Do you charge more for corporate?

[scoopd]

Just wondering if people on the forum charge more for corporate events or,given the current climate, are the rates the same?

[Steve the DJ]

Just wondering if people on the forum charge more for corporate events or,given the current climate, are the rates the same?

Regardless of the climate I charge the same for a Wedding, a corporate, a birthday etc.

I find the whole idea of charging an increased price just because it is a Wedding or a corporate abhorrent and a little bit stupid.

Do you work less hard at a birthday party? No of course you don't, the client is investing in you and your expertise which is consistent whatever type of event you are doing.

Charge the same for everything even if it means you put your prices up for birthdays etc. (or "level out" across the board) and whatever you do in "this economic climate" do not discount your rates, everyone will be at it and all you will end up doing is competing with more people for less money.

[scoopd]

interesting thanks

[Steve the DJ]

interesting thanks

I aim to please...:)

But think about it seriously, what is the first reaction when the going gets a little tougher?

Most DJs will think the most important thing is to work, even at a lower figure than usual, but this of course means you have more people chasing the same work at a lower price and as desperation kicks in the fee gets suppressed even further.

If you are concerned about your income branch out into offering supplementary services such as uplighting or even dry hire some kit on the nights you are not working, but do not devalue your core service.

[Vectis]

No.

Everyone pays the same depending on the package and the options they select and the basis of their function (location, access, number of guests etc.).

Corporate, wedding, kids party, whatever. They pay a hire charge for the equipment needed, a services fee (my annual running costs divided by average number of gigs plus required profit margin), plus my hourly rate.

[UltraBeat Entertainment]

Nope. Price should not be based on function/Event.

[rob1963]

Regardless of the climate I charge the same for a Wedding, a corporate, a birthday etc.

I find the whole idea of charging an increased price just because it is a Wedding or a corporate abhorrent and a little bit stupid.

I couldn't agree more.

I can only speak for myself, but regardless of whether it's a birthday party, wedding or corporate, ALL my clients get the same high level of service...so it makes sense that they all pay the same...which they do.

It's as simple as that!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'm guessing that most people who put 'no', don't do much corporate stuff.

[Javlingames]

More for corporate because usually the budget for entertainment is higher, also people that book corporate events are used to paying £400 + for their DJ's, so if the budget is there, take it.

[djsteve10]

Yes, The simple reason being for this is alot of corporate balls I have untertaken have been big ones and they have required external PA hire and also the venues are situated most of the time in the heart of the city centre where loading and unloading is a nightmare aswell as getting to the function room.

[Vectis]

I'm guessing that most people who put 'no', don't do much corporate stuff.

So far in 2008, 37% of my bookings have been corporate.

That's a fair percentage.

I don't charge more for corporate work simply because of what it is, but I regularly upsell additional services to corporates because (in some cases) the budget is there to be utilised. The most popular are the planning meetings, early setup, background music during meals & presentations, mic/PA hire etc. etc.

Mind you, I don't know how I manage it. There are even less companies round these parts than there are in Carlisle :D

[rob1963]

I'm guessing that most people who put 'no', don't do much corporate stuff.

In my case, that's very true.

I hardly do any corporate stuff at all, the reason being that it's not my intended market (weddings are...but I don't charge more for THEM either).

:)

[Danno13]

Most of the coporate stuff I've done has been midweek, so I've actually ended up with less. I don't really get a great deal of corp stuff myself, it tends to be for other DJs/agents, so is often a case of take the money or don't! As weddings take up most of my Saturdays (and alot of Fridays and Sundays too!), this works out quite nicely :)

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I have only done a couple of corporate functions and they were both in the daytime and midweek but I still charged my normal price. I don't think it matters whether it is corporate or not, you should still give the best that you can in a professional manner. The only time I would charge more is if the duration is longer or it is a big function for a lot of people that my sound system couldn't cater for and I had to get more in.

[CRAZY K]

:eek: :bang:
So far in 2008, 37% of my bookings have been corporate.

That's a fair percentage.

