I stuck to my guns and I'm very happy!

[Jeff Romard]

I never said I felt my price was too high. That is what she was thinking. I understand that every potential client you run into is not going to be a high end client.

Mix you have doubled your price in less than a year which is good but it's going to alienate alot of clients....You don't want to be a low end DJ and that's cool but what have you done to become a high end DJ except for raise your price? What are you doing differently than last year?

When you go to a store to buy something unless it's a sale they don't cut their prices down to what you can afford. Either you can pay that price or keep it moving.

If that same store doubled the price of the item you wanted with no explanation would you still buy it or look elsewhere? That's where you're at

 

[Jas]

My neighborhood isn't the market I want to pander to. My next door neighbor asked about my price for a wedding. When I told her $600 her jaw dropped. I asked how much she was thinking and her answer was $100.

It gets better. The neighbor that lives in back of me would do it for $200 and he started DJing years before I did!

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

My neighborhood isn't the market I want to pander to. My next door neighbor asked about my price for a wedding. When I told her $600 her jaw dropped. I asked how much she was thinking and her answer was $100.

It gets better. The neighbor that lives in back of me would do it for $200 and he started DJing years before I did!

I do my best to be as professional as I can when dealing with a potential client. If she had told me that I would have flipped out. What I would have told her wouldn't have been very nice or professional.

When I play in the bar in Orange I get paid $150.00. Now I know for some that's not enough. That's better then doing someones wedding for $100.00. You should have asked her is she on drugs? Because she must be thinking she can get someone to do her wedding for $100.00. Then this other DJ said he would do it for $200.00. Obviously he doesn't have major bills to be paid and doesn't take what he is doing seriously. I know you're not supposed to do this but for $100.00 I might make her up to 4 CD's she can use at her reception.

Her response just goes to show you how much respect some people have for what we do. I know her thinking is the DJ is only going to play some songs and that's it. How hard could that be. What I need to say is those who said I need to find better potential clients to advertise my business to, you are so right. When my oldest niece got married my wedding present to her was to do her reception for free. That was because I only have one sister and obviously that was her daughter. In all my years that was my favorite event I've ever done. I was back in business doing what I love. Also not to mention both my mother and father were there, along with my other niece, the grooms grandmother and my mothers boyfriend. The one person that was missing to complete the picture was the grooms mother. Unfortunately she died a few years before from cancer. Those 2 getting married was already family to me because his grandmother was my mothers best friend. Since that time the grandmother, my father and my mothers boyfriend have gone on to be with the lord.

 

[ittigger]

I do my best to be as professional as I can when dealing with a potential client. If she had told me that I would have flipped out. What I would have told her wouldn't have been very nice or professional.

I don't know that I would have flipped out - as that's also not professional. Maybe she was attempting to see what his response would have been.

When I play in the bar in Orange I get paid $150.00. Now I know for some that's not enough. That's better then doing someones wedding for $100.00. You should have asked her is she on drugs? Because she must be thinking she can get someone to do her wedding for $100.00. Then this other DJ said he would do it for $200.00. Obviously he doesn't have major bills to be paid and doesn't take what he is doing seriously. I know you're not supposed to do this but for $100.00 I might make her up to 4 CD's she can use at her reception.

You shouldn't have to ask her anything. She's made her statement. If you can't accept it, then you move on. It's that simple. There's a DJ for everyone. She'll either find her 100 dollar DJ - or she will realize that she wants more and she will step up and pay for it. Mix, you know nothing about this $200.00 DJ - so anything you have to say is an assumption. Don't assume.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

I don't know that I would have flipped out - as that's also not professional. Maybe she was attempting to see what his response would have been.



You shouldn't have to ask her anything. She's made her statement. If you can't accept it, then you move on. It's that simple. There's a DJ for everyone. She'll either find her 100 dollar DJ - or she will realize that she wants more and she will step up and pay for it. Mix, you know nothing about this $200.00 DJ - so anything you have to say is an assumption. Don't assume.

