I did an event this summer that had a ranch dressing fountain with everything from carrots to chicken wings
Gaff tape
- Thread starter sawdust123
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You're far too focused on what select others are doing, hence your notion of competition is rather narrow. The result can be that we operate in an imitative bubble of the like minded, rather than finding our own best path and results.
It's entirely possible that you could do no sparks at all and see no change whatsoever in your bookings or price, simply because you stepped out of the three ring circus and positioned into a wider set of customer preferences - focused on service rather than product.
Anything is possible. Maybe he can get away without sparks and still make the same money. He has never complained about the extra work or cost involved with sparks. All he said is that it uses more tape. He delivers the kind of event he wants to at the price he wants to charge and he is fully booked. In other words, it is all working for him. Why should he change?
That was not his point.
He can't have it both ways - customers hiring HIM for his DJ ability - but immediately jumping ship for the sake os SPARKS. There's something very transparent about that.
I've never lost a customer for lack of a "thing." They may ask if I have or do "X" but I don't lose the job if I direct them to someone else for that "thing."
His method sounds very much like keeping up with the Jone's which isn't going to age well. There will always be a younger Jones with the next new "thing." Is it really a service business if our customer's decisions ate rooted in products?
There's a difference between chasing the next new thing and investing in something that actually has demand and generates profit. And again, you have to consider the market you're operating in.
Sparklers are extremely popular in NJ, where they're permitted at the majority of venues. In other markets, they're now being banned or venues are offering them in house (in Philly 8 venues now provide them in house), so demand is limited and DJs are offloading them for cheap. Conversely, uplighting isn't particularly popular as a DJ add-on at many mid-to-high-end NJ or Philly venues because they have it permanently installed and provide it or restrict outside vendors. Meanwhile, a DJ friend in Boston tells me uplighting is so popular there that he now includes it in his base package and has raised his pricing accordingly. He doesn't know of a single venue that has uplighting included.
And yes, I have absolutely lost bookings because I didn't offer "X." Here are some real examples:
- "Spinning" sparklers: Lost bookings when they first came out because I refused to invest in something local fire marshals wouldn't approve. Ultimately, that proved to be the right decision as they became impractical to use legally in NJ.
- GLAM photo booths: Lost bookings to competitors offering them as part of a bundled package. Some couples hired me and booked the booth separately, but others preferred the convenience of one company. After seeing consistent demand, I invested $8K in one. Today, it's my most popular photo booth option, outperforming my traditional booths.
- 360 booths: Lost bookings here too, but deliberately never invested. Limited capabilities, massive footprint which most venues could never accommodate, and questionable long-term demand. Now DJs are practically giving them away.
- Live musicians:This is actually the biggest one, and I still lose occasional bookings to DJs who bundle musicians into their packages. In fact, it just happened this past week. However, I refuse to subcontract services, even if it costs me some business. Instead, I provide direct referrals to some of the most sought-after musicians in our market (they're extremely popular on social media and couples get excited to see that), all of whom operate independently and can't be booked through other DJ companies.
Many of my couples are particularly detail-oriented and appreciate being able to communicate directly with their musician, especially when discussing custom songs, transitions, or the overall vibe they're looking to create. With some DJ companies, the actual musician isn't even assigned until much closer to the wedding, limiting that opportunity. In fact most dj companies never even tell the couple who's going to be performing.
Could I book more events by offering musicians directly? Absolutely. But the number I lose isn't significant enough to justify changing my business model.
On the flip side, I also WIN bookings because of what I offer. My larger lighting productions are a big advantage in the larger Philly and NJ venues where I can offer up to 6 heads for larger rooms whereas most dj's only offer 2 heads max or none at all (just a basic wash effect). Couples love the fact that I can do CO2 Effects and often share that no other dj they're talking to has that, or the audio guest book... some thing so simple to offer yet most dj's don't. The couple can find one to rent online and do it themselves, but why add that responsibility when for a little bit more I can handle setting it up and moving it from cocktail hour to reception. More importantly, I provide everything in-house give me an advantage over DJs who offer fewer options or have to subcontract them (couples hate subcontracted stuff here as it likely means a markup).
And that's really my point. In a competitive market like NJ, there are plenty of talented DJs who can deliver an excellent party. Being a great DJ isn't always enough to differentiate yourself when couples are comparing several equally capable options. Some prioritize DJ talent above everything else. Others place significant value on production, convenience, and having everything handled by one company.
It's not about keeping up with the Joneses. It's about understanding what your market actually wants, recognizing which investments make business sense, and knowing when to pass on something.
You can absolutely lose a booking over a "thing," even when the couple loves your DJ abilities. That doesn't mean they weren't hiring you for your talent. It means they were evaluating the entire experience and package, not just one component of it.
Sparklers are a purchase not an investment.
DJ equipment is a sunk cost not an investment, Only when the equipment itself is the actual producer is it an investment (i.e. widget maker, lathe, forge/press, for example,) If I'm a cabinet maker - a table saw is an investment, the hinges, drawer runners, and hardware are not. That hardware is a sunk cost.
