Client budget below your typical minimum on an open date you want to book. What do you likely do?

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What are you most likely to do with your quote if a client's budget is too low?

  • Say "My minimum is above your budget. I would love to work with you, but this is lowest price"

    Votes: 1 16.7%

  • I would offer an even smaller no frills sound system, and drop my price to come close to budget

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • If the date is open, and I really want to book it, I will just offer to do the job for their budget

    Votes: 3 50.0%

  • I will throw in extras like 10 up lights to try to sweeten the deal. Don't care if they don't book

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I automatically dismiss them. Simply not my client. Leave the date open.

    Votes: 2 33.3%

  • I will spend a lot of time "educating them" on why they should hire me. If they don't book, oh well.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    6
DJ Ricky B said:
That was the general poll question. I gave additional context in my post. I literally did type in my post to be more clear about my poll question What are you likely to do if you want to book the date, and this is likely the last chance you will have to book this upcoming date and you want to work on that date.

To me, this is an inquiry any where in the next 45 or 60 days or closer than that.

To Taso, it's way farther out because he says he does not get actual last minute inquiries any more. I mean it makes sense, last minute inquiries are 99% of the time from clients on a tighter budget. They are either throwing an event together in a short period of time, or booking a DJ was low on their priority level. Any one looking to spend $2,950+ on a DJ is going to be booking at a minimum 7-8 months out, and likely over 12 months out.

To me, "last minute" is certainly not 6 months out, or even 4 months out. 4 months out, and I believe I still have time to book a wedding on an open Saturday still, although it's starting to become slim as time marches on. Last minute to me is under 30 days, and 30 to 60 days I don't call it "last minute", but I certainly call it a late booking and from a booking/selling stand point will consider it my last chance to book whatever date they are looking to book me on if I am open, and want to work that day.
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In the end yes, I give discounts, but it's all within reason. Would I take a wedding for 40-50% off, absolutely not... and not because of my reputation, but simply because it makes no financial sense to add numerous low yielding events. Despite this being my full time job and knowing I may not book that exact date again, I'll still have other opportunities to hit my goal of 60 events a year. That's what I think is different about my business model, compared to others who just book book book without a strategy. I know the exact number of events I need and the avg ticket price to hit my financial goals for the year. I know how many leads I trend (close to 200) and I know what the makeup of my events I do each year is so I know what to expect. I don't need to book every date possible, or every event that comes in. Once I hit my goal, everything else is just a bonus if I want it and I am totally fine with also saying no, even if they pay full price. For example, I already have 9 weddings for October and I have surpassed my goal of 60 for 2024. Despite having a few friday's open in October, I am not open to taking them regardless of price, as I feel personally maxed out for October.
 
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djtaso said:
In the end yes, I give discounts, but it's all within reason. Would I take a wedding for 40-50% off, absolutely not... and not because of my reputation, but simply because it makes no financial sense to add numerous low yielding events. Despite this being my full time job and knowing I may not book that exact date again, I'll still have other opportunities to hit my goal of 60 events a year. That's what I think is different about my business model, compared to others who just book book book without a strategy. I know the exact number of events I need and the avg ticket price to hit my financial goals for the year. I know how many leads I trend (close to 200) and I know what the makeup of my events I do each year is so I know what to expect. I don't need to book every date possible, or every event that comes in. Once I hit my goal, everything else is just a bonus if I want it and I am totally fine with also saying no, even if they pay full price. For example, I already have 9 weddings for October and I have surpassed my goal of 60 for 2024. Despite having a few friday's open in October, I am not open to taking them regardless of price, as I feel personally maxed out for October.
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It's all about getting you proper rest and having time to do what you like to do. Also you have to spend time with your family so they are not feeling left out.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
It's all about getting you proper rest and having time to do what you like to do. Also you have to spend time with your family so they are not feeling left out.
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Mix, this is about budgeting both time and money
How many $$$ do you need to earn next year at an average of $2500 per gig how many do you have to do to meet that goal.

