Price Matters

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M

Mr. K

New DJ
Aug 7, 2006
4,215
0
I just learned that I missed out on a three hour event on October 25 because I charge more than $300.

I could have been making a little profit on that day but, instead, I will be making $0 and my equipment will be collecting more dust. Oh, and I'm making $0 indefinitely and my equipment is going to rot because everybody these days (except DJs, of course) think that I'm too expensive.

I did something about it and lowered my DJ rates to a spectrum of $300 to $550. I listened to the people, because THAT is what I have to do if I want to stay in business, serving the PEOPLE.

Thanks, everybody.
 
Sorry to hear that. I have raised my rates $50 to $100 every so often. I am still booking shows so I don't know what to tell you. I am a firm believer that location is a major factor in booking higher priced shows. They are out there but some areas don't produce many compared to others.

I was booking my 2007 and 2008 shows at $795 and getting upwards to $950-$1000 if they went overtime and any tips came into play. My 2009 shows will be at $895. I already made that decision.

I also raised my retainer up a little so during the winter here in the great white north, I have a little more cash flow. I just booked my first game show for a bar and I am hoping it catches on around here.

Good luck to you.
 
Mr. K :
lowered my DJ rates to a spectrum of $300 to $550. I listened to the people, because THAT is what I have to do if I want to stay in business, serving the PEOPLE.
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Did you forget to finish the sentence?
 
Would'nt life be grand if we all served the same economic areas,could charge the same rates,and be booked solidly year round..Unfortunately it does'nt work that way..Therefore we each have to figure out the economic area we reside in,the clients we wish to service,what the market will bear,how far we are willing to travel and how many Saturday nights we are willing to sit home.
 
Don Niles : That is a great observation begging the next level of "what if"?

What if there were 52 weddings in one's area, one a week every Saturday night.

Everybody's price was IDENTICAL!

Everybody's gear was IDENTICAL!

The ONLY difference was the DJ's talent and service.

Open Question:

How many would you (generic you, not specific Don Niles you) think you'd get?
 
Mr. K said:
Oh, and I'm making $0 indefinitely and my equipment is going to rot because everybody these days (except DJs, of course) think that I'm too expensive.
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But let's be careful here. It is not all DJs. I understand what you did Johnny. I went there myself a year ago and got bashed by many DJs, particularly those that are in the so-called worth movemnet.

Now, an open challenge. I challenge all DJs that think Johnny is not charging enough to move into his area and survive for a year on what you are charging now. You can't do anything else but DJ. No books, no speaking tours, no CDs or DVDs, no stand up comedy. Just DJ.

Chances are I'll just hear crickets chirping.
 
Hard to do a challenge like that and not just because you would have to move there.

It has taken me 7 + years to get where I am at. I believe I could be at that same level if I had 7 years to get there. I believe in my ability that much.

I get told all the time by "Other DJs" to raise my rates. I don't do it for them, I do it when I feel I should.

He felt he needed to lower his so he did. I wouldn't do that but that is me. I would rather stay put and change other things to get more bookings.
 
Johnny, as in ANY business, you can only charge what the market will bear. If 300.oo is the local market- charge it. An expensive market means higher cost of living in that area. If you are in a more depressed area, the 300 will probably buy you as much as 600 in a higher paying area.

Plus, you have to stay sharp. Now, WHY aren't you looking for at least one weekly BAR booking?!?!?!?!
 
I went on the WeDJ Cruise..One night in a few San Diego Restaurants and a Hotel showed me that a DJ there has to charge considerably more than I do.
 
I get told all the time by "Other DJs" to raise my rates. I don't do it for them, I do it when I feel I should.
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On a similar note, whenever I happen to talk to the folks at the other DJ software companies, I tell them they should raise their prices, because their software is great, and worth more.

They do. I don't.


