How many uplights?

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@djtaso - a lot of the guys around me (and a lot I've seen online) may offer packages and also offer a lot of "a la carte" stuff. Everything has a price. Most of the guys around me, for the basic package, you get a dj, music, a set of speakers (tops) and maybe a light fixture (may just be to light up their façade). Things like subs, wireless mics, dance floor lights, uplights, (any dmx'ing), etc are all extra charges.

I decided to keep things simple. I have one package. You get 5 hours of my time, my equipment, my music, dance floor lights, uplights, wireless mics, and professional speakers tops/subs. It's priced at what I feel like is a comparable price in the local market and given my experience level.

In talking with people, they want it to be easy. Don't get me wrong, having conversations and clearly describing and explaining and understanding what they want and what is being offered is crucial. Those I have spoken with all say the same thing - "your way is so much simpler to me, and I understand it". I know 99% of you won't agree with me, and I'm okay with that. This is a hobby for me, not a way to earn a living. I do it because it's fun, and the extra money is a great bonus. For me, personally, I knew my equipment is all an investment. Yes, I hope that it will all pay for itself in time. I just don't see the point in charging extra for things like subs, or wireless mics, or even uplights. I can set out 2 dozen uplights in under a half hour. Yea, I could charge more to cover the cost of them faster, but I'd rather keep the cost to my customers lower and take a little longer to recoup my equipment costs.

Now, if I have a request for a reception in a tiny venue and they don't want to dance or need uplights... I don't lower my price if I don't have to bring lights and subs. Those are fewer and further between.

Like I have said before, IN MY OPINION, every time I set up to play, I consider it an interview for my next gig. I would rather profit a little less for someone who can't afford all the bells and whistles and have a good presentation for the next customer to see. Maybe that makes sense the way I explained it, maybe not.

I live in a very rural area. Big cities are an hour away. If someone wants to pay an experienced scratch dj to play for them, they're not going to hire me anyways. Local guys are pricing themselves in the same market as those larger city DJ's and they ARE still getting some gigs from it. There are, however, still a lot of folks who want a DJ but just can't afford 2k or more for a DJ. I want to be an option for that market. Taso, I'll never be at your level, and I'm not sure I'll ever even try to be. With your abilities and your market, you would obviously be throwing money away to run your own business this way. I may never get far just due to my age.... but if I can have fun, and maybe provide a service to some that otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it, then I'll be happy.
 
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@djtaso - a lot of the guys around me (and a lot I've seen online) may offer packages and also offer a lot of "a la carte" stuff. Everything has a price. Most of the guys around me, for the basic package, you get a dj, music, a set of speakers (tops) and maybe a light fixture (may just be to light up their façade). Things like subs, wireless mics, dance floor lights, uplights, (any dmx'ing), etc are all extra charges.

I decided to keep things simple. I have one package. You get 5 hours of my time, my equipment, my music, dance floor lights, uplights, wireless mics, and professional speakers tops/subs. It's priced at what I feel like is a comparable price in the local market and given my experience level.

In talking with people, they want it to be easy. Don't get me wrong, having conversations and clearly describing and explaining and understanding what they want and what is being offered is crucial. Those I have spoken with all say the same thing - "your way is so much simpler to me, and I understand it". I know 99% of you won't agree with me, and I'm okay with that. This is a hobby for me, not a way to earn a living. I do it because it's fun, and the extra money is a great bonus. For me, personally, I knew my equipment is all an investment. Yes, I hope that it will all pay for itself in time. I just don't see the point in charging extra for things like subs, or wireless mics, or even uplights. I can set out 2 dozen uplights in under a half hour. Yea, I could charge more to cover the cost of them faster, but I'd rather keep the cost to my customers lower and take a little longer to recoup my equipment costs.

Now, if I have a request for a reception in a tiny venue and they don't want to dance or need uplights... I don't lower my price if I don't have to bring lights and subs. Those are fewer and further between.

Like I have said before, IN MY OPINION, every time I set up to play, I consider it an interview for my next gig. I would rather profit a little less for someone who can't afford all the bells and whistles and have a good presentation for the next customer to see. Maybe that makes sense the way I explained it, maybe not.

