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View Full Version : Disc Jockey or Disco......Product or Service?



DerekPen
25-01-2011, 01:20 PM
dear colleagues,
One of the most interesting topics included in my Wedding marketing for DJs workshop is that of Product or Service?

In the UK potential customers have been conditioned to enquire about "Discos" rather than "DJs"

They contact us and ask;
"how much for your disco"
I'm looking for a "disco" for my wedding, are you free?

This indicates that they regard the "Disco" as a product, something they can buy from a seller, that one disco is very much the same as another, like tins of beans on a supermarket shelf.

Oh sure they may be different brands and sizes with pretty labels, or not, but at the end of the day they are just beans.

So no wonder they want to compare prices and shop around for the lowest price.

This situation is exasperated by those DJs who are also product, or in this case "Gear Focused", who price their fee based on the amount of equipment they take to an event and also by those who are quick to quote a price without considering what their client actually needs to achieve a successful wedding reception party?

When was the last time you enquired about buying a service, like getting a plumber to fix a leak, or someone to unblock a drain, or repair some damaged furiture?

How did they handle your enquiry?
Was a fixed price quoted?
Did they ask you lots of questions before explaining their fee?
were they unable or reluctant to give an exact quote without a home visit?

Food for thought, me thinks.

Are you Product focused or service focused?

NKR
25-01-2011, 01:40 PM
We provide essentially the same wedding disco each time, with some minor changes to suit the venue or customers requirements.

Once i know the venue, the times and that its not a specialist music event, then I can provide an accurate quote.

Vectis
25-01-2011, 02:07 PM
I'm retired now (DJ-ing wise) but the last incarnation of my business following a relocation was built 100% on service and not product and I did very well out of it, realising more than 2x the average rate for the area I covered.

I found it necessary to "productise" the service offering though so that I could communicate more easily with the product shopper. For example, as far as weddings were concerned (50% of the business) three 'packages' were offered based on the time on site / requirements. Package 1 was an evening disco, 2 and afternoon/evening and 3 all day. Whilst kit was mentioned it was an aside - basically we'd put in whatever kit was required to suit the venue and the brief, with the promise that it would be top notch and fitting. All packages included at least one meeting.

I agree 100% that service offerings are the way forward as opposed to product offerings, especially in the wedding marketplace. Those who I've developed web presences for and advised will concur that I push them hard in this direction and although it might be several steps to get them out of the 'old' mindset, it's definitely improving their businesses.

TONYTIGER
25-01-2011, 02:14 PM
Both

Right Dj for the type of function.

Right equipment for the venue and again type of function.

sleah
25-01-2011, 02:44 PM
Personally, service based.
Someone will book me for a function, I will turn up with whatever gear is appropriate to the venue, type of function etc etc based on my experience.
Unless of course someone says they want this and that or not as the case may be.

Slighty OT:

Bear in mind Disco is short for Discotheque....

A disco is a place, be it purpose built or temporarily converted by use of equipment.
It could be considered as a product, when someone wants a village hall to be a discotheque for an evening.
It is often considered a service, when someone calls upon the services of a person(s) to use equipment to create a discotheque.

A DJ is a person, either full-time or part-time.
If he is a personality DJ and some one wants *him* specifically, due to his style and personality or other attributes, then he is like a product.
But if he is booked to provide a discotheque in an appropriate manner, (turn up with gear, play music and speak) then he is providing a service.

Confused?:daft:

mikeee
25-01-2011, 03:59 PM
I consider myself as service based, but I can't offer the service without the product and price accordingly.

CRAZY K
25-01-2011, 04:23 PM
Personally, service based.
Someone will book me for a function, I will turn up with whatever gear is appropriate to the venue, type of function etc etc based on my experience.
Unless of course someone says they want this and that or not as the case may be.

Slighty OT:

Bear in mind Disco is short for Discotheque....

A disco is a place, be it purpose built or temporarily converted by use of equipment.
It could be considered as a product, when someone wants a village hall to be a discotheque for an evening.
It is often considered a service, when someone calls upon the services of a person(s) to use equipment to create a discotheque.

A DJ is a person, either full-time or part-time.
If he is a personality DJ and some one wants *him* specifically, due to his style and personality or other attributes, then he is like a product.
But if he is booked to provide a discotheque in an appropriate manner, (turn up with gear, play music and speak) then he is providing a service.

Confused?:daft:

Definitely;)

I believe you need to provide a service in the first place to be able to sell your product--so taking ages to reply to emails or ringing back after 2 days are non starters probably.

To get in the starting blocks you need the service, first impression of efficiency and professionalism, then move on to stage 2.

Service alone is not sufficient as you still need a relatively strong product to work with to obtain any meaningful degree of success.

Confused Simon? :daft:

ppentertainments
25-01-2011, 04:48 PM
2x the average rate for the area I covered.

How do you know this ??

Excalibur
25-01-2011, 05:13 PM
How do you know this ??

Because he's omniscient. ;) :D

Oh Derek, how firmly have you hit that nail fairly and squarely on the head. :bowdown: Sir, I take my hat off to you. The short answer is that to most punters, a disco is a disco is a disco, they're a jukebox with flashing lights. The clever folk on here are the ones who can demonstrate to said punters that they provide a service, because it is tailored to the customers needs, and that they don't arrive with the onesizefitsalldiscoinacorner. A gross over simplification perhaps, but it's the salient point in my opinion.

