It’s finally May and it feels like things are starting to look up! While April felt like the longest month ever, we have been super productive here at GigSalad. In addition to numerous behind-the-scenes improvements, we’ve rolled out several new features to enhance our users’ experience as we push through these unprecedented times.
In this product update:
Time to get virtual
We’re thrilled to report that GigSalad is slowly seeing lead and booking numbers rise, and that’s due in part to an increased demand for virtual services. We’ve been creating new features and content to help facilitate this trend.
Opt-in feature. If you are able to provide your services virtually, you can let potential clients know by opting into our new virtual services feature. This will display an icon/banner on your profile and in search results.
Virtual services badge. You can add this new badge to your personal website. When clients visit your site, the badge will let them know that you’re able to accommodate their virtual events.
Resources and business tips. We’ve been focusing on content that helps our members adjust to this “new normal.” Look through our recent posts for tips on offering virtual services and advice for getting through this pandemic.
Check out the new inbox icons
The color-coded statuses shown in your GigSalad inbox are important for helping you understand the current state of each lead. In order to make them even easier to identify, and make the inbox look nicer, we’ve now added icons to each status.
Identify emails with emojis
Using emojis in subjects is an ever-growing trend in the email world. Not only are emojis fun, but they also help readers quickly identify the content within an email before opening it.
We recently added emojis to the beginning of subject lines for new lead and message notifications, as well as reminder emails. Easily find these emails by looking for:
- 🔔 for a new lead
- 💬 for a new message
- ⌚ for a lead reminder
We’ll continue adding appropriate emojis to more emails in the future.
Get detailed event updates
Event planners can update their event details at any point before their event is booked. When they do, you’ll receive an email notification and see a new item in your thread for that lead.
Previously, that message would tell you what it was changed to, but not what it was changed from. Both parts are important to fully understand how your quote for that event might need to change, so you’ll now be shown the full details of what changed about the event.
Escape from reality
Life is strange right now. We’re all feeling a whole range of emotions from worry and fear to sadness and isolation. Finding ways to escape and turn off your brain for a bit can be good for your mental health. One way to do that is by spending some quality time with your couch and TV.
Here’s what some of the GigSalad team have been binge-watching recently. Feel free to drop some of your own recommendations in the comments!
🎵 Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC, Hulu) – Heather, Content Manager
🤖 Westworld (HBO) – Josh, Engineer
👴 Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – John, Product Manager
☀️ It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Hulu) – Shawn S., Customer Happiness Agent
⛱️ Outer Banks (Netflix) – Mark B., Engineer
🕵️ NCIS (Netflix) – Vanessa, Engineer
🏡 The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes (Netflix) – Shannon, Customer Happiness Agent
👗 Desperate Housewives (Hulu) – Megan, Director of Customer Happiness
📚 Community (Netflix) – Madi, Customer Happiness Agent
🏞️ Parks and Recreation (Netflix, Hulu) – Locke, Lead Engineer
💾 Upload (Prime Video) – Kerri, Customer Happiness Agent
😇 The Good Place (Netflix) – Shawn C., Engineer
Heather is the Content Manager and a GigSalad veteran of 15+ years. She loves helping event planners create unforgettable celebrations and talent make a living doing what they love. When not at work, she enjoys reading romance and fantasy books, bingeing TV shows, playing board games, and spending time with friends.
Been considering what I’d do if I were you (GigSalad).
1.) Training online for presenters on how to be a virtual presenter (Effectively and uniquely as well as software to use to look more professional)
2.) Pointers on how to market virtual presenters. (Your badges are a good start, but what about telling people what virtual services are in demand)
3.) Services as trainers. You have speakers, but maybe person to person trainers might make more sense in a virtual sense.
4.) Virtual partnerships. Who can GigSalad partner with to help stimulate virtual services? Would partnerships with medical professionals be smart? How about companies looking at hiring virtually?
5.) I like your spotlight feature. Maybe a case study of a virtual success?
Thanks for the update. I teamed up with a new vocalist just in time to shelter in place! However we do have some virtual, on line events coming up, so any info you have on this aspect is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
CoachDave
Hey Mark B,
I did background work on “Outer Banks” here in Chas, SC. You can actually see me in episode 6 at the summer party, of course you have to be quick, haha.
Consider a social distance event badge or option also. With caracter birthday parties we have not been able to go into peoples homes or backyards so we have had to reengineer birthday parties to happen in the form of a parade, in their front yard or as a block party from the street. We need some way to indicate socally distant options are offered.
Thank you for the suggestion! We have passed that on to our product team and will be discussing that idea.
There needs to be a way where we can send video to the clients from our Gigsalad accounts.Secondly,their are so many of us who ask perspective clients on our first,second,third and sometimes a fourth message for that we can give the clients more insights and to be able listen to their needs and wants.We also want to save time and energy and help move the process along at a faster.Please add a section that explains to the The Advantages Of Returning A Professional Phone Call.Furthermore,I would love to talk with you all about some experiences where we as artist lost employment because that client leave a phone number and either they do not pick up the phone. or they will not return our professional communication after we have first requested it in all initial message and call.
Hi Gigsalad,
Just wonder? It doesn’t hurt to ask.
I joined Gigsalad about 3 months ago. Almost as soon as I did join the pandemic virus start and everything was shut down.
So, I was wondering, since I didn’t get any gigs during this time, if you would extend my membership, at no charge, for another 3 months? I just can’t see spending $170.00 right now when I spent $85.00 with you and the Cronavirus 19 broke out and there weren’t any gigs available to play at.
Like I said, “it doesn’t hurt to ask.”
Thank you,
Rudy Bachelor
Mpls/St Paul, MN
Hi Rudy, we’re so sorry that the pandemic hit so soon after you joined. Please reach out to our Customer Happiness Team at help@gigsalad.com so we can discuss options with you. Thank you!