I'd like to hear your guys' practices, reasons why or why not and real life experience! I've been advised both ways and I'd like to make an educated decision with your guys' help!
Thanks in advance, all!
Thanks in advance, all!
Weddings Websites & Pricing: To Post or Not To Post- That IS the question!
- Thread starter bombdhell89
- Start date
I started posting prices a year ago. I have found that it was a positive step for me.
DJ Wes is the one who talked me into posting. I work FT, in addition to the DJ life. Those tire-kicker calls/emails were killing me, in addition to hearing the constant "you're too expensive!" complaints. When I posted prices, it cut my inquiry volume by 1/3 but it eliminated 95% of the tire-kickers and practically 100% of the price complainers. It got me down to serious, ready to buy prospects.
From the way I see it, if I were trying to couch myself as a high-end, premium service, where I custom-quoted each and every job, then I'd not post pricing. If you want the option to quote somebody $500 for a date, then turn around and quote the next person $1000 for the same date, then don't put pricing on your website. If you've developed a consistent pricing plan, and you quote say $750 for that same date to both prospects, then putting your prices on the website makes sense. Keep in mind also that it's generally becoming a trend among brides that they expect to see pricing posted. If they don't may of them just click on the next website.
From the way I see it, if I were trying to couch myself as a high-end, premium service, where I custom-quoted each and every job, then I'd not post pricing. If you want the option to quote somebody $500 for a date, then turn around and quote the next person $1000 for the same date, then don't put pricing on your website. If you've developed a consistent pricing plan, and you quote say $750 for that same date to both prospects, then putting your prices on the website makes sense. Keep in mind also that it's generally becoming a trend among brides that they expect to see pricing posted. If they don't may of them just click on the next website.
The minute someone comes up with a bullet-proof answer to this question, which for the past 15 or 20 years is asked annually on every forum, that person will have my full and complete attention.
To date, with all the information, concepts, and opinion posted, no one has ever compiled a pro and con list. I'm too lazy to do the research only to encounter negativity in doing so.
My prices are posted because I wanna.
To date, with all the information, concepts, and opinion posted, no one has ever compiled a pro and con list. I'm too lazy to do the research only to encounter negativity in doing so.
My prices are posted because I wanna.
For myself, posting prices won't work because of where I live. I live in rural southeast Missouri but work gigs in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, and Kentucky, so I need to figure in the travel expenses before I quote an event.
The travel part is simple. "The first 50 miles (each way) is free. Anything further out incurs a $1/mile out-of-area travel fee."
So if they are 250 miles one way drive, you would only charge them $200 extra to do the gig? Sounds like a a lot of travel time for $200.
...We also charge $1 per mile travel fee for clients booking at a special price but outside the travel range included with the deal, but it's never a line item, I work it into the quote, and round up to the nearest $5. However that $1 per mile only works well up to a certain amount. My DJs want A LOT more money to go and drive 125+ miles somewhere. The $1 per mile fee doesn't make it worth the effort to us.
And trying to charge like $3 per mile sounds stupid, and looks like over charging.
Wedding Wire claims that 88% of couples want to see prices posted on your website before bothering to contact you. I am not sure if that is true or not, but when I did try to post package prices I saw a significant drop in inquiries. I had prices posted for about 5 months back in 2009, and decided never to do that again.
However, it works well for some DJ companies in my area. BUT those companies are also working primarily off of strong referrals from high end wedding venues, and I am certain there is some sort of kick back or referral fee scheme going on.
One company has a set price of $1,600 no haggle price for DJ only (all inclusive for sound), and they have over 500 reviews on WW, and 12 DJs so they must be booking a good amount of weddings every year. Another company not far from me has a starting price of $1,400 for a 4 hour wedding posted, and claim they do not haggle either...They seem to get about 25 Wedding Wire reviews a year, so I suspect they probably book at least 30 weddings a year at that price between the 3 DJs they have.
I have found that I'd rather have the client contact me and I can build some sort of rapport with them and learn more about their wedding or event before giving them a custom quote. I don't feel that a set no haggle price is the way to go for all weddings, and having a minimum price with price for additional time posted leaves the viewer with a quick price quote, and just window shop, and leave.
However, it works well for some DJ companies in my area. BUT those companies are also working primarily off of strong referrals from high end wedding venues, and I am certain there is some sort of kick back or referral fee scheme going on.
