What is your definition of a cheap wedding?
- Thread starter MIXMASTERMACHOM
- Start date
It is to have something to show a potential client at an initial meeting instead of just showing up with a contract and wedding planner form since we are talking wedding and expecting them to sign on the dotted line. It's called having evidence to show what we can do and how people are having a good time because we were the DJ they booked. If it's pictures or video.
I've been booking wedding for over 15 years now and I don't need any pictures to prove myself. But then again you haven't done any weddings so you have no references, do you?
There you go assuming something you don't know. Great you have referals. Are they legit? Not trying to be funny with that question. There are scam artist out here. Someone could make up a contract and wedding planner to make it look like they are a DJ. Have someone sign a contract and give them a retainer taking their money in a scam. Of course I'm being silly here but you never know.
If you're not scared send me a PM with your email and I'll send you pictures of a couple of past weddings we did.
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There you go assuming something you don't know. Great you have referals. Are they legit? Not trying to be funny with that question. There are scam artist out here. Someone could make up a contract and wedding planner to make it look like they are a DJ. Have someone sign a contract and give them a retainer taking their money in a scam. Of course I'm being silly here but you never know.
If you're not scared send me a PM with your email and I'll send you pictures of a couple of past weddings we did.
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Sorry for the double post but my PC acts up at times.
Did you notice that you did not answer the question? Do you get distracted by shinny things?
I'm not scared of any pictures, post them here, if you're not "scared".
DjDennis
RIP- My Dad (2011), Sister (2013) and Mum (2017)
Dennis I made this thread and so far Jimmy hasn't responded yet to defend what he meant when he said I should stick with doing cheap weddings. Now check post 5,8,13,15,17. I like the way they explained things.
Mix all we ever hear you do for gigs is some party in the back room of a club, or a wedding at some VFW hall, I have never heard you talk about being at a nice high end venue, you play for the people you know which appear to be the not very well to do crowd, it's ok that's what you are comfortable with, as has been stated start a real business plan, not some skewed version of what you think a business plan is, set goals for yourself complete with plans on how to achieve those goals, if you want to make more money at this you need to step out of your comfort zone and give people what they want, it's not about gear or the latest new light you got. its about selling someone their dreams of what their wedding should be like, I have had all the latest greatest gear, you know what I figured out it didn't matter people wanted me and the confidence and ability to do a great job. that I bring to the table. most of my gigs are two speakers on stick no lighting nothing fancy, just me and the music, I and am in a very rural market in one of the poorest counties in my state, people hire ME at $1000 or more because the believe in and trust me to do a great job,
Tunes I agreed with you until you made the statement about the VFW post. Just because a person is having a wedding in a VFW post doesn't mean they are looking for a cheap DJ to do their wedding. I remember a DJ telling a group of us before a meeting that he had a client who was looking to give someone a 50th birthday party in a VFW post. His thinking told him they are looking for a DJ willing to do it for $350.00. To his surprise the client ended up spending a little over 8k. They decided they didn't want it to look like a VFW hall and he had a company come in and bring in lounge furniture. He provided uplighting and other things himself. He said he walked away from that event with over 5k in his pocket.
The point being where a client is having their event doesn't always give you an idea of roughly what their budget is to book a DJ. A bride can be getting married in an upscale venue, spend a ton of money on everything else, then look to book a DJ last. That same bride can have either spent a ton of money on everything else and have $500.00 or less to book a DJ or what can happen is said bride can say to herself what we do isn't that hard and just decide to go with the cheapest DJ they can find and feel that DJ will do the job right.
Now you said it right and that is about how well do you know how to sell your services. A bride can have their wedding in a VFW post and if they like what you have to offer might spend over 1k for you to be their DJ.
The point being where a client is having their event doesn't always give you an idea of roughly what their budget is to book a DJ. A bride can be getting married in an upscale venue, spend a ton of money on everything else, then look to book a DJ last. That same bride can have either spent a ton of money on everything else and have $500.00 or less to book a DJ or what can happen is said bride can say to herself what we do isn't that hard and just decide to go with the cheapest DJ they can find and feel that DJ will do the job right.
Now you said it right and that is about how well do you know how to sell your services. A bride can have their wedding in a VFW post and if they like what you have to offer might spend over 1k for you to be their DJ.
Mix, No idea what I need to defend but here is what I exactly meant when I said cheap wedding. You need to do weddings for clients looking for the $250-$500 DJ. It is prefect for you, show them a good time and you will not need to worry about pictures, video, business plans or taxes. Just be happy that you are getting work. As for you being better then me, that is something we will never know because you do not play at any places that I do but I will say I am working every weekend making good money and well you are not. Also I do not need a partner to play music that was made after 1995, I am a big boy and I do it all myself.
