Priced out of work...?

Not necessary to put your price on website. When the call comes be ready to ask questions who, what, where, etc. I never quote a price unless I have all the information necessary for me to provide an accurate quote. I always send email with questions that I need answers to before making a quote. You get those who don't want to be bothered to reply in which case they probably aren't my client anyhow.

before posting a full reply... do you have a website, or any info on your business, location, extent of optional services, etc. I've been in your shoes and def can guide you, but wanna check a few things first

Generally speaking, today's brides and grooms expect to see price information on a website. I mean don't you expect to see prices on the website when you buy just about anything on the internet before you purchase?

It does work a bit differently if the customer is directly referred to you by someone with some influence on their decision. They will contact you directly and ask for a price quote. Those inquiries are great because someone spoke highly of you and told them to contact you so the chances are high that they will book.

When it comes to people browing the internet though...They have many, many options and will expect some sort of pricing information. At the very least, give a price range of what a client can expect to pay when booking your service. A bottom price, and a typical maximum price, or a "Pricing for Weddings start at $XXX"


Also, I will say please don't start your prices at $400 or $500 just to get business. DJs were charging $400 to $500 20+ years ago to get business. It doesn't make sense to do that today, yet sadly there are still DJs charging these rates out there today even with the cost of everything rising so rapidly the last two years.

You said you did a few private events yourself. You don't have to tell us here. Just look at how much did you charge to do those private events and why did they book you? That should give you a good judge of where you should go in terms of pricing yourself. Thank the DJs who were willing to let you tag along with them to get a feel of how things should be done. Don't go crazy over you thinking you will be under cutting those DJs who helped you along this journey. You won't be because your aim right now is to do events for people near your area. You told the reason why those other DJs go do events an hour away. It's because those DJs know people in the area you're talking about for the most part won't pay the price they want to do an event. The DJs you're talking about charging that much must have been in business a while and if they are getting work out there for the price they charge, especially if they are getting plenty of work, that would mean they have proven themselves to be worth what they charge. Doing events for a cheaper price in the area you're talking about will not be under cutting those other DJs because you won't be doing events in the same area as them. The people in the area you're talking about are not clients they are willing to work for because most of them won't pay them the price they want clients to pay. Now if you start doing events in areas where they are used to working and doing events for a lot less, then you will be under cutting them. For now work on building your reputation and providing the best service to the clients you serve.

Since you are fairly new to this business I will say this. You can start off at a certain price and it doesn't have to be nearly as much as those other DJs you mentioned charge. Just as you improve and get study work coming in, your prices should increase over time. I made that mistake already for you. I'm curious as to what your website looks like? One thing I learned is that a website should quickly catch a persons attention or they will move on quickly. You want to peak their interest.

Let me add 3 more things. 2 very important things I learned and please no sly comments. One you need to have a good clean setup so it looks polished and professional. I just thought it didn't matter so long as I'm playing great music and people are having a great time. 2 the way you dress for certain events is also very important. That will help out with people agreeing to pay a certain price that you want. Which goes back to looking professional so you can possibly get paid some good money. (which is up to you what you feel that is)

3rd it's nice that you have a bar gig in a small bar. Just watch out because it can come back and hurt you at some point. It can be great as people who come there get to know you and you can get experience at reading a crowd. The down side can be that people who come there will think that you're not being paid a lot to play there. So some may look at you as a cheap desperate DJ looking to just make some money. Just some food for thought.

Be very wary of a mix post, very rarely he’ll post something that makes some sense giving you a false sense of security,
Soon enough he will return to his nonsensical posts, don’t trust a thing he says

tunes4046 said:

Be very wary of a mix post, very rarely he’ll post something that makes some sense giving you a false sense of security,
Soon enough he will return to his nonsensical posts, don’t trust a thing he says

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What did I say that you didn't like?

Few random thoughts...
Offering lower prices is not a great long term plan to making more money in this business. Everyone 's inventory is limited unless you are picking up cheap djs from anywhere. Offering lower prices with a DJ you are paying little is going to give you heartburn.

it is your business and you should worry about what you need to do to drum up business.

You can use Google analytics to determine what page people are leaving. It may very well be your presentation that's not enticing them to contact you.

If you do determine price options could help, consider offering discounts....like... Call and ask us about our March booking special....certain dates throughout '22 and'23 qualify for special discounts.

Keep networking...with other djs, other vendors, BNI groups. Don't rely solely on your website to do the heavy lifting

People often project their price hang ups onto other people. They assume because they wouldn't pay more for something, that no one else would either. Don't believe that. Focus on continuing to get better. Not just better at DJing. Better at running the business. Better marketing, better sales presentation, asking better questions, better networking, better at getting referred.

Taso is proof people will pay for quality. Not everyone. But enough will. The reality is its just feels easier for most to sell on price rather than selling on quality.

One thing I can say it's about targeting your business to clients who will pay the price you want when quoting a price. Your buddy's who get that kind of money are targeting their business to the clients who won't bat an eye at such a price. They don't do events in the area you mentioned because those people don't have it to pay their price.

