I had some fun on Craigslist...

To many ads? Support ODJT and see no ads!
Bryan Durio said:
Music happens to be my hobby. I happen to be a Disc Jockey. I do other things to make money, but I'm primarily a DJ. So does that make me a hobbyist?
Click to expand...

OK, let's find out.

Do you only diddle with your gear in the bedroom?

Do you only get paid in beer for your DJ work?

Do you DJ for nothing all the time?

Do your clients only pay you with food at the events you DJ?

If you can answer yes to any or all of these questions then you are a hobbyist.
 
Do you only diddle with your gear in the bedroom?

No, my home audio gear is in the living room, and I store my DJ gear in the garage.

Do you only get paid in beer for your DJ work?

Not lately!

Do you DJ for nothing all the time?

I stopped volunteering years ago.

Do your clients only pay you with food at the events you DJ?

I never eat when I work. I consider it gauche. I don't even take food home from events!

Now, do I win a prize?
 
Do you only diddle with your gear in the bedroom?

No, my home audio gear is in the living room, and I store my DJ gear in the garage.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, so you don't care enough about your customer/client, to store your equipment where you sleep! Hobbyist!


Do you only get paid in beer for your DJ work?

Not lately!
Click to expand...

That's my market -- you folks stay out of it, before I call Cousin Vinnie (and yes, I do have one of 'those') :)


Do you DJ for nothing all the time?

I stopped volunteering years ago.
Click to expand...

See above :)

Do your clients only pay you with food at the events you DJ?

I never eat when I work. I consider it gauche. I don't even take food home from events!
Click to expand...

I take anything offered -- it's an Italian thing ;)


Now, do I win a prize?
Click to expand...

No. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

You are simply a machine, that cannot be dynamic enough to get outside your own rut :)

Being a true full time/professional anything, requires you to take into account the dynamics of your client/customer; changing needs on your/their parts; and the simple fact of life, that when one needs to eat, they will do anything, including destroying an inflated ego to do so.


Frankly speaking (hope nobody minds) -- But the folks that keep harping on F/T, Hobby, Pro, et. al., are apparently all the above, otherwise they'd be busy working, and wouldn't have time to BS about it!


Just the ever-so-humble opinion of a hobby programmer :sqbiggrin: :sqwink:
 
Explain This:

GoodKnightDJ said:
I am a part-time DJ, I don't need the DJ work to provide a liveable wage, and I am going to use that as a marketing tool; that is, I tell potential clients that the reason why I can provide a lower price is because I am part-time and don't need the liveable wage from DJing. I also tell potential clients that we don't skimp on service and will meet their needs, many times better than the so-called full timers do.
Click to expand...

Tom-

I know you're a good guy, so don't go ballistic on me, but please explain why the above statement is OK and Tyrone's satirical parody on Craigslist is not.

What's the difference between a full-timer and a "so-called full-timer"? What exactly is fair and what is unfair? :sqconfused:

I have never had a client who cared about anything other than a great time and excellent service, everybody here delivers that, right?

If you and I are competing on a job, is it fair for me to say that I do a better job than you because I have to, since I have to make a livable wage? Does anyone seriously think the client cares?

Does anyone really think that pointing out that a certain DJ can provide a lower price is because of being part-time and not needing a liveable wage from DJing is going to make them hire you? Would they hire you and stay with you because of that comment or in spite of it?

Rick H
 
rictrax said:
Tom-

I know you're a good guy, so don't go ballistic on me, but please explain why the above statement is OK and Tyrone's satirical parody on Craigslist is not.
Click to expand...

Not planning to.

The difference is that I've never really had to do that. Most clients don't care if any DJ is part time or full time because it really doesn't impact them.

Here's what I put in my FAQ for the world to see:

[QUOTE]
Are You Full Time Or Part Time? We have both full time and part time DJs working with us. But honestly, as long as the service can deliver your expectations, it should not matter if they are full time or part time.

We promise that we will meet your expectations and give you quality entertainment at an affordable price. [/QUOTE]

What Larry wrote was out in the public and equated part time DJs to hobbyists.

rictrax said:
What's the difference between a full-timer and a "so-called full-timer"? What exactly is fair and what is unfair? :sqconfused:
Click to expand...

A full timer is a DJ that does nothing else but DJ. A so-called full timer (Sorry Bryan) is a DJ that says he is a full time DJ but has other lines of income. A DJ that also calls himself an author and a comedian (yeah, other DJs laugh at him) comes to mind right here.

rictrax said:
I have never had a client who cared about anything other than a great time and excellent service, everybody here delivers that, right?

