Does anyone increase the booking fee just because you get a booking for a sunday/monday on a bank holiday weekend?
I've just heard of someone who quoted £200 for a christening, saying that his price has increases due to it being a BHW.
So she was well pleased then when i said i would do it for my normal rate of £80.
Full Version: Bank Holiday Bookings
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Geez £80 is low - even in my area (which is considered cheap 
). Personally I don't charge more for a BHW either.
I do make changes in fee between Sun - Thur Bookings and Fri & Sat in order to make booking the weeknights more attractive to the Pub circuit.
The only time that I charge above the odds is a New Years Eve gig, and I think that this policy is in line with 99.9% of other working D.J's.
). Personally I don't charge more for a BHW either. I do make changes in fee between Sun - Thur Bookings and Fri & Sat in order to make booking the weeknights more attractive to the Pub circuit.
The only time that I charge above the odds is a New Years Eve gig, and I think that this policy is in line with 99.9% of other working D.J's.
£80
Mikkee gonna fall off his chair when he reads that.
Thats way to cheap!
I bet she was.
I dont charge anymore than usual for a bank hol, The only thing that differs for me is that my mid week bookings are cheaper than a weekend, But not that cheap.
Mikkee gonna fall off his chair when he reads that.
Thats way to cheap!
| QUOTE |
| So she was well pleased then when i said i would do it for my normal rate |
I bet she was.
I dont charge anymore than usual for a bank hol, The only thing that differs for me is that my mid week bookings are cheaper than a weekend, But not that cheap.
Our Paula could never be described as "Cheap and So available"! 
Ouch
Ouch
I charge a flat rate for every single night including NYE. Only venues with awkward access get surcharged.
The hotels that I play appreciate the simplicity of it...they don't have to enter into the telephone triangle of me/them/their client...they are instantly able to quote the exact figure there and then. This has also elimated many a client phoning some other DJ in the meantime, where the hotel would normally be "getting back" to him, with prices/rates etc.
I often tell people that half the fee is for setting up the gear, the other half is for breaking it down...The musical bit in the middle is free - coz I enjoy THAT bit...
What I DO do though for New Years Eve is tell whichever Hotel gets me, that I wont charge them anything extra on the invoice, but that I'd like a table for 8/10 people so that my family and I can spend NYE together. I've only been turned down once on that offer, simply because they were full to bursting point with a pre-arranged multi-coach event, and they would'nt have been able to fit us in...
The hotels that I play appreciate the simplicity of it...they don't have to enter into the telephone triangle of me/them/their client...they are instantly able to quote the exact figure there and then. This has also elimated many a client phoning some other DJ in the meantime, where the hotel would normally be "getting back" to him, with prices/rates etc.
I often tell people that half the fee is for setting up the gear, the other half is for breaking it down...The musical bit in the middle is free
- coz I enjoy THAT bit...What I DO do though for New Years Eve is tell whichever Hotel gets me, that I wont charge them anything extra on the invoice, but that I'd like a table for 8/10 people so that my family and I can spend NYE together. I've only been turned down once on that offer, simply because they were full to bursting point with a pre-arranged multi-coach event, and they would'nt have been able to fit us in...
| QUOTE |
| I often tell people that half the fee is for setting up the gear, the other half is for breaking it down...The musical bit in the middle is free - coz I enjoy THAT bit... |
I can see a potential flaw in an otherwise perfect plan....
I have visions of you turning up one night to see that the hotel has had it's own gear installed, and you being asked to "do the music bit in between" for Free
Never underestimate the cunningness of the average Hotel Manager
Damn, I've just hurt myself falling of my chair (lol)
Sorry, £80, is to cheap no matter what part of the country your in.
Having spoken to DJ's on these boards and elsewhere, I would say that it looks as if the national average is about £240 - £180 to £300 being the upper and lower limits. And before you jump me and rip my head off. Yes i know that there are pockets that fall outside those limits. But not by that much.
Mr Big E, is the price you quoted the same as all the other disco's in your area?. What part of the country are you in?.
Sorry, £80, is to cheap no matter what part of the country your in.
Having spoken to DJ's on these boards and elsewhere, I would say that it looks as if the national average is about £240 - £180 to £300 being the upper and lower limits. And before you jump me and rip my head off. Yes i know that there are pockets that fall outside those limits. But not by that much.
Mr Big E, is the price you quoted the same as all the other disco's in your area?. What part of the country are you in?.
I only been going 6ish months, so i have kept my price down a little to get a few booking coming in.
The price varies from my neck of the woods of a moby dicko from £85 - £100 (well that's what my wife has find out when she rang round), so i will shortly be putting my charge up.
Even my wife has been telling me to put the charge up as i also entertain the kids/adults with a load of games when doing a daytime function.
My main worry is that i don't start to outprice myself and stop bookings coming in.
