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

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

I was being a wise guy when I said the profit from doing a wedding would be $20.00. If someone asked me to do a wedding for $100.00-$200.00 I know what my profit would be. It would be zero. The obvious reason being I wouldn't do it. The reason I wouldn't do it has nothing to do with my ego or that I want you all to believe as someone said that I'm this top notch great DJ. It has to do with the branding and image I want to portray today. Besides that if I did such a wedding all that will let people know (and this is for me) that I'm desperate for gigs and will take any amount of money thrown at me. Keep in mind I talked about me.

To add to the discussion someone asked me what is the difference between me and a DJ willing to work for $100.00 to do a private gig. I don't know. Reason being I don't know who the DJ is. So I can't comment on that DJ. That DJ might be better then me. It's just that they might be selling themselves short or that they don't care about how much a client is paying them. They are just out to have fun and make people have fun. For me the DJ who mentioned that this other DJ would come and do her wedding for $200.00 is a low priced DJ. I never mentioned anything about a DJ that is willing to do a wedding for $200.00. I was just making a point since it was brought up. I wasn't consumed by it. Just wondering why this DJ would do her wedding for $200.00 and how did he come up with that price? I guess we'll never find those things out since he's not a member on here. They might just be starting out and either need the exposure or experience. So they say they will do it for that price in hopes of booking the gig. The point being for me is that sooner or later I have to take a stand and stick to a rock bottom price and mean it. If I keep always giving in in hopes of winning the booking then I'll never get to where I want this company to be. I'll just keep digging a deeper and deeper hole for myself and this company. If that means I don't get certain gigs then so be it. Part of the business plan is about reaching higher ground.

 

[Dj Jimmy D]

Mix, The person doing this wedding for $100-$200 could be a young kid working his way up in the business and who knows in 10 years he could be one of the guys charging top of the line prices. The difference is that DJ has ten years to work his way up. You on the other hand do not. Sorry to say in 10 years will you be able to do a job? You might think you will be able to but how many young brides are going to want a guy in his late 60's to do their weddings? You can stick to your rock bottom price but if you are getting no work then no one will know who you are and what you can offer them. You can sit there and tell someone what you can bring to the table but if no one has seen you play then why would they book you for a price they do not understand or expected to pay in their mind.

When I started 25 years ago I was one of those low ball DJs but guess what I did a lot of parties and got my name out there. Now everything I do is from referrals and word of mouth. You do not have this option any more but you also cannot just go I am a DJ and here is my price now book me when you have nothing to show to back it up. You style as you have said many many times on here is Old school house guess what young brides do not want that at their parties and the group that does want that type of music most likely is not going to want to pay the numbers you are giving them. Unfortunaltey, you are stuck in a no win situation, your age and skill set work against you and until you come to this realization you will never succeed. Remember the first set is admitting you have a problem.

I really am not trying to bash you or fight with you. I am just saying that maybe it is time for you to admit the DJ world has passed you by. Stick with your comfort zone and stop worrying about price and what people here and other sites think you should charge. You sound like you want to DJ and you have a passion for it. If that is the case then go out book the jobs maybe they will be low pay but you will have jobs and you can post them up here and show us what you can do and who knows maybe I am wrong in 5 years you will all the sudden be getting $1200 to DJ a party but at this moment it isn't going to happen so why not just take what you can get because it is really getting old with you coming on here and bitching about what other people charge when you have no gigs to play at.

 

[ittigger]

I was being a wise guy when I said the profit from doing a wedding would be $20.00. If someone asked me to do a wedding for $100.00-$200.00 I know what my profit would be. It would be zero. The obvious reason being I wouldn't do it. The reason I wouldn't do it has nothing to do with my ego or that I want you all to believe as someone said that I'm this top notch great DJ. It has to do with the branding and image I want to portray today. Besides that if I did such a wedding all that will let people know (and this is for me) that I'm desperate for gigs and will take any amount of money thrown at me. Keep in mind I talked about me.

To add to the discussion someone asked me what is the difference between me and a DJ willing to work for $100.00 to do a private gig. I don't know. Reason being I don't know who the DJ is. So I can't comment on that DJ. That DJ might be better then me. It's just that they might be selling themselves short or that they don't care about how much a client is paying them. They are just out to have fun and make people have fun. For me the DJ who mentioned that this other DJ would come and do her wedding for $200.00 is a low priced DJ. I never mentioned anything about a DJ that is willing to do a wedding for $200.00. I was just making a point since it was brought up. I wasn't consumed by it. Just wondering why this DJ would do her wedding for $200.00 and how did he come up with that price? I guess we'll never find those things out since he's not a member on here. They might just be starting out and either need the exposure or experience. So they say they will do it for that price in hopes of booking the gig. The point being for me is that sooner or later I have to take a stand and stick to a rock bottom price and mean it. If I keep always giving in in hopes of winning the booking then I'll never get to where I want this company to be. I'll just keep digging a deeper and deeper hole for myself and this company. If that means I don't get certain gigs then so be it. Part of the business plan is about reaching higher ground.