He mentioned it gets better. It got worest. This other DJ willing to do her wedding for $200.00. Man are you serious! I say at that rate just tell her you'll do it for free. How much of a profit could you make out of $200.00. I say not enough to make it worth my wild to do it. I've seen a bride put an ad on craigslist looking for someone to do their wedding for $200.00-$300.00. I did assume what I did about this other DJ and I'm not changing my mind. I'll add to it that this DJ must be desperate for work.

I'll also add that if this DJ is really good that hurts this business as a whole as people will think that they don't have to spend much to get good quality. If this DJ sucks they will more then likely say to themselves DJ's aren't worth much more then that rather then blame themselves.

 

[ittigger]

He mentioned it gets better. It got worest. This other DJ willing to do her wedding for $200.00. Man are you serious! I say at that rate just tell her you'll do it for free. How much of a profit could you make out of $200.00. I say not enough to make it worth my wild to do it. I've seen a bride put an ad on craigslist looking for someone to do their wedding for $200.00-$300.00. I did assume what I did about this other DJ and I'm not changing my mind. I'll add to it that this DJ must be desperate for work.

I'll also add that if this DJ is really good that hurts this business as a whole as people will think that they don't have to spend much to get good quality. If this DJ sucks they will more then likely say to themselves DJ's aren't worth much more then that rather then blame themselves.

I think you missed the point. The point was that you will ALWAYS have someone looking to spend a small amount of money on a DJ. If it's work you want and the number is appealing to you, then great. If not, then move on and forget about it. Either they will find what they want - for how much they want to spend .. or they won't and they will up their budget.

 

[Jas]

My next door neighbor just got engaged, is around 50 years old, and has never been married. She (like many folks) never hired a DJ and had no idea how much DJs charge for doing weddings. I told her some DJs charge $1200, but all that did was educate her a little. They're planninng a low cost reception and I don't blame them. This is a low to middle income neighborhood.

My DJ neighbor has a day job and doesn't even DJ anymore. But he was a low priced DJ when he was doing it. He used Peavey speakers, no sub, cheap lights, but he did use a legal music service that sent him discs in the mail. He handed me a school gig that he use to do for $200. I did the gig for a few years for $250, but they must have found someone for less. I couldn't get them to go any higher.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

When I heard about this bride offering $100.00 to that DJ that told me several this. She is just plain cheap. She doesn't respect what we do and the DJ isn't that important to her. At least until the reception turns into a disaster because of the DJ she booked. That's a sad state of affairs when everything else she spends money on for this wedding will cost more then the DJ. Not saying she should look to spend a ton of money like lets say 1k. But she should at least think twice about wanting to find a DJ that will come do her wedding for $100.00 or $200.00. Personally I wouldn't expect to get much for that price. We did a sweet 16 in a backyard and got paid way more then that! Just sad to see what some people thing about us as DJ's.

 

[ittigger]

Mix, do you read before you post? This lady is around 50, never been married and never hired a DJ. How do you translate that into 'just plain cheap' and no 'respect'?

For an analogy, if you have never bought a new car before, and you discovered that car prices range from 15k to several million, which one would you buy? They all have wheels, they all have a motor, and they all use gas. What's the difference? Until someone educates you (or you educate yourself), how would you know?

 

[Jeff Romard]

When I heard about this bride offering $100.00 to that DJ that told me several this. She is just plain cheap. She doesn't respect what we do and the DJ isn't that important to her. At least until the reception turns into a disaster because of the DJ she booked. .

What happens if he shows up and does a great job?

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Mix, do you read before you post? This lady is around 50, never been married and never hired a DJ. How do you translate that into 'just plain cheap' and no 'respect'?

For an analogy, if you have never bought a new car before, and you discovered that car prices range from 15k to several million, which one would you buy? They all have wheels, they all have a motor, and they all use gas. What's the difference? Until someone educates you (or you educate yourself), how would you know?