If we are losing business to a competitor on the basis of a given piece of gear then we are merchandising not investing. That's crystal clear - because I can rent or buy/sell the sparks at any given time for any given event,.
I own gear that I use repeatedly - but that doesn't make it an investment. It's simply more efficient. Efficiency is a cost reduction - not an investment.
This is a lot of words to mask what is actually just inflexibility or unwillingness to accommodate. Owning a given piece of retail gear has nothing to do with that.
The key to this lie rests in your self description: the "package" as you call it. That's retailing. We can easily misinterpret the response in web results as customer loyalty when in truth it's just a retail response to the imagery.
I've always done a lot of sourcing and custom builds for events. I've never had this experience of being passed over for want of a particular product. Guys who focus on the gear and retail products eventually age out of the business because their knowledge base was never the core interest of the buyer. I've always focused on the CRAFT of the event business - not specific gear and that has enabled me to stay in the event business full time for over 40 years.
DJ equipment is a sunk cost not an investment, Only when the equipment itself is the actual producer is it an investment (i.e. widget maker, lathe, forge/press, for example,) If I'm a cabinet maker - a table saw is an investment, the hinges, drawer runners, and hardware are not. That hardware is a sunk cost.
If we are losing business to a competitor on the basis of a given piece of gear then we are merchandising not investing. That's crystal clear - because I can rent or buy/sell the sparks at any given time for any given event,.
I own gear that I use repeatedly - but that doesn't make it an investment. It's simply more efficient. Efficiency is a cost reduction - not an investment.
This is a lot of words to mask what is actually just inflexibility or unwillingness to accommodate. Owning a given piece of retail gear has nothing to do with that.
The key to this lie rests in your self description: the "package" as you call it. That's retailing. We can easily misinterpret the response in web results as customer loyalty when in truth it's just a retail response to the imagery.
I've always done a lot of sourcing and custom builds for events. I've never had this experience of being passed over for want of a particular product. Guys who focus on the gear and retail products eventually age out of the business because their knowledge base was never the core interest of the buyer. I've always focused on the CRAFT of the event business - not specific gear and that has enabled me to stay in the event business full time for over 40 years.
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Refer back to my previous post. You'll NEVER have the opportunity to discuss custom options, offer to source or rent something, or explain what's possible if the couple doesn't even know you can provide it in the first place.
Remember, couples here are contacting multiple DJs, primarily through online inquiry forms and email. They're comparing talent, pricing, services, and overall offerings, and often only continuing conversations with those who appear to provide what they're looking for. You may not like how couples are shopping for wedding services in 2026, but that's the reality. Unsolicited phone calls from 25–35-year-old couples are practically nonexistent. They're researching online, comparing options, and narrowing down their choices before ever speaking to anyone. You can't accommodate a request if you never get the opportunity to have that conversation.
And as for the distinction between a purchase and an investment, I think you're getting caught up in semantics.
If I spend $10K on sparklers and those sparklers generate over $100K in revenue over seven years, I'd consider that a pretty successful investment. Even accounting for operating expenses, maintenance, and depreciation, that's a substantial return on the initial capital.
A depreciating asset can absolutely be a business investment if it generates revenue. The fact that I can rent or resell it doesn't change that. By your definition, a photographer's camera or a DJ's sound system wouldn't qualify as an investment either.
The goal isn't to own more equipment. It's to own equipment that generates a return, attracts clients, and strengthens your competitive position. And if it doesn't accomplish those things, I have no interest in buying it.
You will attract what you promote - it's that simple.
That's infinitely more true when the web is the primary method of connection.
That's infinitely more true when the web is the primary method of connection.
The web is where MOST people you fall into the wedding couple average age will look, they were born with a cell phone and can have anything delivered to them in a very short period of time with little to no human interaction. That’s how they want to at least start the looking for a DJ process. If some one doesn’t have a fantastic compelling web presence, and upfront pricing they will simply click the next link and find someone who does. Yes of course referrals are still a very important thing, most will be hey you gotta check out Taso here I’ll share his insta, facebook or whatever with you.
You work in the event production space, everything you talk about is directed that way. They are similar but different. Certainly you are not so stubborn to realize your way is not the only way or even the best way for everyone.
Here's where it's at. To offer the things that Taso has to offer you either have to have the money to buy those things or the money to rent those things. I remember Taso said he has moving heads that cost 2K each. How many here could afford them? I don't know what it cost to rent them if you can.
It's great the things you have to offer brides and I'm proud of the brand you have built. The big thing is you can have the stuff that Taso talks about. That's great. The thing is do you have clients willing to pay you for those things because I don't see anyone buying those things and offering those things for free.
It doesn't make sense to buy those things and you don’t have anybody looking to book you to do an event for them.
