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Thread: Post COVID - what's the future going to look like?

  1. #201
    Jim - Scotland's Party DJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ppentertainments View Post
    No, the exact opposite, I wish people would realise they were a business. The amount of people claiming we should be refunding is unbelievable.
    I'm sick of hearing "you're the only supplier that........" Sheila that's doing the hair and nails can run her business anyway she sees fit, I'll run mine as I do.

  2. #202
    Resident Antagonist Benny Smyth's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ View Post
    I'm sick of hearing "you're the only supplier that........" Sheila that's doing the hair and nails can run her business anyway she sees fit, I'll run mine as I do.
    I've caught out a couple of brides doing that, usually with the words "I'm currently having a pint with your photography and he informs me otherwise."

  3. #203

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    I've had an demand from a bride for a refund, telling me the venue had refunded in full and everyone else, this came as I was literally reading an email from the venue telling me they were holding the couple to T&Cs and there was zero refund at all.
    www.retrodisco.co.uk Mobile Disco and 80s Night Specialists, Devon

  4. #204

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    Just moving this to looking ahead to 2021 and beyond.

    At *some point* we'll be able to return to work.

    How many of those who used to work full time as a DJ will return to it full time?

    Once the vaccine has been distributed enough, it will bring down infection rates and deaths to a level that will become acceptable (ie, like the flu is at an acceptable rate).

    I'm guessing most, if not all, now have an alternative income stream.

    Do you plan to retain that income stream when you're able to return back to DJ'ing?

    My fear is that the vaccine, whilst looking promising, doesn't have any guarantees. We don't know how long it will be effective for. So it would be terrible to go back to full time DJ work, only for 12 months later the country to end back where we were. I think that's only a slim chance, but one worth considering.

    Or would it even be out of choice to continue working elsewhere and just DJ more 'part time' and be more picky over which events you perform at?

  5. #205
    Imagine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rth_discos View Post
    Just moving this to looking ahead to 2021 and beyond.

    How many of those who used to work full time as a DJ will return to it full time?
    Unlikely from this end. Having lived the dream for 11 short months and then seeing everything I'd worked for pulled out from under me with absolutely no backup from UKGOV, I'm not willing to take that risk again.

    Quote Originally Posted by rth_discos View Post
    I'm guessing most, if not all, now have an alternative income stream.

    Do you plan to retain that income stream when you're able to return back to DJ'ing?
    I really don't think I have much choice in that one.

    It's not the most glamorous or highly paid of jobs, but....it's a steady income. There will always be a pay cheque at the end of every four weeks and the disco will become the holiday and nice things fund. And do you know what? There's no stress. I don't even have to think about work outside of work.

    Quote Originally Posted by rth_discos View Post
    Or would it even be out of choice to continue working elsewhere and just DJ more 'part time' and be more picky over which events you perform at?
    That's EXACTLY where I'm heading. No more taking the potentially poorer gigs just because I need to eat.
    If I'm honest (and this obviously depends on what we come back to as far as any sort of "normal" is concerned), I'm likely to downsize my offerings and equipment once it's got a saleable value again and probably knock the all day/afternoon weddings on the head concentrating instead on just the evening stuff.

  6. #206
    Jim - Scotland's Party DJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Imagine View Post

    That's EXACTLY where I'm heading. No more taking the potentially poorer gigs just because I need to eat.
    If I'm honest (and this obviously depends on what we come back to as far as any sort of "normal" is concerned), I'm likely to downsize my offerings and equipment once it's got a saleable value again and probably knock the all day/afternoon weddings on the head concentrating instead on just the evening stuff.
    That's pretty much where I've been at for years - it's liberating not to feel the need to do any gig going. I only ever took on jobs I didn't fancy to help out friends.

    Gear wise, I've got a policy that if it doesn't make me quicker, lighter or richer, I don't buy it so my rig has always been on the minimal side - it fits under my stairs and in my C3 and in all the years doing this, I've only ever had to hire outside sound once, and I probably didn't need to at that.

    Following a chat with a pal, I put my evening only price up in January to near 4 figures and I've stuck with it with new couples coming in. It does mean my evening and full day prices are closer so there may be more people going for full day shots but I can live with that since there'll be less gigs overall.

  7. #207
    Imagine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ View Post
    That's pretty much where I've been at for years - it's liberating not to feel the need to do any gig going. I only ever took on jobs I didn't fancy to help out friends.
    I hated being part time - it felt almost like being a weekend warrior in my book and I was well and truly ready for the full time fully being my own boss when the time came in April 2019.

    And then in 2019 the dear lady wife had two out of the blue (as in never had them before) epileptic seizures which put the kybosh on that season (wasn't comfortable going out for hours on end and leaving her alone...a confidence thing on both mine and her side).

    2020 was to the THE year (I had the bookings to prove it), and well....we all know what became of that.

    I've loved the liberation of being my own boss, but I can't see what we do being viable in that way anymore for a long time to come. Even with vaccines, there's going to be that element of doubt for a while as to whether it's going to come back and whether we go through lockdowns/bans on gatherings again which is going to put a lot of people off of making major commitments such as the types of weddings I tend to do.

    I'm lucky with my job at JS in that they're flexible with the working hours. I can change my availability/contract hours if needs be to fit in around the DJing side of things when the time comes and they know that's what's going to ultimately happen. I've been upfront with my bosses from day one - they know the disco is going to be a "thing" when it's allowed to go out again.

