I was too expensive

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Got a call today and spoke with a bride to be for about a half hour. She asked a lot of questions, good ones and some weird.

She asked me on a scale of 1 to 10 how I would rate myself. I said 10. She said good. If you would have rated lower, she would have wondered why.

After the call she said it sounds great. She heard good things about me from someone who saw me at a wedding and said she had to talk to her fiance and she would get back to me by Monday. She called a few minutes later and said pencil us in for that date. I said I would call if someone else called and would wait until I hear back from her.

I just get a call and she said her fiance said I was too expensive and they were going to use his cousin. She mentioned his cousin during the original call. Said he was going to have surgery and didn't know if he would be able to DJ for the wedding.

She said they were going to take the chance and save money. I wished her well and said if it didn't work out with the cousin, to give me a call to see if I was still available.

My quote: $845 for 6 hours. Even us lower priced guys are getting told we are too much.

Next year is looking bleak as of right now. I only have 9 scheduled. If I remember right, I was at about 13 at this time last year.
 
Karl Langford said:
Got a call today and spoke with a bride to be for about a half hour. She asked a lot of questions, good ones and some weird.

She asked me on a scale of 1 to 10 how I would rate myself. I said 10. She said good. If you would have rated lower, she would have wondered why.

After the call she said it sounds great. She heard good things about me from someone who saw me at a wedding and said she had to talk to her fiance and she would get back to me by Monday. She called a few minutes later and said pencil us in for that date. I said I would call if someone else called and would wait until I hear back from her.

I just get a call and she said her fiance said I was too expensive and they were going to use his cousin. She mentioned his cousin during the original call. Said he was going to have surgery and didn't know if he would be able to DJ for the wedding.

She said they were going to take the chance and save money. I wished her well and said if it didn't work out with the cousin, to give me a call to see if I was still available.

My quote: $845 for 6 hours. Even us lower priced guys are getting told we are too much.

Next year is looking bleak as of right now. I only have 9 scheduled. If I remember right, I was at about 13 at this time last year.
Click to expand...

That's a very reasonable price that you're charging. But remember...what are people going to remember about that wedding 2 years from now? The entertainment...not the food, the bride's dress but the entertainment. Hang in there...when you least expect it, more work wil be headed your way.
 
That's about my rate for a 6 hour reception with a basic lighting package, and yeah sometimes I get told I'm too high, others tell me I'm too cheap.
At the moment next year is way better than it was this time last year. At the end of October last year I had nothing booked in 08 yet. Right now I have 4 confirmed, and 3 upcoming meeting that sound very promising, and on average these receptions are $900+, with one coming in at $1600.00 for a 6 hour reception/ceremony with upgraded lights and monogram projection.

If I book the next couple of ceremony / reception jobs, I'll be getting a 3rd L1, B1 system for ceremonies and remote room sound.
 
Karl Langford said:
My quote: $845 for 6 hours. Even us lower priced guys are getting told we are too much.

Next year is looking bleak as of right now. I only have 9 scheduled. If I remember right, I was at about 13 at this time last year.
Click to expand...

I have trouble trying to book 4 hour Weddings with no lights for $600! That's too expensive!!! As of right now I have nothing on the books! for the rest of this year and beyond. It's hard to compete with price cutters, and potential clients who can only think price.:sqfrown:
 
That's a very reasonable rate. I have recently been toying around with my rates, and how I structure packages. I never used to have packages until now. If a bride wants a cheap wedding, she'll get one. Basic sound, and extremely basic lights. If she wants more than that, she'll have to adjust her budget to accommodate my higher price.
 
Karl,

This has NOTHING to do with your rate. She has a cousin who she is willing to take a chance with. She will roll the dice and hope it's ok. If it's not, she can't complain. Just tell them you'll be happy to take their call one week before the wedding after her cousin bails out.

