[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland

[Stephen G Barbone]

On Oct 11, 2011, at 5:27 PM, Larry Walton Entertainment wrote: (polite  
snip)

> I learned that it was a good idea to write scripts to answer  
> questions regarding this very question and others.  It increased my  
> booking.  The two deadly questions are what kind of music do you  
> play and how much do you charge?  If you answer these right off the  
> bat you probably won't book the job.
>
> I have found that you must get them talking about their party -  
> guests size and work in your answers as you go.
>
> Practice these responses until you can say it easily.  I guarantee  
> your jobs will increase.

Good advice Larry.

Forty years ago, I helped write the AAMCO transmissions phone  
answering script. We put it into a flip page booklet for the business  
owner to follow. It was designed for the business owner to take charge  
of the conversation. Instead of answering questions, the owner/ 
salesman asked the questions as he flipped the pages of his script  
book. I'll bet they still use it.

They were taught to answer the phone like this:

Hello AAMCO, who is calling please?  (This is Ted Jones)

How May I help you Mr. Jones?  (Well, my automatic transmission is  
acting up)

What kind of a car do you have? (It's a 1999 Toyota)

And what is the transmission doing?  (it won 't shift into Reverse gear

Etc., etc., etc. So the Transmsission shop took charge and asked the  
questions. Then after all the facts were gathered,  the guy would  
agree to bring the car in for a FREE check-up. Only after that checkup  
could the shop owner quote a price. And then, 3 levels of service we  
offered at 3 different prices.

We did the same thing with "objections". Put them on tabbed pages. Like:

Why can't you quote a price over the phone?  (I don 't know precisely  
what needs to be fixed without diagnosis)

And so on.

Like the 7 P's Marine Drill Sergeants always quote: Proper Prior  
Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performnce. As Larry says, it is a simple  
thing to script out both music and price negotiations

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband

BTW, price is always the LAST thing I discuss with prospects. Must be  
that AAMCO training. <grin> In the case of the Society Party, I had  
previously been booked by a charity group she chaired and gave her a  
special charity price. Slightly cheaper than our regular price and I  
always tell charities note to quote this price to non-charities or  
other people. She remembered and when we got to price she said.  
"Whatever you charge us will be fine."