How many uplights?

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DJ Forbes

DJ Forbes

DJ Extraordinaire
Jul 30, 2021
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So this question is for the fellow smaller, mobile DJ's out there. How many uplights do you keep in your stock? I've just started purchasing mine, and am wondering what is a "good number"? I know there is no magic number, unless you know ahead of time every venue you will ever play. It's always better to have a few extra than not enough. However, at the same time, there other things that are needed as well for my business, so I want to spend wisely. So what do you think? 8? 12? 16?
 
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LittleTreeGuy said:
So this question is for the fellow smaller, mobile DJ's out there. How many uplights do you keep in your stock? I've just started purchasing mine, and am wondering what is a "good number"? I know there is no magic number, unless you know ahead of time every venue you will ever play. It's always better to have a few extra than not enough. However, at the same time, there other things that are needed as well for my business, so I want to spend wisely. So what do you think? 8? 12? 16?
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It depends on the size of venues that you do and what kind of experience do you want to create for your clients.

Lets start with the experience... are you looking to create an immersion of color or simply just an accent. An immersion of color requires many more uplights to create. I use the example below that I attached to show the difference between "immersion" and accent.

Then the next part is the size of the venue... venues that HOLD 200+, will require many more uplights, even if there only 100 people in attendance... a venue that holds 100... not as many.

With that said, I look to create an immersion, but I also deal with venues that hold 400+... therefore I have an inventory of 40 uplights. MOST of my events for events between 100-200 I typically use between 25-30 uplights. This does not include lights for my setup or lighting the towers.

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There's no right answer; it depends where your events are, how big the room is and whether you want things to be good enough or mind-blowing.

I used to think I needed 60, so I needlessly bought 60. The most I've ever needed was about 30, at a big fundraising event. The venue I play at most frequently only needs 12 in the ballroom.
 
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I have 13 wireless Up Lights, 12 wired up lights, and 3 bar lights. So, I have a total of 28 lights currently. I would have 30, but one of my chinese wireless up lights bit the dust, and one of my wired ones is malfunctioning pretty bad.

I most often sell 12 wireless up lights to my clients with 20 up lights being the 2nd most popular need. The minimum amount of lights I will bring out is 8.

I would say that you need to at least have 12 to get going, and preferably all wireless. Less than 12 only makes since in a small room, or if you are lighting only a head table or a pergola/gazebo for night time pictures that the couple wants to have done.
 
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My arsenal has forty RGB wireless battery driven white fixtures and four RGB color bars. While uplighting walls is so very cool, placing a single light centered under skirted tables is double-down cool, or at least the head table.
 
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Let me suggest they are nice to have. Yet you want to know that clients will pay you the price you want to provide them.
 
tunes4046 said:
That’s really up to the individual to learn how to market them to the target audience properly
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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.
 
At the closing phases of the covid pandemic, I have pretty much decided to reduce inventory and sell my photo booth and my uplights.

It couldn't have been one week after making that decision that without even trying, four events ask me if I had photo booths and uplights which I said I did and they all booked them.

(Qualifiers: uplights are $20/fixture and Photobooth is $700.00)


It seems to matter less on how well I market them, for me, fate and luck are my best allies.
 
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Cap Capello said:
At the closing phases of the covid pandemic, I have pretty much decided to reduce inventory and sell my photo booth and my uplights.

It couldn't have been one week after making that decision that without even trying, four events ask me if I had photo booths and uplights which I said I did and they all booked them.

(Qualifiers: uplights are $20/fixture and Photobooth is $700.00)


It seems to matter less on how well I market them, for me, fate and luck are my best allies.
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No that's not right. Clients pay for things they believe is worth it. Non of us pay for something we feel is not worth it. Also it's a matter how good a sales person you are. Also it's about knowing what to with those things.
 
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You're treading on some thin ice with me, Mix. Your preachy condescending tone goes way beyond normal personal and professional boundaries.

I will continue to pray for you daily so that whatever treatment you're on, successfully works to get your levels to zero.
 
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Cap Capello said:
You're treading on some thin ice with me, Mix. Your preachy condescending tone goes way beyond normal personal and professional boundaries.

I will continue to pray for you daily so that whatever treatment you're on, successfully works to get your levels to zero.
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You have to forgive Mixxy for he doesn't know the players . you are a true professional , knowledgeable & patients person Cap .😃
 
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sonic-vision said:
You have to forgive Mixxy for he doesn't know the players . you are a true professional , knowledgeable & patients person Cap .😃
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No that was not directed solely at Cap. Little Tree Guy is asking about uplights. One big part is having really good uplights. They can get to be expensive. Especially when buying 10 or more. It's nice to have them. It's all about not just having them. It's about having clients who will want you to provide them and will they pay for you to provide them. I love Cap's ideal of charging $20 per fixture.
 
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Thanks all. The general consensus seems to be, have a few more than you'll need. LOL. I'll buy them as I can afford them. I'll likely try to stay in multiples of 4 or 6, just for ease of inexpensive storage solutions I have found.

I market myself much different than any of the DJ's around me and it's actually working out even better than I first expected. Why? I have been asking potential clients as well as clients who had recently hired a DJ to get their feedback on what they liked didn't like. For my area, and for the audiences I'm targeting, my more simple approach is working. To each their own on the marketing side. You have to go with what works for you and what you feel is the best solution for the business you want to run. I love being able to share business ideas, but at the end of the day, you have to be respectful of what others choose to do whether it makes sense to you or whether you like it or not.
 
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LittleTreeGuy said:
Thanks all. The general consensus seems to be, have a few more than you'll need. LOL. I'll buy them as I can afford them. I'll likely try to stay in multiples of 4 or 6, just for ease of inexpensive storage solutions I have found.

I market myself much different than any of the DJ's around me and it's actually working out even better than I first expected. Why? I have been asking potential clients as well as clients who had recently hired a DJ to get their feedback on what they liked didn't like. For my area, and for the audiences I'm targeting, my more simple approach is working. To each their own on the marketing side. You have to go with what works for you and what you feel is the best solution for the business you want to run. I love being able to share business ideas, but at the end of the day, you have to be respectful of what others choose to do whether it makes sense to you or whether you like it or not.
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So what do you do that you think is "different", especially after hearing others feedback on their experiences (not being sarcastic, genuinely asking for purpose of discussion).
 
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