Free Work

[Tom]

Does anybody on here offer any of your services free of charge at all???

I supply a mobile disco every few months to a local school (my mum is the school cook there) for there school discos. In return I get paid work from parents and other stuff like free food and drink when djing for them. lol.

I have also been asked by my brother to supply a sound and lighting setup for a local youth club. I used to go to the youth club many years ago and thought it would be nice to help them out.


So, how about you lot then???

[Tony Scott]

I always get asked to do my family parties, weddings etc, I normally get an invite and then a phone call a couple of days later asking if I can DJ!

What with me being a Boiler repair technician aswell I'm quite handy to know I suppose....specially this time of year! :D

[nigelwright7557]

If it wasnt family i would probably not DJ for free unless it was a good charity.
Even then I wouldnt be doing free too often or the word will get around !

[Jiggles]

I have been knowen to. Extra special bookings really.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

I have been known to, friends, family and the odd self promotional event, i.e. worthwile charity which pushed my name with its guests/members/patrons.

[Spirits High]

I did a charity gig for Derby relay for Life for free when I first got over from Belfast.

However I wouldn't do one now. Relay for Life are my chosen charity to support and they now get a decent discount ;)

[ppentertainments]

I do my local scout group and a local small school discos for free.

These are our 2 charities which we support. Any other charities etc are charged for. Unless it is a quiet midweek gig, I charge full price.

The only other freebie I have done is for one of my roadies and will be doing another one for another roadie when he gets married next year. For family I charge my cheapest rate as most family parties are weekends.

[Bouncy Dancefloor]

when i started up independant in november, i did a freebie for charity, i organised it all myself and had a 70's theme, wasnt a big turnout, but raised almost £300 for a local charity (which as events unfolded whilst organising it, it turned out to be a very appropriate charity)

Managed to get a high paying gig for new years eve off the back of it, result!

[djsteve10]

I do a charity night every year for Cancer Research Uk. I put in a large rig and just enjoy the night by having a meal and a drink and then dj'in.

All for a good cause.

[Disco Leisure UK]

We usually do a charity gig for free once a year for our local hospice, they also tend to have the local press there too which is extra publicity for us as we get a mention as a contributor...:D

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Fair play to you guys that do that. I however wouldnt dj or provide equipment for free unless it was a family wedding/birthday.

[OllieJames]

Only gig i've done for free is the local primary school. I get free food & drink when i'm there and occasionally i get the odd tip :) I've also got a couple of gigs out of it too!

[rob1963]

I've never done a free disco, and I never would...even for close family.

The nearest I've come was 9 years ago at my brother's wedding. Although I didn't receive any money for the gig, he designed & built an electronic counter for me, which I needed for the bingo at my quiz nights (to tell how many numbers I'd called).

People I know & family members will get a discount, but never a free disco.

[matty]

i did a free disco not long ago and i will not do one again

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think it's a lot easier to provide something for free if you don't do this for a living and rely on the money so much.

[ppentertainments]

I think it's a lot easier to provide something for free if you don't do this for a living and rely on the money so much.

Very true - but have you never gave anything free ??

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Very true - but have you never gave anything free ??

I once had a crust left from a sandwich that I left for my wife....:D

I can't actually remember the last thing I did for free. If any of my friends or family are having a party, then I get one of my guys to do it as I won't want to be working.

I suppose years ago I did parties for my immediate family for nothing.

[ppentertainments]

I once had a crust left from a sandwich that I left for my wife....:D

I can't actually remember the last thing I did for free. If any of my friends or family are having a party, then I get one of my guys to do it as I won't want to be working.

I suppose years ago I did parties for my immediate family for nothing.

It's true what you say though -it is easier when you don't rely on the money.

That is why I have chosen 2 local charities to support and nothing else. These 2 charities also organise any freebies around me (normally a sunday or thursday)

[OllieJames]

I think it's a lot easier to provide something for free if you don't do this for a living and rely on the money so much.

Very true Darren.

[Jiggles]

A one off per year for a charity looks good in the public eyes IMO.

[djhago]

My kids school get a freebie and there are two charities, one local and one national, that I give a freebie to once a year if I'm not working.

I have also been known to host the occasional charity fashion show etc. Good PR for a couple of hours on a week night I get an ad in the programme. It has brought me a fair bit of work over the years.

[sleah]

I think it's a lot easier to provide something for free if you don't do this for a living and rely on the money so much.

So true.
I do the school discos (at school) for free for the school I work at, although I charge for Proms or PTA events, usually at a discount.
I'll do the odd charity gig for free too.
Being a part-timer the quote above applies.

I won't do something for free or a discount in order to 'win' the business off someone else, I'll do it free because they literally don't have the money, or I do it as a 'donation'.

[rob1963]

I think it's a lot easier to provide something for free if you don't do this for a living and rely on the money so much.

:agree:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Can we have a smiley pointing up saying "Me Too". :)

I limit myself to 2 charaties a year now, both of them close to me. I found when starting out that i done a couple of charaties as ended up with dozons of calls with people trying to extract the urine :) After that i said that id do two only which ive stuck with ever since. Ive sone similar to Sleah with both, and gave the would be cash as a donation into the kitty.

[djneen]

I do my daughter's youth club for free. It's all good experience as I've not bee going long and it keeps me off the streets ;)

[DazzyD]

The predecessor of Lightning Disco & Entertainment, MD Entertainment, was set up purely to provide an entertainment service for charitable events. The first gig was a big show in aid of Cancer Research UK and McMillan Nurses and was a big success. It wasn't a disco or karaoke but I used to be one half of a Blues Brothers tribute show which we tweaked for charity events and MD Entertainment were the "agents" for that, if you like.

Lightning hasn't forgotten it's roots and it's in our Mission Statement to support one charitable event each year with our fee being donated to the charity. It actually works as a promotion tool as these events often get mentioned in the charities' literature and local press.

So, in answer to the OP, yes we do do free shows but only once a year for well-planned events for really good causes.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

The predecessor of Lightning Disco & Entertainment, MD Entertainment, was set up purely to provide an entertainment service for charitable events. The first gig was a big show in aid of Cancer Research UK and McMillan Nurses and was a big success. It wasn't a disco or karaoke but I used to be one half of a Blues Brothers tribute show which we tweaked fpr charity events and MD Entertainment were the "agents" for that, if you like.

Lightning hasn't forgotten it's roots and it's in our Mission Statement to support one charitable event each year with our fee being donated to the charity. It actually works as a promotion tool as these events often get mentioned in the charities' literature and local press.

So, in answer to the OP, yes we do do free shows but only once a year for well-planned events for really good causes.

Doesnt this sound like the sales pitch :D Do you stick to the same charity or is it first come first gets?