Kevin Nichols - How long?

rickryan.com said:

That is a tough spot. About the thing you can do is a couple of kids to help u break down and get ur stuff out the door. I can't see it as a valid reason to not offer uplighting. I would estimate lighting added $15k to my pocket last year.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

Click to expand...

I understand what you are saying about extra money for up lighting but as of today i haven't had a bride to be ask me for it, and in my general area (30-50 miles) to try to sell up lighting would be hard to do in this area, they want champagne with the beer pocket book

redhotdj said:

I understand what you are saying about extra money for up lighting but as of today i haven't had a bride to be ask me for it, and in my general area (30-50 miles) to try to sell up lighting would be hard to do in this area, they want champagne with the beer pocket book

Click to expand...

What you say is more often than not true. You need to look at the various venues and determine if there is one or two that cater to medium to high-end weddings. If so, then those clients are more likely to want up-lighting. But, for everyday gigs I wouldn't buy the powered units.

rickryan.com said:

Red, when I bought my first set of lights I was fetching $400-$500 for a wedding gig. At the time, I thought I was charging average prices and was skeptical whether uplighting would be a boon or bust. Uplighting is what got me over the $1k hurdle and this season I've already landed my first above-$3k gig (2 year time period). My suggestion, get 10 fixtures and ask a bride or two to let you add it on, in exchange for promo shots and a testimonial. You're talking less than a grand outlay and I'm willing to bet it will help you find out some of those budgets aren't quite as tight as they're telling you. I'm telling you, within a few meetings where you sit down with a bride and show them the shots, they'll be falling all over themselves to talk daddy into more money.

Click to expand...

thanks for your input and i will look into a bit more, hey who doesn't want to make more money

redhotdj said:

thanks for your input and i will look into a bit more, hey who doesn't want to make more money

Click to expand...

There are two higher end venues within a mile of me -- they both have their own lighting installed. How can a DJ upsell, when it's already included in the venue price...?

They have fine draperies, uplighting, and decent sound systems.

Perhaps if yer working in tents, it might make sense -- but I can't see it as an upsell in a quality venue...

SoftJock Rick said:

There are two higher end venues within a mile of me -- they both have their own lighting installed. How can a DJ upsell, when it's already included in the venue price...?

They have fine draperies, uplighting, and decent sound systems.

Perhaps if yer working in tents, it might make sense -- but I can't see it as an upsell in a quality venue...

Click to expand...

this is so very true

Red, what RickRyan is advocating is definitely worth it. However, you are the only one who can determine the expense of your initial cash outlay.
Two years ago, I purchased up-lighting that could be used as either dance floor lighting (similar to 4-Bar) or room up-lighting. At least they were making me some extra cash as an add-on for dances and parties. Then I got my first real up-lighting gig. Took the lights to the venue and set them up and discovered they were not bright enough for the room. Lesson learned: Buy the brightest or next brightest lights first. That gig was done for a minimal up-light charge because I wanted to get the gig and have pictures to show of the venue....so others would see and would be willing to part with extra cash. Throughout the past two years I have added more of the higher intensity lights to match those that I already had. Word to the wise...buy more lights when you do than you are planning to use. Why? Because they become obsolete so fast! Fortunately, the same supplier had an upgrade that was a tiny bit brighter that played well with the older ones that became "discontinued."

Now we are at another crossroads, too. Do we go battery-powered and wireless or continue with the non-battery units. That's a choice you will have to make. We've all seen the introduction of wireless and battery units; more suppliers are surely to come into the market place with variations...and down the road, those earlier models will be discontinued, too.

Back to the upselling of wall up-lights. At a recent meeting, light demo at the venue the Bride optioned for the additional light package that I had quoted previously. She and her fiance were not sure if the extra lights would be worth the money. Enter light consultation and demonstration. Her color was not a standard color. I set out about 6-8 lights with different variations of the color she had shown me. I also added lights to the other area that we had discussed and that she was not sure of spending the extra money. To make this story shorter, she was exstatic with the entire demo and authorized the additional lighting package to her existing up-lighting quote. Bottom Line--they have to see it to believe it. Photos will do the same, but not like when the Bride see's the colors in the room at the venue where she as booked the wedding. Which reminds me...I need to add in a Lighting Consultation and Demonstration Fee whenever room up-lighting is requested.

Hope my little story has helped you make an informed decision on which road to travel because you are definitely at a crossroad of sorts.

---------------------------------

Softjock Rick...you are correct. Not every venue has their own up-lighting, however.

TwinSpinDJ said:

Softjock Rick...you are correct. Not every venue has their own up-lighting, however.

Click to expand...

I think it depends on where you are Art. I'm either in NY or S. FL. Most of these places are very upscale, and include just about anything you could imagine. It's not cheap, but you have one bill to worry about, and vendors you don't have to deal with.

TwinSpinDJ said:

Red, what RickRyan is advocating is definitely worth it. However, you are the only one who can determine the expense of your initial cash outlay.
Two years ago, I purchased up-lighting that could be used as either dance floor lighting (similar to 4-Bar) or room up-lighting. At least they were making me some extra cash as an add-on for dances and parties. Then I got my first real up-lighting gig. Took the lights to the venue and set them up and discovered they were not bright enough for the room. Lesson learned: Buy the brightest or next brightest lights first. That gig was done for a minimal up-light charge because I wanted to get the gig and have pictures to show of the venue....so others would see and would be willing to part with extra cash. Throughout the past two years I have added more of the higher intensity lights to match those that I already had. Word to the wise...buy more lights when you do than you are planning to use. Why? Because they become obsolete so fast! Fortunately, the same supplier had an upgrade that was a tiny bit brighter that played well with the older ones that became "discontinued."

