Price Structure/ Fliers/ Promotions etc

[GM-Entertainments]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any ideas? Im making up some fliers etc that I can ost to local schools/pubs/clubs with offers...say, if someone books within January for a gig a few months away...they get a discoount price.

Just looking at what sort of things I can offer, is anyone else doing anything like this?

Also, do you change your price structure for jan/feb/march? What's your normal rate based on 4hr play (dont answer that one if you dont want to)

Thanks in advance for any ideas you give

GM-Ents
www.gm-ents.co.uk

[Vectis]

Where I live is very seasonal so it's top dollar in July/August and December, mid dollar in June, August, September and low dollar any other time caused mainly by low-cost operators being at a loose end after the holiday hotels have finished with them in the summer.

I always have a "January Sale" where I offer 10% off my platinum package for bookings completed in January (to take place any time of the year). This coincides (strangely! ;) ) with the highest level of enquiries for wedding bookings and definitely seals a lot of them... not so much in terms of booking VectisVibe but in terms of persuading them to upgrade from the Premier package by narrowing the differential :D

For block bookings of 4 or more per annum I usually offer 10% off, and for potential large contracts (or a venue I really want to get into) I'll offer a £100first night "try before you buy".

So a few ideas there you might want to consider. :beer1:

[rob1963]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any ideas? Im making up some fliers etc that I can ost to local schools/pubs/clubs with offers...say, if someone books within January for a gig a few months away...they get a discoount price.

Just looking at what sort of things I can offer, is anyone else doing anything like this?

Also, do you change your price structure for jan/feb/march? What's your normal rate based on 4hr play (dont answer that one if you dont want to)

Thanks in advance for any ideas you give

GM-Ents
www.gm-ents.co.uk

I don't offer discounts if people book in quiet months, and I don't do any other special offers.

This is because I am already competitive, so discounts, special offers or gimmicks aren't necessary. (I charge £250-£300 for a disco).

Why don't you just offer a 10% or 15% discount on all bookings taken in January (or maybe January & February)?

[lazerdjs]

I expect you already know but if you are after some promotional material printed for bargain prices many on here will recommend vista print.

I ordered some new material the other day and got the entire order free as I had so many email vouchers from them! All i had to pay was shipping and if you select the slowest option this is also very cheap. I ended up with a £70 order for £7.36 :)

I may be able to forward some of the emails or links if people are interested...

[theoloyla]

As I have said before it is supply and demand. If you have an empty diary you are either too expensive or not any good. If the diary is full then you are selling yourself too cheap.

[GM-Entertainments]

suppose thats your opinion....theoloyla

apprecited but i dont agree

[mb3]

........If you have an empty diary you are either too expensive or not any good.......


Or not enough people are aware you exist......

It's a long time since "people will beat a path to the door of the man who makes the better mousetrap". We now have internet advertising, tv advertising, radio, press and magazine ads, etc, etc, etc.

GM was asking for advice on leaflet offers... so is obviously aware of the need to make people aware he exists. Your reply was un-necessary... and, dare I say it, patronising. No doubt your diary is full... but think back to when you first started...

Elsewhere you posted "Like ANY business it takes years to establish yourself. Stick at it and it will come in time if you are any good." That's good advice, and it applies in this case too.

[Sam]

suppose thats your opinion....theoloyla

apprecited but i dont agree

so your just going to ignore all the olther advice?:rolleyes:

I think he does touch on a crucial point though .. you may well be overpricing yourself.

I don't do discounts apart from in october / november time I offer 15% off on Christmas discos just to fill up the gaps between discos / theatre tech worked im booked for already.
(My bench mark in the area is £250 but that can vary with the lowest being £150 and highest thus far at £500... but it depends on what is needed and the type of event etc.)


Personally I would work on your website... I have just had a quick look and in my honest opinion.. seeing that.. I don't think I would book you. But maybe that is just me :)

Good luck.

[mb3]

.... you may well be overpricing yourself.....


....Personally I would work on your website... I have just had a quick look and in my honest opinion.. seeing that.. I don't think I would book you. But maybe that is just me :)

Good luck.


Well, with £75 for a 2 hour kids disco, I don't think overpricing is the issue.

The website looks ok to me... there might be better ones out there, but it was quick to load, clear, bright, easy to navigate, and didn't look full of spelling mistakes... it would not put me off booking...

I think it's a case of "if you don't tell - you won't sell" and some marketing and advertising investment is needed to build custom which, hopefully, will then generate referrals and repeat business in future years.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

If the diary is full then you are selling yourself too cheap.

Sorry Theo, but what rubbish.

I had a very full diary last year and I wouldn't consider us cheap.

[rob1963]

If you have an empty diary you are either too expensive or not any good. If the diary is full then you are selling yourself too cheap.


Or not enough people are aware you exist......

Exactly!

That's why advertising is so important.

I suggest you advertise on a load of online sites like I do, and check your webstats to see which sites are bringing the most hits to your site. That way, you can have advertising which is effectively targeted in the right places.

[GM-Entertainments]

I don't think that we're overpriced, on the contrary if I'm honest - some people may think it, but it always depends on the area in which you live. Like it was said, Our website may not be the best, but it does the job - I can obsviously say that most of our work comes direct from our website. We researched on what was the best type of layout etc, so went for (like was said previously) clean, bright and easy to navigate - However it seems to have veered from the original question :p

[DJWilson]

ive jsut made a flyer and its lloking good, ive almost made a logo, im going to put a few flyers up in local shops etc.... dont do discounts unless charity or something/free.

[Sam]

ah yes forgot about charities... i will heavily discount those events if i feel it is a worthy cause... and gets the name known..
Although the amount i discount depends on discussions between myself and the client.

[Corabar Steve]

If the diary is full then you are selling yourself too cheap.I guess we'd better put our prices up then :sj:

[JAMdisco]

Personally I would work on your website... I have just had a quick look and in my honest opinion.. seeing that.. I don't think I would book you. But maybe that is just me

I think that's very rude! I think the website looks fine - what's your website AsTecDJ??? Do you even have one?

Anyway, back on topic, I think, as already stated, that advertising is the key to getting work. I'm lucky enough to have a residency (although low pay) but it gives me chance to hand out business cards on a regular basis, even if they ask for 1 I'll give them 5 or 6 as they're cheap enough from vista print.

I've had a few bookings from these people but most of my work comes in from Google searches and via the website.

With regards to discounts I only offer 20% off for charity work, if you want to offer discounts why not up your initial price, then discount to your current price. Some people can't resist a bargain.

I did this for a recent enquiry (which I got) gave her a "£50 discount" whereas I just upped my price by £50 in the first place. She was well chuffed!

Good luck in your marketing campaign however you decide to do it.