Nowadays, it's NOT about the music

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I think the facts are:

-Cost of Living is Up, and continually rising
- Wages are still Stagnant generally speaking
-College debts are higher for today's 20 and 30 somethings
-Millennials are waiting longer and longer before marrying
-Advertising market among corporate America placating to "LOW PRICES" on goods and services 24/7


= Less expendable income towards their events
= Evolved form of purchasing products and services all around
= Willingness to cut corners and pick lower priced vendors much more often than years ago.

Combine that with:

-Lower cost of DJ equipment/Gear today compared to the past
-Ease of Music Subscriptions
-Better technology at lower prices
-Attractiveness of Money potential (Even at low rates) compared to what the job market offers for a person's time...

And we have DJs lowering prices, while at the same time competing for the client who is looking for a lot of value at a Bargain price.


We are not the only industry in this predicament. Look at the Retail Sector. Now look at the Grocery Store market. Grocery store prices are dropping back down to early 2000s levels due to the fact that there is saturation going on with bargain stores like Aldi spreading, and now Liedel's is coming to USA (Aldi competitor), and both of these chains are competing to take business away from Wal Mart. Amazon just bought whole foods. What is the first thing they did? SLASH PRICES. They will now change the shopping experience to attract the younger clientele to boot.

This trend will continue. You can choose to shoot for the stars and try to find the top 3% to 5% income earners who are looking to book a DJ, or compete on price/value.
Yeah this is pretty accurate. Neither option though is better than the other... shoot for the stars requires heavy investments and being skilled in what you do. Without either, it's pretty much a certainty you won't appeal to that quality driven clientele willing to spend a lot. Going for price and value throws you in the pack with 90% of the other dj's and there's no guarantee you'll always get the quantity of bookings you need to make it especially since your prices are lower on top of it.
 
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Yeah this is pretty accurate. Neither option though is better than the other... shoot for the stars requires heavy investments and being skilled in what you do. Without either, it's pretty much a certainty you won't appeal to that quality driven clientele willing to spend a lot. Going for price and value throws you in the pack with 90% of the other dj's and there's no guarantee you'll always get the quantity of bookings you need to make it especially since your prices are lower on top of it.

I agree, and I have further proof that the Middle Tier Clientele is eroding away!

The Talent Agency I am affiliated with has always catered generally to the Middle Class clientelle, and somewhat to higher end clients. They book DJs, and charge enough that they can earn a healthy commission which is usually around 30% of the gross total. Well, I have seen in recent years the number of inquiries from the agency drop significantly year after year. They use to be responsible for nearly 80% of my bookings. Now it is reverse. I book myself nearly 80% of my own bookings, and about 20% of the work I do still comes from them.

On top of that, They have gone from having 5 Agents 10 years ago down to just 2 agents today. They also recently "let go" of a Agent who had been with them for like 14 years. They also use to have a full time accountant, and like 3-4 office support staff. Today, accountant is very part time, and 2 part time office support people

They are shrinking due to falling sales to put it bluntly.

They lose a lot of clients right at the quote because clients want lower pricing, and can easily get it by booking direct with DJs they find elsewhere. I have also heard that their high priced DJs have been working less and less as time marches on. ...Hey, one of them contacted my sister asking if she had any over flow work to consider booking him!!!! ...A $2,000+ DJ is contacting my sister who rarely books above maybe $1,200 looking for work because the agency isn't booking him enough any more!

I also use to do A LOT of 40th and 50th and 60th birthday parties booked through the agency for well to do Middle class clients back between 2001 and 2010 that were booked in the $550 to $950 range. The agency doesn't get any of those type of parties any more. People are not throwing them as often as they use to, and when they do, they automatically go to the internet or find a friend of a friend to supply a DJ for $200 - $400.

This trend will continue until it pretty much erodes away. We will have a large group of Value/Bargain priced DJs out there, and a small handful of "high end" much higher priced DJs. ...The $600 to $1,500 price range will be a bad price range to be in the coming years. There will be very little to differentiate yourself as a DJ in that range compared to the low price market, and the high price market...and I'm in that range right now so I gotta figure out which way to move in the coming years if I want to stay relevant in this business and keep the income stream flowing!
 
