Warning! Price thread alert.

[Centre Stage Discos]

After spending the last year buying many bits and pieces, building up the light show to a standard I've never previously been able to, I am definitely not about to offer any reduced fees. As it is, I will be increasing them. I will also be including an option for the customer to book a larger light show for a higher price. A DJ friend who has returned to DJing very recently has not reduced his prices either.

One of the golden rules of business is NEVER to undercut your competitors and I think some people forget that. It's always tempting to think that you are suddenly going to get lots more work just because you've taken 10% or 20% off your prices, but it doesn't work like that. Here's a quick story, going back hundreds of years to a time when I first started spinning my Garrard turntables (Or was it BSR?) How sweet and innocent I was back then. My prices started off way too low. I was beginning to learn about this industry and I made a good few mistakes. I think I had one booking enquiry after a month of advertising - and no actual bookings. After being advised that I would never get any work unless I increased my prices, I doubled them. That's funny .. the bookings started flooding in! Most people are clued up enough to know that a cheaply priced disco will never deliver the entertainment they require.

As for people being better off after the year we've just had, I have no doubt that there are those people who have benefited. It's been the reverse in my case. Since a good part of my work involves providing services to the entertainment industry, my work has all but dried up and I have seen one of the most difficult years, financially, that I have ever known. I'm actually looking forward to bringing in a decent whack again, so my prices are UP!

[rth_discos]

After spending the last year buying many bits and pieces, building up the light show to a standard I've never previously been able to, I am definitely not about to offer any reduced fees. As it is, I will be increasing them. I will also be including an option for the customer to book a larger light show for a higher price.

I don't know what market you're targeting, but I have never sold based on my light show - nor has any client ever asked about it other than "does it include lights".

Just highlighting that I'm not sure how many people are that interested in paying more for a 'larger light show'?

My 4 lights commands a good price lol.

[Centre Stage Discos]

I don't know what market you're targeting, but I have never sold based on my light show - nor has any client ever asked about it other than "does it include lights".

Just highlighting that I'm not sure how many people are that interested in paying more for a 'larger light show'?

My 4 lights commands a good price lol.

I'm glad to hear it.

This is a point I have read in several threads. I have known a few discos who charge differently for different sizes of light shows and can point you in the direction of a well-established and hugely successful one. It's a matter of preference of course. Having done a lot of gigs at Nottingham Uni in the past I can state that many of the halls of residence used to pay a lot more for a more substantial rig. Perhaps it's just the clientele I have been used to providing for, but I would often be asked about the general number of lighting effects I carried. I think it was more a concern of customers that their disco would have nothing more than a flashing lamp and a ropelight.

I hope this isn't taking things too OT, but we all know that the overall entertainment is the most important factor, however, I just cannot go out with a couple of simple effects. I've seen it so many times and I know what people say. It doesn't have to be OTT, as long as it's appropriate for the function.

[ppentertainments]

I'm glad to hear it.

This is a point I have read in several threads. I have known a few discos who charge differently for different sizes of light shows and can point you in the direction of a well-established and hugely successful one. It's a matter of preference of course. Having done a lot of gigs at Nottingham Uni in the past I can state that many of the halls of residence used to pay a lot more for a more substantial rig. Perhaps it's just the clientele I have been used to providing for, but I would often be asked about the general number of lighting effects I carried. I think it was more a concern of customers that their disco would have nothing more than a flashing lamp and a ropelight.

I hope this isn't taking things too OT, but we all know that the overall entertainment is the most important factor, however, I just cannot go out with a couple of simple effects. I've seen it so many times and I know what people say. It doesn't have to be OTT, as long as it's appropriate for the function.

What market do you target ?

[Centre Stage Discos]

The same as everybody else I suspect. Weddings, birthdays, corporate parties, military bases, pubs and clubs, bar/bat mitzvahs. I've done all sorts over the years.

[Benny Smyth]

The same as everybody else I suspect. Weddings, birthdays, corporate parties, military bases, pubs and clubs, bar/bat mitzvahs. I've done all sorts over the years.

That's the events you're going for, but what is your target market? Who is your client?

[Centre Stage Discos]

You've lost me. I'm not much up on business speak. I advertise, I get work. I work, that generates enquiries, I get repeat bookings, recommendations, etc. My 'client'? Sorry.

[Excalibur]

That's the events you're going for, but what is your target market? Who is your client?

In my case, anybody with £60, a venue and electricity.

Sorry Benny, I'll go off and take my tablets.

I think when Benny says " Client " he means your ideal customer. Stockbroker belt, as opposed to Jeremy Kyle's guests. You'll have to forgive Benny, he's only a child, and very fond of jargon that confuses us old folk.

[Imagine]

You've lost me. I'm not much up on business speak. I advertise, I get work. I work, that generates enquiries, I get repeat bookings, recommendations, etc. My 'client'? Sorry.

We're going down the road of "Avatars" now John

Who is your ideal/target client? Maybe if I share mine, you'll get the idea what Benny's on about (he has an ideal client as well but from memory he gives them names).

I have three very distinct parties I do. Weddings, older birthdays and kids parties (from age 6 to 10 only).