I don't charge more for corporate work simply because of what it is, but I regularly upsell additional services to corporates because (in some cases) the budget is there to be utilised. The most popular are the planning meetings, early setup, background music during meals & presentations, mic/PA hire etc. etc.

Mind you, I don't know how I manage it. There are even less companies round these parts than there are in Carlisle :D

I think living on the IOW you are in a better position than the rest of us as regards access, traffic restrictions etc.

Certainly London gigs I increase the charge ( Weddings and Corporate) because of the hassle (im not making this up)

I took some advice from Daz and increased my charge for a Central London gig last year--what a nightmare that was--cheers Daz:thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:

There were parking wardens all over the place trying to nick you and to get into the " venue" I had to--unload 30 yards away from two flights of stone steps--go down them with all the kit --along about 80yards of paving then
up stone steps into the venue--then along to the venue room.

THE CLIENT ISNT GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT THAT LOT:eek:

It was so difficult I had to give the Rodeo Bull boys a lift up with the old Bull!

The only bonus was it didnt rain
:bang: :bang: :bang:

CRAZY K

[soundtracker]

I do much more work for a Wedding, than I do for a birthday party, therefore the price reflects it.

[spin mobile disco]

Nope my prices are the same no matter the customer. Corporate who book large blocks of bookings may get a discount if they book 10 or more in a year but thats about it.
As already mentioned , time involved , distance and package required are the basis of all my quotes.

[Danno13]

I do much more work for a Wedding, than I do for a birthday party, therefore the price reflects it.

Ahh.. but when people want to book you for a Birthday on a Saturday in July when you know you can guarantee to get your higher wedding rate, what do you do?

[soundtracker]

I find that Weddings book at least 6 months in advance, whilst birthdays tend to be a bit last minute, I have been known to explain to Birthday punters that its during peak wedding season, and charge them the full rate, but if its within a month and I'm not booked I might do it a bit cheaper.

[Danno13]

Makes sense.

[Vectis]

I have seasonal pricing and so generally price most birthdays out during the summer. That said, I did have a couple this year and they were a welcome change ;)

[Steve the DJ]

I'm guessing that most people who put 'no', don't do much corporate stuff.

That depends which end of corporate you want to talk about. The big events in city centres such as London? Then no.

But I have done plenty of work for Unilever, Sainsbury's, Mitie, Virgin etc. across Surrey and have charged them all from my standard fee.

Of course in some instances I have also charged for extras such as larger sound systems and light shows as the gig has demanded it. I have also charged my normal fee and provided zero equipment as it has all been supplied by an event company.

In most instances these events have happened on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as well.

[rob1963]

I do much more work for a Wedding, than I do for a birthday party

That's interesting...because I DON'T...not even a BIT more!

Does that mean you wouldn't do so much work or spend so much time on a birthday party?

:shrug:

[theoloyla]

I am the same as most of you I have a set fee for a normal gig whatever it is. I do though charge extra if the job is more involved.

[soundtracker]

That's interesting...because I DON'T...not even a BIT more!

Does that mean you wouldn't do so much work or spend so much time on a birthday party?

:shrug:

Why is this SO hard for you to understand? I wrote my post in simple English, there is no room for mis-comprehension! I will say it again.
I do much more work for a Wedding, than I do for a birthday party

But I don't charge any extra for using a bigger bulb!

[theoloyla]

This is why I charge for customer or site meetings/conferences etc.

[rob1963]

Why is this SO hard for you to understand?

Presumably because I'm less intelligent than yourself, for which I apologise.


But I don't charge any extra for using a bigger bulb!

Take my advice then...give it a go! :D :D :D

[soundtracker]

Presumably because I'm less intelligent as yourself, for which I apologise.

Take my advice then...give it a go! :D :D :D

Best bet, start with the Kipper Books, they're very good for people that find it hard to read!

and thank you for finally admitting that you ARE charging extra just for a bigger bulb! Are you going to apologize to Steve now?

[rob1963]

Best bet, start with the Kipper Books, they're very good for people that find it hard to read!

