HOW TO GET ON THE LIST & STAY ON IT 1) Have a ‘serve’ mindset: This has to be the single biggest mistake I see my competitors make. They are laser-focused on proving to the venue why they should be referred (being served) instead of figuring out what problems they can solve for the venue (serving them). If it’s an established venue, they are probably going to be removing someone else from the list to put you on it. This means that you better be bringing something of value to the table.
So how do you figure out what those ‘pain’ issues are for the venue? For starters, walk the property and observe. Sometimes I’ll just sit in the lobby and watch their staff interaction with guests. Asking questions is another way.
You have to phrase it in a way that is disarming so something like, “What do you find to be the most challenging for your staff or your clients when it comes to entertainment?” Their answers can be eye-opening and may give you an ‘in’ by speaking to what you can do to solve those issues for them. This particular mindset trumps all others and should always be made a priority. 2) Stalk them: Yes, I said it. I guarantee that if they are considering you as a referring vendor, they are stalking you.
So why wouldn’t you do the same? You should know which other suppliers they have listed on their website, what By Brian Buonassissi Based in NYC, DJ Brian Buonassissi is a successful internationally-travelling DJ/MC specializing in luxury destination private events. He runs a multi-city mobile DJ/event business with offices in Southern California, Florida and New York City. You can connect with him at .
4) Check-in often: Having made it onto the list, it’s important that you keep investing in the relationship to avoid having a competitor come in and take your spot. Venues have some of the highest turnover rates of any industry out there. You should be stopping by at least twice a year to solicit feedback on what you’re doing right and wrong, ask if they have anything new that you should be aware of and then share any updates to your services that can help them and their clients.
Sometimes I’ll just make up reasons to have a visit! For instance, I’ll let them know that we’ve selected them as our ‘venue of the month’ and bring coffee or a bottle of wine, or I’ll offer to write about them in a blog post (bonus: it gives me content and SEO optimisation for their venue), or I’ll take some video of a site tour for our clients and post to our YouTube channel. These are just a few ideas on how to get on a venue’s referral list and continue to stay there.
At the end of the day, you have to be intentional and sincere while having that ‘serve first’ mindset. Getting listed on a referral list doesn’t just happen. You have to earn your way on to it. What have you found to be successful?
Anything I missed? I’d love to hear from you. Send me a note. their social media looks like and what their clients are saying about them in their reviews (both good and bad). Get a sense for how many events they are doing in a year, who their clientele are and what their typical client’s buying persona is.
You should know almost as much about them as they do about themselves. This will, if nothing else, show that you have done your homework and that you have a genuine interest in them more than just a one-way transactional relationship. 3) Offer to support a cause: Nowadays, ( just about) everyone is involved in a cause. I always ask if they have a non-profit their venue supports and often offer to work that event for them at no charge.
Another idea is to volunteer your services gratis to celebrate their employees. HR departments want to continually be seen as taking care of their employees outside of a year-end Christmas party (which you can also offer gratis) and you could be a catalyst in making them look good while showcasing your abilities. Disclaimer: I never offer to discount my services but rather give them away. This keeps my value at a premium while not setting any discounting precedents later.
It’s also important with this tip to stress that I pick and choose which venues offer me the best return, otherwise you could go broke working gratis events all year!