If you and I are competing on a job, is it fair for me to say that I do a better job than you because I have to, since I have to make a livable wage? Does anyone seriously think the client cares?
Click to expand...

I only had one that really cared. I asked her why. She said I may need to call you during the day. I asked her if she was at work during the day and she said she was. I then asked her if she really could phone her DJ during the day and she said probably not. I then said, so the chances are of you calling your DJ during the day are slim to none and Slim left town. We had a good laugh and then she signed the contract.

The other fact of the matter is, even full time (and so-called full time) DJs work during the day. Suppose that full time DJ is meeting with a client and another one calls, will you take that call or call back?

rictrax said:
Does anyone really think that pointing out that a certain DJ can provide a lower price is because of being part-time and not needing a liveable wage from DJing is going to make them hire you? Would they hire you and stay with you because of that comment or in spite of it?

Rick H
Click to expand...

I have had clients ask me about my pricing and they pointed to a full time company. I simply said that that full timer has more overhead than I do. Most of the time that is as far as I need to go but some have asked for further explanation so I have explained it.

I don't go out of my way to explain these things but if people ask, I tell them.
 
I am not going to take the time to sift through all of the rubbish and useless post that are in this thread but here is my take on what I did read.....

Tyrone, I liked it and much like Kevin, I too would like to use it.


Tom, I feel the same way you do about all the crap that we have to take just because we work a day job and are considered hobbist.

Here is how I get past it.

Once I became a tax paying business, the US Government says that I am NOT a hobbist. Just ask my CPA.

I put in an average of 25-35 hours into each event. This does not include the 18 hours a day that I am available for my clients or the daily research of the DJ forums and equipment to better my business.

Do I work a day job....YES
Am I a hobbist....NO
Am I part-time....NOT EVEN CLOSE
 
Tom-

Thanks for the thoughtful answers.

Continuing, some well taken and well made points, interesting one about the author/comedian.

I, for example, dabble in the theatrical arts, taking acting seminars, but mostly as a way to improve my DJ performance as well as to expand my skills for more forays into the children's market.

For the experience, I also took on a role last winter in a theater production of the Odd Couple,. It cost me a couple of DJ jobs due to the schedule.

I've also considered writing a very brief book about weddings that would be geared more to the just starting out DJ. 80 pages or less.

So where does that put me in your FT-PT analysis. Am I a "so-called" full-timer like the analysis with Bryan or am I a regular full-timer?

If I write a book or begin a series of seminars that are geared to brides and it brings me more business because of it, am I less a full-time DJ than I was before?

So this is on your site:
[QUOTE]
Are You Full Time Or Part Time? We have both full time and part time DJs working with us. But honestly, as long as the service can deliver your expectations, it should not matter if they are full time or part time.

We promise that we will meet your expectations and give you quality entertainment at an affordable price. [/quote]

Curious as to why you bring up the issue on the site?
GoodKnightDJ said:
I am a part-time DJ, I don't need the DJ work to provide a liveable wage, and I am going to use that as a marketing tool; that is, I tell potential clients that the reason why I can provide a lower price is because I am part-time and don't need the liveable wage from DJing. I also tell potential clients that we don't skimp on service and will meet their needs, many times better than the so-called full timers do.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I still fail to see the difference between your quoted statement and Tyrone's hilarious parody, as I don't think Tyrone intended to get anyone other than low-ball DJs attention. Surely he realizes that real clients don't look on Craigslist (Beech, Rick's right...you ain't missin' nothin'). Agree to disagree on that one.

Thank you, sir!

Rick
 
Hi everyone,

I’d like to start by saying I’m Hispanic… OK, now that that’s out of the way, I would like to mention that Craig list is a good tool, when and if you know how to use it. I’ve gotten gigs out of it and if I may comment, not by using satire comments, but by being honest.

The moment you, us, them or I start to put other dj’s down, the author of the message becomes ONE more of the thousands who advertise there, do you know why?

Very simple, because almost each and every single one of them feel the need to put other dj’s down, in order to come up. Like the Napoleon Complex.

“In the fields of psychology and psychoanalysis, Napoleon complex is a colloquial term used to describe a type of inferiority complex suffered by people who are short. Alfred Adler pioneered the psychological work on inferiority complexes, and used Napoléon Bonaparte as an example of someone who he thought was driven to extremes by a psychological need to compensate for what he saw as a handicap: his small stature.”

Now I understand Tyrone did it in a form of satire writing, maybe he did get business out of his post, was that his ulterior motive? We don’t know. Did he book any gigs? Maybe. Only he can tell us.