I agree, and I have further proof that the Middle Tier Clientele is eroding away!

The Talent Agency I am affiliated with has always catered generally to the Middle Class clientelle, and somewhat to higher end clients. They book DJs, and charge enough that they can earn a healthy commission which is usually around 30% of the gross total. Well, I have seen in recent years the number of inquiries from the agency drop significantly year after year. They use to be responsible for nearly 80% of my bookings. Now it is reverse. I book myself nearly 80% of my own bookings, and about 20% of the work I do still comes from them.

On top of that, They have gone from having 5 Agents 10 years ago down to just 2 agents today. They also recently "let go" of a Agent who had been with them for like 14 years. They also use to have a full time accountant, and like 3-4 office support staff. Today, accountant is very part time, and 2 part time office support people

They are shrinking due to falling sales to put it bluntly.

They lose a lot of clients right at the quote because clients want lower pricing, and can easily get it by booking direct with DJs they find elsewhere. I have also heard that their high priced DJs have been working less and less as time marches on. ...Hey, one of them contacted my sister asking if she had any over flow work to consider booking him!!!! ...A $2,000+ DJ is contacting my sister who rarely books above maybe $1,200 looking for work because the agency isn't booking him enough any more!

I also use to do A LOT of 40th and 50th and 60th birthday parties booked through the agency for well to do Middle class clients back between 2001 and 2010 that were booked in the $550 to $950 range. The agency doesn't get any of those type of parties any more. People are not throwing them as often as they use to, and when they do, they automatically go to the internet or find a friend of a friend to supply a DJ for $200 - $400.

This trend will continue until it pretty much erodes away. We will have a large group of Value/Bargain priced DJs out there, and a small handful of "high end" much higher priced DJs. ...The $600 to $1,500 price range will be a bad price range to be in the coming years. There will be very little to differentiate yourself as a DJ in that range compared to the low price market, and the high price market...and I'm in that range right now so I gotta figure out which way to move in the coming years if I want to stay relevant in this business and keep the income stream flowing!
I know two djs personally, one in each price point who have been affected. One middle priced Dj has lost a lot of his smaller parties he used to rely heavily on and many of his holiday parties as well as almost all the parties that he’d send out other guys for even less when he wasn’t available or super price conscious. Bookings have dropped nearly 15% gear over year for the last few years.

The other one who was high end in terms of pricing hasn’t reinvested in himself in terms of equipment or his online presence and while he still gets his price... he’s dropped by over 25% each yr in terms of weddings and now is starting to rely on cheaper/discount events to fill up his schedule. Pretty much has lost his appeal to the high end market
 
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The other one who was high end in terms of pricing hasn’t reinvested in himself in terms of equipment or his online presence and while he still gets his price... he’s dropped by over 25% each yr in terms of weddings and now is starting to rely on cheaper/discount events to fill up his schedule. Pretty much has lost his appeal to the high end market

I think this is exactly what is happening with the DJ who contacted my sister. He is getting older...(I wanna say mid 50s now) and I remember YEARS ago he would book Sweet 16s for $1,200 (Back in like 2004) and I wondered at the time how he was getting that kind of money for a Sweet 16, and the agency was booking me at $700 on Sweet 16s. I know that in 2014, and 2015 he had 10 -11 weddings each year all booked in the $2,100 to $2,700 price range, and the agency would recommend me, and another DJ as a lower priced alternative when a client originally wanted that guy, but couldn't afford his price. Apparently, 2016 declined, and 2017 is most certainly down from what he was doing in 2014, and 2015.

He hardly has any videos up, and certainly doesn't have a lot of marketing presence compared to even myself on the internet so there are likely a number of reasons why he is in decline over the years. However, part of it is certainly the market itself. He is adapting to the changes to stay relevant in the high end market like he use to be for so long, and now he is asking other DJs who were always lower priced than himself to help him obtain work again.
 