The price varies from my neck of the woods of a moby dicko from £85 - £100 (well that's what my wife has find out when she rang round), so i will shortly be putting my charge up.
Even my wife has been telling me to put the charge up as i also entertain the kids/adults with a load of games when doing a daytime function.
My main worry is that i don't start to outprice myself and stop bookings coming in.
Umm, need to think on this one.
Right.
Don't answer any of these if you think they are to personnel.
What area?
How Old?
Type of show (compared to the competition)?
Range of Music?
Experience (other than the 6 Months)?
Thats your starter for ten
Don't answer any of these if you think they are to personnel.
What area?
How Old?
Type of show (compared to the competition)?
Range of Music?
Experience (other than the 6 Months)?
Thats your starter for ten
Average for this area is £100 - £140, I pitch myself at £120 for a local gig with a 12 finish.
Interestingly, I made good my promise on an earlier thread, of running a "test" and charging £200 for the next three bookings that came in, instead of the usual £120.
Sorry, Mikeee, but even after explaining, the length of time I had been in business and that they could virtually tailor their function exactly to their requirements, not one turned into a confirmed booking.
Perhaps, a coincidence? - Ok maybe!, but it's not a test that i'm going to repeat
Interestingly, I made good my promise on an earlier thread, of running a "test" and charging £200 for the next three bookings that came in, instead of the usual £120.
Sorry, Mikeee, but even after explaining, the length of time I had been in business and that they could virtually tailor their function exactly to their requirements, not one turned into a confirmed booking.
Perhaps, a coincidence? - Ok maybe!, but it's not a test that i'm going to repeat
Chris, you say the norm is 100 to 140, try 160, then leading up to Xmas, try 175.
On each booking you do, 1) how many cards do you give out, 2) How many repeats / referrals do you get? The answer to these questions will determine how much you can put your price up.
On each booking you do, 1) how many cards do you give out, 2) How many repeats / referrals do you get? The answer to these questions will determine how much you can put your price up.
| QUOTE |
I have visions of you turning up one night to see that the hotel has had it's own gear installed, and you being asked to "do the music bit in between" for Free |
Fear not...The comment is only ever said tongue in cheek...(My tongue & My cheek only).
I also advise the hotels that my price is not affected by the length of the gig....Again this helps them to be able to nail the price (and the gig for me) with their client instantly, in many cases. This pricing means that they dont feel "turned over" when they have a 2am finish, and they dont try to get me to discount all the Christmas Dinner Dance Gigs, which we all love ...2 hours of background music, then only 2.5 hours of party music (about 35 songs)...makes up for all those mad panic "set up in half the usual time" weddings...
I'm waiting for the first hotel manager to say "Length of gig doesnt alter the price huh? OK then, the gig Starts December the 1st, ends January the 2nd....theres several breaks every few hours,...heres your one gigs fee... £...." But it hasnt happened so far...
Mikee, the answers are:
Area = Liverpool
Age = 35
Competition = Haven't been to many daytime do's of late to see them, but i have been told of some crap ones by friends of mine.
Range = All sorts, kids music, cheese, 60's i think the full range.
Experience = Before starting up, NONE, but i am learning fast. Have just been asked to do 2 school discos (age range 8 > 11) by the chairperson of the PTA who has seen me at work.
Hope that answers your queries...
Area = Liverpool
Age = 35
Competition = Haven't been to many daytime do's of late to see them, but i have been told of some crap ones by friends of mine.
Range = All sorts, kids music, cheese, 60's i think the full range.
Experience = Before starting up, NONE, but i am learning fast. Have just been asked to do 2 school discos (age range 8 > 11) by the chairperson of the PTA who has seen me at work.
Hope that answers your queries...
Do you travel?
Sit down look at the map for your area, and say to your self right I can get there in an hour. Then get an idea of the "local" rate. At your age you should at least 20 and a bit years of music knowledge, as well as all the cheese. I think even in the mersey side area you should be charging at least the average if not a bit more because of your age, don't get "pegged" buy what the 18 year old's are charging.
To get better money you do have to travel, I very rarly work in my own area. I have also found that if you travel and charge X more people will pay. Hit the Golf Clubs, Hotels etc.
Sit down look at the map for your area, and say to your self right I can get there in an hour. Then get an idea of the "local" rate. At your age you should at least 20 and a bit years of music knowledge, as well as all the cheese. I think even in the mersey side area you should be charging at least the average if not a bit more because of your age, don't get "pegged" buy what the 18 year old's are charging.
