DJ Contracts, Booking Forms & Planners
Is this a paperless industry? Do you
correspond by telephone alone? Do we really need pieces of paper floating
around? In this newsletter we will be looking at the virtues of DJ paperwork.
Contract
 Whether you call it a contract, a booking form,
a confirmation to supply services or something else,
having a written agreement is essential to the smooth running of
your mobile DJ business.
Why should you have one?
For the DJ,
it ensures you have the correct details of the booking, along with the contact
information for your client. When the client signs this document they are not
only agreeing to your terms and conditions, but are also confirming that you have
the correct details about the event or party. This could be a life saver
(metaphorically speaking!) if the client starts a dispute with you about date,
agreed times, venue or costs. From the client's point of view, it gives peace of
mind. It also portrays you as an organised business person and a professional.
What should it contain?
All contact details for both yourself
and the client need to be included, such as name, email, address and phone
number.
Event details should be outlined such as the name of venue, address, type of
event, date (including the day, month and year), times, number of guests etc.
Fees
and pricing structure need setting out. This should include a time limit for when the contract needs to be returned
with the deposit/booking fee and when the balance needs to be paid, whether it
is before the event or on the night. Also include payment details
such as the name that cheques should be made payable to, on-line account, BACS or
credit card methods.
Ideally, your terms and conditions should be printed on your contract.
What should you do with it?
You need
to have two copies, signed by both parties. Return one copy to your client for
them to keep for their records and retain the other for yourself. It is
also essential that you take your copy to the event for reference should the
need arise. After the function....keep it!
Can you live without it?
For many functions you probably could, then there comes along the client who
forgets the name of their DJ, can't find any contact details for them, so books
another disco who takes payment up front! Or you meet with a client who has
confused the name of the venue with another. You turn up to the one they told
you on the phone. Unfortunately, the client would never admit they had made a
mistake, but if it is written on the contract there's no dispute. Or the client
who decides they aren't going to pay what you agreed on the phone. Without a
signed contract, there is nothing you can do about it and you could have
provided free entertainment! There are also many discerning clients who need
that extra sense of trust and commitment that a contract provides and are more
likely to choose a DJ who offers this.
An example of a typical contract
detailing the necessary elements can be found in the members login area at
www.ampdj.co.uk.
The Planner
 Do you rely on memory to know
what your client has asked for at their event? Do you carry several sheets of
paper with you which represent the different emails that have been exchanged
with your client? Or do you carry one sheet of paper with all the essential
details printed on it......a planner?
A planner is very different to a
contract in that it should contain all the information you need to deliver
exactly what the client wants. A detailed planner can be used as a prompt during
discussions with the client and becomes an aid memoire on the night.
It
could include the names of key guests or members of the family. It is far better
to refer to someone by name rather than 'the best man' or 'the father of the
bride' or 'the birthday girl's mother'.
Specific song choices and
preferred genres should be listed. Also include the option to list any songs not
to be played. Occasionally there are tunes that bring back bad memories (songs
that have been used for a recent funeral) or could cause offence (football,
political and religious tunes spring to mind). It is better knowing these
details and have them to hand on the planner.
At family functions, a
guest may have been asked to do a party piece during the night. Having this
detailed on your planner will remind you to include it in your agenda and also
refer to it when talking to your client on the night.
For weddings, you
could include details about whether the bride wants to toss her bouquet and the
arrangements for her special dances such as when to invite other people onto the
dancefloor.
Virtual Paperwork
 There are a number of
programs designed specifically for DJs that generate a booking form and planner
from a login on your website. One such program is DJ Event Planner. Clients are
provided with their own login whereby they can complete their booking details on
line, pay online and create their own event timeline. Music requests can be made
online, not only by the client, but also by their guests if desired. All online
forms can be customised to suit the DJ's individual service and made available
or hidden at the DJ's discretion. More details can be found at
www.djeventplanner.com. A one hour free telephone walk through is available to
all new sign ups from the UK representative, Alex Taylor. Continued support can
be found on the official DJEP support forum.
Other Paperwork
 Keeping a copy of your Public Liability Insurance certificate with you is
always a good idea. Occasionally, a venue may also ask for a risk assessment.
The purpose of a risk
assessment is to identify and anticipate possible accidents and the probability
(risk factor) of them happening. It needs to be written in relation to the
venue. A guideline and sample risk assessment forms are available to all AMPdj
members in the members login area on the site.
In conclusion... paperwork is a
useful tool not a hindrance!
Until next month ... Happy DJing
Sandy
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The 6th in the
series of "The Trials & Tribulations of a Mobile
DJ" - a light hearted look at the mobile DJ in the 21st
century is now released.
DJ Hank is joined by Debra Dimples to bring you the
latest mobile DJ news (& weather)...
You can watch it on the
MobileDJUK channel. and follow him on
Facebook
DJ AMP Meetups
South of England DJs ...
Next meeting is on Monday 11th July 2011 at:
Winchester Pub
39 Poole Hill
Bournemouth
BH2 5PW
from 7.00pm to 11.00pm. More info at
www.djamp.co.uk
Mobile DJ Newsletter Competition Winners
Thanks to everyone who entered our competition last month. The four lucky
winners were drawn at random from all the correct replies and each has, by now, received the
prize listed:
DJ Crash Course - Peter Mackenzie
A-Z of Customer Service - Andrew Dosher
Bridal Traffic SEO - Hugh McGuiness
DJ Crash Course - Aidan Dougan
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BPM 2011
Tickets for BPM 2011; the World's largest event for
DJs are now on sale. Following a tremendously successful show in 2010, which
attracted just over 6000 visitors, BPM 2011 will return to the Birmingham NEC
later this year from Saturday 1st to Monday 3rd October.
Advanced ticket prices for BPM have been held at
£10.00 and guarantee entry to every day of the event and also represent a
substantial saving from the £15.00 on-the-door price. Ticket sales will once
again be handled by the NEC's dedicated ticket outlet, The Ticket Factory,
online or over the phone, and there is a 50p transaction fee per order.
More info and links here.
AMPdj Benefits ...
- Extra Client Enquiries
+Tried & Proven System
+Open to all Mobile DJs**
+5 sites bring in enquiries
++Over 38,000 enquiry emails already sent to members*
+Complete information sent with every enquiry
+Includes full contact details - there's nothing more to pay!
- £10 Million DJ PLI
+ Product Liability
+ Dry Hire Cover
+ Legal Defence Costs
+ PLI Certificate
+ PLI On-line Validator
+ Cover available immediately
+ Underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance
Exclusive for Mobile DJs
- Additional Benefits
+ Latest! Free Web Hosting on Linux server - 2Gb space
+ Discounted Equipment Insurance
+ Discounts for other DJ related services/products
+ Use of AMPdj® logo on promotional material
+ Marketing advice tips for your Disco Business
+ Risk Assessment & Booking Forms
+ Easy to register & login
+ AMPdj Membership Card
+ We're available to assist you by email and phone
- This Complete Package All inclusive for only £49!
*Period from 21st Aug 2009
**Full terms can be found
here.
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Thought for June
"If your business is a ship then the paperwork is the
engine room"
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