Ive been djing for a number of years, however only now and then/part time when I've been asked by friends or family. I left my employment last year to go travelling for a year and I'm currently in Adelaid, South Australia.

As I won't have a job when I return I was hoping to put my skills to the test and take things to the next level......thats when it hit me........

Ive been doing some searching online for entertainment in my area and I didn't realise I was up against it....

I guess my question is, is it worth the effort to go up against the competition or should I just accept that the market is already well supplied?

Kind Regards
bm

Its like this - you get out what you put in. There are lots of threads on marketing and business related stuff which are very useful. Yes the market is saturated (in comparison to a few years ago) but you can make an impact and get the work if you are willing to go for it. Check out your competition, make some contacts as if they are busy they may pass some work your way and ultimately find out what they do and how they do it. Being complacent and sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring wont work.

Then make sure you are better than them.

Anyway you are in a very good place for support and you will get some very good advice....just dont listen to me too often is the first bit

DO IT......just consider getting a regular job to suport you in the onset.

Thanks Minty Dave,
I have enough equipment to go for it and do it well, I just got a little spooked by my competitors site - feedback etc. I have 2 weddings booked and a residency on a caravan park when I go home. I also got another enquiry from a couple who had been at a previous wedding I didnt last year.

I guess being away from home has really made me think about what I have sitting in the garage not being used... It's always been a hobby and I have all the gear apart from a nice set of bass bins....

I'd like to get a good website with dj event planner installed etc. Do some new business cards and put together a wedding entertainment pack that I can send out to clients. I also need to write a contract which just seems well over my head. PAT, Produb and PLI are all things I need to look at... As I said, it's always been a hobby before so non of these things were really needed, they would have been good but I had my full time employment.

I noticed one competitor has his son as a wedding photographer and evening reception photographer - he offers a good package with both services combined. It just seems like such a hurdle to go up against but I enjoy what I do and I take pride in it! I put alot of thought into my rig and how it looks and it is fairly big for a mobile set up.

I am considering sending out a mailshot to various hotels in my area but it has come quite clear that all my competitors play at these venues so it is unlikely that they will recommend a dj over the other guys. It's still worth a try though. I could afford to go in quite a bit cheaper than what I have seen my competitors at but that doesn't really do anyone any favours.....
You suggest making sure I am better than them, I don't know that I have the facities to do that just at the moment but it is something I'd like to work towards.....

Is it just me or do alot of people seem to be turning to the mobile disco scene in this economic downturn?

Well you are definately in the best place to achieve some of the above. It is a daunting task but not impossible for those who want to suceed. You have to set yourself goals that are achievable, dont try do everything in 1 week as you will cut corners and end up offering services you cant supply.

there are some very useful threads about contracts on here. Nobodys contract is the same and often we all find something crops up that we have never considered. Once you get a contract developed it may be worth getting it proofed by a solicitor.

PLI is very easy to sort out and good value. £75 + benefits for £10m cover. Check out the DJ association which was setup following this forum and is run by the same people link ...highly recommended!

PAT - about £1-£1.50 per item and if you use a decent company you will get certificates and equipment register etc.

Business cards, pleanty of people on here will help with the atrtwork and evaluate any ideas.

website - thats a biggie but again there are some very friendly helpful souls kicking about and will point you in the right direction, you may find some free templates somewhere.

with ref to lots of people becoming djs it is true as setting up is cheaper than ever but its how those djs operate is the big difference. some people buy a laptop, download illegal music and sit and wait for the phne to ring where as you have already demonstrated that you are wanting to make an impact.

Enough waffle from me for now, have good look throught the forum and dj association web site for tips.

Dave

Hi Bm,
just in addition to Daves excellent post.

Remember that all these plans take time.
Obviously the paperwork parts (PLI,PAT etc) are fairly quick to arrange.

For now, I'd forget about targeting venues, or undercutting anyone.
Create a website, or ask someone to build one for you.
There are lots of options from Free to hundreds of pounds, for now - get a good domain name and then look at what you need.

With a website and a bit of promotion (which would be a good discussion elsewhere in the forum), you will start to get enquiries.
Dressing Smart, providing good service with a neat set-up will earn you a good reputation.

Basically, you need a rough plan!

Don't tackle the existing DJ's head on, let clients put you into the hotels/venues. Once you've played a venue a few times and know some of the staff - ask if you can leave some details.
This will take time, but you'll be working all over the place, and building up service skills, and improving your DJing ability.

Putting the venues aside, you'll effectivly be "just another mobile dj", so depending on your experience levels,
you'll need to work on a better show, or concentrate on service/marketing.

I started out in Feb 2008. I quickly built a website, got PLI+PAT, and received my 1st enquiry a few weeks later (then panic! lol). I had some basic gear, but always tried to make it neat.
With Yr1 out of the way, and pretty sucessful, I then invested in a better sound system and playback. This year has been better lighting and a custom booth/stand with starcloth, and also Led Uplighting.
Along the way, I've tightened up how I present my services. Most bookings have a 1hr face-to-face consolation, wedding enquiries receive our wedding services brochure.
All enquiries are handled personally (no automated quote jobby here!), and I prefer to call the client for a chat.

So, since 2008, I've come a long way - I've never let anyone down, and always work hard to give a good show.

So - you can compete with the more established guys, but it will take a bit of time and effort.
If you think about undercutting, you'll need to understand your costs and legal obligations;
-PAT
-PLI
-Travel (fuel cost)
-Music
-Wear n Tear on Gear
-Clothing (Tux/Suit?)
-ProDub
-Equipment insurance
-National Insurance
-Income Tax

You'll need to allow for most/all of the above, and then work out if its worth doing a 6hr gig for a specific price.
You may find there is a reason why serious DJ's are more expensive that less serious DJ's. If you take away all the above costs, there is a significant saving at the expense of legality and business ethics - both will threaten your reputation and possible your freedom (tax evasion is a serious offence).

So.. my advice, get some kind of plan. Look at where you honestly think you fit? (evaluate the marketplace)
Look at competitors websites/photos of their gigs- how does your set-up look in comparison (don't get too bogged down by brands).
Then, work out what you'll need to do to improve your set-up and/or service.
Change takes a while, but you will get there!!

Business cards are important, and some of the things you need will cost you, but any existing gigs can pay for these costs - rather than you personally funding them. This will mean working for "nothing" in your pocket, but we all do that when getting new shiny bits of kit!

Also remember, you can't always use bass bins due to sound level monitors (which are becoming very common), and it may be easier to hire the odd bit of kit than to spend £££.


Good Luck - but it sounds like you'll be fine!
Jason