I used to think this was ok but i've had a big change of heart.

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The seperation technique is selling something the majority of the DJs don't.

When doing only 30 events a year can your Reputation really sustain your bookings off of reputation only? I don't think so.
 
Cesar, Tigger, Proformance

I like it all. Good points.

People that know me looking at what I provide and how I serve it up (many venues too) often comment that I'm blowing DJ's out of the water in the range of double my price. In some cases it is clear the more expensive DJ's are doing the "extra work" to get there with length interviews and building a nice "love story" type of thing. Some of them don't.

If I double my rates (or whatever) I feel like my service can compete as is. But I feel like I would have to reshape what I do at least a little bit to compesate BG's who want the most personalized service possible. My concious is pretty happy where it is right now and my time doesn't allow it. I do think I need to get my price up 20% or so and I'd be good with that.

4 weddings at 825
or 2 at $1000...hmm...

Anyway thanks all!
 
Cesar said:
The seperation technique is selling something the majority of the DJs don't.

When doing only 30 events a year can your Reputation really sustain your bookings off of reputation only? I don't think so.
Click to expand...

Your notion of selling something other DJs don't is puffery - because there really isn't anything so unique out there - except excellence. Excellence is all you need to separate your self from the majority. Everyone has flat screen TVs, up-lighting, etc. None of that differentiates anyone.

Reputation is more sustaining than anything else you might have going.
Being on the A-list of vendors at premium venues is free, and far more valuable than any web site or bridal show.

BTW: If you're full time and doing only 30 events a year you are working way below your potential.
 
Bob he claims 200 plus events per year. I went to his website which has a gallery showing only one of his so called 200 venues.
 
Sorry Performance but all DJs don't have big screen tv's or uplighting. I have a friend who doesn't have any lights. Also having those things doesn't mean every client wants that. Some just won't want to spend the money for such things to be at

For those who have such things how many are willing to give those things away for free? I doubt if any are willing to do that. Those things are nice but they don't get used all the time. It's nice to have such things just in case a client wants such things.

There was a time when not one DJ had such things to offer. Things have changed a lot in this business. The question is are you willing to change with the time?
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Sorry Performance but all DJs don't have big screen tv's or uplighting. I have a friend who doesn't have any lights. Also having those things doesn't mean every client wants that. Some just won't want to spend the money for such things to be at

For those who have such things how many are willing to give those things away for free? I doubt if any are willing to do that. Those things are nice but they don't get used all the time. It's nice to have such things just in case a client wants such things.

There was a time when not one DJ had such things to offer. Things have changed a lot in this business. The question is are you willing to change with the time?
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That is what you are missing Mix.....You are exactly right not all DJs have uplighting or LCD TVs but the ones that do are charging alot more than the ones that don't.

Going by what you said in this thread You were charging $250 or whatever you could get for quite some time. You have a conversation with Steve Cie who was charging a Grand and dropped to $750 because of the economy and you feel you should charge at least $750 because you feel by not doing so you are hurting the industry or whatever.

Now take a look at what Steve does compared to what you do. From a quick glance at his website I see a real nice lighted Facade, Moving heads, Uplighting, 2 LCD TVs, and that's just what I can see.

When I see your pictures I don't see any of this. This isn't being critical, I don't do any of those things as a rule either, but that puts you in a different league than Steve. You want to charge the same price for a completly different service?
 
Jeff I was using Steve Cie for an example. I don't have all he has that I can put my hands on when I get home. I joined NJDJN and can have such things provided for an event I'm contracted to do from the members in the association. All I'm looking to do is to get out of the rut I put myself in. Steve gets that $750.00 just for one of his light shows.

I learned what I needed to do from Bob Carpenter and that is increase my rates slowly over period of time. I just wish I had listened to him back then and got my ego out of the way. The NJDJN has some wonderful members that are very professional and I've learned a lot from them. One of the big things like I said before was to stop selling myself short. Quote a potential client a price and don't just cave in because they say they can't afford that much. If they can't afford to spend the price I quoted them then simply let them look for a DJ that is willing to do it for that price. No hard feelings. It's business not personal.
 
My first question when meeting with a potentaial client is "What is your budget for the services you need?" That lets us both know where we stand and if it is worth the time to produce a profit..............If I am not going to profit, why bother. I can have fun at home....but work is work.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Sorry Performance but all DJs don't have big screen tv's or uplighting. I have a friend who doesn't have any lights. Also having those things doesn't mean every client wants that. Some just won't want to spend the money for such things to be at

For those who have such things how many are willing to give those things away for free? I doubt if any are willing to do that. Those things are nice but they don't get used all the time. It's nice to have such things just in case a client wants such things.

There was a time when not one DJ had such things to offer. Things have changed a lot in this business. The question is are you willing to change with the time?
Click to expand...
Mix,
You would be surprised how many DJs give away Lighting just to get the Gig! Some Clients have been spoiled so much that they immediately expect Lighting with the price.
 
funny thing is degrees of lighting are always figured into my quote. All of my packages have some form of light.
 
Jon Tuck said:
funny thing is degrees of lighting are always figured into my quote. All of my packages have some form of light.
Click to expand...
Jon I was not referring to you or folks like you who figure the Lighting cost into the final price. It is to those who have charged one price before they had lighting and the same price after they started offering lighting.

It will seem that they are cheating themselves out of additional revenue!
 
You're so right ahoustondj. Some will just give away lighting as part of the price without figuring how much to charge separately. Some may not know how much to charge for lighting depending on what lighting they are bringing to the event. Myself I can't charge more for lighting because we only have 2 lights right now. So they just automatically get them free of charge.

I just had to learn from one of the members how much to charge for uplighting. $40.00 per fixture and for DMX $45.00. So for 10 lights the cost can be either $400.00 or $450.00. That's almost as much as we're getting paid to do a graduation party this July 7, 2012. The gig is paying $500.00 for 4 1/2 hours. I just can't wait to get pictures of my new setup to add to the website. I myself am excited not to just hear what it will sound like but what it will look like. I bought 2 poles to put into the subs to put the tops on. It should look really hot with the facade.

I'll just will need feed back on how to make this new setup look better once I get some pictures.
 
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