$350 dj

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Teddy you missed my point completely.... like all of the GWYW guys you think just because you believe your worth X dollars that automatically that is what people will be willing to spend... believe me I'm all for getting top dollar... however this is just not possible in any realistic way.

I'm not going to sit at home with no gigs just because I think I'm worth it....

Matter of fact I did a Gig last night for $175.00 I was glad to do it because no other prospects showed any interest in that date.... so instead of sitting at home doing nothing I went out and partied and got paid. I only worked for 2.5 hours... after expenses I probably made at least $160.00 so that's a little under $80.00/hour... I'd say I did pretty good for a day that would have been spent picking my nose otherwise.

My ego isn't so large that I wont take a gig just because it doesn't meet my expectations of worth... I am only worth what the client is willing to pay. If they are willing to pay $3000.00 than so be it... but if they are only willing to pay $300.00 I will take it.

I'm not ego driven I'm driven by my desire to have money in my wallet and money back into my business.

Honestly GWYW = EGO
 
jokerswild said:
Teddy you missed my point completely.... like all of the GWYW guys you think just because you believe your worth X dollars that automatically that is what people will be willing to spend...
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No, I think you missed my point.

I'm doing about half as many events as I used to do. Why? Because you're right. Maybe it's because not everyone is willing to pay more. Maybe it's because I suck as a salesman. Maybe, just maybe, it's because I suck as a DJ. (Although I tend to not believe that last choice since I get good performance reviews and no complaints.)

So I do about half as many events as I used to.

But I charge well more than triple what I used to.


It's not ego. It's simple math.
 
Obviously you just don't get it.... I can claim to be worth a $1200 all day to next Tuesday and if it don't get me a gig I sit at home with nothing to do and no money in my bank, period.

Screw the GWYW concept it doesn't work. I look at my profit and loss statements and if I see more profit than loss then I'm doing well no matter what I'm charging per gig. And that's the bottom line here.
 
okay so lets agree we have different stategys that apparently work to our needs. Arguing how one gets to theirs and another gets to theirs is the proverbial Apple and Pear arguement. Chicken and the Egg arguement. Lets accept ourselves and others for our differences.If the folks who are able to work only a few times a yr by choice can command a higher fee it only makes for potential that I can give myself a raise. I see both sides beings Im somewhere in the middle. Lets not fight over such things. Lets share how to be the best we can be and the industry will become a more respected community allowing the customer to have a higher opinion of us.
 
DJ Teddy Bear said:
I have a regular 9-5 in IT.
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If you spend 8 hours at work, 2 hours commuting, 8 hours sleeping, that leaves you with 6 hours to divide between yourself your wife and dealing with DJ related items per day! I get to spend at least that much time or more every day with my family!

DJ Teddy Bear said:
To answer your other questions: We don't have any kids. My wife and I have one of our city nieces stay with us weekdays for a month in the Summer so she can go to Day Camp. I do spend a bunch of time with her in the evenings.
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See above! So where is it that DJing takes time away from my family that you have more of trying to get what your worth?

DJ Teddy Bear said:
I only do about 10-15 events per year. I try to base my rates on what I'd need to charge if DJing was all I did. It's more than $1,200. Of course, if DJing is all I did, I'd also do more than 15 per year.
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This could be true or it could be a myth! Stop and think about it for a minute!
How many gigs are you turning down each month at a minimum of $1200 per gig? I know at my rates with four people working I am still having to turn down an average of 4 to 8 per month. But then I am in a rather sparsely populated area although I do cover several major cities within 2 1/2 hours from my location.

DJ Teddy Bear said:
By the way, in case you haven't realized it, I'm a firm believer in the Get What You're Worth message.
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How many full time DJ's can you name that follow the worth mantra and charge $1200 or more per gig regardless of the type of gig.

DJ Teddy Bear said:
That's great. Really.

But can I assume that your rates are considerably more than $350?
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As I stated before depending on day of the week, type and size of the event, travel distance and needs of the client my rates range from $250 on up but the average is around $600.
 
One of my associates recently moved to San Diego from Davis CA.

Travis is a "Vinyl Spinner" and never was able to break the $350 barrier, mainly because his clientele was limited to college students and he was not willing to do weddings (he thought it was a pimp gig).

NOW its 2008 and Travis is now living on the edge of Hillcrest, the "Greenwich Village" or "West Hollywood" of the San Diego area. He can easily tap the Gay Wedding market simply with a few well-placed keywords and links.

Travis can still spin his vinyl (House, Techno, Europop, and Disco) for the GLBT crowd, AND get paid the Wedding Rates that are customary in San Diego. (around $800 to $1200)
 
I made a crap load of money when i was a resident at "The Buzz" in dc for the glbt crew.

Teddy- i subscribe and have always subscribed to the theory that some dollars are better than no dollars. but then again as a mega op we have a whole different business model than most single ops.