Sorry to say this but I need to tell how I feel. This lady can't be that stupid that she doesn't know that she should look to spend more then $100.00. I don't give a damn that she is 50, never been married and never hired a DJ. Come on now I'm pretty sure she has been to a bar to hear a DJ play. What did she think that DJ gets paid? $20.00? Stop making excuses for a super cheap bride. Does she really thing she will get a DJ to do her wedding for $100.00? Jeff if that DJ shows up and does a great job then we really have to work extra hard to prove why we're even better then that DJ.

Then again what would you expect from a DJ that is willing to do a wedding for $100.00? That to me is just an insult a bride going that low! To add to it, I have a external HD that cost more then $100.00.

 

[DJCC]

Sorry to say this but I need to tell how I feel. This lady can't be that stupid that she doesn't know that she should look to spend more then $100.00. I don't give a damn that she is 50, never been married and never hired a DJ. Come on now I'm pretty sure she has been to a bar to hear a DJ play. What did she think that DJ gets paid? $20.00? Stop making excuses for a super cheap bride. Does she really thing she will get a DJ to do her wedding for $100.00? Jeff if that DJ shows up and does a great job then we really have to work extra hard to prove why we're even better then that DJ.

Then again what would you expect from a DJ that is willing to do a wedding for $100.00? That to me is just an insult a bride going that low! To add to it, I have a external HD that cost more then $100.00.

Mix, yes there are some people that would be shocked that a DJ for a wedding would cost more than $100.

Yes, there are DJ's out there that will do a wedding for $100.
$100 for 4 hours = $25 per hour. That DJ has a full time job that pays $10 per hour. You do the math!

Remember a couple of years ago when I sent you my planning forms? I created an account in DJ Finder for you and you were all up in my a$$ because of my price for 4 hours?

Yet, I have a PAID gig EVERY WEEKEND, and you DO NOT.

Get over yourself dude, you are not the master DJ that you want us to believe.

You call her a "super cheap bride", did you stop to consider that they may not have any money?

Because they don't have any money to host an expensive wedding does that mean they that they should not have any entertainment at their reception because it would give all DJ's a black eye?

Poor people get married too.

 

[Dj Jimmy D]

That $100 DJ has work and you don't. He just paid for his external drive and well you haven't. I am sorry but for you to have the right to bash anyone for their business practices is just outrageous. You have repeatedly shown you have no idea how to run a business and yet you go out and by new toys and get nothing in return for doing that. The amount of people who have tried to help you and you ignore them and just go about doing things your way. You worry about what everyone else is doing and give advice to people yet you do not follow any of the same advice.

If you want to make more money booking parties you need to get out of the area you live in and stop talking to friends of friends and DJ friends who might give you their scraps while they go out and make money doing real gigs.

 

[Jeff Romard]

Mix you have doubled your price in less than a year which is good but it's going to alienate alot of clients....You don't want to be a low end DJ and that's cool but what have you done to become a high end DJ except for raise your price? What are you doing differently than last year?

What happens if he shows up and does a great job?

Jeff if that DJ shows up and does a great job then we really have to work extra hard to prove why we're even better then that DJ.

My two posts were very closely related Mix. What makes you different than the $100 DJ?

 

[Proformance]

My two posts were very closely related Mix. What makes you different than the $100 DJ?

Confidence.
If you have it - you sell it and the customer feels secure in the added cost.

There is no "magic" add-on. The intangible is your ability to demonstrate results and instill confidence.

 

[ittigger]

This lady can't be that stupid that she doesn't know that she should look to spend more then $100.00.

How would she know if she's never looked before? You say stupid - but if she does not know, how can you say that? You don't know anything about rockets or how much rocket scientists get paid, does that mean you're stupid .. or does it mean you are not educated about rockets?

I don't give a damn that she is 50, never been married and never hired a DJ.

This says alot about what you think of people in general.