So they steer clear away from those people and that's why they will drive an hour to do an event because those people don't have a problem with. Those clients are usually the ones not having their event in a cheap venue. paying that much for their services

Your logic isn't flawed. In the simplest theory... getting reps and making money is a good thing. Full stop. You can probably work for $500-$800 and feel happy about it and work a lot more than guys asking for $1,200, especially in that kind of market.

The problem is, that you will develop a network around gigs that are at that price point. You'll be in venues that see you. If you do a good job, they'll refer you... but they'll attract a similar client to the one you're already booking. And it is very difficult to break up in a meaningful way to a higher tier of event.

It's sort of like getting a corporate job. You take the offer salary, and you're always anchored to it. Many companies will do a cost of living range, or maybe a bigger bump for a promotion. But essentially if they already know you'll work for X, then you'll be happy with X+5%. It's very hard to go from X to 2X, or 2.5X as your stated rate.

Getting a $1,200+ gig is a lot harder, and that's a harder network to build. But that tree you plant will yield much larger fruit for a long time if you put in the work.

Here's right where it's at. Everybody should agree with this. We all here have had something we've either seen or a service that was performed and we said that isn't wasn't worth it. Someone else may think differently. You can price your services at any price point you want. The thing is about who will be willing to pay the price you want? It's all about consistently getting bookings for the price you want. If you're not getting the amount of bookings that you want, then it's time to reexamine what you are doing. Your price may not be the problem. It might be in your performance or something else. People will only pay for things they think is worth it. Now an example of that is Taso. He consistently has people inquiring about his services and a lot of them are paying the price quote he gives them. Nobody has a 100% success rate for bookings. Now there are a lot of people out there who can not afford the prices he quotes people. Those people if they look on his site and see those prices will quickly run away. They can want what he has to offer but can't afford his price. He's not looking at lowering his price to book those clients. The reason is because he has plenty of people who won't hesitate to pay the price he wants. So he's not running his business on desperation mode. He also is targeting his business to people who won't have an issue with the price he quotes. They won't blink an eye and just pay him. He also mentioned that a lot of the clients that book him are ones who have their own businesses and can easily afford his price.

Now to be fair for him to have the success he is receiving he has to have things to offer that people see as worth it and when he performs the job he has to exceed a clients expectations. From what he has explained, he goes far and beyond once he has the booking before doing the event is to be done. He also has tons of videos online that shows people the work he has done. That counts as well and they are very professional looking. You don't see commercials on TV advertising about a Rolls Royce. The reason is most people can't afford to buy a Rolls Royce and people already know their vehicles are super expensive. So only people who can afford to buy a Rolls Royce will even look at buying a Rolls Royce.

Now let me say this much and I don't want people to think I'm blowing smoke up Taso butt. He has lots of things to offer that a lot of others don't have and how it looks at events is super professional looking. I just have to ask him, how much did that very nice looking white facade you bought cost? I know it wasn't cheap. The one I use cost me $400.

Scott Hanna said:

Taso is proof people will pay for quality. Not everyone. But enough will. The reality is its just feels easier for most to sell on price rather than selling on quality.

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My opinion, Taso is at the top of the heap in our biz. I constantly gain inspiration and ideas thru his videos and appreciate how willing he is to share what he knows. That said, the kind of gigs he works and the money he earns is only possible in certain markets. Yes, I know he lands premium gigs in some out of the way areas, but in terms of filling a calendar, premium dollars cannot be commanded in areas with less market and lower salaries. You have to weigh out what will and will not work in your area.

As a new DJ, I'd say the first thing to do is to find out what the going rate is in your area and undercut (just a bit) so you can land those first few gigs, yes, mostly based on price. As you gain experience and chops, you'll be able to slowly move your rates higher. The whole pitch of simply raising your prices without justification for it is a sure recipe for sitting at home on Saturday nights.

I've spoke to littletree privately as that's how he reached out, so out of respect I'll keep a lot of his info private. But I did advise as best as possible, and like many on here, he's working with smaller market/town demographics. I won't share everything I said privately in here, but in a way it follows in line with a combination of things mentioned, but tailored to him specifically and where he's at in his market.

Specifically, a lot of what rick said is the foundation of what I said. You have to build a base, and to do that you have to start just below where the mid-high end begins in his area. Once you become established and your demand increases, your prices can increase. Offering quality add-ons like uplighting, dancefloor lighting, dancing on clouds, etc. are good ways to also artificially increase your price. If you charge $900, but can get $300 in add-ons often... guess what, you're not gonna be known for being a sub $1000 dj... you'll be known for being over $1000. There's so many aspects to building a business from scratch... even the way you use social media will affect the pace and how well you grow. I did videos when hardly anyone does... those made selling myself SO much easier, especially as a new guy in the scene without hundreds of events under my belt. The videos instilled trust and confidence.

Anyways, littetree is free to share any of what I said, but I'm excited to see his journey and story and where he is even just a year from now.

Another thought….
A sharp presentation is important. But some dj’s think more equipment will impress brides. It won’t. The right presentation and the right sound will.