Now we are at another crossroads, too. Do we go battery-powered and wireless or continue with the non-battery units. That's a choice you will have to make. We've all seen the introduction of wireless and battery units; more suppliers are surely to come into the market place with variations...and down the road, those earlier models will be discontinued, too.

Back to the upselling of wall up-lights. At a recent meeting, light demo at the venue the Bride optioned for the additional light package that I had quoted previously. She and her fiance were not sure if the extra lights would be worth the money. Enter light consultation and demonstration. Her color was not a standard color. I set out about 6-8 lights with different variations of the color she had shown me. I also added lights to the other area that we had discussed and that she was not sure of spending the extra money. To make this story shorter, she was exstatic with the entire demo and authorized the additional lighting package to her existing up-lighting quote. Bottom Line--they have to see it to believe it. Photos will do the same, but not like when the Bride see's the colors in the room at the venue where she as booked the wedding. Which reminds me...I need to add in a Lighting Consultation and Demonstration Fee whenever room up-lighting is requested.

Hope my little story has helped you make an informed decision on which road to travel because you are definitely at a crossroad of sorts.

---------------------------------

Softjock Rick...you are correct. Not every venue has their own up-lighting, however.

Click to expand...

I have a huge light show for schools but to invest 1000.00 for up lighting i don't know

At this place in Houston they use Downlights instead of Uplights. Click on the Slideshow. At The end of each page there are more pages. http://www.thecorinthianhouston.com/imagetour_eve.htm
The Website: http://www.thecorinthianhouston.com/

Offer what the venue doesn't. Table under lighting. Get with the florist and offer to light their foliage. Kinda like this.

Kevin...I recall that photo. Glad you posted. It definitely lends an interesting and elegant visual. Great idea. But, who pays for the table up-lighting? Baker or Bride? Could be an interesting upsell with the right venue setting.

If you do it right, the cake person.....otherwise, include it a few times to get the pics and sell the heck out of it to the brides!

Kevin...just heard about the terrible tornado that hit some small town in GA. You and others in GA be safe. We've been getting Tornado Watch warnings across the TV screen...guess I keep my cellphone next to the bed tonight. Verizon alerts if a Tornado is close by my zip code. Be safe.

Thanks, Art. We had maybe 30 minutes of rain. Still pretty windy. I still went out and did karaoke earlier. Just got home. Kinda crazy....it was 70 when I went to bed last night and is 51 now. Will be 39 by morning. No wonder we're all sick!

Kevin Nichols said:

Thanks, Art. We had maybe 30 minutes of rain. Still pretty windy. I still went out and did karaoke earlier. Just got home. Kinda crazy....it was 70 when I went to bed last night and is 51 now. Will be 39 by morning. No wonder we're all sick!

Click to expand...

"Knock on wood" we're not sick, but the weather changing back-n-forth from cold to warm is playing havoc with my vocal cords. Been horse off and on now for over a month. Had a cold spell a week ago and it returned to almost normal, but then it went back up into the mid-70's again and here I am meeting with clients and having to excuse my voice. They all understood.

Again, many thanks for enlightening us all to your lighting expertise. You still making those facade fronts for tables or was that another DJ on the forum?

I haven't made one in at least 4 years. LOL I know Steve Lynch made some for a bit, but he's not making them anymore. I still get people asking questions on youtube about the facades. Since I got divorced, I don't have the space to make them now.

rickryan.com said:

Red, when I bought my first set of lights I was fetching $400-$500 for a wedding gig. At the time, I thought I was charging average prices and was skeptical whether uplighting would be a boon or bust. Uplighting is what got me over the $1k hurdle and this season I've already landed my first above-$3k gig (2 year time period). My suggestion, get 10 fixtures and ask a bride or two to let you add it on, in exchange for promo shots and a testimonial. You're talking less than a grand outlay and I'm willing to bet it will help you find out some of those budgets aren't quite as tight as they're telling you. I'm telling you, within a few meetings where you sit down with a bride and show them the shots, they'll be falling all over themselves to talk daddy into more money.

Click to expand...

+1 Rick!!!

I saw a post by Mr. Lynch talking about his lights and I believe he said $3600 for 12 lights including an ata charging case. Either that or it was $3000 for 10 including the case... If you plug all the IEC connectors in at the end of the night when you are putting them back in the case, then all you have to do is plug in the one AC wire the case when you get back to your home / storage.

Right now I have 18 Slimpar 64's which are great lights. I only run static colors because running DMX cable to connect them all is just too much work since none of the brides want to pay for it. If they are given a CHOICE between a less expensive static color or color changing cable DMX control, they will ALWAYS take the static color. At least this has been the case for me. With that being said, if you have some great video footage like Bob Carpenter of the wireless / battery powered up-lights in action and you only offer ONE PRICE for uplighting, of course they will take it! The trick I think is to first have a good example of your work in action and second to offer ONE PRICE for the add-on, non-negotiable. I have sold quite a few static light packages and clients have been VERY happy because it's an affordable way to enhance the room.

Brides... I just got this in an email today, "A DJ is one of the last things we have to book so we know we don't have any room left in our budget to move around and we just can't afford those prices." It wasn't with regards to me since I am already booked on her date. This bride was complaining about other DJ's pricing in the town where she is hosting her wedding since the DJ's in those areas charge more than those in the big city.