**** im doing a gig next Sunday for Free although i know the tippage will be over the top.
actually we took the money for the gig and donated it.


What kills me is those guys who wont run with the market and then get all hell bent when they cant pay bills because they were holding out for that $1200 job at least as a full timer you have to work right?
 
Thunder said:
Teddy Bear,

May I ask you what you do for a living?

How many hours a week are you away from your family before you go out to cover that maybe once a month DJ gig for $1200?

Are you home every morning to take your kids to school?

Can you go and sit in your childs classroom for an entire day at school and see what they are being taught?

Can you go on field trips with your child every time the school has one?

Are you there to pick them up when school is out?

Are you at home all day long to take your kids to the mountains or rivers each day during the summer?

Can you take your kids boating any day of the week?

Do you take them on motorcycle rides day trips any day of the week?

Do you take your kids to a Monday midday movie every week during the summer?

Do you get to sit out on the deck with your wife everyday for 2 to 4 hours at a time and just talk.

My answers to the eleven questions above are listed below.

My job is DJing it is what I do for a living, it is what supports my family, it is what allows me to be able to spend a lot more time with my family than anyone who works a 9 to 5 job!

I am able to spend about 10 hours a day most days with my family, for the most part I am at work when they are sleeping. I have been getting by on 4 hours of sleep a day for most of my life.


The answer to the remaining questions is >>> I DO <<<
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Nice one ! Enjoy life and the ones you love - balls to the day job family and fun are way more important
 
DJ Teddy Bear said:
I have a regular 9-5 in IT.

To answer your other questions: We don't have any kids. My wife and I have one of our city nieces stay with us weekdays for a month in the Summer so she can go to Day Camp. I do spend a bunch of time with her in the evenings.


I only do about 10-15 events per year. I try to base my rates on what I'd need to charge if DJing was all I did. It's more than $1,200. Of course, if DJing is all I did, I'd also do more than 15 per year.

By the way, in case you haven't realized it, I'm a firm believer in the Get What You're Worth message.


That's great. Really.

But can I assume that your rates are considerably more than $350?
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Why not stay over there instead of preaching to us happy chappy types here?
 
Geeze, Davy. As the father of DJA, that sounds strange coming from you. ;)
 
1cdj said:
I made a crap load of money when i was a resident at "The Buzz" in dc for the glbt crew.

Teddy- i subscribe and have always subscribed to the theory that some dollars are better than no dollars. but then again as a mega op we have a whole different business model than most single ops.

**** im doing a gig next Sunday for Free although i know the tippage will be over the top.
actually we took the money for the gig and donated it.


What kills me is those guys who wont run with the market and then get all hell bent when they cant pay bills because they were holding out for that $1200 job at least as a full timer you have to work right?
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Nice one Kyle - even in my non DJ life I charge less than my best competition (which is in your area) so that I can sit by the pool, on the porch, checking the hotties out at Birkdale Village or at the Lake with my laptop enjoying life and working my SEO biz.

When I was jocking I worked all over Europe and never made "top dollar" because I wanted to work for nine months and go back to England/Spain/Canary Islands/Holland :p for three months vacation and good times each year - life is too short to worry about bloody money so it's nice to pick and choose and always be in demand and do it for an in demand slightly lower price.

I'm jammed with SEO and Internet Marketing work because I give the clients a good deal and don't rip them off - it works! Just like when I was a touring DJ.......
 
I am definitely missing something with this thread.

Are you guys NUTS?????

I was charging $550 twenty five years ago!
I am sad to say that today I only get $1100 to $1500 per event, but that's simply because there are so many guys working for slave wages out there.

One poster said "where else can you make $350 for a day's work. First of all, you are not making $350 for the day. You still have to pay for transportation, insurance, equipment, music, clothing, advertising, phone - electric-internet connectivity fees, etc. The average wage today is between $50,000 and $125,000 a year. Break it down--250 work days in a year---at the bottom of the scale $200 a day -- at the top-- $ 500 a day.

It takes me at least 4 days of hard work to put a show together--including client meetings, music compilation and acquisition, travel and set-up time for the event etc. If I did that for $350, my gross before all of my many expenses would be $87.50 a day, and I haven't purchased any gear or gas yet!!
I do an average of 125 shows a year. And let me tell you, I earn every penny of my money! And i am by no means at the top of the income bracket at my rates.

C'mon guys, start thinking like businessmen.
Otherwise, you simply hobbyists!
 
Fred Stewart said:
Geeze, Davy. As the father of DJA, that sounds strange coming from you. ;)
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LOL :p Well yes Fred there is that but my DJA was going to be very much like ODJT is now with all the fun and frivolities PLUS all the (in the main) "for real DJs" and not these annoying drive by worth merchants.