This is the very first step in business planning, I know the concept is hard for you to grasp, but it would make your life much less chaotic
 
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The most significant take-away in this thread is people's inability to scale their services. If the equation is X events per year at $Y that's the purview of a speculator not a businessman.

A lot of this owes to excessive reliance on products rather than unique expertise, meaning we we are really trying to book novelties - everything from chocolate fountains to spark machines, and as it was in Oz, it might not really matter very much who's behind the curtain as long as the flames are big and the noises are loud.
 
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Proformance said:
The most significant take-away in this thread is people's inability to scale their services. If the equation is X events per year at $Y that's the purview of a speculator not a businessman.

A lot of this owes to excessive reliance on products rather than unique expertise, meaning we we are really trying to book novelties - everything from chocolate fountains to spark machines, and as it was in Oz, it might not really matter very much who's behind the curtain as long as the flames are big and the noise is loud.
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Not everyone want to get into full production services like you do or may not have the population to invest in those services , my area is extremely rural, the closest town with more and a few thousand people is 60 miles away. I have great respect for what you do but that’s not what everyone else wants to or should do
 
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Proformance said:
The most significant take-away in this thread is people's inability to scale their services. If the equation is X events per year at $Y that's the purview of a speculator not a businessman.

A lot of this owes to excessive reliance on products rather than unique expertise, meaning we we are really trying to book novelties - everything from chocolate fountains to spark machines, and as it was in Oz, it might not really matter very much who's behind the curtain as long as the flames are big and the noise is loud.
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I don't know who you deal with mostly, but my clientele cares VERY much about "whose behind the curtain", and to them, the add-ons are secondary. The dj is everything to them. I do not push add-ons. If you've ever spied in on how I operate, you'll notice that beyond listing the options on my pricing sheets, I don't ever discuss or bring up "novelties" unless the couple themselves brings it up. When you say "Excessive" reliance on add ons... the add-ons are less than 25% of my avg ticket price.

I do know my numbers, and I do know my trends. That's undeniable, and a good businessperson can make certain decisions based on that information. Such as knowing I only need X events a year to hit my goals, and that's because based on data, the avg client spends Y on me. A lot of other dj's don't know their numbers and are quick to book anything or negotiatie to get the date filled. They're also the ones, if doing this full time, ending up djing 100+ days a year or have difficulty doing this full time. I think that's what goes to the heart of the conversation that came about.
 
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djtaso said:
I don't know who you deal with mostly, but my clientele cares VERY much about "whose behind the curtain", and to them, the add-ons are secondary. The dj is everything to them. I do not push add-ons. If you've ever spied in on how I operate, you'll notice that beyond listing the options on my pricing sheets, I don't ever discuss or bring up "novelties" unless the couple themselves brings it up. When you say "Excessive" reliance on add ons... the add-ons are less than 25% of my avg ticket price.

I do know my numbers, and I do know my trends. That's undeniable, and a good businessperson can make certain decisions based on that information. Such as knowing I only need X events a year to hit my goals, and that's because based on data, the avg client spends Y on me. A lot of other dj's don't know their numbers and are quick to book anything or negotiatie to get the date filled. They're also the ones, if doing this full time, ending up djing 100+ days a year or have difficulty doing this full time. I think that's what goes to the heart of the conversation that came about.
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I 100% agree with this I was the guy doing 3-4 gigs a week for years $200 bar gigs cheap weddings whatever came my way, one day I realized how many weddings I was turning down because I was booked at some cheap gig, I refocused and rather quickly raised my price over a couple years, in less two years I went from 150ish gigs a year to about 40 and made more money, i realized people would pay for me because they appreciated what I did, it had zero to do with gear or fancy extras
 
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tunes4046 said:
Not everyone want to get into full production services like you do or may not have the population to invest in those services , my area is extremely rural, the closest town with more and a few thousand people is 60 miles away. I have great respect for what you do but that’s not what everyone else wants to or should do
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You said a mouth full there.
 