Thanks for the advice...I'll check them out.


thank you for finally admitting that you ARE charging extra just for a bigger bulb! Are you going to apologize to Steve now?

Of course I am...

...Steve, I'm really sorry for charging extra for a bigger bulb.

[wensleydale]

Presumably because I'm less intelligent as yourself, for which I apologise.





Less intelligent "than" yourself Rob.

[rob1963]

Less intelligent "than" yourself Rob.

Thanks for pointing out my error, Rich.

Original post now corrected.

:)

[DJ INDIE]

i do tend to charge extra for weddings and corporate dos for the following reasons;

weddings and corporates tend to involve setting up earlier, more equipment, more 'running of the night' (albeit a thankless task) and are not usually in easy access smaller rooms where you can set up quickly.

birthdays wont usually pay what i charge for a wedding or a corporate. (Its not that I charge more for a corporate, more like i charge less for a birthday - due to large under cutting competition out there - as discussed in many threads on here).

if you quote some corporate companies 'low' in a strange way you can price yourself out of the job - as some think you cant be that good for that cheaper price. (its wrong of course, but some do think like that, not all, but some).

its the same at xmas, I charge what I think/know I can get. which usually due to demand and supply means a price rise. nothing wrong with that.

[yourdj]

I do much more work for a Wedding, than I do for a birthday party, therefore the price reflects it.

Yes me too (£70) as more preparation is required with music, planning etc. when compared to the average birthday party. With weddings its split second timing that counts and getting it totally right.

I did a 30th at one of our resident working mens clubs on sat so i don't mind charging less as there is far less work involved. it was a nice change as there was far less stress. :)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

if you quote some corporate companies 'low' in a strange way you can price yourself out of the job

This is very true. It's all about being taken seriously.

[rob1963]

I'm curious about something.

This is for those of you who say you charge more for corporates / weddings because they involve more work.

If you took such a booking which turned out NOT to involve any more work than a birthday party (no pre-event visit, just get the requests, turn up on the night & do the gig)...would you charge LESS for a wedding or corporate (i.e. your normal birthday party rate)?

Bet I can guess the answer ;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'm curious about something.

This is for those of you who say you charge more for corporates / weddings because they involve more work.

If you took such a booking which turned out NOT to involve any more work than a birthday party (no pre-event visit, just get the requests, turn up on the night & do the gig)...would you charge LESS for a wedding or corporate (i.e. your normal birthday party rate)?

Bet I can guess the answer ;)

So the point of the post is....?

How some people ever survive in business on this forum is beyond me.

[DazzyD]

I'm guessing that most people who put 'no', don't do much corporate stuff.

Well, I certainly do charge more for corporate gigs and I get a fair bit of work from them. The reasons being are that my big blue-chip clients have bigger budgets to play with and a good businessman will always maximise income potential - exploit the market, if you like. That's what business is all about. Also, starting off big gives me lots of room for negotiation which, to be honest, is needed a lot less than I used to think.

And, contrary to what some posts on here suggest, the majority of corporate work I do (especially with one of my favourite clients - the UK arm of a big car manufacturer and, no, it's not Nissan!) involve me meeting with the client beforehand (often more than once) as these events tend to be highly planned events. So there is more work involved especially in the pre-gig arrangements.


if you quote some corporate companies 'low' in a strange way you can price yourself out of the job - as some think you cant be that good for that cheaper price. (its wrong of course, but some do think like that, not all, but some).

Spot on! Big clients expect to pay big fees and they won't mess around with what they believe to be "mickey mouse" outfits. And, let's face it, in this world you tend to get what you pay for and these clients know that. Money is king, after all!

An example of this is about 4 months ago, I got a call from a wedding planner for a wedding disco at a prestigious hotel. The job was to simply fill in the gaps around the wedding singer they had booked. I thought "sounds easy!" and quoted £350. The wedding planner phoned me back a few days later and told me that they wouldn't be using my services. The reason? The clients thought I was too cheap and wanted better for their big day!