It really was going to be lively but I got so tired of every dork DJ (and their Gramma's) calling me at all hours wanting to talk about boring stuff I decided to get rid of it.

Don't get me wrong I like MF, I had the pleasure of meeting him personally but I have to be honest in saying that his followers are a bunch of sheep and wanna be superstars -

Nearly got me Fred

DORKS - I INVENTED DJA
 
Steve Cie said:
.........
C'mon guys, start thinking like businessmen.
Otherwise, you simply hobbyists!
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Well paid hobbyists.....

But like I always say, I don't care a whit what anybody charges. I don't care if someone with a Bose setup and Denon this and that wants to work for free beer. I only worry about doing what I want to do.
 
Steve Cie said:
Are you guys NUTS?????

I was charging $550 twenty five years ago!

...


C'mon guys, start thinking like businessmen.
Otherwise, you simply hobbyists!
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I could not have said it better myself, although, sigh, I've tried.
 
1cdj said:
im doing a gig next Sunday for Free although i know the tippage will be over the top.
actually we took the money for the gig and donated it.
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Doing it for free, for a charity you believe in, is completely different. It's something honorable, and something I totally support.

Side note: For a variety of reasons, I recommend NOT doing charity events for free, but charging them, on a contract, ONE DOLLAR. If you want to know why, start a new thread.
 
Steve Cie said:
I am definitely missing something with this thread.

Are you guys NUTS?????

I was charging $550 twenty five years ago!
I am sad to say that today I only get $1100 to $1500 per event, but that's simply because there are so many guys working for slave wages out there.

One poster said "where else can you make $350 for a day's work. First of all, you are not making $350 for the day. You still have to pay for transportation, insurance, equipment, music, clothing, advertising, phone - electric-internet connectivity fees, etc. The average wage today is between $50,000 and $125,000 a year. Break it down--250 work days in a year---at the bottom of the scale $200 a day -- at the top-- $ 500 a day.

It takes me at least 4 days of hard work to put a show together--including client meetings, music compilation and acquisition, travel and set-up time for the event etc. If I did that for $350, my gross before all of my many expenses would be $87.50 a day, and I haven't purchased any gear or gas yet!!
I do an average of 125 shows a year. And let me tell you, I earn every penny of my money! And i am by no means at the top of the income bracket at my rates.

C'mon guys, start thinking like businessmen.
Otherwise, you simply hobbyists!
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Steve, with all due respect, the businessmen/hobbyist comment is unnecessary. Running a sole prop or LLC business has nothing to do with numbers in the gross receipts column. One either turns a profit or he doesn't.

I would like to remind the members that there are many more markets for the $350.00 DJ company than there are markets for the $1100 to $1500 DJ company. The capitol of the First State, Dover, Delaware is a good example of this. According to the state labor department, Kent County is a low income area. You won't find B&Gs around here who can pay that much for a DJ company. They don't have it because they don't make it.

Most of the rental houses around here are dark on weekends. The catering companies are working temps. Photographers are barely getting by. Yep, Wolfie keeps his paw on the pulse of the local economy. It's in my best interest to do so. And I can tell you this: The money isn't changing hands around here like it used to.

Home forclosures are up by over 50% from a year ago. Home equity is in the minus. Gasoline and groceries have more than doubled in cost. Wages remain stagnant for those who are fortunate to have a job at all.

The good-paying manufacturing jobs are mostly gone. We'll be losing more next year when the Chrysler plant closes. The GM Boxwood plant is iffy. Few look for it to stay open. When the automakers go, so do Lear and the others who support them. More jobs lost.

Wolfie is one of the lucky ones. Playtex is among the few remaining manufacturing plants in the area that pay a decent wage. And we've landed a few upscale paychecks from fellow employees.

But that doesn't go for the rest of the state. Take a drive along Route 13 and you'll see what I mean. It's a trailer park state. The big employers are chicken plants. $7.00 per hour is still a good wage around here (unfortunately). Ordinary B&Gs simply don't have four digits for a DJ company. That's the way it is. How many times do I have to post this?? :rolleyes:

If your company can rake in a decent profit, I'm happy for you. Honest. All I'm sayin' ~ it isn't happening in every market. Please, don't try to make the rest of us out to be less than professional because our gross receipt numbers don't match yours. :)
 
Location, Location, Location.
It was said earlier in this thread. 350.00 is what the market is paying in parts of Canada. Kudos to Mista Spinna.

I have to agree with the Jersey Boys. 95% of my events are in NJ. I charge 600.00 for 4 hours for just a regular party and Weddings begin at $1095.00 for just music. If I add screens and lighting it fetches me close to the $2000.00 mark. Trust me people in this area NY/NJ will pay for quality and most of my work comes from word of mouth. I also do an average of 6 events per month.

It's not a battle of getting what you are worth, you just have to know what your area/market is willing to pay for a Quality DJ Service with great equipment and talent.
 
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