I live in a very rural area. Big cities are an hour away. If someone wants to pay an experienced scratch dj to play for them, they're not going to hire me anyways. Local guys are pricing themselves in the same market as those larger city DJ's and they ARE still getting some gigs from it. There are, however, still a lot of folks who want a DJ but just can't afford 2k or more for a DJ. I want to be an option for that market. Taso, I'll never be at your level, and I'm not sure I'll ever even try to be. With your abilities and your market, you would obviously be throwing money away to run your own business this way. I may never get far just due to my age.... but if I can have fun, and maybe provide a service to some that otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it, then I'll be happy.
The approach you take is another one that a friend of mine in Boston uses and has great success with. One option, with all items included... the only option he has as "a la carte" is a photobooth... but his main package is cocktail, ceremony, reception sound coverage with uplights and dancefloor lights. In many areas that works... but in some... like in NJ, not so much. We have many venues that have uplighting included, and many couples who get married at churches. But in areas like yours where uplighting is not frequently included by venues, it can work very well, and I agree that many people do prefer a simple and easy approach to things. He just simply raises his total package price when he wants to make more money and doesn't "separate things"... essentially all inclusive. At the same time, he is one of the more expensive options for his area... but his approach never changed... he always did the same all inclusive package, but just kept raising the price for it.
 
Let me say this please. Tire kickers are not likely to pay for a DJ to provide uprights. The people spending say $500 or less are most likely not willing to spend extra money on uprights. Maybe in the beginning you can throw them in so you can get pictures and video of the uprights so people can see what they look like at an event you're doing.
 
Yes if you are a $500 DJ and have no clue or desire to be more than that do not buy up lights. You have much better things to invest in before you consider uplights
 
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@djtaso - a lot of the guys around me (and a lot I've seen online) may offer packages and also offer a lot of "a la carte" stuff. Everything has a price. Most of the guys around me, for the basic package, you get a dj, music, a set of speakers (tops) and maybe a light fixture (may just be to light up their façade). Things like subs, wireless mics, dance floor lights, uplights, (any dmx'ing), etc are all extra charges.

I decided to keep things simple. I have one package. You get 5 hours of my time, my equipment, my music, dance floor lights, uplights, wireless mics, and professional speakers tops/subs. It's priced at what I feel like is a comparable price in the local market and given my experience level.

In talking with people, they want it to be easy. Don't get me wrong, having conversations and clearly describing and explaining and understanding what they want and what is being offered is crucial. Those I have spoken with all say the same thing - "your way is so much simpler to me, and I understand it". I know 99% of you won't agree with me, and I'm okay with that. This is a hobby for me, not a way to earn a living. I do it because it's fun, and the extra money is a great bonus. For me, personally, I knew my equipment is all an investment. Yes, I hope that it will all pay for itself in time. I just don't see the point in charging extra for things like subs, or wireless mics, or even uplights. I can set out 2 dozen uplights in under a half hour. Yea, I could charge more to cover the cost of them faster, but I'd rather keep the cost to my customers lower and take a little longer to recoup my equipment costs.

Now, if I have a request for a reception in a tiny venue and they don't want to dance or need uplights... I don't lower my price if I don't have to bring lights and subs. Those are fewer and further between.

Like I have said before, IN MY OPINION, every time I set up to play, I consider it an interview for my next gig. I would rather profit a little less for someone who can't afford all the bells and whistles and have a good presentation for the next customer to see. Maybe that makes sense the way I explained it, maybe not.

I live in a very rural area. Big cities are an hour away. If someone wants to pay an experienced scratch dj to play for them, they're not going to hire me anyways. Local guys are pricing themselves in the same market as those larger city DJ's and they ARE still getting some gigs from it. There are, however, still a lot of folks who want a DJ but just can't afford 2k or more for a DJ. I want to be an option for that market. Taso, I'll never be at your level, and I'm not sure I'll ever even try to be. With your abilities and your market, you would obviously be throwing money away to run your own business this way. I may never get far just due to my age.... but if I can have fun, and maybe provide a service to some that otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it, then I'll be happy.
your situation sounds very similar to mine, I am very very rural, closest town with more than 5000 people is an hour drive, I am all inclusive and keep a close eye 👁 n the competition that serves the same area, none of them have uplighting except myself, I just converted most of my lighting to Ape Labs gear simply for ease of use, my qualifiers for new gear are
Does it make me more money

Does it make my setup faster easier

Is what I am currently using broken

If the answer to all of the above is no, then it shouldn’t be purchased
 
Let me say first I wasn't putting down Cap. I'm proud of him and the brand he's built. He provided uprights and a photo booth getting paid $900. There are those who don't get paid that much just to DJ an event.

Now I didn't know there are DJs charging extra for a wireless mic. Little Tree Guy how much are they charging in your area?
 
Now I didn't know there are DJs charging extra for a wireless mic. Little Tree Guy how much are they charging in your area?

They sort of tie that into their different package levels, but it comes out to about $150. I will add that the ones I see doing that are out to suck as much money out of the client as possible. Notice I didn't say they are out to earn more money for added services... I understand making money for additional services offered, but there are some folks out there in this business who are trying to suck as much money out of a client as possible just because they are greedy. That's a small percentage, but I've seen it first hand and it's part of the reason I decided to run my shop a little differently.
 
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