Prices How much?

[charlie]

Hello I currently run a mobile disco in the east anglia area. I charge £130 for a 4 hour normal disco within 25 miles from me i also throw in glow sticks. Now im getting more bookings and busier iv realised im not making much money from it! Could anybody give me any advice on what to do about pricing?

I would be very greatful!


Charlie

www.bringthenightclub2u.com
Bringing you the mobile nightclub experience!

[Ricesnaps]

Hi there - a local lad!

Drop me an email or PM and we'll have a chat. Where abouts in EA are you. I'm somewhat of an expert. Grew up around Bury, worked a lot in Thetford, moved to March in Cambs and now based in Ipswich and cover right up to Norwich and Yarmouth!

The amount you charge and can command is effected by many things and isn't quite as simple as matching what everyone else is doing. Are you new to this? New to the area? What sort of work are you doing? What experience do you have? What comments do you get from clients? Etc....

For example, down here in Suffolk I can get anything from £185 through to £600 depending on the gig.

[BeerFunk]

For example, down here in Suffolk I can get anything from £185 through to £600 depending on the gig.I know everyone here is trying to get a fairer price for our trade, and maybe you didn't mean it like that Rice, but I don't think this particular phrase sounds too good. It sounds kind of like you're charging whatever you can get away with. Although, as I say, I'm sure you didn't mean it like that.

Anyway, I charge similar prices to Charlie, but don't do many large functions, so I couldn't justify charging much more :)

[Ricesnaps]

I know everyone here is trying to get a fairer price for our trade, and maybe you didn't mean it like that Rice, but I don't think this particular phrase sounds too good. It sounds kind of like you're charging whatever you can get away with. Although, as I say, I'm sure you didn't mean it like that.

Anyway, I charge similar prices to Charlie, but don't do many large functions, so I couldn't justify charging much more :)
I am simply demonstrating what I am able to comand for work in this area - top end is NYE, but depending on the package, I have some wedding work booked for over £400 next year as well as some at £200. It's not a case of charging what I like, I have a structured and visible price plan that all my clients can see. I charge for my time and not my gear or my music.

I stand by what I said (and thanks for the email Charlie, we'll have a longer chat in the morning), the price you charge is dependant on lots of things. Sure 3 years ago, as a start up business (due to moving to a new area) I was charging £120 - £140. Now I am a little more established in this area and people are getting to know me, I can command a higher price - and to be fair I have to to cover costs now!

Anyway, bed now before I make even less sense!

[Have a disco]

Hello Charlie welcome on board ask anyone here anything they'll help with the Pat & PLI issues etc even put you in a sin bin if your naughty LOL

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Anyway, I charge similar prices to Charlie, but don't do many large functions, so I couldn't justify charging much more :)

I'm not quite sure what you mean there?

Why can't you justify charging more?

[DMX Will]

If you want to charge more....and not over-charge, test the market. By this I mean:

- Quote one client £140, if they accept the next one £150 and so on, see how far you can get, and know when you just had a stingy or rich customer.

- Get some quotes yourself from other discos around you, have a look in the friday ad etc, or indeed on disco directory websites. You will probably need to pretend you actually want a disco, but shouldn't be too hard!

Hope this helps.

[Thames Valley Discos]

You will probably need to pretend you actually want a disco, but shouldn't be too hard!

Hope this helps.
grrrrrrrrrrrrr........ pet hate!!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

If you want to charge more....and not over-charge, test the market. By this I mean:



I disagree.

Charge what you think you are worth and stick to it.

Work out how much you need to charge to make a profit and stick to it.

[BeerFunk]

I'm not quite sure what you mean there?

Why can't you justify charging more?

Just because I charge the going rates, and if I charged more I would not get the bookings. OK, I could target different markets, like weddings and corporate functions - but that is not what I do, or ever will do (because I don't want to :))

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Just because I charge the going rates, and if I charged more I would not get the bookings. OK, I could target different markets, like weddings and corporate functions - but that is not what I do, or ever will do (because I don't want to :))

Fair comment, but don't you want to move on?

[BeerFunk]

Fair comment, but don't you want to move on?
I don't really, no. Not now anyway. I see DJing as more of a hobby then anything else - as soon as it became a 'job' I think it would all go pear-shaped for me!

[Ricesnaps]

I disagree.

Charge what you think you are worth and stick to it.

Work out how much you need to charge to make a profit and stick to it.
I think this is the best advice. Completely agree here.

You need to consider what you are worth - not your show or your look, YOU! That's why it's important to look at client feedback and get a good feel for how you go down at gigs. You are the entertainer and it's you (not your lights or your sound gear) that will make or break a party.

