the wife got a call for a communion last week. She quoted £130 for a Sunday afternoon 3 hours. The woman said could we drop it to £120 to beat a quote she already had so the wife did although I was not happy as i said she should have sold to her on our gear and experience. Then she had the audacity to say I'll phone the other DJ to see if he can beat you and will get back to you. I said to the wife at this point you should have told her to take a running jump. I don't get many Sunday afternoon gigs so it would have been a bit x-tra but no way would i get into a price war. how much do people think our kit costs? Plus expertise at dealing with screaming children at a communion. Rant over.

I get a few enquiries whereby the first sentence is "I need a DJ how much", after giving them my details I know that I won't hear back from them as they will book someone for 80 quid and have a rubbish night.

If you ring a plumber and he says my call out charge is £50 then its £50 not £40.

I have as yet not been asked to drop my price but if so would politely point out that its not open to negotiation.

The minimum I work for is £150, I don't knock money off if people say its only for three hours as in reality an average gig probably woks out to 3 hours actual playing time after waiting about.

I'm tempted to think that the call was either a total spoof, or another DJ doing some mystery shopping.

Alternatively, it's a customer, who, for whatever reason, has already opt'd for the other disco and just wants to grinds them down on price.

If you dont want to pay my rate.......get someone else.....message ends.

ditto the scotsman above !

Get it all the time I always offer the services of a £80 d.j but explain he has a good hi-fi & 4 flashing lights
If you wanna pay peanuts i will get you a monkey

There is a guy like that around these parts, he will turn up for a gig for £40 with his Fair Ground lights!!!
A couple of times now i have quoted prices and bascially they have been silly prices - 1 asked if i would price match cause this guy had quoted £65 for a Saturday night - but as you can imagine i declined!

What is the point of undercharging for your services? - it is totally beyond me

Hi Chris you highlight the problems we have in the West Midlands with silly people charging silly prices...

People around here want a cheap disco. sad but true. there are some people who know and pay for the right disco and thats the work we try to secure. but, if your opinion of a disco is low because all of the functions you have been to have had beer money DJ then you just go down the same route and want the cheapest.

Hold tight - when I started again 2 years ago I had fairground running lights as well. Does that make me a cheapskate too!

If he wants to go out for £40 then he's crazy, but there's nowt wrong with Fairground lights. They served me well till I could afford to upgrade. Horses for courses I say!

I still quote "£5,000" to the price shoppers. You'll be surprised just how many you can convert, after explaining whats involved.

Interesting topic..
In January (when i first started to advertise after a few years break), i had several calls for Wedding Disco quotes, on all occasions i quoted much lower than any of the other discos in my area, the main reason for doing this was i wanted to get back in the game and was willing to be relatively cheap to gain some good bookings -

I did not get any of the wedding bookings at all and i have come to realise why - People obviously don't mess around with prices for weddings, i can only assume that they were frightened by my cheap quotes and for piece of mind went for the middle quote or above - which is fair enough and i would probably do the same,

so you can't win sometimes...

Agree with Nik's post, in the west midlands prices are very "competitive" and whereby you might think you should charge more but if you do you don't get the job so you're stuck between a rock and a hard place.

There are very large pubs by me that want you for 3 1/2 hours on a friday night through an agent for £105!

Here in Hertfordshire, I too have to battle the hoards of cheapies.

As mentioned in my 'interview' earlier this year, I sincerely hope that the proposed licensing fee comes with a guarantee for enforcement and policing, and that an unlicensed, unregistered DJ will have a better than 50% chance of either being refused entry by venues, or being checked whilst in said venues.

The more gigs that get closed down (if you follow my drift) the better, as the outcry from the public will quickly ensure that DJs who have bothered to license/register etc. will get the bookings, and be able to justify their pricing!

Roy unfortunately I can't see it happening in the near future manly due to the enforcement and policing.

I have probably done 120 plus gigs in the last couple of years including some very upmarket hotels and how many have asked for a copy of my PLI or even to see that I've got it?

Zero.

ditto have never been asked mine or even the PAT certificates but i keep them all up to date
big believer in murphys law

but as secret disco said you dont want to pay my rates get someone else

Y'ALL HAVE A NICE DAY NOW!!

Snap, nobody has asked to see any of mine either.
Maybe if you appear professional they presume everything is in order (it is), if you look like Billy Bedroom maybe they check then.

As for cheap prices I think that the people that look for the cheapest tend to be the 18th's and 21st's. The 40/50/60th's and weddings seem to know they only get what they pay for.

Jim

I think your main point would make for a good topic on its own DD to debate as there are probably all sorts of varying opinions on this. Maybe include a poll?

By me punters try and nail you down on price no matter what the event unfortunately lol.

I've just taken a booking for my local rugby club where we do 90% of the events and the girl said she was impressed by the price compared to what else she had been quoted.

