Mates Rates

[LeapCreative]

I've just had yet another text message of a friend of mine, asking me to do a disco for his sister's wedding. He asked me how much it would cost, i told him that wedding's are generally priced at £290, or £340 with all the fruit (confetti cannons, bubbles, bottle of champers etc)

He went on to ask 'yeah, but what is it at mates rates?'. Now, dont get me wrong, if it's for a mate, i dont mind going as low as half price, but this is for my mates sister, who i've never met and who apparently has 'seen me in the pub'.

I told my mate that unfortunatley, if i did the wedding at half price for my mates relations as well, i'd be bankrupt by now. Am i being too harsh, should i extend a decent discount to them, or have i done the right thing?

Opinions please guys.... :embarasse

[Corabar Entertainment]

IMHO - you are right.... you can't give everyone and his brother (or his sister :) ) a discount! :omg:

[BeerFunk]

Absolutely, stand your ground! What I do is think about it if the tables were reversed, would this person do the same for you?

[Dragonfly]

youre absolutely right stick to your guns i personally think a half price disco for your mates is very generous my line is you know me you know how good iam you know how good my set up is .... you also know im not cheap. i will knock upto say 40 quid off if theyre a good mate if they want to gamble on someone cheaper than that its their choice .... but bear in mind ill be at the party as a guest if not working as they are a mate and if it all goes t...u .....when im sat at the bar its too late.

i have in the past knocked money off for favours ..... no comments ...callum ....magic...daz....andy....crazy lolol did a deal for a party and some banners . same with a weekend in a hotel for me and the wife. like working that way.

know some guys round me did some work for a well known store and got paid half cash half cds.

[Shaun]

I think your "mate" has a nerve to think he should get a discount for his sister. True mates wouldn't be trying to take liberties like this. If it were me I'd quote him my regular price. I don't offer any type of "mate rate".

If you feel like you want to give him a deal, give him a 10% discount. That way you're still getting a good wage and giving him something off the total.

[LeapCreative]

Cheers for re-affirming what i thought guys. I dont mind the odd bit of discount, but this time it was taking it a touch too far. Ah well :)

[Tonsk]

I also had this recently...

A DJ friend of mine's sister called, wanting a 40th Bday disco from 7pm till 1am. My friend wanted to go to the party and not DJ so gave her my number....

I was busy for the date but asked her if she wanted me to ask the DJs I knew... Great she said, I have a budget of £150.......

Now, she wanted in a place that is just under an hours drive away, from 7 till 1... Bless...

My friend phoned me the next day and apologised - he didn't realise the price she wanted to pay and informed her that she wouldn't really get a good jock for that...

[Have a disco]

Ask him if he would do something at a mates rate guaranteed he would find it hard to do so

In general the rule is 10 - 20% off no more but even then in this case I would state full price especially as you dont know the girl this just a way of getting you to lower your price gee I must know this girl the etc etc she must be one of millioins I have met over the years that all have said they know me??

[Corabar Steve]

In general the rule is 10 - 20% off no more
For you I take it? You make it sound as if it is an acepted industry wide standard

[wensleydale]

i think some of these comments are wrong- i would be happy to drop my prices for some mates sisters', but the fact that you have bothered to start this thread implies to me that you aren't happy so therefore don't drop it.
i got asked at the weekend to do a friends sisters wedding and knocked £50 off- she seemed happy, i'm happy, he's happy.
alternatively raise your price by £50 and then knock it down by £50........

[magicfm]

alternatively raise your price by £50 and then knock it down by £50........

Mmmm that's what I do.. lol :) Why do it for less when you have to work the same hours and hog the same heavy gear??

I don't like getting used for just one gig cause the person knows me and they expect to get it cheap. I wised up many years ago.

Although what I do is give people, including friends and family a 10% discount if they book me more than once. A recent customer was delighted at the gesture.

[BeerFunk]

It's the same situation with people in other trades - particularly joinery and plumbing.

A work colleague of mine has a husband in the building trade, and he gets rope into doing jobs on the side at discounted rates for friends, family and 'friends of'. She told me he did someone's floor for them, and they actually complained that he hadn't done it the way they had asked for! :omg:

[Sam]

I think it also depends how much you are charging in the first place?!

I would give 10% but seeing as I dont publish what i charge.. i would make it seem like 10 when it was actually 5 or what have you.. I am fairly cheap anyway though :)

[Steve 'B']

I have done gigs for mates at the price it costs me to get a dj to cover any other gig. If its direct for a long time friend I think we should all help eachother out but to be honest, some people take the **** when it comes to asking silly questions like can everyone I know have a discount because I know you.

You have to use your noodle and think, would he/she do it for me? If the answer is yes, this answers your question.

[ross@rds]

Get asked all the time to do them for free for family + friends dont mind 0ne or two a year or so doing it for free for famiy but not all the time (i am running a biz here lol) :bang: . I will offer a discount to them but most of the time they still ant happys (some people ) lol.

[Dragonfly]

treat mates the same as any other customer usually ..... this is what i do and you have seen me do it cost.... this is what it costs for that standard of disco .... if you think thats a good deal ill gladly do it for you ..... otherwise ill quite hapily prop up the bar with you.

booked one just yesterday ... after all your mates know what you do .... know you are a pro at what you do..... know you will turn up on time dressed apropriately etc and to boot ..... you probavly know what music they like and the people there.

[Penfold42]

1st one my way......don't really know what to say.

"Could you do the disco but i don't want to pay full rate.....oh sorry, didn''t mean it sound like that....."

*yeah right*

Having a look tonight.........not really sure what they want TBH......i'll go along have a look and a chat.........:)

I'll tell you more Saturday Batman over a burger or three.....:D

[yourdj]

IMHO - you are right.... you can't give everyone and his brother (or his sister :) ) a discount! :omg:

No

Your running a business :attn: Ask her what she does for a living and if she would give you a discount if you said you knew her brother and she knew nothing of your djing?

[leighinstoke]

Mates/family rates, for me, means no more than £20 off.

Anything else, they can book someone else to do the job!

Leigh....

[rob1963]

For me, mates rates means £25 off my standard disco rate or £50 off the large disco rate.

By coincidence, I've just increased my standard disco price by £25 & the large disco by £50! :D :D :D

[Penfold42]

I've been round and had a chat......I've felt obliged to do it.....unless someone books me (I've said that)....basic disco....and i mean basic.
2 lights, laptop, 2 speakers, amp and mixer....very minimum.....

Mentioned price and they said...."You will be providing a good amount of light then.....!!" .....:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:

Never again......ah, well live and learn...:)

[DazzyD]

I approach things from a different point of view. I'll book in family parties so long as I don't have to work them - ie I get the night off to enjoy the party myself! I offer the show as my gift to them and put one my DJs in who I know can do a good job (then again, they all do a good job!).

In four weeks time, it's the mother-in-laws 60th birthday and I'm providing the disco/karaoke but putting in another lad. It's costing me £50 but she's worth it cos she does a lot for us and the kids! And, personally, I wouldn't trust anyone else to do the show for her so I know it's gonna be a good night.

The most I'll knock off for friends is £20. If they're not happy with that then can always go elsewhere!

[yourdj]

I've been round and had a chat......I've felt obliged to do it.....unless someone books me (I've said that)....basic disco....and i mean basic.
2 lights, laptop, 2 speakers, amp and mixer....very minimum.....

Mentioned price and they said...."You will be providing a good amount of light then.....!!" .....:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:

Never again......ah, well live and learn...:)

Im doing one tonight as a 60th in someone's garden. i knocked the price down by £50 as it was only booked a few days ago. However they will only get two speakers, two moving heads and two scanners, which is ample enough for a small marquee especially for a 60th, but will cut down loading and setup time by at least one hour (i charge £45 an hour)

[nigelwright7557]

I've just had yet another text message of a friend of mine, asking me to do a disco for his sister's wedding. He asked me how much it would cost, i told him that wedding's are generally priced at £290, or £340 with all the fruit (confetti cannons, bubbles, bottle of champers etc)

He went on to ask 'yeah, but what is it at mates rates?'. Now, dont get me wrong, if it's for a mate, i dont mind going as low as half price, but this is for my mates sister, who i've never met and who apparently has 'seen me in the pub'.

I told my mate that unfortunatley, if i did the wedding at half price for my mates relations as well, i'd be bankrupt by now. Am i being too harsh, should i extend a decent discount to them, or have i done the right thing?

Opinions please guys.... :embarasse

How about compromising and knocking off 10% ?

Or do it for £290 but throw the champers etc in free ?



The most I'll knock off for friends is £20. If they're not happy with that then can always go elsewhere!

If I knocked off £20 I would be doing them for free !

Only kidding, just put my prices up recently.
Still cheap tho.