    It's not the best paying job in the world, it's damned hard work at times (especially now it's getting cold and damp at night)....but....it does actually pay the bills. The disco when/if it comes back will be bonus money and I fully intend to cherry pick the best gigs at MY prices. If they don't like my prices, I don't do the gig and I'm not going to lose sleep over whether I'm going to pay the bills that month.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ View Post
    Gear wise, I've got a policy that if it doesn't make me quicker, lighter or richer, I don't buy it so my rig has always been on the minimal side
    Hands up, I was always a bit of a gear junkie. I've got kit in my storage unit that hasn't seen the light of day since I can remember which will eventually be sold off/disposed of. I have three main rigs which go out on a regular basis (or used to) and can probably reduce my storage by at least a half by being brutal and getting rid of the stuff that just isn't used instead of keeping it "just in case". It's just a case of waiting this thing out until it has a resale value again.

    In fact, the only purchase I have planned when we're eventually allowed back on the road is a Denon Prime 4. It won't make me any more money, but it's one less laptop to setup

  8. #208

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    Quote Originally Posted by Imagine View Post
    That's EXACTLY where I'm heading. No more taking the potentially poorer gigs just because I need to eat.
    If I'm honest (and this obviously depends on what we come back to as far as any sort of "normal" is concerned), I'm likely to downsize my offerings and equipment once it's got a saleable value again and probably knock the all day/afternoon weddings on the head concentrating instead on just the evening stuff.
    If there's one thing I'm happy with, it's that I have one rig. It's the rig that goes with me everywhere. There are no options or 'bigger or smaller', it's just the rig.

    The main reason I like is that I load the same kit everytime - making it near on impossible to forget anything.

    Plus, everytime I work, everything goes with me. Nothing is sat in the unit not being used.

    In addition to the evening rig, a pair of Maui 5 speakers and a small rack makes up my daytime offering.

    I'd still recommend looking at offering the all day solution - I find that I can near on double my revenue without taking up that many extra hours (even just doing an evening only gig took out the whole of a Saturday in reality). I just simplified it more recently and removed much of the bells and whistles - I found most couples weren't even wanting Pearls of Wisdom - just someone to be there to do the introductions properly and in a relaxed and friendly way, and keep things on track.

  9. #209
    Dinosaur Excalibur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rth_discos View Post
    If there's one thing I'm happy with, it's that I have one rig. It's the rig that goes with me everywhere. There are no options or 'bigger or smaller', it's just the rig.
    There are so many points I wish to reply to above, but I will just reply to Gavin for the time being. The word that springs unstoppably to mind after a post like that is:



    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrggghhhhhhhhhhhh hhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Is every gig the same? Do you only work in one venue? Does your rig contain equipment for every eventuality known to DJ-kind?


    OK, I'm laying it on a bit thick for effect here, and I'm probably going to cut the ground from under my feet shortly, but my gigs over the years have ranged from two par cans and a tiny speaker in the conservatory of a house, to three hundred young farmers in a venue which took about every light and speaker I owned at the time. Ain't no "one-size-fits-all" for me mate.


    However-I foresee that for a long time to come, I shall be going out with a rig something like a Powerbar and two Maui 11s. We won't need a lot more than that for quite a while, I fear.
    Excalibur. Older than the average DJ.

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  10. #210

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    Quote Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrggghhhhhhhhhhhh hhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Is every gig the same? Do you only work in one venue? Does your rig contain equipment for every eventuality known to DJ-kind?


    OK, I'm laying it on a bit thick for effect here, and I'm probably going to cut the ground from under my feet shortly, but my gigs over the years have ranged from two par cans and a tiny speaker in the conservatory of a house, to three hundred young farmers in a venue which took about every light and speaker I owned at the time. Ain't no "one-size-fits-all" for me mate.


    However-I foresee that for a long time to come, I shall be going out with a rig something like a Powerbar and two Maui 11s. We won't need a lot more than that for quite a while, I fear.
    OK so this was my thinking, and I'm afraid I've applied business head to this rather than DJ head.

    Yes, I could have a variety of sets of equipment, however:

    - My equipment fits in a small van. One, small, economical vehicle covers all of my gigs.

    - To have more equipment means more storage, more PAT testing, etc etc - not a huge extra cost, but it adds up.

    - Equipment depreciates. Roughly, we should expect it to last the length of the warranty. Beyond that, the value drops considerably. Let's take my Evox 8s - for easy maths, I paid £2,000. And I use them 40 times per year, over 5 years. They cost me £10 per event to use. Now, if I add in a larger sound system of 2 x subs and 2 x tops, let's say another £2,000 - if I only use them at 10 gigs per year, that's £40 per event. And because the Evoc 8 won't be going out as often, they now cost me £13.33 per event I take them to. Suddenly, the 'cost per use' increases when you have multiple options, because they aren't being used as often.

    - Larger rigs don't necessarily mean a higher fee. This was one of the major factors for me. I couldn't see how I could easily charge considerably more to turn up with a larger rig. So why would I spend more money buying a rig that wouldn't bring me in a considerably higher fee.

    - Marketing costs. To promote a wider range of rigs means promoting a wider range of services. More marketing costs.

    So in answer to your question, yes, I was predominantly doing very similar gigs in similar venues. 60 - 120 people at a wedding in what I'd class as a 'Devere' venue (even though most venues I work at aren't 'Devere' venues).

    That made my marketing easier, because all of my marketing was around photos of 60-120 people at a wedding at a 'Devere' venue - ultra targeted to my ideal customer.

    If someone calls with an event that doesn't fit the above and isn't suitable for me "sorry, I'm not the right person for you".

    And that's worked nicely for me - and made things easier because I've never needed to worry about taking the 'right' equipment.

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