One company has a set price of $1,600 no haggle price for DJ only (all inclusive for sound), and they have over 500 reviews on WW, and 12 DJs so they must be booking a good amount of weddings every year. Another company not far from me has a starting price of $1,400 for a 4 hour wedding posted, and claim they do not haggle either...They seem to get about 25 Wedding Wire reviews a year, so I suspect they probably book at least 30 weddings a year at that price between the 3 DJs they have.
I have found that I'd rather have the client contact me and I can build some sort of rapport with them and learn more about their wedding or event before giving them a custom quote. I don't feel that a set no haggle price is the way to go for all weddings, and having a minimum price with price for additional time posted leaves the viewer with a quick price quote, and just window shop, and leave.
Nope 250, one-way would equate to 500 miles, round trip. That would be a $400 travel charge. I don't know about you, but I can afford gas and a cheap hotel on that amount.
I see. So you charge the mileage both ways to and from the gig.
At $400 extra, it would also still depend. You figure it might be 6 hours driving each way with moderate traffic, and what if the cheap hotel is still $100 plus tax for the night? I guess it depends on how you value your time driving, and if it's worth the 2 days for the 1 gig. (Unless you could book another gig the next day near that one)
I usually just charge a few hundred more for the real long distance ones and don't worry about figuring a mileage charge. However, those real long distance ones very rarely book. They usually want someone more local, and the cost a lot less.
There's no reason you couldn't tie it all together and put in on your page with something like "Travel is included for up to 45 miles in each direction. Over 45 miles there will be an additional $1/mile charge each way. Travel over 150 miles one way will be by quote."
This practice virtually eliminates all long-distance bookings. That's the purpose. I have a handful per year who are 50-80 miles out and this seems to make it a bit more worthwhile.
I think one has to experiment to see what works best or if there's any difference at all. Maybe it depends on your business model and pricing structure. I haven't noticed any difference in posting prices vs not posting prices myself.
Personal experience in wedding photography, senior portraits and now DJ is that people WANT to see the prices and it makes the phone ring (as stated with ready to talk prospects).
Keep it SIMPLE too - "5 hour wedding $X includes music, system, mic, me, lighting, etc".
Consumers overwhelming shop online now and compare prices/value (the best they can - testimonials are great to put on your site), they google you for reviews, etc.
And if they do this for 3 DJs and you have no price and the others do...they call the others first.
I know i work that way when shopping - if you dont' have a price (for whatever the item) you will not get a call from me to ask 'how much?' cause I'll get that info from your competition online.
edit to add: I know most of my business is within 1/2 or so drive of my studio/home. So I put that on the website - "Price includes travel/setup for .....(list areas - also helps in SEO!!). $40 for each half hour beyond that (or something like that)"
I do it by time not miles because it's easier for people to think that way..and on the hiway i may travel more miles than back roads but it's faster - and time matters to me more than the miles.
Keep it SIMPLE too - "5 hour wedding $X includes music, system, mic, me, lighting, etc".
Consumers overwhelming shop online now and compare prices/value (the best they can - testimonials are great to put on your site), they google you for reviews, etc.
And if they do this for 3 DJs and you have no price and the others do...they call the others first.
I know i work that way when shopping - if you dont' have a price (for whatever the item) you will not get a call from me to ask 'how much?' cause I'll get that info from your competition online.
edit to add: I know most of my business is within 1/2 or so drive of my studio/home. So I put that on the website - "Price includes travel/setup for .....(list areas - also helps in SEO!!). $40 for each half hour beyond that (or something like that)"
I do it by time not miles because it's easier for people to think that way..and on the hiway i may travel more miles than back roads but it's faster - and time matters to me more than the miles.
SO you drive SLOWER when you're short of cash some weeks?
No, i live in a rural area and it's 6 miles to the nearest post office, 10-12 to a walmart/staples, 30-40 to a guitar center/costco.
There are three major shopping areas - 'robinson' is the easiest to get to but mileage the furthest (all hiway), 'cranberry' the hardest (no hiway at all) but mileage the closest, and 'boardman' 50mph country back roads and I often prefer it cause it's got more stuff than cranberry and less traffic (by far) that either of the other two so the extra 5-7 minutes driving is offset by less time getting around once you're there.
Locally teh mentality is split bewteen cranberry and robinson - robinson is between me and Pittsburgh (the city), cranberry is 'over the river' and people here often have a mindset about crossing rivers (and we DO have bridges!). Boardman is a suburb of Youngstown Ohio and being in another state seems 'far far away'.