So you think shall I start bumping prices up at the risk of losing out. I just don't know anymore lol

Have never been asked for PLI and PAT only once. Both were not for what you might call prestige gigs. I find that even big venues want to get away with as cheap a disco as they can. I lost a lot of work last December due to being under cut... They saved £40 per gig... I was never asked to provide PLI PAT or diddle squat to this venue. I know the DJs there now are on around £90 to £100 per gig and thats till 1am.

Until big venues like this are made to ensure they use registered discos there is no point and they will go for the cheapest option..

The problem is the more expense loaded on the DJs who are legit the easier it is for the non legit DJs to flourish as they can be even cheaper...

So more and more Legit DJs will become non legit and the situation gets worse...

Nik

Re: ALL THE ABOVE!

I think you're all missing the point here, and perhaps Dukesy is right, this should form the basis of a different thread!

We aren't talking about what the situation is now.....we're talking about the end of this year, or the beginning of next.

As I said, providing the enforcement is promised and delivered...don't forget we're not just talking about DJs, but ANY organisation that plays music in an environment where the public are present, then my 'beer money' competitors will be relegated to performing at private parties on private premises ONLY!

Nik a very well known Kidderminster wedding venue use my agent for a lot of their wedding work and I've seen what he invoices them for, approximately £185 for a wedding.

He takes 15 and the DJ gets the rest, however what the venue are charging the bride and groom is another matter entirely.

Roy I'll put money on there being no licensing in place by 2010

Ah! Time to make myself unpopular, yet again. OK, here goes . . .

Unfortunately, in this forum, we seem to go through this cycle time after time (sorry Cyndi)

This constant whingeing and bleating about low cost discos who "haven't got this or haven't got that" does absolutely nothing for our professional image. Price focussed customers will always seek out low prices, live with it.

And new entrants will always pitch in at lower prices to get a toehold in the market - its basic business strategy, and remember, you were all beginners at some time.

What I sense here is somewhat akin to the notion that back in the early 90's Tesco and Sainsbury would be complaining about the new entrants in UK retailing - the hard discounters Lidl and Aldi. Did you ever hear Tesco and Sainsbury bleating on about "well they haven't got 32 varieties of shopping trolley" or maybe "they haven't got mother and baby changing rooms" or even "they don't take credit cards". Did they ever brand them "retailing cowboys?"

FWIW The catchphrase "Pile 'em high and sell 'em cheap" is actually attributed to Jack Cohen, one time business partner of T.E.Stockwell. Yes, Tesco were once the "cut-price cowboys" of the retailing fraternity.

You can not beat price competition so don't try, beat them on quality instead. But for gawd's sake please stop letting your professionalism down by this persistent bleating on about it.

You would do well to read about McNair's wheel of retailing theory. It applies just as much to mobile disco services as any other retailing sector.

A new company enters the market
Cut price; limited range, few facilities, low profit, quick turnover.

Moves up market
more luxurious, larger outlets; brands; more services, bigger range; higher prices
non-price competition; higher profits; greater buying power …..but becomes more conservative; less customer awareness; …..
Creates a gap at bottom of market . . . which is filled by . . .

That made sense.

The market is a free one which anyone can enter. I have equipment that serves me well for the venues I play in and it's all paid for. I sometimes wonder if peoples prices reflect the price that they have paid for equipment (some of which is boys toys IMO).

When I was saving for new speakers, mixer, lasers etc etc I didn't think to pass this cost onto the customer, I absorbed it and looked at the long term picture.

If someone is full time they are obviously going to have greater expenses than myself hence they need to charge more to make a decent living but just because I charge on average £150 doesn't mean I do any less of a job than someone who charges £250.

I think a lot of people are worried because getting into being a mobile DJ is easier than ever before

Never been asked for PLI or PAT certificates and when I mentioned PLI to the function manager or a respected local hotel she hadn't a clue what I was on about.

I do feel though that anyone thinking that licensing will stop them being undercut is kidding themselves. Even if we lived in a dream world where it was policed properly, there are plenty of legit DJs, with good equipment who will work for less money than many others on here. People will always quote low prices to get work when they are desperate enough. As shocking as this will sound to many people on here - there are legal DJs as good as you (and even better) with equipment as good as yours (and even better) who will still charge less than you. Sorry to burst the bubble.

If Someone Asks You To Drop Your Price And you Have Nothing else on why not say yes i can do
it but if someone else phones to book you at a higher price you will have to accept it and cancel there booking.
this way they'll either pay the correct price or go elsewere

How professional is that?

Jim

The lack of punctuation means that can be taken in two ways..

I read it as...



Still not a good idea though, and I doubt any client would take you up on it for fear of ending up with no DJ.

Please, with the greatest respect do not take this as a knee jerk reaction but interpretation of the post - some will be accepting your point as one thing but it may be different to others and this thread is public viewable - so here is my interpretation!

