Would you DJ a wedding for $550 in 2021?

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Would you do a $550/4 hour wedding reception in 2021?

  • Absolutely! It's fair pay in my opinion!

    Votes: 6 28.6%

  • I would only do this on a weekday.

    Votes: 3 14.3%

  • I would only do it if it's under 10 miles or 15 minutes from my house

    Votes: 2 9.5%

  • Nope. There is just no situation where I would do a wedding for $550 today

    Votes: 7 33.3%

  • No, I have never even booked a wedding that low before!

    Votes: 2 9.5%

  • No, but I would for $595 to $650 if it is logistically favorable for me to do it.

    Votes: 1 4.8%
  • Total voters
    21
dunlopj said:
I did a number of last minute receptions. Makes you feel so good to swoop in and save their day!

Any idea what happened to cause the last minute booking?
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Not really a save the day situation... wedding was originally in Pittsburgh w 300 ppl, which I wasn’t a part of... had to cancel due to pandemic limitations. Last second they decided to have a small wedding closer to home instead,,. And they did it all in under 2 weeks
 
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MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Taso I wan't attacking you at all. My issue is with Bob. He's a PITA and doesn't have a lot of friends on here. Look at the post I talked about him.
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He’s not on here... nor has he for over 5yrs almost. I don’t feel attacked, but you did say how do any of us know that I’m getting paid what I said.
 
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I see no reason to criticize anyone that is meeting/exceeding their financial goals with the business model they choose. I would only criticize those that are complaining about their financial situation while defending their business model. That is a true disconnect.

My background is engineering but I have spent 30+ years in sales and marketing. I have taken many sales and marketing courses, I have an entire library of books on those topics and have observed countless people attempting to adopt a new business model. The majority fail to adapt. This failure is usually the result of a combination of attitude, aptitude or instruction. If advice is offered but preceded with any form criticism, the advice becomes worthless. The criticism just generates a defensive attitude in the person the advice is meant for.
 
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djtaso said:
He’s not on here... nor has he for over 5yrs almost. I don’t feel attacked, but you did say how do any of us know that I’m getting paid what I said.
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The Bob I'm talking about is the one he calls himself Proformance. My point was you can tell us anything. Unless someone knows you personally it's what you say.
 
TES3S said:
But, I have actually had clients ask me to lower my prices b/c it was going to be a small party, therefore easier in their mind. I actually find that a smaller crowd or lower guests count is much more work than a larger crowd and requires more attention to keep them lively on the dancefloor. It is always harder and the less talented DJ will struggle more with a small crowd.
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I feel the same exact way. The smaller crowds are actually more intimidating lol... lose 5 people, that could wipe out the entire floor, and then gotta fight to get em back. Song choice is critical in those instances, as are the mixes to ensure you don't lose em during the transitions.
 
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MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
The Bob I'm talking about is the one he calls himself Proformance. My point was you can tell us anything. Unless someone knows you personally it's what you say.
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Lol you really should clarify that, and maybe say his username. He has valid points... come out blunt... but it is what it is. To some they're ok making a quick $500 profit rather than sitting home. I mean I did take a $450 job a few months back, to drive 1 mile from my house to a venue and set up 2 sparklers for the first dance. 10 minutes later I was broken down, home 10 minutes after that, and on my way to dinner with the wife that was fully paid for. The call came in the week of the event, so all in all I gave up just under 2 hrs. But $550 FOR A 4HR WEDDING?? Pass.

I just think it's not right for you to criticize him either on the fact that he doesn't display much. While I am of the belief a forum works best for all when there's transparency and the sharing of different methods and examples of our work... you don't really share details when they're asked of you either... and can sometimes go pages without you responding to something asked multiple times.

Now, I'd ask for your contract as proof of how you handle your business, payments, and prices for your services... but something tells me there is no contract anywhere. Again... just don't feel it's fair to criticize anyone when you're almost doing the same.
 