For weddings I have two distinct clients I aim everything at:

The first ideal wedding couple are both professionals (nurses, IT, teachers etc.) in their 30s with a modest to good income (probably in the region of £30k pa each), have already got a mortgage, like a cold beer on a hot day, like fun, drive a decent but not overstated car and have both feet well and truly on the ground. 99% of my couples fit this "avatar"

The second (and I do a fair few of these too) are second-timers (I've done third and fourth timers as well), slightly older than the first example, still in professional careers, the kids have grown up (and are normally in the role of best man, chief bridesmaid), they've already done everything in life and just want to relax and have fun....there are no airs and graces at these ones because they've already done that.

For general parties, the avatars are actually very similar to the second wedding couple (so in the "older" generation of 40+), but still in a reasonable career and earning good money. Again, the kids are off-hand, the mortgage is paid or nearly there and they're just starting to live life to the full (sort of where I am in life so it's easier to put myself in this avatar's shoes)

Believe it or not, even for the kids parties I'm targeting a certain type of parent!

Why all the waffle about Avatars?

Simple - I'm not the best fit for everyone that approaches me and I can't be bothered with the tyre kickers (I got fed up of being sworn at over the phone when I told them my prices). I don't do social clubs, 18th's, 21st's, Christenings, pubs or teen parties. I actually turn away a LOT of enquiries every year because....well they're just not gigs I'm going to feel I've been able to do my best at. Even by turning a number of enquiries away, I can earn a very comfortable full time living out of what I do when I'm allowed to (certainly 2-3 times what the average supermarket delivery driver can earn in a year....and I'm only working 1-2 days a week!)

By targeting a specific type of person with the website and my marketing, those people come to me and those (without being snobby) that can't afford my rates...don't (very often).

Put it this way....I've spent an awful lot of my time during lockdown honing my website to appeal to the Avatars mentioned above. I even publish my prices (nothing to hide). By the time they contact me, they've already bought into what I can do for them and they're pretty much ready to book without too many questions - the website does it all for me

To go back to the light show thing (sorry, been out working tonight....again ), I do something similar, but not similar. I have several different configurations of kit (white, retro, rustic), and yes I show them on the site. It's not about the number of lights (because trust me, two ADJ Hex's and two Chauvet Intimidator 305s are my daily toolkit for most parties). It's more about how things are going to look on the day with weddings. Most of the couples I work with want powerful but understated - they don't want the workings of the local nightclub plonked into the corner of their expensively decorated tent so shows with massive numbers of lights really don't turn them on.

Right - it's been a very long, very hot shift (and NO - supermarket delivery van's AREN'T air conditioned). It's time for a couple of very large sherries!

In my case, anybody with £60, a venue and electricity.

Sorry Benny, I'll go off and take my tablets.

I think when Benny says " Client " he means your ideal customer. Stockbroker belt, as opposed to Jeremy Kyle's guests. You'll have to forgive Benny, he's only a child, and very fond of jargon that confuses us old folk.

Oi - I'm old and I understand .

OK, not as ancient as you, but we discussed this over waaaaay too many beers on Broad Street several years ago!

Mod note: You may understand Avatars, but still not conversant with the ten minute edit. Posts merged.

[Centre Stage Discos]

Client/elle = customers. Same difference to me. If you are referring to the type of people I am targeting then there is no target. It's 'The public'! if you are able to choose your customers because you have so much work that you can afford to turn it down just because you don't like a certain branch of society then you are very lucky.

The more I look through the posts on this forum, the more I find contradictions to everything I've learnt over the years. The latest one was the light show being of secondary importance. As I see it it's of equal importance to everything else in a show. DJ presentation, the sound, my attire, I could go on, (A good sound would be my own personal 'essential'.) but my own experience has shown that a good light show has often been one the main requirements for any kind of booking. "Do you have a good light show?" Yes, and I couldn't go on the road without a substantial light show. Define 'substantial'. OK, better than 'just enough, 'impressive'. A kind of wow factor but not to detract from the main event - the wedding itself, etc. No disco is more important than the people at the event.

If I could have a £fiver for the number of people who have given advice over the years never to turn down work... Yes, there are some branches of this industry I wouldn't be so keen to take on anymore, children's parties for instance, but I've done scores over the years and without a problem. No, I wouldn't do them. I'm too old and less tolerant of the little ... darlings.

You have to take the rough with the smooth. I'm not about to turn down work just because it's for Joe Bloggs off a council estate. I've done them all. Plush weddings in stately homes right down to an eight year old's birthday party in a brothel. (I kid you not!) I've been extremely lucky to have provided services for more areas in society that I would have ever dared to dream.

I could even generalise here, but this is based on my own experience, but I've always found that the poorer in society have always been the best payers. "Let's have a whip round for the DJ!" Those lavish weddings and functions in people's homes with acres of gardens, you know the kind, you set up your gear after a half mile trek across beautifully landscaped gardens to the huge marquee just next to the pool and the tennis courts, and I've usually never even met the organisers because their personal wedding planners or the butler have been given the job of organising the entertainment.

Sorry, but 'everybody' is/are my potential clients and I'm not about to try and guess or to judge anybody based on their income bracket, social or any other status.

Back on-topic. Getting the price right is surely the thing to do here. How do you know to know what to charge? A bit of research is needed. There should be enough data out there to know what a sensible price is. I don't think it takes a genius to know that most people are a little short after the last year's problems. Money is going to be a little tighter. If I have to reduce my prices due to necessity then so be it, but it is not my intention to lower any prices right now.