The other thing is you can have those things to offer and that's great. The thing is will it look very professional that will leave people saying WOW THAT'S AWESOME. Instead of people thinking it looks horrible.
I will say that Taso has a great looking website. Keep up the great work!
It's great the things you have to offer brides and I'm proud of the brand you have built. The big thing is you can have the stuff that Taso talks about. That's great. The thing is do you have clients willing to pay you for those things because I don't see anyone buying those things and offering those things for free.
It doesn't make sense to buy those things and you don’t have anybody looking to book you to do an event for them.
The other thing is you can have those things to offer and that's great. The thing is will it look very professional that will leave people saying WOW THAT'S AWESOME. Instead of people thinking it looks horrible.
I will say that Taso has a great looking website. Keep up the great work!
That's just not true. It's a position rooted in fear rather than actual practice.
Have I lost client's to houses like Four Wall and Encore? Yes, but that's typically after many years or even decades when the client's needs have finally far outgrown my own production capacity.
Even as a DJ - I was a supplier of extended production support to many other DJs and multi ops in may area. Their customers are not part of that arrangement. Everything is assumed to be a package under one roof.
This is more than an opinion, it's a lifestyle choice.
If we set out with the belief that the web is the only way to get what we want - then that will be our experience. We attract only that which we focus on. The web will certainly produce inquiries - but that business (as we see in this discussion) will be of someone else's design making us a constant slave to "what's tending" rather than fostering the highest and best use of our own talents.
I do this full time. I not a slave to anything that's trending and I have more work than I can often accept. None of my customer's are finding me on the web. I haven't put any effort into the web since 2012 and I'm busier than ever. I still get DJ bookings, and will accept them when suitable or I'm available.
Let me say this Bob. In Taso's case he has to have a website and a lot of presence online. He charges a lot of money for the weddings he does. He has to have something that people can see that tells people why he's worth the price he charges. Of course he gets referrals as well. Is he worth what he charges, I don't know. I know that he consistently he gets work at the price he charges. He's even told us he has turned down weddings because he's reached the amount of jobs he wants to do for the year. That's great! Also he post his pricing on his website for people to know what he charges so they can see if they can afford him and his staff or not.
If companies like Four Wall and Encore are who you compare yourself to, whereas I'm comparing myself to Posh and SCE, I think it's pretty evident we're operating in two very different markets with very different clientele.
You're primarily a production company serving a wide range of clients, often with repeat business and events of varying sizes and scopes. Your DJ operation also served as a production and support resource for other DJs and multi-ops.
I'm strictly a wedding DJ entertainment company, performing at 50+ weddings a year, with literally a handful of other events (can count em on one hand for 2027 as of today). My clients are primarily couples planning their wedding for the first time, not established clients with whom I've developed relationships over years or decades. And although almost all my clients are either siblings of past clients or referrals or guests of past weddings... the client themselves is always different.
The way our leads come in, how prospective clients compare vendors, the conversations we have, and the expectations surrounding our services are fundamentally different. That's not to say you don't provide a personalized experience, but the "buying" process itself isn't the same.
Your experiences are valid for your business, but they don't automatically reflect the realities of being a strictly dedicated wedding DJ in 2026/27. And just because you haven't personally lost a booking over a particular service doesn't mean it doesn't happen in a different market or business model.
Been there, done that.
It's disingenuous to keep claiming that no one is capable of understanding what you do, or what your clients profile is.
The notion that your bookings hinge on having sparks or whatever the next fad in line may be - clearly fails to differentiate you from any other DJ who has these same toys.
DJing is an entry point. What's your next move?
Thank you for clearing that up.
Perhaps someday there will be places to find that information online.
DJing was my entry point 40 years ago and made great money and enjoyed it thoroughly, invested that money into other non entertainment businesses that generate what I call mailbox money they require little day to day effort to keep the running. That was my next move. I had never thought a business attached to my name personally would any real value when it was over
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There are plenty of ways to differentiate yourself as a DJ, and I've never suggested otherwise. But again, for many couples, it's the totality of what you offer that influences their decision. Your talent, personality, reputation, experience, production capabilities, and overall package all factor into it. It's not necessarily one thing over another.
And for some couples, it really is strictly about the DJ. Not everyone cares about sparklers, CO2, or production, and that's perfectly fine. But for the couples who DO value those things, you're naturally in a stronger position to earn their business if you offer and showcase those options versus a competitor who doesn't. That doesn't diminish the importance of the DJ talent. It simply recognizes that different couples prioritize different things when making their decision.
As for my next move, I've structured my finances/investments/assets and DJ business so that by 50, I could walk away from DJing entirely and be financially comfortable without needing to pursue another career. I could continue DJing in a much more limited, exclusive capacity (bc I want to, not have to), travel more, just be at home, explore passive income opportunities that require minimal hands-on involvement, or simply do nothing at all.
I guess that's the luxury of the position I've worked toward. A) I don't have to worry about my next move just yet, and B) my next move doesn't necessarily have to be anything.