Going Upmarket

[jamesmurphy 0]

I've been thinking about it for a while, and I'm thinking about the way forward for my disco.

 

I've been going since April '06 and I've been doing OK, about 70 gigs last year and a fair few booked for this year, but I want to start getting bookings from the higher income client, where price is less of an issue.

 

Where I live in Weymouth it appears that most discos are in the £140 -150 bracket. My average night comes in at £165, but I feel I should be getting at least £250 when I consider the amount of money i'm investing back into the business and the service I provide the customer.

 

In the last fortnight, I've just bought a new computer and I pick my new bass bins up this week. I also want my disco to start looking more upmarket and have a few ideas on how I'm going to change the look of the disco in order to achieve this.

 

I think I'll end up with 2 discos - the one I have now for the standard event & a better one for the higher end of the market.

 

My question is - How would you market yourself in order to achieve the goal of moving from one price bracket range to the other and what do I need to do differently.

 

Many thanks in advance.

[UKHero 0]

Well being from the Black Country when I go up Market I usually tek the buzz lol

 

Sorry Could not resist

 

Nik

 

[jamesmurphy 0]

Not quite what I had in mind....lol

[rictic 0]

interesting question.

i suppose one factor is the demograohics of where you live. another would be how far will you travel.

will you have a superior rig ie lighting bacdrop sound quality etc.

stage presence is a factor also i think. all in all a superior impression.

 

as for the clients maybe you could approach event organisers and management companies, large corporations direct, hotel chains etc.

re market yourself with a new image and new name reflecting the higher end you are trying to attract.

 

a glossy portfolio maybe not an A5 flyer if you get my drift.

 

web site essential even if it is a self made one done well,with good graphics. this can then be sent to prospects and reciprocally linked to to like minded sites.

 

i think image is everything when you seek out top end punters.

one course i would consider taking is looking for where the monied people go, colleges uni's yuppy places the city etc.

do a targeted mail shot promoting your corporate event expertise presentations dinner dances etc.

 

another thing is mingle,network and join a golf club. affiliate yourself to a masonic charity.

much of what i say may sound daft,but if you aint up there being visible no one can see ya.

[Paul Smith 0]

i think image is everything when you seek out top end punters.

 

I agree and this starts with your business cards, web site, advertising, you! then your rig (small & smart) and finally attitude - if you believe you can do it you will.

 

[FrankieJ 0]

I invested in a fair bit of equipment this year and have put my prices up for weddings and corporate functions, and I have to say so far I have been getting what I've asked for.

I think you just have to take the plunge and need to charge what you think your worth.

Remember you may lose a booking or two but I guarentee if you stick by your guns your get what your worth after a while.

 

I agree with the above comments make sure your website / stationary looks proffessional and maybe get yourself down to a few elite wedding fayres.

 

Im based in Somerset soon to be moving to Devon and have no plans to drop my prices.

 

Good Luck.

[Tonsk 0]

Raising your prices scares the poo out of you when first done.

 

What if no one books etc????

 

As long as people know your unique selling points (and you have completed what people have written above of image/website etc) you'll be ok.

 

By Unique Selling Points, you have to KNOW what makes you different from the next guy... As we all know, anyone can buy some lights and speakers and call themselves a DJ but equipment isn't everything, what makes one DJ worth £100 and another worth £250?

 

To be honest, I would concentrate on one rig, making it fantastic and then only do the £250 gigs... Better to go out once at £250 than twice at £160 (when you take out outgoings).

[spinner 0]

Whilst good equipment is important, that's not what you're selling.

 

You're selling yourself and it most certainly is about the image you create.

 

Decide on the market you want then approach it in the appropriate way. Think about your potential customers and what they will want then make sure what you offer will appeal to them. Bear in mind that not all enquirers will be potential customers, especially if price is their main criterion and don't expect to convert everyone.

 

I had an enquiry yesterday for a wedding reception on September 29 - the one Saturday in September I have free. This was for 19.00-01.00. My quote was 78% higher than the enquirer's budget. My basic fee is for 4 hours and even that is 30% higher than the client's budget. So I didn't get it. Bearing in mind the lateness of the enquiry I didn't expect to. I didn't meet the client's expectations.

 

If you go into a supermarket you may see, say, several brands of Tuna fish all at different prices. They will be perceived differently by different customers. Some will think that all tuna fish is the same and go for the cheapest. Others will think if it's cheap it probably won't be any good. Others may think the cheapest is rubbish and the most expensive overpriced. The same analogy can be applied to all sorts of products and services.

 

Broadly speaking, the expectations of a client having a function in a smart hotel will be different from those of someone who has booked a pub function room. This will be in terms of price, service, you - the way you look, the way you present yourself, the way you dress, your manner and your willingness to be flexible. The appearance of your rig will be important too.

 

I have no experience of pricing in your area but my guess is that £250 is nowhere near the limit.

 

It all depends on the client and you. As an example I have a wedding coming up in a county where one might think rates would be low. My fee is around 3 times the "average" for the area. It's at a very smart

venue and the clients' expectations are in line with the other services they will have bought.

[jamesmurphy 0]

Hey Guys,

 

Thanks for your comments. Plenty of food for thought. Please keep it coming!

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

I agree with the pricing comments made.