Vectis
25-01-2011, 05:45 PM
How do you know this ??

Client feedback and networking

Excalibur
25-01-2011, 05:48 PM
Client feedback and networking

You mean you aren't omniscient? :confused: :eek:

Vectis
25-01-2011, 05:56 PM
You mean you aren't omniscient? :confused: :eek:

Sorry to disappoint :o

ppentertainments
25-01-2011, 06:03 PM
Client feedback and networking
Did not mean to come across as being cheeky asking this. It is just that I thought I knew the 'average regional price' (using same methods as yourself). I charge nearly 3 times this amount, minimum, for a wedding yet three times in the past month have been told the price was reasonable compared to others, and once was told I was the cheapest :eek: (not sure where they were looking though :) )

Sorry for going off topic :o

Andy Goodtimes
27-01-2011, 03:12 PM
Most of the time I sell the service, it sme they buy because of what I do for their event and how I make it personalised and tailored to their specifics. My equipment and the music come along with me and like one of the other posters on here I will put the necessary kit in the venue to do the job and fit with the clients general idea of how they want their function to be. Most of the time the kit is secondary and folk leave it to me, however, this week-end one of my Weddings is a bit different in so much as the B&G have said they used to do a lot of clubbing in the late eighties/early nineties and so too did most of their friends that will be attending so they have particularly asked for a wackig big sound system and lots of in your face lighting...but fair enough that's a rare request.

I must admit I do struggle a bit to upsell to the price shoppers, thing is that in order to find out what kind of service they want you have to spend some time talking to them and I think that a lot of folk don't feel comfortable with that, its like they are thinking..."this is going to be too expensive" and you can almost sense their urgency to get off the phone...bit like me with a double glazing salesman. When I do manage to get someone to listen I can usually sell myself to them and they end up appreciating the worth.

DerekPen
28-01-2011, 06:24 PM
Thanks for your views, most interesting......as always.

i need a little time to evaluate these before i pose my next Questionn.

later.....................

Excalibur
28-01-2011, 08:29 PM
Thanks for your views, most interesting......as always.

i need a little time to evaluate these before i pose my next Questionn.
later.....................

I'll get my phone a friend list sorted in readiness. ;) :D

NKR
28-01-2011, 08:57 PM
I'll get my phone a friend list sorted in readiness. ;) :D

That should only take a short time :D

Excalibur
28-01-2011, 08:59 PM
That should only take a short time :D

Well it's one name shorter now. ;) :p :p :D :D

NKR
28-01-2011, 10:28 PM
Well it's one name shorter now. ;) :p :p :D :D

I am actually touched I was on that exclusive list :beer1: :beer1: :beer1:

Andy Goodtimes
29-01-2011, 11:18 AM
Derek; I think a lot of this is to do with where the original call comes from...i.e. if the enquirer is a previous client or someone that has been given your number by a friend or visited your webb site then they already know a bit of what to expect, however, if the call is out of the blue from the YP or an enquiry site then a lot of the time they are the price shopper variety and prob not your client to start with.

mikeee
29-01-2011, 01:15 PM
OK, asked a few people what they thought it was, and the answer - Service. So I asked why service not product, and the answer was - A product, if you shop around, is roughly the same price, with slight variations, but a service can be shopped for to get the best possible price, and if you go for an individual rather than a company, you can haggle for a bit more discount.
Another comment that was interesting was, never thought about it, don't really care, don't mind what I pay, as long as it's what I want and there not trying to tell me I should do it this way or that way.

These people I asked, are parents at my daughters school and fall into the AB bracket, they are all self employed or own small companies. If they were booking a DJ, they would happily pay £350 to £450 for a "set up, play, pack up", but for a more formal event, such as a wedding, it would be the last thing they book, would pay £450 to £850, but would have already written out a list of what they want the DJ to do (arrival, set up, performance, tear down, music, announcements etc). They would only book on a friend or colleague recommendation or (and most probably), would go to a well recognised events company that could arrange everything from marquee, Internal decoration, tables, chairs, caterers, waiting staff etc.

My daughter has now been at the school for 5 years, and it was only last year I had the first enquiry for a function from a parent, even though they know what I do for a living.

Vectis
29-01-2011, 01:33 PM
as long as it's what I want and there not trying to tell me I should do it this way or that way.


Quite possibly THE most important conclusion.

Great piece :beer1:

mikeee
29-01-2011, 05:01 PM
Thank you kind sir.
I do have other information that would probably make you cry and want to commit suicide, it is a very scary world out there.

Solitaire Events Ltd
29-01-2011, 08:11 PM
I do have other information that would probably make you cry and want to commit suicide

do we really need to know about the state of your business Mikeee? :lol:

soundtracker
30-01-2011, 01:27 AM
My daughter has now been at the school for 5 years, and it was only last year I had the first enquiry for a function from a parent, even though they know what I do for a living.

You surprise me Mike, I would have thought they would have booked you at the beginning, but avoided you like the plague now they know you better!:p

mikeee
30-01-2011, 01:57 AM
do we really need to know about the state of your business Mikeee? :lol:

PMSL :D :D