How about you change the position - you are the customer who has enquired to book a DJ last minute, you are told the DJ is available and you confirm having convinced the DJ to drop their price. You are promised a service as there is no time to exchange contracts or a reservation fee?

Just how would you feel then if you was let down, the DJ now cancels and gives you what is interpreted as an excuse?
Given all the arrangements you've had to make, guests are expecting to be entertained, etc - and no DJ! How would you feel?

I bet the perception left would be along the lines of Jim's interpretation and indeed, not professional.....and now everyone attending that function will potentially know the DJs contact details!!!

This is why it is important to understand that when you make yourself available for a disco, when you pass on a card with your contact details or have a website or advertise - you are offering a service to hire.

Being a business carries responsibilities regardless of the profession worked - this is not my personal opinion but an acknowledged ethical principle, recognised across the service industry.
It doesn't really help the service profession when a particular stance is taken which inevitably shows that profession in a poor light. Understandably, it reflects on all because that is what people will see and is not based on somebody's opinions or feelings but rather on facts and evidence!

I take it in a sort of different way as with Dukesy its not right but I think I get the gist... If he says this, he is hoping the caller will see that by trying to knock him down his booking becomes unsure... Part of our fee is to retain that date, thats why we take a non refundable deposit, or you should if you don't.

So if caller says can you do it for £xx and DJ charges £xxx then the above response might make the caller think twice... Not an ethical thing to do or say but I do see the point he is trying to make all be it in desperation....

Nik

When I 1st read Deltadaz's post I did read it as - take the booking at the lower price then if something else at a higher price comes in cancel the original one. However on re-reading I understand it to mean that you agree to take the booking at the lower price but warn the client that if a higher priced booking comes in you will cancel theirs.

IMO neither are ideal ways to run a business and will result in loss of goodwill. Rather than take this approach have you considered using the time on the phone to convince them that your higher price is for a reason - the extra mile you will go for them, why you are worth the higher fee.

It won't work every time but it will show the client that you run your business in a professional way.

I usually quote £75 for local discos.

I think a lot depends on why you are doing discos.
I do it now and then for the fun of it.
I already had the CD's, amps and speakers as I play guitar so its just a step up to having a disco from there.

I also play guitar along to Cd's for the first half hour to make myself unique.
Hence the name Rocking DJ Disco.

Nigel

Spot on.

sorry totally wrong attitude in my opinion.simple answer is, if they are not willing to pay your price and you dont want to go out for less don't take the booking.they will either find someone in the price range they can afford or come back to you and pay your price or just cancel the party.i know some disco's do the above and a lot of us have had brides in tears phoning us up late trying to get disco's because they have been let down.if you take a booking you should honour it.

Quote:
"if you take a booking you should honour it."

Absolutely right.
If you decide to accept the work for a knock-down price, that's your lookout - don't complain about it afterwards. One thing you can't do is mess people around like this and try to set them into a bidding war for your services - they won't have it.

When people book a disco, they need to have an assurance that the DJ they booked will actually turn up, and not go somewhere else for a few quid more. That's a real cowboy attitude for you and is probably responsible for more of our bad reputation than anything else.

Just to add my twopenny worth. I operate in West Yorkshire (mainly) and get all my gigs through word of mouth or an agent. The work my agent brings in tends to be in slightly less well off areas and after he's taken (a small) commission I tend to get around £140-£150. I'm happy with this as the quality of work is always good and he takes his commission up front (as a deposit/reservation fee) and I get paid in cash, on the night, at the start of the gig. I tend to charge a bit more for my own work as I have to do more and, frankly, the market will bear the prices I quote. Additionally, my own work usually comes off the back of a strong recommendation or the person has been to one of my gigs. I do not work for less than these rates. If I do get a "quote hunter" (rare) I usually politely explain that, if they are phoning around, it's highly unlikely that I'll be the cheapest (whilst explaining why) and that's usually the last time I hear from them. I'd rather have the night off than go out for what I consider to be little or no profit. Personally, I wouldn't want to work for someone who simply chose me because I was cheap. You're very unlikely to get recommendations and/or repeat business from such a client, so is it worth it? I would say no........

Echo the others who feel that if you take a booking on this basis you should do it 100% - never mess anyone around, it's not fair (even if they are a cheapskate!).

[quote name='djtim' date='Mar 14 2008, 10:02 AM' post='204685']


Echo the others who feel that if you take a booking on this basis you should do it 100% - never mess anyone around, it's not fair (even if they are a cheapskate!).



I have this recurring nightmare that I have missed a wedding or party and everybody is slagging me off for not turning up.Could never do it purposefully.

Still ....when I played Sunday League Football....I was exactly the same.Shame that not everyone took that attitude.


If I say I'm gonna be there ......i'll be there.....Unconditionally.

Yep. I'm the same......always turn up if I say I will. One thing I learnt when starting out in my sales career (day job) was an old adage someone told me "80% of success is turning up". So true. Being there...going the extra mile....and so on. People remember!!!