I think this is exactly what is happening with the DJ who contacted my sister. He is getting older...(I wanna say mid 50s now) and I remember YEARS ago he would book Sweet 16s for $1,200 (Back in like 2004) and I wondered at the time how he was getting that kind of money for a Sweet 16, and the agency was booking me at $700 on Sweet 16s. I know that in 2014, and 2015 he had 10 -11 weddings each year all booked in the $2,100 to $2,700 price range, and the agency would recommend me, and another DJ as a lower priced alternative when a client originally wanted that guy, but couldn't afford his price. Apparently, 2016 declined, and 2017 is most certainly down from what he was doing in 2014, and 2015.

He hardly has any videos up, and certainly doesn't have a lot of marketing presence compared to even myself on the internet so there are likely a number of reasons why he is in decline over the years. However, part of it is certainly the market itself. He is adapting to the changes to stay relevant in the high end market like he use to be for so long, and now he is asking other DJs who were always lower priced than himself to help him obtain work again.
Mid 50s .. that's old .. ;)
 
Mid 50s .. that's old .. ;)

What you talking about?

Mid 50s is the new mid 40s! :D

...I could argue that he has aged away from doing those $1200 Sweet 16s he use to do over 12 years ago!

...I'm not exactly sure of his age, but his profile pic on the agency website is from when he was in his late 30s, maybe 40 years old and he still uses it (To appear younger than he is) initially. He could be 60...not sure. Best guess is mid 50s.
 
The other one who was high end in terms of pricing hasn’t reinvested in himself in terms of equipment or his online presence...pretty much has lost his appeal to the high end market

And as I've seen Taso (literally), you spend a bunch of time and effort to ensure that does not happen to you.

Your results speak for themselves. :cheers2:
 
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And as I've seen Taso (literally), you spend a bunch of time and effort to ensure that does not happen to you.

Your results speak for themselves. :cheers2:
In my area, there's quite a few high end guys/companies... and the one thing I've come to notice is they do 3 things... do a great job... make sure they're exposed... and constantly reinvent themselves through branding and new looks/equipment/offerings
 
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What you talking about?

Mid 50s is the new mid 40s! :D

...I could argue that he has aged away from doing those $1200 Sweet 16s he use to do over 12 years ago!

...I'm not exactly sure of his age, but his profile pic on the agency website is from when he was in his late 30s, maybe 40 years old and he still uses it (To appear younger than he is) initially. He could be 60...not sure. Best guess is mid 50s.

Well...I must be the new "50" as I'm still kicking, albeit less events at my own choosing, at 72 years young. People never believe me when I thank them for thinking I look mid-fifties. However, my bones bring be back down to earth when I have those aches from Mr. Arthur-I-Tis; my knee, fingers and wrists. I still don't sit down at events and I use a laptop and mixer road case.
 
Well...I must be the new "50" as I'm still kicking, albeit less events at my own choosing, at 72 years young. People never believe me when I thank them for thinking I look mid-fifties. However, my bones bring be back down to earth when I have those aches from Mr. Arthur-I-Tis; my knee, fingers and wrists. I still don't sit down at events and I use a laptop and mixer road case.

MY Dad is 73, and he has worked more events than I did this year. He doesn't do weddings any more, but he works a American Legion every Saturday night 7 to 11 pm. He also does a Elks Lodge 2 Friday nights a month 7 to 11. Then he does a Hand Dance Club most Wednesday nights 5:30 to 9 p.m. He is done with weddings or any other type of events though. He says he has no plans to retire from deejaying any time soon. I want to put him in a "Oldest Working Mobile DJ" contest!

He has indicated that he isn't searching for new business at this point though. Once those 3 accounts he does declines he will officially retire. That could be another 5 or 6 years from now though!
 
MY Dad is 73, and he has worked more events than I did this year. He doesn't do weddings any more, but he works a American Legion every Saturday night 7 to 11 pm. He also does a Elks Lodge 2 Friday nights a month 7 to 11. Then he does a Hand Dance Club most Wednesday nights 5:30 to 9 p.m. He is done with weddings or any other type of events though. He says he has no plans to retire from deejaying any time soon. I want to put him in a "Oldest Working Mobile DJ" contest!

He has indicated that he isn't searching for new business at this point though. Once those 3 accounts he does declines he will officially retire. That could be another 5 or 6 years from now though!

I won't be doing this at 73, I'm pretty sure. I think another year or two, and I'll stop DJing. I only started 3 years ago to give me something to do after retiring, and that has worked out fine. It allowed me to transition into retirement, without sitting around on my duff watching TV.[emoji1]

However, DJing can be physically demanding, and requires spending a good amount of time looking for music and maintaining the gear. I'm old, but I don't play oldies exclusively. I prefer playing new music, which is becoming a challenge. When it gets to the point that the new music is not there, I'm out.[emoji4]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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I'm pretty sure the guys who focus mainly on music will always survive.
There will always be clients who are not WOWED by bigger and better.
Most couples these days seem to be paying for their own...
and I've been noticing a real trend in "less is more"...regardless of the cost.
Home made decorations, suits instead of tuxes, bridesmaids dresses that can be worn anytime, comfortable shoes,
barn weddings, tent events with DIY catering....
I'm waiting for the day when fire halls make a big comeback.
 
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I'm pretty sure the guys who focus mainly on music will always survive.
There will always be clients who are not WOWED by bigger and better.
Most couples these days seem to be paying for their own...
and I've been noticing a real trend in "less is more"...regardless of the cost.
Home made decorations, suits instead of tuxes, bridesmaids dresses that can be worn anytime, comfortable shoes,
barn weddings, tent events with DIY catering....
I'm waiting for the day when fire halls make a big comeback.
In no way is this a knock on what you do... but in a sense, you'll see what you attract. Why would a couple that wants "more" contact a company that is not known for that. Likewise... why would a couple that wants less, contact a guy that focuses on doing more.
I attract couples of which 3/4 of them have their parents paying for the wedding... Weddings that are over the top at the most expensive NJ and Philly venues. Couples, who want to spend alot on lighting and design (lighting through me, decor through a florist or event planner). I already have 3 or 4 black tie events next year, and just attended a black tie optional wedding last week. In my bubble, DIY weddings don't really exist. Have I done them... yes... but it's way out of my norm.
 
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In no way is this a knock on what you do... but in a sense, you'll see what you attract. Why would a couple that wants "more" contact a company that is not known for that. Likewise... why would a couple that wants less, contact a guy that focuses on doing more.

No offense taken, I love that you found your market and you exploit every possible benefit from it.
In fact, I am jealous.
But that high end market is almost non-existent in my area.
DJ's around me are just not booking the big jobs like they used to.
In fact, even when there were MORE big weddings, there weren't a LOT of them.
We'd all battle to get them, but in the end we'd make our living with small to average sized gigs.
And I am okay with that, because I wouldn't want the pressure.
Perhaps it's also a difference in our ages.
Not a cop out, not me being in denial...I just love working the smaller, laid-back events in my area.
The clients and the crowds are more like friends, and no one is there to impress or out-dress anyone else.
It also means the crowds are all there to drink and have a good time.
 
No offense taken, I love that you found your market and you exploit every possible benefit from it.
In fact, I am jealous.
But that high end market is almost non-existent in my area.
DJ's around me are just not booking the big jobs like they used to.
In fact, even when there were MORE big weddings, there weren't a LOT of them.
We'd all battle to get them, but in the end we'd make our living with small to average sized gigs.
And I am okay with that, because I wouldn't want the pressure.
Perhaps it's also a difference in our ages.
Not a cop out, not me being in denial...I just love working the smaller, laid-back events in my area.
The clients and the crowds are more like friends, and no one is there to impress or out-dress anyone else.
It also means the crowds are all there to drink and have a good time.
Trust me, it gets overwhelming sometimes... there are days when I am happy I booked a sound and lighting only event with no extras that require in length designing and discussions and labor/equipment.
 
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Trust me, it gets overwhelming sometimes... there are days when I am happy I booked a sound and lighting only event with no extras that require in length designing and discussions and labor/equipment.

What this I hear?? A dent in the armor? :sick:

Say it ain't so...Taso is human! Who'da thunk it???:cheers:

Well jeez...now I gotta put you down a notch or two from Superman to just Wonder Woman...