Thread: Do you reply to everything?

When I first started taking on gigs - I would reply to every email and phone call. Even if it was some dork calling about having a bellydancer for a bachelor party.

Well - I am getting more calls recently (which is good) but every once in a while I get this off the wall request from someone. This week - it was "can you bellydance for one person - me?".

Is it good business practice to just ignore this or should I continue to respond.

Your thoughts..

I usually respond to e-mails, but I wouldn't really entertain responding to a call from a random person asking for something I don't do (like "one person" parties and bachelor/all-male events) since those restrictions are clearly stated on my website. I haven't gotten e-mails like that though... just calls. Of course, if they do catch you on the phone, be courteous, respectful and all that because poor customer interaction is bad for your image.

I wouldn't think that many of these people are the type to seriously look into hiring a bellydancer for a family event later on, so you probably wouldn't be hurting your business to forgo the aggravation.

I don't call anyone back if they (a) are obviously a creep (b) they call me for an event that is imminent and I can't do it (because they've probably called about 20 other dancers hoping someone calls them back and says yes, so they won't even notice if they don't hear from me).

I get too many phone calls, and I have limited hours of the day when I can return them (between my day job and my teaching at night - basically as I drive home from work) to call everyone back if it's not going to lead to a gig.

I usually get calls all the time and then when they find out how much I charge - not much mind you and not undercutting - they say oh well I am going to call some other people and let you know. Which means they can get a dancer for cheaper! But I know they get what they pay for. Every time I have broken down and done a party for cheaper I have kicked myself later. They can be really hard to do. So I take every call because in LA there are so many dancers all under cutting each other that you have to be open to every gig.

I always reply to everything. If it was a creepy person calling me + leaving a message, I would call him back, because this way I can have my chance of informing him that I wouldn't do what he is asking, and nicely requesting not to ever call me with requests like that. (if I don't call him back, he might keep calling anyways).

NO I don't call back if I don't like the sound of the gig.
yes i used to 15 years ago-I used to do everything that came my way-now I'm not desperate I'm choosy. I prefer to do either things I'll enjoy or things that pay well-for me it has to be one or the other. if they keep calling back-well thats what answer machines/services are for.

Originally Posted by ravenadesigns

When I first started taking on gigs - I would reply to every email and phone call. Even if it was some dork calling about having a bellydancer for a bachelor party.

Well - I am getting more calls recently (which is good) but every once in a while I get this off the wall request from someone. This week - it was "can you bellydance for one person - me?".

Is it good business practice to just ignore this or should I continue to respond.

Your thoughts..

I think I would do the common courtesy of giving each person a reply, while you may not be interested in there particular gig-you never know who they may know that could have a gig you actually want. I suppose one must pick and choose-I would probably put it on my voicemail that I don't do all male, one person audiences, etc. and will not return the calls for such-that way they know before they leave the message. Maybe they haven't seen a website-someone could have given them your name and number.

i dont reply all calls, or all stuff on my answering machine... i really just dont have the time. sometimes i feel bad about it, but so be it, i'm just swamped with work at times. trying to hire some kind of assistance but legalities (labour laws wit respect to smaaalll jobs...) getting in the way at the moment. so i just try to manage, with the results of emails being answered roughly within the week, not always next day, and stuff on my answrring machine (like enquiries for classes that already full, no i dont call them back to tell them the class is full..)... bad business practice, dont know, just trying to manage. i'm kind of training up my sister to help me with my admin.

Originally Posted by ravenadesigns

When I first started taking on gigs - I would reply to every email and phone call. Even if it was some dork calling about having a bellydancer for a bachelor party.

Well - I am getting more calls recently (which is good) but every once in a while I get this off the wall request from someone. This week - it was "can you bellydance for one person - me?".

Is it good business practice to just ignore this or should I continue to respond.

Your thoughts..

I respond to all emails, but the volume of inquiries is not terribly high for me, and I don't have a day job to work around. If the request was creepy as in the OP, I would probably act like my own lacky assistant, and say something like "Galatea, like all professional Belly Dancers in the area, is an all-ages appropriate, family-friendly entertainer. She does not do the type of performances indicated in your inquiry."

I wouldn't return a phone call for that sort of thing, though. My voice mail does state that I don't dance for bachelor parties or any other all male audiences, and perhaps as a result I've never gotten a single voice mail request for anything icky.