tunes4046 said:
Not everyone want to get into full production services like you do or may not have the population to invest in those services , my area is extremely rural, the closest town with more and a few thousand people is 60 miles away. I have great respect for what you do but that’s not what everyone else wants to or should do
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It's not about 'production' and what many DJs do today is not a production - it's just products, and highly imitative - one DJ copying the next.
DJing isn't much of an art today - it's more like the midway at the fair.
 
djtaso said:
Despite this being my full time job and knowing I may not book that exact date again, I'll still have other opportunities to hit my goal of 60 events a year. That's what I think is different about my business model, compared to others who just book book book without a strategy.
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60 gigs is not a business. It's a job.
At barely more than one day a week this is what most DJs do, and the ticket price is kind of irrelevant in the scarcity of recurrence.

A business is something that continues to operate in our absence. An entertainment agency is an example of a business - selling fulfillment services. A business operates and generates income irrespective of any one person's availability.

tunes4046 said:
. . everyone may not have the population to invest in those services , my area is extremely rural, the closest town with more and a few thousand people is 60 miles away.
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A business chooses location based on a target customer. A job is what we book when we let a given location define what we sell.

There's nothing wrong with having a job as a DJ, but a lack of honesty about these distinctions is what lands so many in hot water.
 
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Proformance said:
60 gigs is not a business. It's a job.
At barely more than one day a week this is what most DJs do, and the ticket price is kind of irrelevant in the scarcity of recurrence.

A business is something that continues to operate in our absence. An entertainment agency is an example of a business - selling fulfilling services. A business operates and generates income irrespective of any one person's availability.


A business chooses location based on a target customer. A job is what we book when we let a given location define what we sell.

There's nothing wrong with having a job as a DJ, but a lack of honesty about these distinctions is what lands so many in hot water.
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Fair enough, it is a job if you want to define it as such... but it's still a business (of which you can say I'm an employee of both legally and by your definition) and therefore I still have to operate it successfully (profitable and to the level where it provides for the lifestyle I want).
 
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Bob I disagree with you saying DJ's being copy cats. Some might be that. I myself think of myself as having my own style. Now there are events where you may have to play the same music for a particular event depending on what the client and their guests want. Some events I get to be more creative and not have to play the same standard stuff. I can stretch beyond playing what I call the standard stuff. Those are the ones for me are most fun.

After doing this for a while and seeing what others did I eventually developed my own style. Now before I take a beating I don't just decide at an event to do my own thing. If the event requires that I stick with playing what I call the standard stuff, then that's what I will do.

Do keep in mind different regions are used to different types of music. So what will work in one area may not work in another area. You get to understand these things as you gain experience at doing events.

When I first became a DJ I went to Club Zanzibar and listened to Larry Paterson and Tony Humphreys play. I would buy the same records they played and mix it this same way they did. After a while once I got comfortable enough with what I was doing, I developed my own style.

Let me ask this question. This is for the entire group here. Who taught you how to DJ?
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Bob I disagree with you saying DJ's being copy cats.
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Yet, the job itself is to play the music of other performers. :)

One of my past customers sums it up nicely. She showed me pictures of what she wanted at her event and said:

"These are from the Bat Mitzvah my friend did for her daughter. I want this to be exactky like that, but it can't look like that because my friend will be there and I don't want her to know I'm copying her event."​

This is pretty much what drives the DJ business. It used to be the unspoken part. Now the internet and social media make it the norm. Even here - people's demand for pictures and the effort put into copying other DJs are the norm. "Trend" is really just a polite term for copy.

When it comes to the issue of prices - this is important becasue when "trendy" is what we sell we are not really in control of our cost because we are in constant pursuit of a moving target. We are moving that target ourselves and can easily lose awareness of what we really want from our work. The price itself becomes a hallmark of whether we are trendy enough.

