...and funnily enough I am not talking about being considered too expensive.
I was having a chat last night with another forum member about how we had both seen an increase in "good guys" (i.e. legal, insured, professional, good kit, reliable etc.), going out for less and less money.
Nothing unusual in that as there has always been a wide range of pricing amongst DJs and times are tough, but what we both agreed is that pricing in some areas was becoming so cheap that there was now very little difference in price between hiring a DIY Disco and running an iPod or booking a DJ.
The example that sparked the discussion was a 6 hour 30th Birthday Party booking in the South East that had been offered out and snapped up at £150. This is a prime Saturday in August, in Berkshire and is becoming more frequent. This isn't a North vs. South discussion, it's happening everywhere.
If we put aside the argument for one moment about why you charge what you charge (because it is your choice), I believe that some DJs are going to price themselves out of business because they are now completely removing any value they ever added by competing at levels dangerously close to the cost of a fairly decent system hire.
Again I reiterate I am talking about "good" DJs,
not the "cowboys" we all bemoan.
I believe many DJs are literally going to price themselves out of existence because more and more customers are going to want to do their own thing. Why should they book a DJ who they think (rightly or wrongly) is going to be unreliable, loud, full of themselves and ignore there requests?
What can the DJ be offering that is going to make any difference to my party if they are only £20 or £30 more than the cost of a hire?
Of course things are tough at the moment and you have to be competitive if you want to work but can't people see they are eroding any extra value they have as an experienced DJ over and above someone choosing to DIY?
In my opinion (and that of several others who have been in the game a long time), over the next 5 years more and more people will take control of the music at their parties, this sector will grow.
So many DJs who are already competing at close to hire prices will be forced into real cowboy pricing territory or to hang up the headphones.
And you will only have yourselves to blame.
Discuss.