I did try to search the forums, but didn't find much on this... sorry if it's over-discussed.
As a new mobile DJ, I'm working on my pricing. This post will relate mainly to wedding package pricing. Pricing for private parties/bar/PA setups, etc would be different altogether. I see a lot of DJ's in my area and on different forums do a lot of package and/or a la carte pricing. Packages go up depending on if you want subs, up-lighting, monogram, wireless mics, etc.
To me, it seems so much simpler to offer just one package, or one price and if something is requested outside of that, maybe I work it in. For example, you want dancing on the clouds... (I'd have to rent that machine, so the cost of the rental plus x amount for my time or a friend to run it for an hour or whatever). I know it's a lot of preference... there is no right or wrong way, supposedly, just whatever works for me... That's my opinion. Some will say, you have to do it how Joe Bunn does it. I don't doubt that he knows things that work well in a lot of cases, but I'm not, nor will ever be Joe Bunn. If I know I like taking lights and subs to any wedding I plan on doing simply because I feel that is what looks professional, is it wrong to offer that for one simple price? Obviously, I'm not trying to beat the other DJ's by pricing, I'll set my pricing on the local market and my abilities. I just see the look on a couples face when someone asks them if they want to spend $300 for subs at their reception. Most of the time, they have no clue. To be honest, it makes me feel a little shady.... use car-salesman like. I'd rather just factor into the price of my desired earnings, the cost of my equipment, and say something like, my services are $X/hour with a 4 hour minimum.
So what say you all.... Is this too simple or a bad approach?
As a new mobile DJ, I'm working on my pricing. This post will relate mainly to wedding package pricing. Pricing for private parties/bar/PA setups, etc would be different altogether. I see a lot of DJ's in my area and on different forums do a lot of package and/or a la carte pricing. Packages go up depending on if you want subs, up-lighting, monogram, wireless mics, etc.
To me, it seems so much simpler to offer just one package, or one price and if something is requested outside of that, maybe I work it in. For example, you want dancing on the clouds... (I'd have to rent that machine, so the cost of the rental plus x amount for my time or a friend to run it for an hour or whatever). I know it's a lot of preference... there is no right or wrong way, supposedly, just whatever works for me... That's my opinion. Some will say, you have to do it how Joe Bunn does it. I don't doubt that he knows things that work well in a lot of cases, but I'm not, nor will ever be Joe Bunn. If I know I like taking lights and subs to any wedding I plan on doing simply because I feel that is what looks professional, is it wrong to offer that for one simple price? Obviously, I'm not trying to beat the other DJ's by pricing, I'll set my pricing on the local market and my abilities. I just see the look on a couples face when someone asks them if they want to spend $300 for subs at their reception. Most of the time, they have no clue. To be honest, it makes me feel a little shady.... use car-salesman like. I'd rather just factor into the price of my desired earnings, the cost of my equipment, and say something like, my services are $X/hour with a 4 hour minimum.
So what say you all.... Is this too simple or a bad approach?