Come on now I'm pretty sure she has been to a bar to hear a DJ play. What did she think that DJ gets paid? $20.00?

Do you typically walk into places and ask how much people get paid? Visiting an establishment for happy hour does not mean that I will know how much each person is worth or being paid.

Stop making excuses for a super cheap bride.

Excuses? This is real world. You call her cheap because she had no knowledge to base anything on .. and that's not proper.

Does she really thing she will get a DJ to do her wedding for $100.00?

As you personally know, there are people that WILL do it for $100.00 - so yes, she may think that. On the other hand, now that someone has given her a spectrum, she may start wondering.

Jeff if that DJ shows up and does a great job then we really have to work extra hard to prove why we're even better then that DJ.

Why? Because she was able to get someone for $100 bucks? I don't think I will change a thing. Have you ever performed a show at a discounted rate for anyone (friends and family included)? What's the difference?

Then again what would you expect from a DJ that is willing to do a wedding for $100.00? That to me is just an insult a bride going that low!

You're making assumptions that price = quality. What if he outperforms you?

To add to it, I have a external HD that cost more then $100.00.

You can get 3 TB for under 100 bucks right now .. so maybe you overpaid.

 

[Jas]

I'm glad a few others have explained this to Mix. She is ignorant of what DJs do at weddings. Stupid isn't the right word for someone that has no knowledge about a particular subject. She just became engaged and also doesn't know how much cake, flowers, meals, venues etc. cost.

I've got friends that got married at the courthouse and went out for dinner afterwards. Weddings with a high guest count can put couples into debt for years, even if it isn't a high end wedding. So to me, the smart ones keep expenses down so they can make mortgage payments.

I wasn't insulted by her answer of $100, but it was unexpected and a bit shocking. I thought she would have said $300. I'll have to show her some videos of weddings I've done, but it proably won't make a difference. Like I said, I don't live in a neighborhood of affluent people. It wouldn't be a bad idea to do some bar gigs in more affluent areas to make contact with the type of clients I want, even bars or restaurants that don't pay much.

 

[Ausumm]

This lady can't be that stupid that she doesn't know that she should look to spend more then $100.00. I don't give a damn that she is 50, never been married and never hired a DJ. Come on now I'm pretty sure she has been to a bar to hear a DJ play. What did she think that DJ gets paid?

Evidently....that "IS" what she thinks.
Not knowing something doesn't make her stupid. Or cheap. Just un-informed.
If you walked into a nuclear power plant, would you know how much THEY were getting paid?

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

How would she know if she's never looked before? You say stupid - but if she does not know, how can you say that? You don't know anything about rockets or how much rocket scientists get paid, does that mean you're stupid .. or does it mean you are not educated about rockets?


This says alot about what you think of people in general.


Do you typically walk into places and ask how much people get paid? Visiting an establishment for happy hour does not mean that I will know how much each person is worth or being paid.


Excuses? This is real world. You call her cheap because she had no knowledge to base anything on .. and that's not proper.


As you personally know, there are people that WILL do it for $100.00 - so yes, she may think that. On the other hand, now that someone has given her a spectrum, she may start wondering.


Why? Because she was able to get someone for $100 bucks? I don't think I will change a thing. Have you ever performed a show at a discounted rate for anyone (friends and family included)? What's the difference?


You're making assumptions that price = quality. What if he outperforms you?


You can get 3 TB for under 100 bucks right now .. so maybe you overpaid.

Don't put words in my mouth. I don't personally know anybody that would do a wedding for $100.00. I don't know anybody that will. Isn't doing such a gig make you a profit? How much profit could you make off of doing a wedding for $100.00? If you're lucky $20.00. Also what about the wear and tear on your vehicle to get your gear there and the wear and tear on your body moving the equipment?