[Boogie Boy]

A wise person once said to me "it's better to do something completely free of charge than drop your price for a friend or family". How true.

It begs you to ask some very pertinent questions of the relationship you have with your 'friend' or family. Once the answer to that is forthcoming, the answer to 'free or full price' becomes more than evident.

[rob1963]

A wise person once said to me "it's better to do something completely free of charge than drop your price for a friend or family". How true.

It begs you to ask some very pertinent questions of the relationship you have with your 'friend' or family. Once the answer to that is forthcoming, the answer to 'free or full price' becomes more than evident.

Given the choice of doing a free gig or one for a reduced rate, I know which option I'd prefer!

I haven't yet done a free gig in 24 years!

To me, it makes no sense to charge everyone either your full rate or absolutely nothing...with no middle ground at all.

[Boogie Boy]

The wise man's reasoning was thus.

If you do something for free, the recipient is forever in debt to you and will normally return the favour with interest.
If you do it for full price you have done it for your normal wage and no-one will think ill of you for doing so, because it is your profession.
If you reduce the price to accommodate a friend or family you run the risk of upsetting someone, because the discount will never be enough. They will always think they could have booked you for less money and you have pulled a fast one.

I reckon that's pretty much as it is.

[Danno13]

If someone wants mates rates, then I'm always "booked" but can recomend someone (who of course wouldn't be inclined to reduce their fee in anyway).. works for me!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

They will always think they could have booked you for less money and you have pulled a fast one.



I really feel sorry for you at times. You must of had experience of this then and have no friends left because of it?

[Boogie Boy]

I really feel sorry for you at times. You must of had experience of this then and have no friends left because of it?

Darren: Not in the slightest. No need to feel sorry for me, I have enough friends.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Darren: Not in the slightest. No need to feel sorry for me, I have enough friends.

Me too and lots who I've done mates rates for without the slightest bit of bad feeling, so perhaps that is just in your world.

[Boogie Boy]

Me too and lots who I've done mates rates for without the slightest bit of bad feeling, so perhaps that is just in your world.

To be honest, I've not had a 'mate' ask me to do a disco at a special rate.... yet! I only had 4-5 years of mobile work (actually only 2-3, before club work became my major source of income and mobiles became the odd one, every now and again) and I can't recall being asked to do anything cheap for a friend. I probably did a few 'freebies' though for charities.

If life's relatively good and things are OK, I don't see the problem with doing the odd free gig (when it felt the right thing to do) and being 'big' about it. People will think more of you for doing so.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Or, knowing that you do this for a living, people wouldn't dream of asking you to do a free job on your main money earning day of the week.

You have an opinion on it and yet you can't recall being asked to do anything cheap for a friend before. Makes sense....

[sleah]

How about charge full price and give your mate £10 or £20 for 'recommending a friend' to his sister. :-)

[Boogie Boy]

Or, knowing that you do this for a living, people wouldn't dream of asking you to do a free job on your main money earning day of the week.

You have an opinion on it and yet you can't recall being asked to do anything cheap for a friend before. Makes sense....

Erm, We're talking many, many moons ago when I was first doing mobile disco work, so I guess I'm allowed a certain amount of memory loss. It's not the sort of thing I'd keep in me noggin as a 'must have' piece of information.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Erm, We're talking many, many moons ago when I was first doing mobile disco work, so I guess I'm allowed a certain amount of memory loss. It's not the sort of thing I'd keep in me noggin as a 'must have' piece of information.

Fair enough, but then as I said you have a very strong opinion about what friends would think about it all, and yet it's never happened to you. That's what didn't make sense.

[Boogie Boy]

Fair enough, but then as I said you have a very strong opinion about what friends would think about it all, and yet it's never happened to you. That's what didn't make sense.

"A wise man once said to me" and "I reckon that's pretty much as it is" doesn't equal 'strong opinion' in my world. Are you reading my posts in English or Darrenish?:p :eek:

[Ryu]

I know this is an old thread and I didn't read through the whole thread so apologies if this is already suggested, but....why tell your Mates what you charge as standard? that way, they don't know whats mates rates and whats not?

For example, if I had a mate phone up, I'd take the initiative and say "As its you I'll do it for xxx" without letting the mate know that its at standard price.

Or alternatively, tell your mates your standard rate is £50 higher than it actually is, either way, you get paid what your worth, mate thinks you've done em a sweet deal. Just got to use you head with this kind of stuff I think...

