Below is a list of the 15 most frequently asked questions of our staff. The best way to answer the big question of "Why Heart and Soul?" is to provide clear concise answers to the small questions.
How Much Do You Charge?
Heart and Soul has a triple-tiered price schedule. Prices depend on the tier. Currently the first tier is for events sponsored by an individual or nonprofit organization --------- $350.00. The second tier is for corporate events --------- $450.00. The third tier is for night clubs and for profit events --------- $750.00.
Do You Charge Overtime?
A standard performance for Heart and Soul is four hours in length with no breaks. The overtime fee for tier one and two is $100.00, for every hour ( or part of ) over our standard performance. For tier three the fee is $200.00.
Is There Any Other Expense?
The only other expenses are two conditional expenses. The first conditional expense is travel expense in the amount of $0.35 per mile if the travel distance is more than fifty miles one way, but not to exceed $200.00. The second conditional expense is lodging expenses in the amount of $150.00 per day, if the travel distance is more than fifty miles one way and the deejay is scheduled on two or more consecutives days.
How Much is the Required Deposit and When is the Rest Due?
Heart and Soul requires no upfront deposits. All that is required to confirm a booking is a signed contract which spells out the date and conditions of the performance. Payment for the performance is due upon arrival of the deejay.
Can We Cancel and Get a Refund?
Within the contract is a provision for cancellation where you agree to notify Heart and Soul of cancellation without penalty, as long as this cancellation notice is given at least two weeks before the scheduled dates. Since there is no required deposit, no refund is necessary.
Is Your Business State Registered and Licensed ?
Heart and Soul has the proper licenses for all the cities and states where we normally do business. If someone hires us for an event, one of the first things we do is check to see that all licenses for that area are current. If we have never performed in that municipality, then we contact the local authorities to find out their requirement. The reason we go all out to make sure of this is because most cities allow their police department to shut down a performance if the individual and/or company does not have the necessary licenses. Also we feel that a company that has taken time to register and acquire licenses demonstrates commitment to their customers and business.
Do You Provide a Light Show?
Heart and Soul, in our desire to provide the best entertainment value for the dollar, normally does not provide a light show. This is an add-on option with us. The reason we have made this an add-on is local regulations. Many municipalities require that the lights be inspected by one of their building/fire inspectors. Therefore we have found that to have a Saturday performance, we typically have to have all the lights set up by noon Friday in order to get them inspected. If the person still wants a light show, this option is available for $300.00 per performance.
What Kind of Music Do You Play?
Heart and Soul, as a company, specializes in Olde School and/or Beach Music: the best Rhythm and Blues from the 1960's and 1970's. But because we are always striving to uphold our motto of "Music for all Occasions" we have the versatility to play Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, Blues, and even Gospel from 1950 to the present.
Will Your Deejay Accept Our Song Requests?
Yes. As a matter of fact, this is one of the things on which we have built our reputation. Heart and Soul has no set play list. Therefore we encourage and actively seek requests from the people at the performance. We will also allow you to make requests in advance as well as create your own play list. This way we are able to customize the music to meet your needs. All we ask is that, unless it is a wedding, you give our deejays the freedom to use their professional experience in "reading the crowd" to best order your list. Also if there is a particular song that is not in our music library that you want us to play, all you have to do is provide it.
How Much Music Do You Bring to an Event and How Much Do You Play?
Company policy of no set play list and actively seeking request dictates that our deejays bring the complete music library with them. Currently this library has over 14,000 titles. How many of these songs we play depend largely on the event itself and the length of the songs played. But a good rule of thumb for Olde School/Beach Music is 15 to 17 songs per hour.
Can I Reserve a Specific Deejay?
Heart and Soul, in our desire to provide the best entertainment value for the dollar and due to the large area we cover, usually reserves the right to send the closest deejay but we understand that people sometimes have preferences. Therefore, we will allow you to reserve a specific deejay under the condition that travel expense in the amount of $0.35 per mile is paid and that deejay is not already booked.
How Will the Deejay be Dressed for the Event?
For all formal and semi-formal events the deejays will dress accordingly. For all other performance the deejay is required to wear a standard uniform of dark or khaki pant with white company logo golf shirt.
Do You Have Any References?
NO! Heart and Soul believes that references are really useless because no person or company is going to list someone as a reference if there is even the slightest possiblity that something negative will be said about them. Therefore we have never made it a policy to solicit recommendations from our clients. But the basic fact that over the past ten years, more than 90% of our clients hired us following their attendance at a previous performance or after receiving a referral from a friend or family member, is better than any reference. Also some of our clients will go back, after a performance and sign our guestbook with their comments about the show.
Can We Meet With You?
Yes, I will meet with any prospective client anytime anywhere. Our goal is for your event to be successful. Therefore, from experience, we are willing and able to help you avoid a lot of the pitfalls and mistakes we have seen others make.
Finally, What Makes Your Company Different or Why You?
All things considered, a simple concise answer would be we are the best at what we do. But let's not be brief:
