Careful, they're out there...

[John Allo]

Here's the entire transcribed message left on my phone this morning:

<span style="color:orange">"Hi, I'm calling regarding your DJ services. My daughter's planning a wedding for 2006. My phone number is XXX. Thank you."</span>

No date, no location, not even a name!

What are some of your similar phone message experiences?

[HeadlineDJ]

I took a call once,

me: "Hello"

Person: "How much do you charge"

Me: "£xxx"

Phone: "CLICK!"

LOL. short and sweet, I wouldn't want to work for such ignorant people anyway.

[John Allo]

OK, so I return from a morning trip to Boston to find a pair of messages waiting for me. Both are for weddings. Both leave their name and number (good) but neither one leaves a date or location (bad).

Whenever I leave a message on a machine, I make sure that I convey the info as if I were talking to the person. If I want specific info, then I make my message contain that fact, that I want specific info, so that when they get the message, they know exactly what I'm seeking.

Imagine the folly if I called these people back and just said, "Hi. This is John returning your call" and left it at that.

Details, we want and need details!

[Jim Casey]

Hi...this is Jim Casey Entertainment (207) 615-3563. Thanks.

That's all I would say.

It will either pique their inetrest or disqualify them, altogether

[Wolfie]

Cheers, John.

Sometimes they don't leave a call back number at all. If they do it's so garbled I can't understand it. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

We figure if it's important they'll call back.

[Jim Casey]

John...

Did you call them back or did they call back?

[John Allo]

Originally posted by Jim Casey@Jul 26 2005, 11:54 AM
John...

Did you call them back or did they call back?

Jim:

No and No.

I just don't have the patience or tolerance for this type of caller anymore. The fact that they didn't call back, to me, means that I was just one of many they were contacting or else they would have called back. If it was me and only me they wanted, and I didn't call back in a couple of days, they would have called me again, do you agree?

[Bill Hollick]

I'll bet you're right John.

In fact the DJ list is probably right beside the phone so they can write your price next to your name if you do call back. I doubt that there are any lines for them to write down your services, your experience, your references, your ideas for making the day special, or anything else other than price.

I've been wrong before :oooops but I'm guessing your call will not turn onto a contract.

[djdonny]

Today's conversation

Caller: Hello, could you tell me what you would charge for just three hours, we don't need ...

<I know where this is going and interrupt >

Me: What is the date of your event?

C: Er, why? Does the price depend on the date?

M: No, I just want to check for my availability.

C: Oh, well I don't actually have a date.

M: Prices start at $XXX for up to 8 hours.

C: OK, thanks.

M: You're welcome.

<Click.>

That's the extend of my "sales" pitch when a call starts that way.

[Cap]

Perhaps I'm too arrogant, but I base my expended efforts solely on the date, time and location they've chosen. I will always always always take whatever time is needed to get that information.

(Note:If there is no firm date and time, they are told to call me back when they get one. NO price is ever quoted in a no date, no time scenario.)

If the date and time are within six months and I'm open? I'll chase them harder than a hungry lawyer after the ambulance. A year away? Polite but evasive, funny but firm, probing but aloof, and hopefully leave them with a pleasant taste in their mouth because based on what I've read above, there won't be many with their current DJ calling approach.