[Boogie Boy]

I know this is an old thread and I didn't read through the whole thread so apologies if this is already suggested, but....why tell your Mates what you charge as standard? that way, they don't know whats mates rates and whats not?

For example, if I had a mate phone up, I'd take the initiative and say "As its you I'll do it for xxx" without letting the mate know that its at standard price.

Or alternatively, tell your mates your standard rate is £50 higher than it actually is, either way, you get paid what your worth, mate thinks you've done em a sweet deal. Just got to use you head with this kind of stuff I think...

I'm sure this is what many people do. Rather deceptive, but it most likely happens all the time in all walks of life.

[Ryu]

I'm sure this is what many people do. Rather deceptive, but it most likely happens all the time in all walks of life.

Maybe so, but then again, what business is it of your friends what you charge...They have the benefit of having someone they know doing there disco, and the benefits that brings, you get paid what your worth for a nights work. If they want to book you on a purely professional basis, then they should expect to pay purely professional rates.

Of course, its up to the individual, but rather than feel put on the spot by friends asking a potentially embarrasing question, with an equally embarrasing answer, my way avoids all this, and everyones a winner, je ne sais par pou quoi as they say in Bordeaux. This time next year...I'll be etc etc...

[ppentertainments]

Never actually been asked for a reduced rate but DO offer them occasionally. Has worked wonders for me. Obviously I only do it when I would get the favour returned but my advertising fees (less than £300/year) are low so offer reduced rates if I know there will be some extra bookings from it. Has worked so far gaining 3 'residencies', a dance club booking 4 gigs (and photography) every year, plus other reccomendations. Have done cheaper rates for mates - one is now building me a new computer (am only paying for parts), my cousin who does my web design for free, a carpenter who sorted my laminate flooring out etc etc. This goes on in every single business !!!

[daz226]

i am doing my friends daughters wedding in July FREE and the reson for this is because he has helped me a number of times this year free of charge to set up when time was tight so i thought this was the best way to repay his kindness.

other than that i usually knock of a 3rd of the price of a diso if its for a friend but not if its for his family or friends you have to draw a line some where .

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think a lot of this depends whether you do it for a living.

If this is a second job, then surely it doesn't matter if you do it a bit cheaper for friends?

[djsteve10]

I always do family parts for free as i know i always get looked after in respects of food & drink and also i can potentially get work out of it.
Plus don't you feel guilty charging your family or closest friends?

[daz226]

I think a lot of this depends whether you do it for a living.

If this is a second job, then surely it doesn't matter if you do it a bit cheaper for friends?

this very true if my monthly income depended on x amount of discos then i would think twice but having a full time job allows me to reduce prices with out reducing my monthly income

[KaraokeDJ]

I have only ever done one freebie and that was my best mate's 50th and he is worth it! Me and his girlfriend arranged a surprise 50th party - that was my gift to him for years of friendship. He is a fantastic friend to my whole family. Never even considered any charge for the disco. Have been asked a couple of times over the years by neice, in-laws etc., and have offered to do it slightly reduced unless they want to load my truck up, lug all the gear in and out the venue, set up the lights, strip it down at the end - they choose not to!!!

[Dillmiester]

Ive done far too many free gigs in the past few years, charity/friends etc.
I did see it as an opportunity to test the system out and practice but no more. Now my business is official and there will be no more freebees. Maybe a 10% discount for close friends, family and work pals.

[theoloyla]

Normally I tell people that if they want a Saturday night then I have to charge full price as it is my premium night when I earn my living but if they can transfer their function to another night then I will give them a reduced rate. At the end of the day it is a judgement thing. Are they really mates and what value do you put on your friendship and as has been said are they able to reciprocate in some way. Sometimes it is better just to offer a token discount and keep everyone happy.

[Penfold42]

I've heard it all now......

Friend of mine is have a 40th in a few weeks time...25th October.
She has set a goal....get a band, room and DJ for nothing.....:eek: :eek: :eek: ....she has the room and the band.....she lucked out on the DJ.....:p

I have a good excuse.........I'm off to a party on the 24th......:p :D :D :D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I've heard it all now......

Friend of mine is have a 40th in a few weeks time...25th October.
She has set a goal....get a band, room and DJ for nothing.....:eek: :eek: :eek: ....she has the room and the band.....she lucked out on the DJ.....:p

I have a good excuse.........I'm off to a party on the 24th......:p :D :D :D

Anywhere nice? ;)

[Penfold42]

Anywhere nice? ;)

Not really..........:p