Now to be fair he did say he would do it for $600.00. That's not too bad. At least for that price he is making somewhat a decent profit. My guess is that he asked how much she was looking to spend to see if she was close to his price and then maybe he might have lowered his price a bit or matched her price. At the price she told him I would simply keep on walking and wish her the best on who she gets. There's no way I could see him educating er on why she should look at booking him for his price to do the wedding. I got a 2 TB one for under $100.00 too. What's your point? My point is that the place that I have my music stored on cost as much as what she wants to pay to book a DJ to do her wedding.

Also think of it this way. How many times have I gotten beaten up on here for doing gigs for a cheap price? Haven't I been told if I keep doing gigs for such a cheap price that nobody will take me seriously and I won't be able to advance? So noe I'm getting told to just do the gig for such a low price just to say I'm working. No way in hell I will do someones wedding for $200.00. That's not my ego talking. That's just my business sense talking. I'd rather find something else I like to do then do a wedding for that price. Another DJ can do what they want. That's on them. I'm not that desperate or hard up for work. Only thing $200.00 will do for me is get my cellphone bill paid which it's already paid without doing a gig.

 

[ittigger]

Don't put words in my mouth. I don't personally know anybody that would do a wedding for $100.00. I don't know anybody that will. Isn't doing such a gig make you a profit? How much profit could you make off of doing a wedding for $100.00? If you're lucky $20.00. Also what about the wear and tear on your vehicle to get your gear there and the wear and tear on your body moving the equipment?

No one put words in your mouth - you said it. Just because you don't know anyone that would cover an event for $100, doesn't mean there's no one that would. Have you figured out your cost to perform? If not, how can you decipher what the profit on this event is? That said, your operational cost is yours alone and someone elses cost is completely different.

Now to be fair he did say he would do it for $600.00. That's not too bad. At least for that price he is making somewhat a decent profit. My guess is that he asked how much she was looking to spend to see if she was close to his price and then maybe he might have lowered his price a bit or matched her price. At the price she told him I would simply keep on walking and wish her the best on who she gets. There's no way I could see him educating er on why she should look at booking him for his price to do the wedding. I got a 2 TB one for under $100.00 too. What's your point? My point is that the place that I have my music stored on cost as much as what she wants to pay to book a DJ to do her wedding.

Again, you have no idea what the profit is without knowing operational cost.

As for the drive, you said yours cost more than $100 - now it costs under $100? WTF!? My point is that your price is yours alone.

Also think of it this way. How many times have I gotten beaten up on here for doing gigs for a cheap price? Haven't I been told if I keep doing gigs for such a cheap price that nobody will take me seriously and I won't be able to advance? So noe I'm getting told to just do the gig for such a low price just to say I'm working. No way in hell I will do someones wedding for $200.00. That's not my ego talking. That's just my business sense talking. I'd rather find something else I like to do then do a wedding for that price. Another DJ can do what they want. That's on them. I'm not that desperate or hard up for work. Only thing $200.00 will do for me is get my cellphone bill paid which it's already paid without doing a gig.

We're not talking about someone elses price. No one said that YOU should do the show for a cheap price just to be working. On the other hand, what good is having high prices if no one is hiring you? You can only charge what the market / customer is willing to pay .. and what they believe you are worth. Raising your prices means nothing if there are no customers buying.

If this other DJ was on here, I'm sure he would get educated by those of us here. Stop worrying about other people - you cannot control them. Worry about your business and how to get more work. Do you have a business plan yet? Have you gotten educated on / edited / cleaned up the offerings on your website? If the answer to these is no, how can you possibly continue to critique others when you can't follow through on the help that people have offered you?

Everyone will not be your customer and everyone is not educated as to how much a DJ costs. You could have the most expensive system in the world and get no shows. You could also have the cheapest system in the world and land some high paying shows. It's all in how you sell it. If $100 is all you need to get by, why bother charging more? As professionals, most of us are operating our businesses as we see fit - not everyone does that. To some, this is a hobby and nothing more - they may not need nor care about the money.

Your business is YOUR child and YOUR problem. No one else is looking out for YOUR business. What are you doing to raise and care for YOUR business?