To get better money you do have to travel, I very rarly work in my own area. I have also found that if you travel and charge X more people will pay. Hit the Golf Clubs, Hotels etc.
| QUOTE |
| Chris, you say the norm is 100 to 140, try 160, then leading up to Xmas, try 175. On each booking you do, 1) how many cards do you give out, 2) How many repeats / referrals do you get? The answer to these questions will determine how much you can put your price up. |
(1) Business Cards, Depends on the actual function, and numbers attending. I also leave a supply on the Bar Area also
. I'd say around 1 - 3 asked for by guest's and around the same disappear from the bar. This is an average, some nights we give away zero, others we get asked for all of the time.(2) Currently i'm running at around 80% of current workload is from referals - or 18ths, 21st's, 40ths etc booked from the fortnightly set we do at the local nightclub. I've not needed to advertise locally for around 3 years, although i'm considering a 6 town wide ad campaign at the mo since Xmas bookings seem to be coming in a little slower than usual.
Luckily there is also a big hotel / leisure complex being built literally 600 yards away from me, on the site of an old mill, so I'm getting my advertising stuff into the head office before the foundations are even laid, lol.
Big E,
for an experianced DJ, £80 is too cheap,
So you need to gain experiance, the only way that is going to happen is by giging, so it is not a bad idea to offer a discounted price, but tell the client that you are this cheap because of your inexperiance,
but slowly start to increase you fee's as you get more experianced, by say £10 each week/month until you on an equal footing as the other guys, you will then feel more confident in charging more than them as well.
I like others on this forum from the south east, are not the cheapest in our respective area's, nor the dearest, but our clients pay that little extra for our experiance.
an example, I had a call yesterday for a function in Fulham Town Hall for a teenage disco between 8pm-10pm for 500 of the little angels, I quoted £475 for my services, she told me her other quotes was £125, but had thought that to be too cheap, so she booked me.
for an experianced DJ, £80 is too cheap,
So you need to gain experiance, the only way that is going to happen is by giging, so it is not a bad idea to offer a discounted price, but tell the client that you are this cheap because of your inexperiance,
but slowly start to increase you fee's as you get more experianced, by say £10 each week/month until you on an equal footing as the other guys, you will then feel more confident in charging more than them as well.
I like others on this forum from the south east, are not the cheapest in our respective area's, nor the dearest, but our clients pay that little extra for our experiance.
an example, I had a call yesterday for a function in Fulham Town Hall for a teenage disco between 8pm-10pm for 500 of the little angels, I quoted £475 for my services, she told me her other quotes was £125, but had thought that to be too cheap, so she booked me.
| QUOTE |
| I had a call yesterday for a function in Fulham Town Hall for a teenage disco between 8pm-10pm for 500 of the little angels, I quoted £475 for my services, she told me her other quotes was £125, but had thought that to be too cheap, so she booked me. |
LOL, good for you, if you can get it charge it
. But in Cheshire. You could book the Town Hall, Have a Disco, Have a Bouncy Castle at the rear, buy the food and drink, then have a good night at the pub for all of the adults and still have change from £475!.Locally, we have the "Party Palace" at the rear of a local pub. Resident D.J, Massive Sound & Light Rig, Childrens Entertainer (For younger kids). They book this out with D.J for £100 for 3 hours for kids parties with the option of providing snacks.
The same place is also currently advertising Foam Parties with D.J for Teenagers all inclusive for £180. Needless to say they are doing very well! (I sell them their foam fluid!
)
Something i don't want to happen (and this might sound strange or mad to some people), is that i don't want to be working every weekend as i work shifts through the week, and the weekend is the only time i get to see my family. I never went into this to make a wod of cash, it's my little hobbie that keeps me off the streets and earns a little extra.
I'm sure people will soon let me know i am mad.
I'm sure people will soon let me know i am mad.
| QUOTE (Chris_Pointon @ Jun 11 2003, 10:15 AM) |
| LOL, good for you, if you can get it charge it . But in Cheshire. You could book the Town Hall, Have a Disco, Have a Bouncy Castle at the rear, buy the food and drink, then have a good night at the pub for all of the adults and still have change from £475!. |
on initial enquiry she told me that they had also booked a bucking bronco etc etc etc, so I knew she had money to spend
| QUOTE (BigE @ Jun 11 2003, 10:16 AM) |
| Something i don't want to happen (and this might sound strange or mad to some people), is that i don't want to be working every weekend as i work shifts through the week, and the weekend is the only time i get to see my family. I never went into this to make a wod of cash, it's my little hobbie that keeps me off the streets and earns a little extra. I'm sure people will soon let me know i am mad. |
well then the more you charge, the less you may work, so go for it
| QUOTE |
| well then the more you charge, the less you may work, so go for it |
You can't argue with that logic!
Ian has a good point. If you are not running it as your sole source of income then you could, take the attitude that, if they want you then they can pay over the odds for your service, if not, then it will suit you because you can stay at home.
By hiking up the price, then you will possibly be spending more time at home, but when you do go out, it will be worth your while money wise!
Something to think about i suppose, it's just that i don't like to feel i'm ripping people off as i'd hate it if i was ripped off.