DjDennis
RIP- My Dad (2011), Sister (2013) and Mum (2017)
Well I am still waiting for you to show you have done a BUSINESS PLAN
thats right you dont have one
thats right you dont have one
Jimmy I need to say this. I get what you're saying and I understand. I just can't remember the last time I did a wedding for $250.00. I wouldn't that for several reasons. First I feel that would be disrespectful to the members on this forum and I would take the worest beating ever on here if they found that out. Also my knowledge to me on how to do a wedding is worth more then $250.00. Never mind me actually performing at a wedding. Besides my experience has let me know that by doing such a thing all it will lead us to is the next bride only wanting to spend $250.00.
Now you mentioned $500.00. To me that's a good starting point to get us to do a wedding. Now that would depend on where the wedding is to take place. If it's very local then that might be fine. I certainly wouldn't go to South Jersey to do a wedding for that price. Gas is very expensive and with gas and tolls that could easily cost $100.00 considering I have a 2002 Savana van. It can eat up some gas.
Another reason is I just recently bought 2 new tires for the van and that cost $400.00. Not to mention that the 2 powered tops and subs I bought a while back cost me 3k. Now as for me wanting to have more pictures and videos to present to a potential client at a meeting a big reason for that is to show a person They should pay the price I quote them with confidence that we will get the job done right. Now there are those who have said in the past you can't get a bride only wanting to spend $250.00 to spend more then that. I say that's not always true. You never know with the right approach and the right evidence you could possibly get that bride to spend 3 times that much.
Now the reason why some brides will look for a DJ willing to do their wedding for $250.00-$300.00 is because most have never booked a DJ to do anything and don't know what to look for. It especially doesn't help if they were at a wedding where the DJ really sucked. Some just look at all DJ's as being the same. We here know that's not true. That's where it's up to you the DJ to show the difference between you and the average DJ they are used to seeing.
Now you mentioned $500.00. To me that's a good starting point to get us to do a wedding. Now that would depend on where the wedding is to take place. If it's very local then that might be fine. I certainly wouldn't go to South Jersey to do a wedding for that price. Gas is very expensive and with gas and tolls that could easily cost $100.00 considering I have a 2002 Savana van. It can eat up some gas.
Another reason is I just recently bought 2 new tires for the van and that cost $400.00. Not to mention that the 2 powered tops and subs I bought a while back cost me 3k. Now as for me wanting to have more pictures and videos to present to a potential client at a meeting a big reason for that is to show a person They should pay the price I quote them with confidence that we will get the job done right. Now there are those who have said in the past you can't get a bride only wanting to spend $250.00 to spend more then that. I say that's not always true. You never know with the right approach and the right evidence you could possibly get that bride to spend 3 times that much.
Now the reason why some brides will look for a DJ willing to do their wedding for $250.00-$300.00 is because most have never booked a DJ to do anything and don't know what to look for. It especially doesn't help if they were at a wedding where the DJ really sucked. Some just look at all DJ's as being the same. We here know that's not true. That's where it's up to you the DJ to show the difference between you and the average DJ they are used to seeing.
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Mix while that is all well and good. How much money are you making by not doing anything? How much experience are you getting? Do you have any chance of getting a referral or a positive review by having no work? So again I will it. You should take what you can get right now and move up from there. You doing a wedding for $250.00 is not disrespecting me or anyone else on this board. What is disrespectful is you not listening to all of the help that people have offered you over the years and just doing what you think is right. Oh by the way none of that is working for you because you are in same spot now that you were in 3 years ago when I first started reading your posts
Jimmy I still won't do a wedding for $250.00. If they are looking for such a DJ they can place an ad on craigslist. I'm not that hard up to make some money or to get more exposure. Now just so you know we have back to back Saturday events we're doing and both are repeat clients.
Once again I'm not looking to build on a $250.00 wedding. You can have at a $250.00 wedding for me. I'll post here all the info you need and you can do it. I'm not breaking my back to go do a wedding for $250.00. That's a lot of work for $250.00. Not to mention the day of but what about the planning stages to get to the day of the wedding. Also remember if a bride says the wedding is for 4 hours it's usually 7 hours worth of work for us. I'm including the time to load up the van, make it to where the wedding is to take place, setup for the wedding, do the wedding, tear everything down, load back up the van, take it back to where it belongs and then unload the van.
A bride looking for a DJ to come do their wedding for $250.00 csn get someone starting out desperate to get noticed. Sorry if you don't agree with me Jimmy but I'm standing my ground on this one.
Mix see I do not need to do a 250.00 wedding. My gear, my bills and everything related to my Dj business is paid for already. You say you have two weekends booked coming up. What are you charging on those dates? What are the parties? Are either of them a wedding? If you are taking pictures of a back yard party and show them the pictures they will wonder why are they not seeing anything to do with a wedding.
Just a little extra help for you. I have no website. I show no pictures or video of any party I do and yet I a working every weekend and I have to turn jobs down. I guess I must be doing something right.
Just a little extra help for you. I have no website. I show no pictures or video of any party I do and yet I a working every weekend and I have to turn jobs down. I guess I must be doing something right.
Good for you on not needing them but speaking for myself, pictures are pure gold and sell dates.