However, even the sharpest presentation won’t help if the dj can’t read the room or even the bride herself. A dj that thinks the bride will be impressed with how smooth the mix is when they are consistently playing the wrong song will soon find themselves wondering why they never getting referred.

Scott Hanna said:

Another thought….
A sharp presentation is important. But some dj’s think more equipment will impress brides. It won’t. The right presentation and the right sound will.

However, even the sharpest presentation won’t help if the dj can’t read the room or even the bride herself. A dj that thinks the bride will be impressed with how smooth the mix is when they are consistently playing the wrong song will soon find themselves wondering why they never getting referred.

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Exactly... it's so many aspects that go into having a successful dj business. And that is one of the things I mentioned to him... the skill set of the dj is the foundation... but it's more than jus tplaying music... it's the preparation, the timeline management, the way you carry and present yourself, mcing skills... everything. But yeah... baby steps lol

djtaso said:

Exactly... it's so many aspects that go into having a successful dj business. And that is one of the things I mentioned to him... the skill set of the dj is the foundation... but it's more than jus tplaying music... it's the preparation, the timeline management, the way you carry and present yourself, mcing skills... everything. But yeah... baby steps lol

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Great advice on taking baby steps. I say get used to doing events and see what you need to improve on. Also work on your communication skills when dealing with a potential client. I made a big mistake once. I was doing too much talking instead of listen to the potential client and they told me I talked a lot.

150/hour and 1200?
I wish that was the price here!!

WAY too many part timers willing do a wedding for $400, 500. I work with a guy that charges 400 for a full wedding...5 to 6 hours. Lighting and subs included.

There are many ways to do it - offer different packages...$500 for 4 hours, no lighting. $650 for 5 hours with lighting. etc.
Offer uplighting, monogram, photobooth or other services like dancing on clouds or love story (record b&G separately talking about eachother and play it over first or last dance song), etc.

Most DJs here don't put prices on their website. I did, now I don't. I also thsi year am trying 3 separate price sheets...so if they call and reception is at a higher end venue, hotel, country club or 300 person wedding, they get the higher price list....fire hall 100 people, lower price list. It's a way for me to 'raise prices' and not lose business.

You can put "Weddings from $495" on your website.. and that's for 1 hour..more hours are $150 each...people don't like a come-on price.

LittleTreeGuy said:

So, as some of you may recall, I'm still new to the DJ business. I've been working with a couple of established dj's in my area for about 5 months. I've assisted them with several weddings, private events, and booked several of my own private events and play somewhat regularly at a local small bar.

I live in a very rural, pretty poor area. 95% of the dj's within 60 miles of me have a similar pricing model. Let's say for the sake of discussion, their lowest price is 150/hr for private events and 1200 for a wedding reception. From my research, 19/20 of the weddings they book are over an hour away. Not for lack of people nearby, but lack of people who can afford those prices. They hear about the price, or see it on a website and don't even bother contacting the dj's to see if there are any other options. The DJ's I work with now aren't willing to work for anything less than their stated prices anyways.

I know there is a market/need for cheaper dj's in the area. I have my own equipment, and I'm new and still learning. I know the customer may or may not understand that. I'm not looking to "steal business" from anyone, but at the same time, I'd love to be able to provide a good level of service to those in my area who can't afford to spend 1000 on a DJ. Obviously, If I list prices on my website that are really low, it's going to upset a lot of local dj's who don't understand my initiative, and eventually, people further out will start requesting services at that price point thinking they are saving big bucks. Neither are my intention. Would it be bad to just put "call for prices" on my website instead of the actual prices, or mention a "special price" for local events? I know a lot of folks have told me that if they don't see a price on the website, they move on to the next one. I get that, I'm the same way.

I would rather work a little more and get paid a little less than to have me and my equipment just sitting around not bringing in any income.

Anyone ever been in a similar situation? Ultimately, I know it's my business and I have to look out for myself first, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

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yep, lots here are still charging low low rates.

I quote 795 and i can hear them gasp...But so and so quoted 250...or wow, our budget is only 400. etc.
Last bride I booked took 3 months to just get the down payment...while they're not amish, the grew up and live in an amish community and the husband to be works for the amish as a driver.
Different world there...I'm looking to get a garage built..amish quoted me $20k. Non amish? $45k. Different world someplaces.

DJ Ricky B said:

Generally speaking, today's brides and grooms expect to see price information on a website. I mean don't you expect to see prices on the website when you buy just about anything on the internet before you purchase?

It does work a bit differently if the customer is directly referred to you by someone with some influence on their decision. They will contact you directly and ask for a price quote. Those inquiries are great because someone spoke highly of you and told them to contact you so the chances are high that they will book.

When it comes to people browing the internet though...They have many, many options and will expect some sort of pricing information. At the very least, give a price range of what a client can expect to pay when booking your service. A bottom price, and a typical maximum price, or a "Pricing for Weddings start at $XXX"


Also, I will say please don't start your prices at $400 or $500 just to get business. DJs were charging $400 to $500 20+ years ago to get business. It doesn't make sense to do that today, yet sadly there are still DJs charging these rates out there today even with the cost of everything rising so rapidly the last two years.

Click to expand...