Maybe i'm just too nice and need to be a bit more ruthless...
Maybe i'm just too nice and need to be a bit more ruthless...
Hooray i'm now a D.J, i think i'd done my time as a roadie...
i'll soon be there at the 100 posts mark...
i'll soon be there at the 100 posts mark...
This topic seems to come up once a week in some format or other !
Currently I charge between £125 and £160 for an evenings work, no more for bank holidays although at some of the country fetes etc, they sometimes want a kid's disco first and then something for the adults whereby you can add a bit on !
I live in Norfolk, a low wage earning area, currently swamped with cowboy mobile dj's as well as genuine ones and the bigger payers, ie hotels/golf clubs etc are price controlled by the entertainment agencies.
It really bugs me when someone rings up, asks you to work from 7 till 1, you give them a price and they say we normally pay £80. My short sharp retort is - go and find someone to do it for that !. Not diplomatic, I know but I'm not that desperate !
Another thing that bugs me, is that with weddings, they will willing pay an arm and a leg for some of the wedding essentials, but for the entertainment for the longest part of their most memorable day they quibble over £20 quid !
PLI/PAT test certs don't count for a to$$ in this area, the agents don't ask for them neither do the multi-national chain of hotels, including the Hilton who give you a form to fill in but don't really care what you put on it. It's just - 'for our records'.
I am going to try and push for a better price for myself over the next year. I have a reasonable agent that I really need to sit down and have a long chat with. I might not reach the dizzy heights of some of my London and Home Counties colleagues but will keep you advised.
Cris - I think I need a cup of coffee now !!
Currently I charge between £125 and £160 for an evenings work, no more for bank holidays although at some of the country fetes etc, they sometimes want a kid's disco first and then something for the adults whereby you can add a bit on !
I live in Norfolk, a low wage earning area, currently swamped with cowboy mobile dj's as well as genuine ones and the bigger payers, ie hotels/golf clubs etc are price controlled by the entertainment agencies.
It really bugs me when someone rings up, asks you to work from 7 till 1, you give them a price and they say we normally pay £80. My short sharp retort is - go and find someone to do it for that !. Not diplomatic, I know but I'm not that desperate !
Another thing that bugs me, is that with weddings, they will willing pay an arm and a leg for some of the wedding essentials, but for the entertainment for the longest part of their most memorable day they quibble over £20 quid !
PLI/PAT test certs don't count for a to$$ in this area, the agents don't ask for them neither do the multi-national chain of hotels, including the Hilton who give you a form to fill in but don't really care what you put on it. It's just - 'for our records'.
I am going to try and push for a better price for myself over the next year. I have a reasonable agent that I really need to sit down and have a long chat with. I might not reach the dizzy heights of some of my London and Home Counties colleagues but will keep you advised.
Cris - I think I need a cup of coffee now !!
| QUOTE |
| Something to think about i suppose, it's just that i don't like to feel i'm ripping people off as i'd hate it if i was ripped off. |
If you are turning up on time, and offer a good service for a realistic fee then nobody could accuse you of ripping people off. Obviously people must be happy with what you are doing, and you are on this forum, which proves to some extent that you take the business seriously and want to continue to improve.
So whats the problem
and believe me, you never get anywhere in this life solely by "being nice" - Used and taken for granted, yes, but you'll never get any respect by it.
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| you never get anywhere in this life solely by "being nice" - Used and taken for granted, yes, but you'll never get any respect by it. |
Again I was having this discussion on the chat with Dj SBD last night............. people have to realise you are running a business (more so if it is your only source of income) and 'favours' are for those who a) regularly give you work or b) because it is in 'your ' best interest to give a discount ( e.g.future regular client )
I have become much more ruthless of late (Mrs Spin has) and ok I might spend a Sat night indoors now and again but I look on that as a bonus and sure enough the work still keeps rolling in.
| QUOTE |
| PLI/PAT test certs don't count for a to$$ in this area, the agents don't ask for them neither do the multi-national chain of hotels, including the Hilton who give you a form to fill in but don't really care what you put on it. It's just - 'for our records' |
Until something goes wrong - then whos ass gets kicked??????
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| ok I might spend a Sat night indoors now and again but I look on that as a bonus |
Does this make Mrs Spin a happy bunny???????
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| people have to realise you are running a business |
Always tell potential clients that this is your biz, even if you have a day job. It costs you money for Kit, CD's, Transport etc, it has to be run on a biz footing.
[FONT=Arial]Just to add to the topic, for my mobile stuff(i'm usually more of the pub/club dj), the fee tends tobe around the £100 mark, even for the bigger stuff, despite the fact i use a 3.4k rig, 6 VR8's and some Datamoons!!! The usual 'mobile' in this neck of the woods is two Hysis 2's and 2 front screens. Welcome to Central Scotland......... 
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