The other side of the coin is that we should not get upset about what other yahoo wants to write, that is something I’ve learned after being a moderator of another forum for five years. It took me a while to learn, but after a while one has to develop a rough skin, and let things just roll over.

A wise man once said: “We can’t prevent birds from flying over our heads, but we can stop them from nesting on it (our head)”

Tom, my humble advice to you is, to let people say what they want, because even though I don’t know Tyrone in person, I know he is a good guy, and I don’t think his intentions were to piss anybody off in this forum.

I was a part-timer for over 22 years, up until this year, 2007 when I was terminated; I am a ‘full time”. Don’t laugh but I am not doing anything different, than last year. I just realized last year I had two full time jobs, that’s all!

So in my humble opinion, Tom and Tyrone, just shake them and forget about it. United we will accomplish much more, than when we start to harbor bad feelings. Again, without knowing you, hopefully in Vegas, maybe the two of you kick my ass over there for being such a big mouth, but you know what… At the end of the day, I hope to share some Margaritas on me.

I would like to propose something to the two of you, which would help ALL OF US, including me, because am a crappy writer. Let’s come up with an honest AD for Craig list based on our honest experience as DJ, and at the bottom we can write: PROUD MEMBERS OF OURDJTALK.

And just to close, please remember that any Dick and Harry can post on Craig list; smart shoppers have to filter all the BS people put there.

Great readin’ ya’ll.

Rig:sqcool:
 
Many interesting responses...

And, thank you to everyone. I didn't expect to turn this into a PT/FT argument... but it did. I'd like to stop that arguement now by saying that I agree with everyone about the merits of part time. I'm part time, and don't have any problems with it.

My "incentive" was to poke fun at the "type" of bride looking at Craigslist for an entertainer for the most memorable moment in her life. By starting my listing with "most expensive" I was putting myself out of competition with everyone else. Therein lies the parody.

I haven't and don't expect to ever receive a call from a prospective bride. In fact, I'm contemplating a reverse ad claiming to be the cheapest DJ and see what happens... but I won't post it here...LOL.

My guess is that any bride to be who's looking for a DJ on Craigslist, is not the sort of customer I want to work for anyhow. I was just killing time and having some fun... sorry if I offended anyone. I was just playing.
 
My Craigslist ad:

Your Event... Your Way... The ONLY Way!

Good Knight Entertainment offers you a quality DJ service at a reasonable price. We are not the most expensive and we are not the least expensive but we promise you that we will go the extra mile to meet or surpass your expectations.

Our service always includes:
- Our 110% money back guarantee.
- Professional DJ sound system.
- A selection of over 45,000 song titles ranging from the 40's to current in all the popular genres.
- A professional DJ/MC.
- An assistant for that DJ to make his/her job of coordinating your event easier.
- A wireless microphone for toasts, blessings, and such.
- Our on-line planning system to help you plan your event.
- Our on-line guest request system to allow your guests to pre-request their music.
- Unlimited consultations at the location you choose.
- A site visit to the venue.
- A finalization meeting thirty days prior to your event to ensure that we have all of the details of your event captured correctly.
- And, our day-of coordination of your event.

We have several packages that range from the basics to others that include music video, video ambiance, and much more.

Before we make a quote on our services, we would like to set up an interview with you at your location to discuss all of our packages. The purpose of the interview is for you to learn a little more about us through our presentation and from some videos we have of our performance and for us to learn about you and learn what your expectations are.

Your expectations are very important to us. We will never take on an event where we feel we cannot meet the expectations of our prospective client.

To set up an appointment, please call us at 410-569-9883.
Click to expand...
 
Tyrone Im with you my friend. However It occured to me thinking back on this thread that on many occasions if I were fulltime and busy the most likely minimal schedule per weekof four gigs to remain a considered fulltimer (even if I didnt even have a paper route on the side) that I would most likely not have the time I have doing one to three gigs per week currently with a fulltime job. I work forty hours a week plus in my day job and I would be willing to say with an avg of four hours per night sleep that I spend nearly the same amount per week on my one to three gigs per week.
My big concern is for those who feel inferior with others making comments when its concerning your comfort zone and work level. As I have said many a time. Im comfortable in my skin even the stretched areas.
 
Tom...

Very nice ad... but I'm afraid that brides are not going to call you without a price listed (I may be wrong, but I don't think so). Your ad sounds TOO professional and expensive.

BTW: I deleted my first ad and put in another... I'm still laughing. :sqlaugh:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back