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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
This started in the Kindercare thread and before I ran it completely off topic I thought it would be best to start another thread.
I am booking about 400 shows this year. about 70% of those are booked myself and these are some problems I have run into by NOT taking credit cards. If you do not take a deposit and book a show there is nothing to stop the customer from shopping the show further until they get the price they want and dump you last minute. Checks in the mail for deposits...This is great if you do 4 or 5 shows per month but lets face it if you are expecting more than three or four checks in the mail on any given day that is a pain. Cross checking them in the book, matching them to the customer, then sticking them in the bank is a lot more office work that I want to do. Everybody in the free world has at least a ATM card that is also a visa or mastercard why not use it? This locks in the show, reduces you headaches, and everybody wins. Now the downside, it is expensive! If you go the paypal route it is going to cost you $240 per year before you ever take a card. That's almost an entire birthday party for some people. Then they are going to bang you 3% on every purchase to boot. For me I think it is worth it as I am booking a lot of shows and have run into most of the problems mentioned above. I am curious to hear some other views on this topic and service recommendations from those of you that do accept credit cards. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-07-26 09:36, Danny Hustle wrote: Not to go off-topic, but I disagree with that statement. As a salesman / service provider, there is lots you can do to prevent "buyers remorse", and to make sure you are the one they stay with, even if you cost more than others. If lots of people are leaving / canceling their booking (over price), then somehow your customers are hiring you on a commodity level, rather than for other reasons. It is within your power to make them want you, and nobody else. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts |
I can't remember a single occasion where someone asked me if I took credit cards. Is it a more common request over in the US?
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todd75 Inner circle 1277 Posts |
I agree with both of you Danny & Donald. Taking credit cards makes life so much easier. You get money instantly rather than having to wait days for a check, the client forgetting to mail it, it getting lost in the mail, etc. or them finding someone else who is less expensive and them never calling you to tell you that they want to cancel.
FYI- since I began taking credit cards, 99.9% of my b-day clients use a card. Occasionally I get someone who either does not have a card or does not want to use it and will mail me a check. I explain to them that they have 5 days to get the check to me or they will lose their date. I have never had a problem! Schools, churches, etc. are different of course! |
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-07-26 09:42, Donald Dunphy wrote: Donald, If they are price shopping, and they are scumbags, they will book you and continue to shop. that has been the experience of every full time professional I know and we talk about it often. It isn't buyers remorse, it is the customer con game. They will book all the entertainers they can get that do not require a deposit for the same date and then cancel them all when they find the guy with the price they want. This is why a lot of guys I know have run into the situation where two (or in one case FOUR) magicians show up to the same party. the person booked so many performers they didn't cancel them all. The ONLY time you do not run into this is when they are calling for your brand and not any magician who will work cheap. To me it has happened twice in the past four years. Hardly a run, but something that is easily avoidable by taking credit cards. If you are booking 20 or 30 shows per month (or more) you need to take a deposit. This is the real world, in the big city, where the customer has hundreds of choices and most of them are shopping price alone. I have no problem selling them on my brand trust me on that, but most of them are not looking for brand they are looking for cheap. They most often get what they pay for and the next time shop on quality. I am sure where you are from everyone is honest and would never do a dastardly thing like this. But in most large cities this is fairly common place and has nothing to do with your sales pitch. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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Patriot Regular user 112 Posts |
Check with your local credit unions. My credit union offered me a very affordable rate for Visa, Mastercard and Discover processing. All credit cards are processed through an online connection with the union so I have no equipment rental or purchase fees. Customers can even submit payments through a link on my website, I'm told. The rate offered was 1.5% per transaction with an annual fee that's about half that of Paypal. I haven't taken them up on the offer yet as I really don't need the service. But, it's very tempting.
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-07-26 10:32, Danny Hustle wrote: Again, you are putting the power of this in the customer's hands. I have booked thousands of shows, rarely take a deposit, and (for birthdays specifically) get paid cash at the show. I have never shown up to an event where the customer double booked someone. There have been a few times where a customer postponed a show, because of illness. But there are things I do, in the phone conversation and by mail, that lock the customer in. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
Costco also has a good rate on their credit card program.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-07-26 11:03, Donald Dunphy wrote: No Donald, actually I don't put the power in their hands. You are assuming an awful lot. I am sure your technique is great and I'm sure this allows you to sell a lot of your sales tools to other magicians. How about we stick to the topic in this case and not make it all about you and pitching your course. You mention booking thousands of shows. Are you a full time performer? How many shows have you booked so far this year? Thanks, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Danny lives in Boston Mass. where the big dig has a continuous traffic jam. Donald lives in B C Canada, where they have high tea at 4:00 pm every day. The cultural differance are obvious to me.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
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KC Cameron Inner circle Raleigh, North Carolina 1944 Posts |
Danny,
Unless they changed, Pay pal does not charge to take cards over the net (other than the 3+% per transaction. This is how I do it. |
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todd75 Inner circle 1277 Posts |
Me too!
