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Thread: Quiet times?

  1. #21
    Jim - Scotland's Party DJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Imagine View Post

    What I have noticed is that the ones that ARE going out regularly at the moment (again, these are people I actually know and talk to) are at the cheaper end of the fees scale. I've also noticed the customer budgets (not that I take a blind bit of notice of them) on NaD going through the floor at the moment. Maybe there just isn't the money around at the moment...
    Not finding that at all.

    I'm on a FB group with a very small amount of guys at the higher end of the market up here and we had a thread last week about how busy this year has been...

    Im 3 gigs shy of topping my 2016 total already and I'm charging over £550 a gig.

    On the flipside there's a bargain basement group people send me screenshots of now and again where the pleb that runs it whines about there not being enough £150 gigs going around...

    I genuinely think there's been a shift in the market up here (certainly in weddings) where people realise that there are different shades of DJs and are happy to pay a premium to secure their services over the run of the mill pint drinking now that's what I call a wedding playlist type guys.
    Last edited by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ; 11-03-2017 at 04:39 PM.

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ View Post
    Not finding that at all.

    I'm on a FB group with a very small amount of guys at the higher end of the market up here and we had a thread last week about how busy this year has been...

    Im 3 gigs shy of topping my 2016 total already and I'm charging over £550 a gig.

    On the flipside there's a bargain basement group people send me screenshots of now and again where the pleb that runs it whines about there not being enough £150 gigs going around...

    I genuinely think there's been a shift in the market up here (certainly in weddings) where people realise that there are different shades of DJs and are happy to pay a premium to secure their services over the run of the mill pint drinking now that's what I call a wedding playlist type guys.
    I agree with all that especially with the wedding market. compared to a few years back, people are not hesitating to pay out more, but i do have a better website, more experience and venue recommendations so that probably helps? I think in general wedding industry professionals have all increased prices as they have been in more communication with each other (as per my other post). Just look at photo booths, they charge £300+, but commonly £400+, so it makes a DJ look reasonably cheap. If the photobooth did not show up no one would notice, but if the DJ did not show up everyone would be sitting about in silence and brides know this.

    If it was back in Yellow pages days then my guess is they wold be more price conscious and also be managed by agents, who love to keep the prices down as long as they keep the venue dont they! I remember Mark Walsh saying that due to technology now (i.e. marketing/social) there would be a big change to the industry soon (years ago) cheap and expensive and one would imagine (half hearted vs bespoke). He said "I feel really sorry for the people in the run of the mill, turn up and play (never put any effort in to improving the service) type guys as they will be struggling to find work".

    'Pleb who runs it'. thats something I would be told off for, great comment.
    Last edited by yourdj; 11-03-2017 at 05:01 PM.
    Your DJ - Mobile DJ The New Forest, Southampton & Hampshire. Toby
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  3. #23
    Jim - Scotland's Party DJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yourdj View Post
    'Pleb who runs it'. thats something I would be told off for, great comment.
    I've called him much worse to his face

    As for your other points, I obviously can't talk for every couple but I get married 4 weeks today! and whilst being involved in the wedding industry has helped me have a decent idea of what is out there - I'm looking at it as - I have one chance to get this right so yeah I'll save where I can on the inconsequential stuff (she's agonising over centre pieces just now, I'd happily go without...) but for the biggies then I'm always going for quality over price and brides are now doing the same for their entertainment.

    With the internet, youtube etc... it's now easier than ever for them to see and realise there's a reason why Jim charges around 4 times what DJ pleb charges... being asked why I cost £x instead of £y by a potential client is usually the quickest route to me securing a booking because I make no apologies for my prices and can clearly show why there's a difference. It's the same across the board.

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ View Post
    =
    Im 3 gigs shy of topping my 2016 total already and I'm charging over £550 a gig.
    Is that turning up and supplying a disco only, or does it include extras - moodlighting, photography, dance floors etc etc ?

    Only asking as I keep hearing of people claiming they charge £xxx to make themselves sound good, when in in fact this £xxx is ridiculously cheap for what they provide.
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  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by ppentertainments View Post
    when in in fact this £xxx is ridiculously cheap for what they provide.
    DJ Pleb can continue to do his thing as it makes me look good - Its the DJ's that provide top quality kit and amazing service and charge not much compared to everyone else, that annoys me, as it lets it down for the rest of us. Yes you may be making £xxxx but you are doing 200 gigs vs my 70 odd.
    Your DJ - Mobile DJ The New Forest, Southampton & Hampshire. Toby
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  6. #26
    Imagine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yourdj View Post
    DJ Pleb can continue to do his thing as it makes me look good - Its the DJ's that provide top quality kit and amazing service and charge not much compared to everyone else, that annoys me, as it lets it down for the rest of us. Yes you may be making £xxxx but you are doing 200 gigs vs my 70 odd.
    I'll drink to that Toby (it's rare to agree with you but hey ho!).