Each of us has the ability to set our own prices .. and it doesn't matter how we got to those numbers. Regardless of what number you set them to, if no one is buying - then you're charging too much. What good is being a $400 or $500 DJ if no one is hiring you? If your local market is paying $100 or $200 for an event, it will be real hard to get a $400 or $500 event .. unless you can confidently demonstrate why I should pay that much.

Sticking to a rock bottom price and meaning it is fine - if you don't need the shows / money from the ones below that point. Keep in mind that some of those that you're turning away have the potential to be worth more if explored properly. If you can demonstrate value, the price goes up.

If your local McD's prices went up just for the heck of it, do you think many people would continue shopping there? It's all about supply and demand. If there is no demand for you - it will be hard to raise your prices.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Mix, The person doing this wedding for $100-$200 could be a young kid working his way up in the business and who knows in 10 years he could be one of the guys charging top of the line prices. The difference is that DJ has ten years to work his way up. You on the other hand do not. Sorry to say in 10 years will you be able to do a job? You might think you will be able to but how many young brides are going to want a guy in his late 60's to do their weddings? You can stick to your rock bottom price but if you are getting no work then no one will know who you are and what you can offer them. You can sit there and tell someone what you can bring to the table but if no one has seen you play then why would they book you for a price they do not understand or expected to pay in their mind.

When I started 25 years ago I was one of those low ball DJs but guess what I did a lot of parties and got my name out there. Now everything I do is from referrals and word of mouth. You do not have this option any more but you also cannot just go I am a DJ and here is my price now book me when you have nothing to show to back it up. You style as you have said many many times on here is Old school house guess what young brides do not want that at their parties and the group that does want that type of music most likely is not going to want to pay the numbers you are giving them. Unfortunaltey, you are stuck in a no win situation, your age and skill set work against you and until you come to this realization you will never succeed. Remember the first set is admitting you have a problem.

I really am not trying to bash you or fight with you. I am just saying that maybe it is time for you to admit the DJ world has passed you by. Stick with your comfort zone and stop worrying about price and what people here and other sites think you should charge. You sound like you want to DJ and you have a passion for it. If that is the case then go out book the jobs maybe they will be low pay but you will have jobs and you can post them up here and show us what you can do and who knows maybe I am wrong in 5 years you will all the sudden be getting $1200 to DJ a party but at this moment it isn't going to happen so why not just take what you can get because it is really getting old with you coming on here and bitching about what other people charge when you have no gigs to play at.

Jimmy you keep missing something all the time. It's not about me. It's about what a potential client wants young and old. Personally a lot of the stuff trhat as you put it kids like is garbage and you know that. If that's what they want, I feel safe with doing it and they have the money to spend, then it gets done. There is one song I truly hate and I think is one of the 5 dumbest songs ever made. Drunkin Love by Beyonce. It's a stupid song that I do have and if that's what they want then they get it. When I do private gigs it's never about me. If I made it about me I would never do any at all as I would only stick to what I like. That's not how it works. You listen for what the client wants and then you deliver what they want. Occasionally I get to do a gig that is both pleasing to the client their guest and me. It doesn't happen very often but it does happen. The main thing is that as long as the people are having a good time enjoying themselves with what you do, that's what counts.

On a side note I personally like the old school rap of back in the day the best. It was about artist having fun and not just all about sex, drugs and making big money. Also they could get their point across without having to curse.

 

[Dj Jimmy D]

My entire post and all you read and responded to was about music. This is why you do not get it and never will.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

My entire post and all you read and responded to was about music. This is why you do not get it and never will.

I got you. Trust me. What is it with this age thing? Remember don't judge a book by it's cover. I get that a lot people will see a young DJ as being hip and cool and should know the latest music. That's called discrimination. The guy that works with us is 23 and knows a lot more then just todays hip hop and r & b. Jimmy not all young people are going to want that. Some may want more then just that. I know some that don't care for a DJ only playing that.

Yes I am 55. I'm still going strong! I'm not at the point I feel I want to retire or need to. I will say this much. I find it's best to do the gigs you feel most comfortable with to give a client your best. If you know you won't do a really good job for a client and take the gig anyway, then you're a gig whore. I can do more then what you think. Don't let the age fool you. I do have my own personal style and I do have certain styles of music that I do like better then others. Doesn't every DJ. The thing I don't like is because I'm black I've been put in a box. I'm not supposed to like certain styles of music. One of my favorite songs of all times is Don Mclean "American Pie". My favorite radio station is CBS FM 101.1. The reason is they play all different styles of music and not just stuck in one box or one genre of music. They don't play any of the new stuff because they don't need to. They aren't copy cats. There's enough of those out there.

Jimmy since you got me figured out when it comes to playing music as a DJ. What styles of music can you or do you play? Also what is your favorite out of all of them and what is your least favorite to play?