My sales keep going up -- weird how that happens, huh...? :sqwink:
 
it appears to me that some decide to wade on into a thread they know they wont add anything positive too. Fortunately here we allow folks to try and resolve the never before solved mysteries. It is after all an open chat forum. It always miffs me to why a topic that either is against ones beliefs etc or a topic that aggravates one is the one those well educated folks cant stay out of? If Johnny or anyone wants to present a topic its up to the naysayer or non believer to waste internet time posting in a thread that matters to them. Price does matter is such a wide ranged topic and is held so diverse from ones viewpoint to the others. If in fact one wants to help Johnny with his dilemma please be my guest, but if one wants to go in and cause controversy why bother?
 
Mr. K said:
I just learned that I missed out on a three hour event on October 25 because I charge more than $300.

I could have been making a little profit on that day but, instead, I will be making $0 and my equipment will be collecting more dust. Oh, and I'm making $0 indefinitely and my equipment is going to rot because everybody these days (except DJs, of course) think that I'm too expensive.

I did something about it and lowered my DJ rates to a spectrum of $300 to $550. I listened to the people, because THAT is what I have to do if I want to stay in business, serving the PEOPLE.

Thanks, everybody.
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Hey Johnny,

I’m going to assume that you are talking about a school dance (mid week)... Was it a middle school or high school???

I live and work in the same general area that Johnny does. And I was just talking with Steve (HAPPY BIRTHDY) today about this same topic. For middle schools, I have to WORK MY ASS OFF, bring a HUGE lighting show, Free Giveaways..... and at the MOST I’m able to get so far is $495. Now... that is the most, many of my middle schools are being charged $450, and some at $395. Getting more out of these schools is hard because the Middle schools here have a small population of students to draw from... many around 300-400, with the turnouts at the dances being 200-300.

Now High schools are a different animal all together... Johnny, if it was a high school that wasn’t willing to pay more then $300.... you are not missing much. At $300, you shouldn’t be able to show up at a high school with piles of 18" subs... and tops reaching for the ceiling. And that is what they expect! If you showed up with a normal set up the students would laugh you out of the place.

soooooooo, relax, enjoy the day off. Rethink how you want to sell your services to the school.... let them know that what you offer... SHOWMENSHIP on the turntables is something they are not going to get any where else. SELL THE SHOW, THE FUN.... not the dance!

Good luck..... stay in the fight! :sqbiggrin:
 
Yes Johnny Stay in the fight....good advice.....At that time ....for that client for ....that night...that's where the price is that a willing buyer and seller come to agreement.

Don't read anymore into it then that.........

Sometimes you have to say no, for all you know they were just trying to get your price down.....That "Car Buying Mentality" the sticker price is never the price they will end up selling it for, it will be much less.........same thing with any service, we all try to knock down that contractors bid, but if we like the contractor, and his work we will do business...........won't we.
 
JT that bomb picture brings back days when I used to build the damned things for the great US Air Force.I hauled many a trailer full of them and of course in Fairchild AFB to the B52 and B1s in the alert section thanks for reminding me of my past sins.
 
Jon Tuck said:
JT that bomb picture brings back days when I used to build the damned things for the great US Air Force.I hauled many a trailer full of them and of course in Fairchild AFB to the B52 and B1s in the alert section thanks for reminding me of my past sins.
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dude, edit the post man! I don't want you reliving all that hard heroic work!

Isn't that freakin bomb insane? Apparently the worlds largest nuke. Hell, the pic of the explosion wouldn't even fit on my monitor!....lol
 
Folks,

Ol' Wolfster has been preachin' this for years: Prices are numbers, nothing more. :)

Yes, price matters ~ to the customer. It's often the first thing prospective customers look for. The pool of available customers who will say "Yes" to quality for quality's sake is dwindling. If this were not the case, we'd see more Cadillacs on the road than Fords.

As was previously mentioned, the ticket is to sell the service. In this crazy biz, it's important to ensure that the customer gets what he or she feels is a good value.
 
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