Dave
 
$845 for 6 hours is a decent wedding paycheck. With the economy the way it is lately, I'm happy for any mobile entertainer who can book over $100.00 per hour. :eek:

Everyone is squeezing a nickel these days. :(
 
My end of the year was blank 6 weeks ago... I filled october in the last week of september... just filled my november in the last week or so, and I'm down to one weekend left in Dec... Everything I'm booking is last minute as hell....

While I've also been having people balking at my usual $950, I just booked my first $1500 wedding ever, and the funny thing is, the kids getting married live in Detroit!

They're getting married here in Macon, because that's where she grew up, and all of the DJ's, venues and photographers were 2x the price up there..The wedding will be much cheaper in Ga....

They're getting the Bose, 50" plasma, bliss lights, 8 uplights, 2 LED columns and 2 Design spots with a wizard center piece..

My one big victory, and they're from the most economically depressed market in the entire U.S.A.

this is not my norm, but I just wanted to share that there still are folks out there who are spending good money.
 
Problem is somewhere else.In my Country we are thrue this so i can help you a bit.

We over here had problems few years ago with finances.People just dont had the money.
So we desided that Djs have to seat together and talk about prices.And we done it.
In my Town we made expirience list in 3 Categories.Djs-beginers,Advanced Djs and Expirienced Dj.So we set the price on all categories and we had the same price.
For example:
Beginers:200Euro
Advanced:350Euro
Expirienced:500Euro

So the point is:Who ever called for a Dj we had the same price and there were no room for lower the price or for rise it.We done that for 2 years and clients use to the prices and things were in order.After 2 years no one lower the price and i think everybody rise it.

P.S.
Prices was with the sound system.
 
DougF said:
I have trouble trying to book 4 hour Weddings with no lights for $600! That's too expensive!!! As of right now I have nothing on the books! for the rest of this year and beyond. It's hard to compete with price cutters, and potential clients who can only think price.:sqfrown:
Click to expand...

$300 here for 4 hours limited lights and I am the highest in the market and I hear the same thing too about being too expensive

Right now we have about 50 bookings for next year between the three of us but prime booking season is January and February and if the trend continues there will be alot of last minute bookings
 
djMarco said:
Problem is somewhere else.In my Country we are thrue this so i can help you a bit.

We over here had problems few years ago with finances.People just dont had the money.
So we desided that Djs have to seat together and talk about prices.And we done it.
In my Town we made expirience list in 3 Categories.Djs-beginers,Advanced Djs and Expirienced Dj.So we set the price on all categories and we had the same price.
For example:
Beginers:200Euro
Advanced:350Euro
Expirienced:500Euro

So the point is:Who ever called for a Dj we had the same price and there were no room for lower the price or for rise it.We done that for 2 years and clients use to the prices and things were in order.After 2 years no one lower the price and i think everybody rise it.

P.S.
Prices was with the sound system.
Click to expand...

Now, if I'm reading this correctly, it sounds like a great idea, except for that here in the states we have laws against price fixing within an industry. Granted its harder than heck to prove price fixing.


We haven't noticed much of a downturn, we're at $450 for 6 hours and are adding a ceremony setup that is available by itself or with the reception. Although in our area we are helped greatly by three other companies in town who are at $1500 for 4 hrs, $1200 for 4 hrs and $1000 for 4 hrs. So they help make our prices look really good.
 
Steve Lynch said:
My end of the year was blank 6 weeks ago... I filled october in the last week of september... just filled my november in the last week or so, and I'm down to one weekend left in Dec... Everything I'm booking is last minute as hell....

While I've also been having people balking at my usual $950, I just booked my first $1500 wedding ever, and the funny thing is, the kids getting married live in Detroit!

They're getting married here in Macon, because that's where she grew up, and all of the DJ's, venues and photographers were 2x the price up there..The wedding will be much cheaper in Ga....

They're getting the Bose, 50" plasma, bliss lights, 8 uplights, 2 LED columns and 2 Design spots with a wizard center piece..

