Incentive, Thank You, or Gimmick?

[goodknightdj]

If this is not the place, please feel free to move this thread.

Do you give your bride and groom something as a thank you gift or incentive for booking you? Do you think of this as an incentive, thank you gift, or gimmick?


Answers.com defines gimmick as:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>An innovative stratagem or scheme employed especially to promote a project: an advertising gimmick.[/b][/quote]

Personally, I think of a gimmick as a valueless object used as a hook and that seems to be the general perception of most people. If you don't place any value on an item, why should your client?

Now, I started this thread based on a thread on another board. That thread was discussing giving a CD with the special songs on it to the bride and groom. One DJ in that thread said:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>Not to derail the thread, but if DJs concentrated on the SERVICE aspect - not GIMMICKS, we would be better off. The lower budget bride likes gimmicks - the more upscale clients could care less. Those are the clients I reach out to.

Many moons ago:
I gave out Beanie Baby wedding bears - zilch! [/b][/quote]

Was this "Beanie Baby wedding bear" personalized with the bride and groom's name and date of the wedding or was it just thrown at them with a half hearted "thanks for the business". My guess is the latter.

The DJ in question went on to say:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>I gave a 1st dance plaque - nada! [/b][/quote]
This is a step in the right direction but, again, was sincerity involved?

Throwing gimmicks in their face does get you nowhere, but, if you take the time to offer them something they can use or something that can serve as a fond memory as an incentive to book with you or as a thank you gift for booking with you does add value to your service.

I give them "Fly Free" vouchers. Since many of my brides and grooms are booking six months to a year out, they have not finalized their honeymoon plans. The "Fly Free" voucher gives them a way to save some money on airline tickets and gives them something they can use. Sure, they have to use the resorts or hotels offered with the package, but, in the long run they are saving some money (which could be spent on me, LOL).

Now, for the DJs that offer custom CDs, did you know that Sony offers a music compilation service? Check it out here.

Now, what are your thoughts? Tell us about the incetives or thank you gifts youy offer.

Tom

[HeadlineDJ]

I will start offering not so much a thank you gift but a Thank you and congratulation / best wishes gift set starting inthe new year.

It will be a simple well presented bottle of bubly ad possibly with a personalised CD of some musical highlights of their reception.

Very easy to do now with Napster at .79 per track and the license allows me to burn to CD, as I'm then giving it away I am in no breach of any laws.

Probably put 5 tracks max on the CD, leaving plenty of area to burn an image onto the remaining medium using Disc T@2 (tattoo).

I'll make the gesture at the end of the evening and use the mic so hopefully it will gain much more profile and hopefully warrant a round of applause.

Obviously as I walk over ot the B&G I'll have a few quiet words with them which is where my sentiments will be given thus making a good impression.

I also have various discounts setup via my client tools and though I've never used one yet, I can if I wish use these as bargaining tools or as a pre-thank you for booking.

[Jim Casey]

I've never gone the gift route because I believe my clientele are looking for quality service and NOT gifts

[JX2 Productions]

To all:
Erik and I have been giving our brides and grooms a rememberance of their very special day. It's not so much as a "gift" it's a THANK YOU for choosing us to be your entertainment. Thanking them for allowing us to be part of a once in a lifetime event. Erik and I try not to get the same thing for every bride and groom as they are all differnt. After having our meetings with them and learning about them and what they like, we are able to determine what would fit them the best and then get them that item. For instance, we purchased an engraved picture frame with a quote we can up with from Things Rembered, then took a picture of the bride and the groom at the wedding, printed it out and gave it to them right before the last dance. This was our way of saying thank you. We got on the mic and said our closing, then talked the bride and groom quietly then gave them the gift. They loved it and so did everyone else. It's something they can use and won't get thrown away. It's also something people will ask about when they are viewing the pictures, thus its free promotion for us. It's ingenuitive marketing, you have to do what you have to do to stay on top of the game.

It's not a gift, it's a thank you!

Andrew Jensen
President & CEO
Jx2 Productions, LLC
413-736-6300
PO Box 903
Agawam, MA 01001
www.Jx2Productions.com