I bet few in East Liverpool or youngstown, OH, Weirton WV or New Castle would think of me as 'in their market' because "you're too far away" BUT all are 30-35 minute drive - closer than Pittsburgh by 15 minutes (or more with traffic). Hell, that's my mindset as well - until I got some calls for work and measured my time to get there - and wow, I have a big untapped market over the border!!
I do a soccer league (pictures) that are in my county and it takes me 45 minutes to get there- yet most would consider it closer than youngstown or weirton cause it's in the same county (and state).
There are three major shopping areas - 'robinson' is the easiest to get to but mileage the furthest (all hiway), 'cranberry' the hardest (no hiway at all) but mileage the closest, and 'boardman' 50mph country back roads and I often prefer it cause it's got more stuff than cranberry and less traffic (by far) that either of the other two so the extra 5-7 minutes driving is offset by less time getting around once you're there.
Locally teh mentality is split bewteen cranberry and robinson - robinson is between me and Pittsburgh (the city), cranberry is 'over the river' and people here often have a mindset about crossing rivers (and we DO have bridges!). Boardman is a suburb of Youngstown Ohio and being in another state seems 'far far away'.
I bet few in East Liverpool or youngstown, OH, Weirton WV or New Castle would think of me as 'in their market' because "you're too far away" BUT all are 30-35 minute drive - closer than Pittsburgh by 15 minutes (or more with traffic). Hell, that's my mindset as well - until I got some calls for work and measured my time to get there - and wow, I have a big untapped market over the border!!
I do a soccer league (pictures) that are in my county and it takes me 45 minutes to get there- yet most would consider it closer than youngstown or weirton cause it's in the same county (and state).
Oh the humanity! Seriously, that's the new benchmark for being way out in the boondocks! And you are son!
I lived in the city - could walk to 3 grocery stores, had bus service (downtown was 10 minutes by bus), then I moved to the suburbs - still populated..30k residents in that town. New town in this county? 4,500 residents and its twice the geographical area. So 1/4 the density.
Most people live in cities or burbs of them and don't get the country idea - what is soooo different here. I've been paid in beef, backhoe use and similar. When the walmart opened here 8 years ago it was said to be the largest in the nation - now that says a lot about here, huh? LOL
We had no starbucks in the county till 2008, no non-US car dealers (and still no luxury brands) until 2011 (then it was kia..not even a 'good' brand LOL). We now also have hyundai and nissan...we be moving up in the world! LOL
When I lived in Moon (next to robinson) we had 12 car dealers - every normal brand foreign and domestic and one town over (2 miles..closer than my current local post office) the rolls/porsche/audi/bmw/land rover dealerships.
When a round trip to the post office takes an hour...you're in the boonies.
When a trip to the grocery store requires and Iced Cooler to get your food home still cold, you're in the boonies.
Two of the HS's in my county have 'senior tractor day' where the seniors drive their tractors to school(and i'm not talking lawn boy) .
This is the 'back yard' of a local wedding venue...a hayfield.
Most people live in cities or burbs of them and don't get the country idea - what is soooo different here. I've been paid in beef, backhoe use and similar. When the walmart opened here 8 years ago it was said to be the largest in the nation - now that says a lot about here, huh? LOL
We had no starbucks in the county till 2008, no non-US car dealers (and still no luxury brands) until 2011 (then it was kia..not even a 'good' brand LOL). We now also have hyundai and nissan...we be moving up in the world! LOL
When I lived in Moon (next to robinson) we had 12 car dealers - every normal brand foreign and domestic and one town over (2 miles..closer than my current local post office) the rolls/porsche/audi/bmw/land rover dealerships.
When a round trip to the post office takes an hour...you're in the boonies.
When a trip to the grocery store requires and Iced Cooler to get your food home still cold, you're in the boonies.
Two of the HS's in my county have 'senior tractor day' where the seniors drive their tractors to school(and i'm not talking lawn boy) .
This is the 'back yard' of a local wedding venue...a hayfield.
I have hired help at times - I pay them by the hour, not the mile. It's why i try to fast efficient setup/tear down and don't want a 5 hour wedding to be a 12 hour day.
Saturday Iv'e got a 5 hour wedding - hoping to have 8 hours all in (it's in youngstown). Allowing 45 min to drive, 45 to setup, want to be up and running 20-30 min before 'start' time of 5. Play till 10 hope to be home and unloaded by 11:15, 11:30.
I was mainly a joke .. I do hate paying people by the hour, especially service folks .. one never knows how much they milk the timecard.