Finally, I'm just wondering what some people on here class as "corporate" work. When I say corporate, I am referring to the client and not the venue. The client is a medium to large company or organisation. Corporate work is not the guy who owns the local pub who rings you up from time to time for a pub disco or karaoke! But I get the impression that some operators do think this way.

[rob1963]

So the point of the post is....?


The point of the post was to ask the question I asked.


How some people ever survive in business on this forum is beyond me.

I'm pleased to say I'm one of the minority who survive very nicely from the entertainment business without the need for a daytime job.

:D :D :D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Well, I certainly do charge more for corporate gigs and I get a fair bit of work from them. The reasons being are that my big blue-chip clients have bigger budgets to play with and a good businessman will always maximise income potential - exploit the market, if you like. That's what business is all about.

Hooray. Someone on my wavelength. :D :cool:

[Shakermaker Promotions]

You two blimey!!! Why don't you just get a room and get all that frustration out in the open?? (**whistles the tune from the 'Blue Oyster Club**).

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

You two blimey!!! Why don't you just get a room and get all that frustration out in the open?? (**whistles the tune from the 'Blue Oyster Club**).

:confused:

Who are you referring to and what 'frustration'?

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I meant you and Rob(ert)!
..and it was also in jest.

[ppentertainments]

An example of this is about 4 months ago, I got a call from a wedding planner for a wedding disco at a prestigious hotel. The job was to simply fill in the gaps around the wedding singer they had booked. I thought "sounds easy!" and quoted £350. The wedding planner phoned me back a few days later and told me that they wouldn't be using my services. The reason? The clients thought I was too cheap and wanted better for their big day!


What hotel would this be ?? I have never heard £350 being too cheap especially when on with a singer.

[DazzyD]

What hotel would this be ?? I have never heard £350 being too cheap especially when on with a singer.

This was for a wedding at Beamish Hall. I normally get between £250-£350 for a wedding gig there. When I was told it was an independent wedding planner organising the whole thing I thought I would start off high and see if we could agree on some middle ground. I never thought I was quoting too low and was totally gobsmacked when I found out. :eek: i was never told how much they had in their budget but the mind boggles!

Actually, I'm not 100% sure it was a wedding singer. I was told there'd be "other entertainment" and I just assumed it was a wedding singer. With the money they've had to spend on a "fill-in-the-gaps" disco they could have been booking anyone or anything!

[ppentertainments]

I always seem to get undercut by the resident dj there. Have done a few gigs this year and about half dozen booked for next, great venue, but can find easier, more profitable gigs elsewhere.

Anyway, sorry for going off topic :D

[DazzyD]

I didn't even realise there was a resident DJ there! I'm always booked by the client direct. I must say, though, the staff have always been great with me!

[Corabar Steve]

How some people ever survive in business on this forum is beyond me.
They do quizzes:sj:

[soundtracker]

I'm curious about something.

This is for those of you who say you charge more for corporates / weddings because they involve more work.

If you took such a booking which turned out NOT to involve any more work than a birthday party (no pre-event visit, just get the requests, turn up on the night & do the gig)...would you charge LESS for a wedding or corporate (i.e. your normal birthday party rate)?

Bet I can guess the answer ;)

I bet you can't guess the answer, because you don't appear to have a great deal of business acumen. You seem to think doing the job is getting away with how little you can do for your price. I approach things from a different angle, in that I'm not an average Disco offering an average package. I'm a wedding specialist and for the amount I charge for a Wedding I enhance the service by adding in several extras, which are not trumpeted beforehand or quoted as add ons, yet often produce that added wow, or ooh! factor. My meetings with B&G usually take up to an hour and a half, and by this time, I know a lot about what makes them tick and also what turns them off, which influences what I am able to do for them on the day.
I also don't use a standard birthday party as my base price, I am a Wedding DJ, therefore the services I offer are based around this, many of them are not relevant to general parties, so I am able to offer a slightly reduced rate for non-wedding events, unless as Dan has already asked, the dates are what I presume to be prime wedding dates.