 

Very easy to go out for £150 if you need the kite, but people will gladly pay £250. Most people think that if you pay more you get a more professional attitude. This is true. I have done cheap gigs before and only had half my mind on the job.

 

People who expect to pay next to nothing get what they deserve.

 

Update your cards, get a website, dress smart and tart up your rig. My view is if you already have some reasonable kit, you won't need to spend much if anything. Most punters could not care less if you are using a skytec or denon cd player.

 

Final point, sell yourself. When they phone up sound confident and tell them the services which you provide. ie do you visit clients? a lot of discos don't before the function, but that's a service you can charge for?

 

 

[Tonsk 0]

Also, make sure you have a seperate disco line. Only costs about £11ish a month but is much better answering the phone Good evening/morning Impact Disco than "Hello".

 

I had all the calls from the disco line diverted to my mobile and got lots of bookings - answering the phone correctly and all the time makes a difference - people seem to get a better impression. Also it makes them think you are full time even if you aren't.

 

If you cannot get another telephone line (or it's too expensive), just answer the phone with Good evening/whatever James Murphy speaking (or your telephone number even).

 

Still professional, but doesnt matter if it's a customer or your mum....

[Mattaious 0]

I always answer the phone "Good morning/afternoon/evening" how can i help

 

Always have done

 

I think with all the advice given here your well on your way to expanding and moving up the ranks,

 

All the best

[PEDJ 0]

If you go into a supermarket you may see, say, several brands of Tuna fish all at different prices. They will be perceived differently by different customers. Some will think that all tuna fish is the same and go for the cheapest. Others will think if it's cheap it probably won't be any good. Others may think the cheapest is rubbish and the most expensive overpriced. The same analogy can be applied to all sorts of products and services.

 

Broadly speaking, the expectations of a client having a function in a smart hotel will be different from those of someone who has booked a pub function room. This will be in terms of price, service, you - the way you look, the way you present yourself, the way you dress, your manner and your willingness to be flexible. The appearance of your rig will be important too.

yes

 

but that's a service you can charge for?

good question. how much should you add?

 

Also it makes them think you are full time even if you aren't.

sorry, i don't follow this statement?

[C.S 0]

you have to offer the little extras that no other dj in your area can. Richard rendezvous had a few that some of us have adapted abd used with success. I do a lot of high paying gigs with hardly any lights ,no mic and lots of inter active stuff with punters. i am making much more than the competition.

[rictic 0]

do share it with us. please!

[Paul Smith 0]

There's lots of info relating to this already on the forum (somewhere amongst 159,000 odd posts tongue out icon ). Make a few searches either using key words or by member and see what you can come up with.

 

Surprisingly it doesn't take much to stand out from your competition (someone mentioned 1%) but certainly small changes can make a big difference.

[C.S 0]

i do stand up comedy based on my customers life at weddings and birthdays , i organise games and activities. I have at least one meeting with customers before the gig to discuss their needs,help them find their 1st dance etc. I try and have the gear installed and working at least 4 hours before the gig. At weddings i present the oldest married couple with a bottle of bubbly to celebrate their achievement, At school reunions i make quizs based around the years they were growing up... the skies the limit really just use your imagination and creativity and do something to make them special.

[rictic 0]

copied all that c.s. like the idea re the oldest couple. winner here would probe be 10 yrs living together on the dole. maybe give them an engraved gyro.

seriously tho,when i first started out in 70's i had a rig i called the wall of sound.

fronted 10 h&h pro 200 spkrs,only 4 were live tho.

we done a bit of singing,had 2 girls who danced ,business cards had a photo of a castle in N.Wales with a load of borrowed gear set up in front of the castle wall with me and the girls at the front of the rig. hence wall of sound.plagiarism i know,sorry mr spector.

we also done a disco on the deck of a ship moored on the coast,set up the full rig and got noise complaints from across the estuary at ellsemere port.

also arranged free midnight beach discos at kinmel bay away from the houses,these were more for us to havefun than money.

one of the guys i worked with went on to become joey blower in blackpool on the north pier. mike his name.

just as an aside my very first gig was in the air force in the rugby club,i volunteered to do some music,used 2 old record players an amp and a pair of wem super columns. my mic technique was a cross between a black ghetto thug and and james brown,not got any better either lol.

[C.S 0]

Optimist !

[Tonsk 0]

sorry, i don't follow this statement?

 

Its the difference between whether you are a full time DJ or if you do it beside a full time job.

 

I personally do it beside a full time job as even though I get high paid jobs, I don't earn enough doing it to pay for my wife, son and house.

 

However, as I have a dedicated disco line, which gets answered as "Good ******, therightmusic how can I help" it sounds a lot more professional than "Hello" - And as my wife answers the phone if I am not there, people think it is actually a full time business.

 

Hence the "it makes them think you are full time even if you aren't" statement. tongue out icon

 

Hope this makes sense.

[spinner 0]

 

I have a dedicated disco line, which gets answered as "Good ******, therightmusic how can I help" it sounds a lot more professional than "Hello" - And as my wife answers the phone if I am not there, people think it is actually a full time business.

 

Hence the "it makes them think you are full time even if you aren't" statement. tongue out icon

 

Hope this makes sense.

 

 

There's only one chance to make a first impression.