The very very base starting point should be how much you need to charge to make a profit - make sure you include absolutely everything in your calculations, even the envelopes and stamps for paperwork.

While it is certainly helpful to get a feel for how much other disco's charge in your area, there is nothing to say that you can get there fee or can't get more. There are lots of examples of this attitude throughout the internet forums, so be warned. A disco that only quotes £100 in your area and claims there is no more money is wrong. I can guarantee you there are others commanding fees up to £500 in the same area!

It is tough at first and I can apreciate why you are pricing low. It is equally more difficult to increase dramatically when you start at this level. It's also not necessarily a wrong price. After all, would you prefer 10 bookings a month at £130 or 5 a month at £260? It may also be dependant on the work you are aiming for. A lot of us here are marketing ourselves in the wedding arena - if you get the marketing and presentation right here there is certainly money to be made, but this is usually working at the larger hotel venues and playing what the client asks you to - which is generally quite cheesey - maybe not where you are. However that's not to say that the clients in your chosen market won't want something a little better than your Maplin lighting and diamond dave on the wheels of steel!

Will email later when awake!

[A1DL]

I think this is the best advice. Completely agree here.

You need to consider what you are worth - not your show or your look, YOU! That's why it's important to look at client feedback and get a good feel for how you go down at gigs. You are the entertainer and it's you (not your lights or your sound gear) that will make or break a party.



Disagree. You must consider the whole package.

Whilst however good the image and however great the gear, this will never compensate a poor DJ, equally a great entertainer with the best personality going will fail to impress, particularly at weddings and corporate functions if the show looks poor and sounds bad.

It's about the whole package you're selling, not the individual composite parts.

[Ricesnaps]

Disagree. You must consider the whole package.

Whilst however good the image and however great the gear, this will never compensate a poor DJ, equally a great entertainer with the best personality going will fail to impress, particularly at weddings and corporate functions if the show looks poor and sounds bad.

It's about the whole package you're selling, not the individual composite parts.
Isn't that basically what I said?

IMHO you are completely wrong. It is absolutely not the gear that will sell you as a disco. Granted if you can't actually hear the music then you aren't off to a good start, but surely that is absolutely basic stuff. We're all pro's here aren't we and I can't imagine anyone would try to work with anything that poor. But after that it is ALL about what you can do as an entertainer. A pair or machies will not get you £50 more than a disco with Skytec's, but a better DJ could probably get £100 more. Will moving heads allow you to get more work in the wedding market over a pair of vasto's? Absolutely not, but a tuxido and a great personality and the ability to entertain a diverse croud probably will.

[charlie]

Cheers for all your advice and thoughts! il try and make some sense out of it all!!!

Cheers again.

[CRAZY K]

I go with Rice, an accomplished entertainer is unlikely to turn out with rubbish equipment in my opinion---its a matter of pride in your job.

CRAZY K

[Have a disco]

I will say charlie check out the local competitions prices as I know what its like alot are charging £130 - 150 still. But I decided along time ago that I was worth a lot more than this amount as I treat this job as a wage as such I want too be paid what I am worth A good DJ can earn £500 in a weekend if he gets the formula right it is purely in the end learning to sell yourself and keeping hold of information of past customers as to remind them your still there. Its also good to get feedback from customers

[Have a disco]

Not all entertainers have to wear a tuxedo thats just for good impression sometimes the smart casual approach works better

[Dragonfly]

id agree with the below i take great pride in my gear and my appearence and what i do think about the competition and what they do in their show .... are they press play and fade djs or do they entertain with a few little specialties that maybe no one else does in their show i try and be the latter and the trick is putting these things into your show so that you are a. not stopping and starting the dancing every 5 mins and b.putting them in a place where they are suitable. think about crazy k if he went out and just played his music hed get fewer bookings (is that fair crazy) but couple this music with his knowledge and enthusiasm and ability to get jo public off their at times superglued seats its a great night with a customer focussed pro entertainer.

ive taught my 9 year old to press play and fade. everyone is right this job is more about you than any piece of kit i recently had a night all house lights were on and the play list was obscure 60s you know bands that only ever made one or 2 records. still most of the night dancefloor was full.

the things i try and do in my show make great memories for my customers when they look back on their photos and more often than not get the front of my disco on every mobile phone in the building.

[soundscapes]

Pricing is a thorny issue. its all down to ur local market. from a personal point of view im getting nicer venues since i stopped adding on extra for weddings and im getting more repeat business, but it depends on the type of area you work in. my areas a bit of a dead end town with high unemployment and only one 5 star hotel so consequently most of the bookings in the area are made based on price, however if you were working a nicer area with a higher proportion of wealthy clients you could charge based on quality and get more money