The choices in this 'survey' all share the same level of self-reflection and condescension and fail to ask the most basic question: "What is the customer really asking for?" If we are selling a package - then it's not the customer's expectations that limit us. It is our own narrow choices. If you've ever played skee-ball then you know just how hard it is to get things to roll exactly into the hole you want. This is not how I approach events. Most prospects have a goal - and preferences. I like to start with a blank slate instead of hurdles and then see where it leads.
 
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tunes4046 said:
I was the guy doing 3-4 gigs a week for years $200 bar gigs cheap weddings whatever came my way, one day I realized how many weddings I was turning down because I was booked at some cheap gig, I refocused and rather quickly raised my price over a couple years, in less two years I went from 150ish gigs a year to about 40 and made more money, i realized people would pay for me because they appreciated what I did, it had zero to do with gear or fancy extras
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The poll isn't asking what kind of gig we want to do, or even how much we charge. WHERE and WHO we work for is far more important than what we charge. Bar Bar gigs don't lead to anything else. The regulars who sing our praises are probably never going to need a DJ.

I also would never do a regular bar gig at a venue that didn't already have an installed dancefloor and permament sound and light system. If entertainmnet is not part of their venue plan then why would I make their venue part of mine?

We can phish the internet waiting for the big payday events but, we'll also have to spend quite a bit of time traveling to various locations sometimes hours away. I'd rather be seen and known locally and maximize my time doing the things that generate more business. Even if we feel we are being compensated for travel we are sacrificing the active demostration of our talents to other prospects while we travel.

There's far more to a business plan than the price tag and this poll completely misses that reality. When I consider a gig - the most impotrnat factor for me is continuity. What comes next and how will that happen? How do I expand in my own territory?
 
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Proformance said:
The poll isn't asking what kind of gig we want to do, or even how much we charge. WHERE and WHO we work for is far more important than what we charge. Bar Bar gigs don't lead to anything else. The regulars who sing our praises are probably never going to need a DJ.

I also would never do a regular bar gig at a venue that didn't already have an installed dancefloor and permament sound and light system. If entertainmnet is not part of their venue plan then why would I make their venue part of mine?

We can phish the internet waiting for the big payday events but, we'll also have to spend quite a bit of time traveling to various locations sometimes hours away. I'd rather be seen and known locally and maximize my time doing the things that generate more business. Even if we feel we are being compensated for travel we are sacrificing the active demostration of our talents to other prospects while we travel.

There's far more to a business plan than the price tag and this poll completely misses that reality. When I consider a gig - the most impotrnat factor for me is continuity. What comes next and how will that happen? How do I expand in my
Click to expand...

Locally there are 2700 people in my town I have to travel for events, there are no bars within a 40 mile radius of me that have installed sound and lighting systems. As intelligent as you seem to be you seem to have a hard time grasping how things may be outside of a larger metropolitan area
 
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Not every event is going to be exactly the same. Some events might be 4 hours and another event 5 hours. The Music for the 4 hour event might be different from the 5 hour event. Both events can have 2 separate crowds wanting a DJ to do 2 separate things. Bob let me ask you this question. What separates you from another DJ and I'm not talking price.
 
tunes4046 said:
Locally there are 2700 people in my town I have to travel for events, there are no bars within a 40 mile radius of me that have installed sound and lighting systems. As intelligent as you seem to be you seem to have a hard time grasping how things may be outside of a larger metropolitan area
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Agreed it's the same here. My area is larger,100,000 spread out over quite a distance, but it's not unusual to travel 2-3 hours one way for a gig. There have been some weeks I leave home Wednesday Morning and don't return until Sunday because everything is on the road and easier to stay somewhere in between than travel home and back
 
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Bottom line what's working for you? Why are you successful and where do you need to improve? I will chime in later.
 
tunes4046 said:
Locally there are 2700 people in my town I have to travel for events, there are no bars within a 40 mile radius of me that have installed sound and lighting systems. As intelligent as you seem to be you seem to have a hard time grasping how things may be outside of a larger metropolitan area
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On the contrary.
I fully grasp that the decision to operate as you do, where you are, was your own.
 
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