    My aim over the next 12 months or so is to earn a full time living from what I do, and it will be mainly from weddings (simply because I enjoy them). However, the challenge I face in my neck of the woods at the moment is a chap called Sidney who has all the gear, and absolutely no idea! Actually, Sidney has a whole family of DJs....lots of them (the average NaD wedding is going to around 30-40 of them!). Thankfully, I don't rely on those to get gigs (just one in the last year) and most of my work comes via my own websites.

    I've got the top notch gear (around £30-40k in my store according to my books...I can literally offer a rig that fits ALL venues). I offer the absolute best customer service (hell....I used to train people in customer service for a living). But......this Sidney chap and his relations are also claiming the same and are seriously undercutting me. It's unfortunately a fact of life at the moment that a lot of customers are prepared to cut corners (the exception to this rule seems to be north of the border), and hire the cheapest DJ that's prepared to do the job. And once they've hired Sidney over me and he's cocked up on the gig....it's a bit late to worry.

    At the moment, my average "evening only" reception is £400. Sidney will happily collect £170 cash on the night. It's the only reason I've only worked for 4 nights this year so far (and apart from being boring...it scares me)

    There are even a couple in my area where mummy and daddy have set them up as a business and purchased all the gear for them (and I'm taking industrial scale here beyond belief).

    In this day and age of getting an enquiry and responding via email (phone calls are rare!)...how in the name of all that's holy do you project the quality/A1 customer service/track record of doing the job/being the best fit for the job before the customer gets bored with reading the response and going to the cheapest?

    So yes, my wedding site now "bundles in" confetti cannons and LOVE letters for "free"...because I have to. It's the only thing that gives me the edge at the moment (apart from agreeing to meet before they even spend a penny with me).

    Hopefully Gavin will be able to give some pointers next weekend, because in this neck of the woods....it's bloody hard work at the moment (as our very own Gary will probably be able to attest since he moved out this way).

  7. #27

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    The money is probably there for weddings but there's not many that want to pay a lot of money for, say, a 60th birthday.

  8. #28
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    It's all relevant, somebody earning 15k will be looking to spend £200 prehaps for an evening and will wonder why they should spend more.

    Somebody earning £40k+ probably will not wish risking only spending £200 on their wedding DJ.

    I think I'm going to increase my prices again soon. I'm on £399 for an evening and I met a chap charging £500 the other day who IMO offered a lesser service and claimed to be "fully booked" which I translated to "I don't DJ midweek".

    Dorset DJ - Dorset based DJ service
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  9. #29
    Jim - Scotland's Party DJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ppentertainments View Post
    Is that turning up and supplying a disco only, or does it include extras - moodlighting, photography, dance floors etc etc ?

    Only asking as I keep hearing of people claiming they charge £xxx to make themselves sound good, when in in fact this £xxx is ridiculously cheap for what they provide.
    Disco only and it is cheap for what I provide - exceptional (I'm not just saying this, I get married myself in 4 weeks and have been pulling my non existant hair out at how bad some suppliers are) customer service and a lifetime of amazing memories

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Imagine View Post
    I'll drink to that Toby (it's rare to agree with you but hey ho!).
    There is always a first. Its my resolution this year to take my posts a bit more seriously as people just dont get my humour on here. Sorry to hear you are having problems, I am surprised as you have a good catchment. I think the answer is possibly in the marketing? Throwing things at clients for free is good but it undervalues the service. Easy for me to say I know. If you are that good and your worth it often increasing it above most other DJ's seems to be a better option rather than sitting in the middle ground and being picked off by cheaper people. Just a matter of showing why you are better I guess.

    Quote Originally Posted by ukpartydj View Post
    It's all relevant, somebody earning 15k will be looking to spend £200 prehaps for an evening and will wonder why they should spend more.
    You would be surprised, every year I have several quite un-wealthy clients booking me at well over £1000 for all day as my service is important to them. I always think 'no chance' after the meeting and then they book everything. Yes its a lot of their budget, but they may have booked a £500 photographer, or have family helping them.
    Your DJ - Mobile DJ The New Forest, Southampton & Hampshire. Toby
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