My one big victory, and they're from the most economically depressed market in the entire U.S.A.

this is not my norm, but I just wanted to share that there still are folks out there who are spending good money.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Sarah's parents insist that we have the wedding in Michigan, even though we could do it for about 60% of the price if we did it here in Texas. Then they complain that they are spending too much money. *rolls eyes*

Mike
 
When he bride-to-be says that your price is too expensive, she is merely challenging you to justify your price. If you do a good sales job and justify the price, carefully explaining that the Entertainment is the single most important component of the reception that the guests will remember, you should be able to get your price. You don't have to put your competitors down during your sales pitch, but you do have to explain the many benefits you offer that many of your competitors are unable to.

I have heard so many people say that in their area they cannot get a good price for a wedding reception, that they have no bookings etc.

Believe me, you are either attracting the wrong clientele or you are doing a poor job selling.

I recently had dinner with Marcello Pedalino, 2006 DJ Entertainer of The year. During an enlightening conversation, Marcello taught me something valuable.

You have to market to the right clientele.

If you market to the right clientele you will get prospective clients who will challenge you and your price, but will pay your price provided you sell yourself properly!

You are the best person for their reception and because of that, you command the price that you do.

You will make their reception a huge and memorable success. After all, isn't that what they really want to hear?
 
Steve Lynch said:
My end of the year was blank 6 weeks ago... I filled october in the last week of september... just filled my november in the last week or so, and I'm down to one weekend left in Dec... Everything I'm booking is last minute as hell....

.
Click to expand...

Steve, this trend started with me last year. The longest advance booking was only 4 weeks, and one was 3 days. I think people are trying to wait until they are sure of what they will have to spend?
I just got a booking this morning for next Saturday. Admittedly I stopped accepting weddings, and concentrate on corporates this year, but the problem was there last year too.

As for the bride with a cousin: Your price was very reasonable. There just isn't any way to compete with the combination of free/super cheap, and a client who doesn't know better. Yes, client ed is the key, but who really wants to take the time sit and learn why they should a lot more money? It CAN be done, but it's very difficult.... Time to go after another booking.
 
DJ J Mac said:
Now, if I'm reading this correctly, it sounds like a great idea, except for that here in the states we have laws against price fixing within an industry. Granted its harder than heck to prove price fixing.


We haven't noticed much of a downturn, we're at $450 for 6 hours and are adding a ceremony setup that is available by itself or with the reception. Although in our area we are helped greatly by three other companies in town who are at $1500 for 4 hrs, $1200 for 4 hrs and $1000 for 4 hrs. So they help make our prices look really good.
Click to expand...

Same thing here but loock again-3 Categories.
And one more thing.Are you shure that Wal-Mart,Target....Dont agree silently about prices?:sqwink:
 
Like I said, incredibly hard to prove, but definitely an area I wouldn't want to go into.
 
Steve Cie said:
When he bride-to-be says that your price is too expensive, she is merely challenging you to justify your price. If you do a good sales job and justify the price, carefully explaining that the Entertainment is the single most important component of the reception that the guests will remember, you should be able to get your price. You don't have to put your competitors down during your sales pitch, but you do have to explain the many benefits you offer that many of your competitors are unable to.

I have heard so many people say that in their area they cannot get a good price for a wedding reception, that they have no bookings etc.

Believe me, you are either attracting the wrong clientele or you are doing a poor job selling.

I recently had dinner with Marcello Pedalino, 2006 DJ Entertainer of The year. During an enlightening conversation, Marcello taught me something valuable.

You have to market to the right clientele.

If you market to the right clientele you will get prospective clients who will challenge you and your price, but will pay your price provided you sell yourself properly!

You are the best person for their reception and because of that, you command the price that you do.

You will make their reception a huge and memorable success. After all, isn't that what they really want to hear?
Click to expand...

Steve,

I had the bride sold. She asked me to save the date for her. She talked to her fiance and "He" said I was too expensive and she told me that he didn't want to spend that much on a DJ. Plain and simple.
 
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