[CRAZY K]

I bet you can't guess the answer, because you don't appear to have a great deal of business acumen. You seem to think doing the job is getting away with how little you can do for your price. I approach things from a different angle, in that I'm not an average Disco offering an average package. I'm a wedding specialist and for the amount I charge for a Wedding I enhance the service by adding in several extras, which are not trumpeted beforehand or quoted as add ons, yet often produce that added wow, or ooh! factor. My meetings with B&G usually take up to an hour and a half, and by this time, I know a lot about what makes them tick and also what turns them off, which influences what I am able to do for them on the day.
I also don't use a standard birthday party as my base price, I am a Wedding DJ, therefore the services I offer are based around this, many of them are not relevant to general parties, so I am able to offer a slightly reduced rate for non-wedding events, unless as Dan has already asked, the dates are what I presume to be prime wedding dates.

Whichever way you hang it--its the same thing--certain events involve more preparation than others, as a general rule Weddings would be the most time consuming for me I would say and Corporates often have more difficult venues and requirements.

So yes there is almost bound to be a price differential if you bother to analyse what its going to cost you in time outside the actual event.

If you load your base price to allow for it or discount your standard price as explained above the figures will end up reflecting the time, preparation and added value you give and they will be different.

Of course if you wish to do work for nothing thats your privilege:D

Count me out of that;)

CRAZY K

[Steve the DJ]

By the sounds of it my service is more aligned to Pete's offering than Rob's by a long chalk (no offence intended) but where I differ I guess is I try and adapt the attention to detail I offer my Wedding clients to any client, whatever the function.

That is one of the reasons why I charge the same for a Birthday as a I do for a Wedding, I don't view it as any less important or complex and I feel that the extra effort makes a real difference to the end product.

However, I concede that clients for events other than Weddings are less worried about the planning aspects and on many occasions I don't meet them at all.

Their choice, but I don't charge them less, why should I? None of my costs are cheaper because of which day of the week it is or what type of party I am attending!

[rob1963]

you don't appear to have a great deal of business acumen.

Well, I DO have enough to make a good living from the entertainment business without the need for a daytime job & without employing others...unlike most people on this forum, so maybe I have more than you think!


You seem to think doing the job is getting away with how little you can do for your price.

That couldn't be further from the truth. I aim to do EXACTLY what the customer wants while also providing very good value for money.

If I come over as doing as little as possible for my money, then I'm clearly being very mis-understood.


I'm not an average Disco offering an average package.

To be honest, a while ago I used to underestimate myself, as I thought I WAS average, but my customer feedback shows there is NOTHING average about my disco, my package or my service.

This is confirmed by the unsolicted emails quoted on my home page including things like "amazing" "fantastic" "very special" "excellent" "I'll recommend" and especially "we appreciate all your hard work & professionalism" which sums up what I do very nicely.

None of those comments sounds like descriptions of an average disco to me.


I'm a wedding specialist and for the amount I charge for a Wedding I enhance the service by adding in several extras, which are not trumpeted beforehand or quoted as add ons, yet often produce that added wow, or ooh! factor.

The service I provide, especially on the night itself often produces that added wow or ooh factor as well, as clearly evidenced by the words, phrases & comments from clients as shown above.


My meetings with B&G usually take up to an hour and a half, and by this time, I know a lot about what makes them tick and also what turns them off, which influences what I am able to do for them on the day.

Most of my customers don't want a meeting. Yes, I WOULD rather meet with them, which is why I've added three separate references to this on my website, and have also included it in my new email enquiry reply template. However, it's their choice, so I'm not going to force it on them.

[DazzyD]

Just checked Scoops first post as I was wondering if I'd read it wrong with all of this talk of wedding discos. But no, Scoop is clearly asking if we charge more for corporate work. Now I'm wondering if people class wedding bookings as corporate work. I don't and that's why I'm now wondering just who does the real corporate stuff.