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Jeff Romard said:
Remember the night Bobby made the thread about everyone should GWIW? And then right after made the thread about beating a car salesman down so low he couldn't possibly make a profit?

Taso just went the extra mile to show you that he is he didn't have to. Most of us would have laughed and moved on. I think now that Taso did that you can explain why you live a couple of miles from him and make less than 10% of what he does per event?
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Let me tell it since you asked. First we don't have much advertising out there and we don't advertise to a certain client who will pay a decent price. Then at times my partner will have someone contact them and he doesn't find out much details and just quotes a price. I like to get into details first as I've said before to find out is it an event I want to do. Once I get a lot of the details then I can quote them a price. Now to be fair some of the events we've done in the past are not good advertising material.
 
djtaso said:
Lol you really should clarify that, and maybe say his username. He has valid points... come out blunt... but it is what it is. To some they're ok making a quick $500 profit rather than sitting home. I mean I did take a $450 job a few months back, to drive 1 mile from my house to a venue and set up 2 sparklers for the first dance. 10 minutes later I was broken down, home 10 minutes after that, and on my way to dinner with the wife that was fully paid for. The call came in the week of the event, so all in all I gave up just under 2 hrs. But $550 FOR A 4HR WEDDING?? Pass.

I just think it's not right for you to criticize him either on the fact that he doesn't display much. While I am of the belief a forum works best for all when there's transparency and the sharing of different methods and examples of our work... you don't really share details when they're asked of you either... and can sometimes go pages without you responding to something asked multiple times.

Now, I'd ask for your contract as proof of how you handle your business, payments, and prices for your services... but something tells me there is no contract anywhere. Again... just don't feel it's fair to criticize anyone when you're almost doing the same.
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Taso I like you but my issue with him is he loves to big up himself while putting others regularly. Yes there is a contract. Sometimes we don't use it to be honest. We should use it more often to be honest. Like I said he loves to come on here and bash people. Plenty of people have talked about him doing this and yet he still does it constantly.
 
djtaso said:
Now, I'd ask for your contract as proof of how you handle your business, payments, and prices for your services... but something tells me there is no contract anywhere. Again... just don't feel it's fair to criticize anyone when you're almost doing the same.
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Ohhh there's a contract....
 
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sawdust123 said:
If advice is offered but preceded with any form criticism, the advice becomes worthless. The criticism just generates a defensive attitude in the person the advice is meant for.
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Criticism in a public forum like this is not a rescue mission. It is useful primarily to other observers - not the person being criticized. This is not a one-to-one communication platform and people lose site of that pretty quickly as they start responding to specific posters. Criticism is always received as harsh because it is literally someone else's contrary opinion of what "not to do" using real life examples offered up by others..
 
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djtaso said:
I feel the same exact way. The smaller crowds are actually more intimidating lol... lose 5 people, that could wipe out the entire floor, and then gotta fight to get em back. Song choice is critical in those instances, as are the mixes to ensure you don't lose em during the transitions.
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This is about self-confidence, not crowd size. I've done weddings and events at sites where there is no dance floor. The measure of my talent or the price of my service is not routed in someone else's inclination to dance or be a wallflower. If you want to dance that's great - if you don't - I still posses the skills to entertain you appropriately and to the agreed upon scale.
 
Proformance said:
This is about self-confidence, not crowd size. I've done weddings and events at sites where there is no dance floor. The measure of my talent or the price of my service is not routed in someone else's inclination to dance or be a wallflower. If you want to dance that's great - if you don't - I still posses the skills to entertain you appropriately and to the agreed upon scale.
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But you’ll do it for $550 (or at least consider it) I won’t do it for less than $2000+
 
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djtaso said:
But you’ll do it for $550 (or at least consider it) I won’t do it for less than $2000+
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If a prospect called you up less than 3 weeks before their 4 hour wedding reception which was taking place on a Sunday, or a week day where you had nothing planned, was at a easy load in venue less than a 15 minute drive from your house, and wanted you to be their DJ, but said they had a maximum budget of $1,800 you would absolutely turn their offer down because they aren't willing to pay $2,000+?
 
