean lost track of is not that I did not reply to them, but that I did not follow up with a reason why they had not responded to my last email. Most had already hired another DJ and 2 were still interested but would get back with me (more following up, IS THERE AN EASIER WAY TO DO THIS?)

Now, that’s not that bad compared to how many inquires I get from my online forms.

1. January 2009           31
2. February 2009        27
3. March 2009              31
4. April 2009                 39

So this year I’ve had a total 128 leads as a result of having an online form as I suggested in a previous article about converting bridal show leads into online clients using the power of the net. Now, since I have not done any bridal shows in over a year, and I only advertise in one magazine, Premiere Bride, and I have only one online ad that I pay for, The Knot, and since keep track of where all my web visitors come from, I know a few things for fact.

1. 90% of those 128 leads come to my website from the search engines.
2. 5% of the leads come from The Knot
3. 5% of the leads come from other thing such as My magazine ad, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, referals, etc…

Now 128 leads may not sound like a lot to you, but take into consideration many limitations on my website…

1. I don’t have my prices online… Major turn off to some people as they feel I may be hiding something or I am too expensive.
2. I proudly am a Bilingual DJ and Master of Ceremonies…. Major turn off to some people as they feel that I may not be able to represent them correctly or I may not know the music.
3. I don’t have the most beautiful DJ website out there… some people may be turned off by how simple it looks.
4. My website is too wordy… Some people are turned off by not enough pictures and having to read my stuff and find out there is no price anywhere to be found.
5. I don’t have the details about my DJ equipment that I use… this is mainly something other dj’s have suggested.
6. I have ads on my website.
7. I am marketing online… Vendors automatically assume that online brides are cheap, they are if yo u consider paying a DJ 1,200+ for a wedding reception cheap.
8. Worrying what people will say about telling their friends and relatives that they ‘found their DJ online.“
9. They never have heard me play before and I don’t allow outsiders to my events… EVER!
10. People worry about giving out their personal information online… This is a huge one, well they are all big
11. Many other limitations, or mental blocks that people place on their heads about putting an online form on the FRONT PAGE OF YOUR WEB SITE.

Keep in mind, these are all leads that used my online form, mainly because when they arrived at my website, they did not want to call me.

Here is something that you may not realize…

When people are online, having to reach for the phone and call you is an extra action that they have to initiate! They really don’t want to call you unless they really have to and they are extremely motivated to do so.  Think about it when you are online doing research, don’t you want to keep researching, whatever you may be researching? Don’t you want to continue without any interruptions? (unless of course they are friends or family members calling to distract you, lol.) Aren’t most of us procrastinators? Don’t we say, ahhh, I’ll get to this later (I’ll call them later)… and how often does later never come?

What I’m getting at, is make it sooo easy for your bride to contact you that the 11 (Eleven) objectives above are not even thought about, or are easily outweighed.

I even go as far as putting on my form, give me your phone number ONLY if you want us to contact you by phone, what that means to me is that they are interested but are too lazy to look for the phone to call me so they would really love you if you called them… So they don’t have to.

I hope you understand that I’m not trying to brag about how many leads I get; but I am just merely giving you a report on how you can INCREASE the number monthly leads. It’s so simple, place a contact form on your website. I have it on all of mine where they can easily fill it out. See for your self, I have it on my Houston DJ Website and My Photo Booth Rental Website.

Happy Bloggin!

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|o| Simply Frank |o|

I was asked by a reader recently that same question:

How long should any wedding vendor go before responding to an Email inquiry?

His/Her argument was that he/she does not like answering an email immediately after receiving it because it makes it seem like they have no work and are desperate to take the event.

I think that’s a load of BS that you feed yourself so that you can make yourself feel important.

I usually answer an email or a phone call immediately because I know if I call a business or a friend, I want to talk to them at that exact moment. Not 5 minutes, 5 hours, or 5 days later. It’s then and there that I want to talk to them.

It’s important, if not vital that you return phone calls, or in this case, emails as soon as you get them. It’s a part of the selling Psychology. They are interested and more open to trusting you when they call you as opposed to hours or days after they’ve called you. Who knows if a few hours after the initial phone call they will have time to talk to you, or if they’ve already found someone who did return the phone call or actually answered the phone, or if they even recall calling you.

How many times have you gone to a store, and this happens in just about any store, pizza place, or restaurant. You stand in line for minutes or hours, you get right to the counter and the phone rings. Who is that clerk going to assist first??? Of course, the person on the phone. WHY? Why is it so important to answer the phone when you know that the person right in front of you might give you a hard time for doing so?

Now I don’t know for a fact, but I can bet that their managers and supervisors advice them to do so and have probably stressed the importance of the phone calls.

Phone calls and emails should be answered immediately or as soon as you can. It’s people calling you to find out about your products or your services. They have taken an action, and action that most people who are not interested do not take. They have an immediate urge for you to answer their questions, or come to their rescue, about/with your services. If you don’t do it, then in that short time that they have, they will find someone else who will. I know I’ve heard the comment, many, many times.

We loved the fact that you answered our call/email almost immediately after we contacted you (if not immediately)

I think that fills brides/clients with a sense of security, where as not answering an email or the phone immediately fills them with a sense of doubt.

One recent bride said the same thing about the main reason she went with me was that I always answered her calls and always answered her concerns. Whereas the other DJ’s could go days without calling her back and when they did, they would not give her straight answers. She also said that the preferred vendor at the venue did not call her back until the week of the event! WTF (dubya-tee-eff)? He shall remain nameless, but that was very-unimpressive.

So the answer to the question, for me, it is to answer an email immediately if not as soon as possible. It feels good, and it’s impressive, to have an email response almost as soon as you hit the send button. I think it makes the bride feel like someone there, and some one cares about her, and if they are that quick in responding to an email the they can only imagine how helpful the person on the other side will be when it relates the the most important day in her life. And winning over the bride’s emotions is almost guaranteed to be a right step in winning the trust and the opportunity for you be of service to the bride that wonderful day.

Happy Bloggin!

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Francisco H. Perez
Bloggin Professional DJ in Houston