I can agree with some posts that few clients want a pre-event meet. From my own experience I believe that most people, including wedding clients, are happy to arrange everything during a telephone consultation. However, in the years I've been working corporate events only two occasions spring to mind where the corporate client (or their agent/PR) didn't want to meet up first. But these were events with clients I'd worked with before and they were happy to discuss the events over the phone and then confirm the plans (or itinerary if you like) in writing as part of the contract. For things like after-show parties for product launches, the client usually expects you to be there at a rehearsal so you know what is going on. So there is a lot more work, and time, involved and we should charge extra for all of this.

[Corabar Steve]

Well, I DO have enough to make a good living from the entertainment business without the need for a daytime job & without employing others...unlike most people on this forum, so maybe I have more than you think!

Which relies heavily on quizzes as opposed to discos. Trying desperately to get this thread back on topic, I can't see there being as much demand for corporate quizzes as there is for corporate discos. Admittedly you are in a better situation than most should they decide that they want a quiz during the meal / sit down time before the disco, but this is the Mobile Disco Directory Forum

[Steve the DJ]

...but this is the Mobile Disco Directory Forum

I'm in the wrong place as well then... :bag:

[rob1963]

Well, I DO have enough to make a good living from the entertainment business without the need for a daytime job & without employing others...unlike most people on this forum, so maybe I have more than you think!


Which relies heavily on quizzes as opposed to discos.

Not really. At the moment I'm only doing 4 quiz nights, so my income is roughly a 50/50 split between the two.

If I wanted to, I could give up the quiz nights tomorrow & would STILL make a good living from the discos on their own.


but this is the Mobile Disco Directory Forum

And about 50% of my income is from discos, which is why I'm here.

:)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

If I wanted to, I could give up the quiz nights tomorrow & would STILL make a good living from the discos on their own.


It is well documented by you that you charge £350 for your deluxe disco and that you hardly ever work a Friday night.

On that basis, £350 a week minus expenses and tax surely can't be called a 'good living' can it? Or am getting this all wrong?

[rob1963]

It is well documented by you that you charge £350 for your deluxe disco and that you hardly ever work a Friday night.

On that basis, £350 a week minus expenses and tax surely can't be called a 'good living' can it? Or am getting this all wrong?

It all depends on your definition of a good living, which will mean different things to different people depending on their personal circumstances.

I measure the definition of a good living by looking at the difference between my gross income & all my expenses.

As you know, my living expenses are much lower than most people's, so a good living for me will mean less in financial terms than it will for most other people.

I hope that makes sense.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Fair enough.

[djsteve10]

It is well documented by you that you charge £350 for your deluxe disco and that you hardly ever work a Friday night.

On that basis, £350 a week minus expenses and tax surely can't be called a 'good living' can it? Or am getting this all wrong?

Well £350 a week with tax and expenses is still probably more than what some people are earning in their full time job.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Well £350 a week with tax and expenses is still probably more than what some people are earning in their full time job.

And?

I still wouldn't call it a good living personally.

[rob1963]

Well £350 a week with tax and expenses is still probably more than what some people are earning in their full time job.

Indeed...which isn't bad for four nights work a month!

[Steve the DJ]

Indeed...which isn't bad for four nights work a month!

But is nowhere near enough to cover my outgoings or aspirations, so on the basis I may only get 1 or 2 gigs a week and some weeks none at all I have to charge accordingly.

[rob1963]

But is nowhere near enough to cover my outgoings or aspirations, so on the basis I may only get 1 or 2 gigs a week and some weeks none at all I have to charge accordingly.

Completely understandable...and in my case, I also run pub quiz nights.

I don't think it's a good idea to have all your eggs in one basket.

:)

[Steve the DJ]

I don't think it's a good idea to have all your eggs in one basket.

Agreed, I also provide training for Financial Services companies.

Obviously the guys at the top of these companies need some more training on how to manage money... :D

[Corabar Steve]

& just how far :offtopic: have we gone now?

:ontopic:

[rob1963]

& just how far :offtopic: have we gone now?

:ontopic:

:sorry:

[theoloyla]

As soon as you go back on topic the thread ends!:)

[rob1963]

As soon as you go back on topic the thread ends!:)

Normally, if a thread goes off topic after 50 or 60 replies, the mods/admins don't seem to mind so much.

:shrug: