Something Borrowed is an acoustic/electric duo that covers the whole day of wedding entertainment. They play from the moment guests arrive at the ceremony until guests are leaving the reception. We asked Adam some questions about their experience in the wedding industry.
Tell us a bit about your business and your experience in the wedding industry
Brendan and I had played together in 1993 and always stayed great mates. When I returned to Melbourne in 2010, we decided to start the duo with a focus on weddings. We now play around 80 – 90 weddings per year. No more sales jobs, we are full time musicians and we absolutely love it.
What was it that attracted you to the wedding industry?
Playing brides down the aisle to an acoustic arrangement of her favourite song, playing for their first dance as Mr & Mrs and generally watching the newlyweds with family and friends have an incredible time to our music is a lot more rewarding than playing some city pub on a Saturday night. Also, we get to know the couple and they understand what they are getting. They’ve chosen us because they have been to our showcase and loved it. That’s a great feeling. Everyone is in a great mood on the day and it makes for a really enjoyable ‘work place’.
What are some of the major differences in your approach to performing at a wedding compared with a different sort of gig?
We are very aware of the varied demographics. We have anyone ranging from nephews to nannas at weddings so our repertoire has to suit. I always try to make it more personal at weddings. If I am MCing the night, I know the bridal parties and parents names. In most cases I’ll call them on to the floor while singing and get the guests involved to get them up.
What do you do to make your business stand out to brides?
Obviously we advertise on Easy Weddings which has been great. Don’t be scared to ask for a review after the wedding. We wait one month after the event to ask for a review. Most brides are only too happy to give one. We constantly post on Facebook and instagram. Our website is very user friendly and includes plenty of audio and video footage for brides to access. There has been very few times we haven’t got back to a bride within 24hrs. We always make ourselves available and I always call rather than email to begin the process. I like to think we can secure bookings on our music alone, but having a great chat, answering some of her questions and having a laugh with a bride can really go a long way in helping her make the decision.
What’s the biggest learning you’ve had in 2016 that’s helped your business?
Follow up on leads, then follow up again. We continue to email and re-email every lead until we are given a definite yes or no. There have been times where brides have got back to us after a fourth email (generally send a one a month) to make a booking. Don’t write off any lead until it’s confirmed. Know what you’re worth, but be flexible to a degree. If you can cut a small amount off the price to confirm… do it. We are generally booked a year in advance so anything within 4 months becomes open to negotiation as we probably won’t get any other enquiries. Also, if there is any incentive you can offer to get them over the line, go for it.
What are your plans/goals for 2017? How will you make it your best year yet?
We plan to up our social media presence and just continue to do what we do. 2017 bookings are already our best numbers yet. Word of mouth gigs have really started to come in and now make up around 25% of our jobs. The more we play, the more we are seen and hopefully, the more we are recommended.
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