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
I actually signed up for the pay pal thing and it is $20 per month, 3%, and then they hold 5% for 90 days. It seemed kind of stiff. Do they hold 5% on you guys?
Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-07-26 11:25, Danny Hustle wrote: Hi Danny - I think you have some FACTS wrong. I do not sell any products, courses, or sales tools to other magicians. I never have. Why would you say that? - Donald P.S. I also don't have a problem with people accepting credit cards, nor deposits.
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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todd75 Inner circle 1277 Posts |
Wow! I've never paid $20.00 per month....ever! I simply pay about 3.5% per transaction and that is it.
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sspanks Loyal user Atlanta GA 241 Posts |
Pay Pal has a standard Credit Card process that you can instruct the customer to use from your web site. It is easy to set up and does not cost the $20 a month. I use this for my day cares that have School cards and birthday customers. I transfer the money from my Pay Pal account to my personal account.
-stephen |
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John C Eternal Order I THINK therefore I wrote 12938 Posts |
The majority of my clients are schools and libraries. They don't give credit cards. They don't stiff either.
In the event of other paid performances I have yet to have someone want to provide a credit card. I have credit card capability however but for products on the net not shows. Every now and then I have someone that found me on the net cancel a show, maybe twice, so it's really no big deal. John |
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
I've never had a problem with schools, libraries, corporate clients, or even daycares.
I've really only had two issues with birthday parties in the past 4 years. But, I can see how it could potentially be more of a problem in this market. One of my buddies has been after me for months to take deposits using credit cards and has assured me that it will be good for business and I finally saw the light. I'm trying to be proactive v.s. reactive in my birthday party business only. I am also not asking for my entire fee up front but just a big enough deposit so I know they are not playing the "shop around game" AFTER I have it in my calender. In the Boston area regardless of what some people say this is rampant. I had a friend who had five different bookers call him to cover a show that he had booked and was in his calender for over a week. If you take a deposit even a small one you will know that the people are serious about having you at their party and not playing the numbers game. There are literally over 100 (really I think it is closer to 200 but I know you wouldn't believe me) birthday party magicians working in my area. From sluggo the homeless magic clown who will come to your house for a six pack to the "greats" who don't leave the house for under $500 and the majority of us who are in between the two. And unfortunately, in the market that I am working people are not always honest. I also do not think it is a bad thing. For the customer a fifty dollar deposit guarantees your time slot and date. I'm a parent of an 8 year old, that wouldn't bother me at all as a customer. Heck, the batting cage took a $50 deposit when I had my son's birthday there last year. In my market I can say with a moral certainty even an uber seller like Donald would get the run around from time to time. So I think taking a credit card deposit is the easiest thing to do for me and the customer. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
[quote]On 2007-07-26 15:43, Donald Dunphy wrote:
Quote:
Hi Danny - It's called sarcasm Donald and it was meant to be a joke. I should have thrown a Zig Ziegler reference in there and you would have understood it was meant to be funny and not pointed. Mea Culpa, apologies. You were beginning to sound like old Zig, or Dexter, or Dave Dee, or insert favorite sales motivator here. Perhaps you should think about writing that book... I'm just saying, you never know. After you were talking about the "thousands" of shows you booked I am still interested to know if you are full time and how many shows you have booked this year. Best, Dan- Quote:
On 2007-07-26 17:35, todd75 wrote: Yeah, To have the "business account" Where you can take actual credit cards and not just paypal it seems kind of stiff and I really do not like the idea of them hanging on to five percent for ninety days. That makes no sense to me. "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Danny -
I have no interest in comparing the size of my bank account, or the size of my show schedule, or fee per show, etc. to yours. I've been performing for 28 years, I've done thousands of shows, I make more than 50% of my annual income from shows (but I won't give you a more accurate number than that). That should matter little. I have a different point of view, based on my professional experience, and just wanted to share it. If you aren't interested in what I have to share, that's fine. - Donald P.S. The problem of birthday bookings and last minute cancellations was discussed on a KidAbra teleconference call a few years ago. I remember them saying that they took non-refundable deposits by credit card, and it eliminated the problem for them.
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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