I know you asked Taso, but I am sure his response is the same. Yes, the rate does not change b/c of a last-minute decision. I am DJing today and was booked 4 weeks ago. I also have never been hired for a 4 hour wedding. It is always 6 or 7.

I feel strongly that I am worth what I charge and will not go lower regardless of day and time. My rate is my rate, period. I think one of the hardest things about running a DJ business is to not give in and sell yourself short. Be proud and confident of what you charge, and charge accordingly, whether that be $500 or 5000.
 
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Proformance said:
This is about self-confidence, not crowd size. I've done weddings and events at sites where there is no dance floor. The measure of my talent or the price of my service is not routed in someone else's inclination to dance or be a wallflower. If you want to dance that's great - if you don't - I still posses the skills to entertain you appropriately and to the agreed upon scale.
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You DJ different types of events and weddings, then... For most occasions where I am booked, if I don't crush the dance floor, I am getting a bad review or at least a very displeased client. I am literally hired b/c they want to dance their ass off.

That doesn't mean all events I am hired for expect this or even want this, but it's at least 80%.
 
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This thread has turned into another pricing war that never gets solved. We all can't charge the same thing because we all have different ways of selling our services, different markets and we all don't offer the same. Also we all have not been in business for the same amount of time and same experience. Lastly we all don't do the same types of events. I know the topic was focusing on weddings. Some here don't do weddings and some only do weddings. Why not just simply ask what each DJ would charge to do a 4 hour wedding and see the different answers you get and also I how many people who will say that DJ isn't charging enough.
 
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DJ Ricky B said:
If a prospect called you up less than 3 weeks before their 4 hour wedding reception which was taking place on a Sunday, or a week day where you had nothing planned, was at a easy load in venue less than a 15 minute drive from your house, and wanted you to be their DJ, but said they had a maximum budget of $1,800 you would absolutely turn their offer down because they aren't willing to pay $2,000+?
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Wel my price is $2500... so the discount would maybe be to $2000. It’s kinda my red line that I don’t cross. At the same time I’ve positioned myself very differently... my prices are well known and established. Those that have asked for discounts have been rejected so there’s no chatter of it amongst people.

Now let’s be realistic.. If you see a price of $2500 online... and you call asking to pay $1800, chances are you didn’t really want me you wanted the low price. If you wanted me you wouldn’t have waited till the last second or tried to get me to discount by 25%.
 
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TES3S said:
For most occasions where I am booked, if I don't crush the dance floor, I am getting a bad review or at least a very displeased client.
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This does not indicate what you think it does. You should still be getting rave reviews even with lackluster crowds.

"Dancing" is a talent that resides with the guests not the DJ and when I don't have a dancing crowd it falls upon me to apply other talents to make the event entertaining. It's foolish to bank our success on the dancing proclivity of any given audience because what we play is pre-recorded music, hence the real kudos goes to Bruno Marrs, for example - not the DJ. It's great to know how to pick music and mix it well - but, dancing is just ONE aspect of an event.

The truth is that a dancing crowd makes the job a whole lot easier and over time can make DJs lazy and impaired leaving them with nothing to offer in the face of conditions or crowds that inhibit a "crush" on the dance floor. Our job starts the moment the doors open and not simply when people decide to dance.
 
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djtaso said:
Wel my price is $2500... so the discount would maybe be to $2000. It’s kinda my red line that I don’t cross. At the same time I’ve positioned myself very differently... my prices are well known and established. Those that have asked for discounts have been rejected so there’s no chatter of it amongst people.

Now let’s be realistic.. If you see a price of $2500 online... and you call asking to pay $1800, chances are you didn’t really want me you wanted the low price. If you wanted me you wouldn’t have waited till the last second or tried to get me to discount by 25%.
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Taso you have positioned yourself where you're not desperate for work and don't have to give a discount because another client is around the corner that will pay the price you quote them.
 
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