Awkward? Me??

[PB Entertainments]

Hey guys

I haven't posted here for a while, and not that very often but I'm always intreagued, entertained and educated by your many posts and comments back and forth.

I've been a bit quiet (probably through my own laziness!) but I'm trying to get myself back into action, got a couple of people DJing with me, and the bug is starting to come back. Until...

Back story on this is it's a local pub with an upstairs function room. I had a residency in a different local which I gave up last year to give me more time for other things. It was the right thing at the time, but I had the opportunity to do a few nights in this other pub in the run up to Christmas. After being told at our initial meeting I was 'too expensive' (the regular local guys he's been using are cheaper than me) I dropped the price in the hope and understanding of regular work. We got two gigs then were told 'no more until the new year'.

Now he's been in touch with me to book me for a party and I quoted my regular party price. He asked me to justify why I was charging more than doing the pub gigs and way more than other discos and he simply wouldn't accept my explanation of extra gear, van hire (I don't own a van so hire as and when the need arises, which it doesn't for the pub gigs), the fact other disco companies and DJs may not have PLI, use legal downloads etc.. Trying to get him to understand my reasoning by comparing his pub with the others in town seemed to go way over his head! He has a value on his business as do I, but it would appear some people don't get it!

The long and the short of it is I would NOT budge on price, and he's ended up booking someone else who's around half what I charge! His final words on it is that I've just been 'awkward' and (although he hasn't said so) I will probably not get any more gigs in this particular venue - c'est la vie!

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience?

:)

[JAMdisco]

Not wanting to sound negative and I understand why you did it, but by lowering the price on those first 2 gigs, you may have 'chopped off your nose to spite your face' as they say...

Ask him if he's prepared to drop his beer and spirit prices and when you get the obvious 'NO' ask him why...

We all have a value and hopefully some kind of business plan, I generally don't go for the real low end of the market but I am prepared to negotiate a little if it will secure the booking. Obviously, in the busier times (wedding season and xmas) I won't budge on my original price. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't :)

I would pass this one off and put it down to experience, look elsewhere and hopefully you will get more bookings.

Good luck.

[mattydinx]

Ask him if he's prepared to drop his beer and spirit prices and when you get the obvious 'NO' ask him why...

lmao! - Point well made! - I'll have to use that one sometime ;-)

[JTRS]

He asked me to justify why I was charging more than doing the pub gigs and way more than other discos and he simply wouldn't accept my explanation of extra gear, van hire (I don't own a van so hire as and when the need arises, which it doesn't for the pub gigs), :)

Whilst you have to factor the van hire in it's not something I would use to justify a price to a customer. When a customer rings any tradesman (DJ included) and asks for a price they automatically assume that the trademan has everything they need to do the job.

If I asked two tradesmen to quote for a job and asked them about their prices I'd be shocked if one of them said that they had to hire a van to get to me and that was why they were charging more, because in my opinion transport is something that they should have.

JTRS

[DazzyD]

Hey guys

I haven't posted here for a while, and not that very often but I'm always intreagued, entertained and educated by your many posts and comments back and forth.

I've been a bit quiet (probably through my own laziness!) but I'm trying to get myself back into action, got a couple of people DJing with me, and the bug is starting to come back. Until...

Back story on this is it's a local pub with an upstairs function room. I had a residency in a different local which I gave up last year to give me more time for other things. It was the right thing at the time, but I had the opportunity to do a few nights in this other pub in the run up to Christmas. After being told at our initial meeting I was 'too expensive' (the regular local guys he's been using are cheaper than me) I dropped the price in the hope and understanding of regular work. We got two gigs then were told 'no more until the new year'.

Now he's been in touch with me to book me for a party and I quoted my regular party price. He asked me to justify why I was charging more than doing the pub gigs and way more than other discos and he simply wouldn't accept my explanation of extra gear, van hire (I don't own a van so hire as and when the need arises, which it doesn't for the pub gigs), the fact other disco companies and DJs may not have PLI, use legal downloads etc.. Trying to get him to understand my reasoning by comparing his pub with the others in town seemed to go way over his head! He has a value on his business as do I, but it would appear some people don't get it!

The long and the short of it is I would NOT budge on price, and he's ended up booking someone else who's around half what I charge! His final words on it is that I've just been 'awkward' and (although he hasn't said so) I will probably not get any more gigs in this particular venue - c'est la vie!

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience?

:)

Quick answer mode...


Yes! ;)

This is quite often the case with pubs anyway especially ones that are not so "trendy".


Whilst you have to factor the van hire in it's not something I would use to justify a price to a customer. When a customer rings any tradesman (DJ included) and asks for a price they automatically assume that the trademan has everything they need to do the job.

If I asked two tradesmen to quote for a job and asked them about their prices I'd be shocked if one of them said that they had to hire a van to get to me and that was why they were charging more, because in my opinion transport is something that they should have.

JTRS

I have to agree that using van hire as a reason for higher prices doesn't sound too great. Concentrate on positives and things that get you "one over" on your competitors. Maybe you take a course on salesmanship and objection handing? Or read a "teach yourself sales techniques" book?