Added: 3 years ago
From: ellaskins
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  • Hi Jonathan

    A great bit of info.

    I have tried this and when you meet up with the people you will be working for it's nice to chat and offer them a choise. And to be honest why should us jocks all price our selves the same ! If your worth it then go for it .

    All the best.

  • Hi Jonathan.

    I found this video very helpful and will definately try to change the way I price an event but found that if I didn't give a price in the email or on the phone, they simply didn't bother to come back and I often lost the booking all together. I'm all for DJ's upping the game and took the advice about not giving clients a price over the phone from seminars at the BPM 2010 but unfortunately this doesn't seem to work for me.

  • Jonathan, this is an amazingly helpful video. I just got propositioned for my first wedding and I wasn't really sure what to charge or anything but this was really helpful my man. Cheers!

  • My tip is to use Google Earth and Google Maps to take a quick look at the venue you've been requested to quote for. Obviously you can't see all the problems you may encounter, such as stairs and parking (unloading etc) ... but it may help you to decide whether to pass the job on to the local DJ Dbl Decks ... and his/her Fal lighting show lol.

    As ever EllaSkins ... respect.

  • Charge more for more gear and less for less gear. DUH. And you ramble.

  • haha yeah nasedo i thought i had a dirty screen too haha, J clean ya camera lens m8 haha

  • Good show old chap!

  • top advice

  • Very useful. Thanks!

  • That's how you do it, I have the medium set up 4 speakers up to 6 different lights and 2 fog machines, I only take 2 speakers and less lights if its for a like a back yard party. No need to bring the cops in to shut you down.

  • This is how its done here. They sell by packages/add ons. + for Subs, + Emcee, + DMX Lighting Truss, + giveaways/props, + Remote speakers(Bridal party room), + LCD Screens, + Personalized gobos on wall or dance floor

  • Very helpfull john:D

  • A lot of the DJ's charge by package prices. Lower prices less equipment and higher prices for more equipment.

    -Sound (Amount of speakers/Bass cabs)

    -Lights (Lasers and scanners)

    -Trusses and stages

    I know some DJ's who charge by the Genre they play, especially 80's.

  • very good sound advice!

    a question slightly off subject I have 2 400W speakers and I've only playied one party it was in a hall that could hold roughly 100 people and it was definatly loud enough but was clipping occasionaly seemed close to it's max. (i have overload sensor on speakers) i didn't turn it up much more incase the amp shut off what size speakers would you guys use for what amount of people??

  • I could be wrong here, however what I've tended to see is an additional 1000w Bass to take the load off the twin 400's. You end up with fuller, more dynamic sound but will be far more easy going on your speakers.

  • well 400 are good but you could use a bass cab with it and it would take the load off and u couldplay up to 200 people with that

  • When i played out I used to call the venue itself. A lot of the time a person will say one thougn about the place and the owner of the venue will say a very difrent thing. I never haggle on a price But I will say I can bring less of my equipment which has less impact but if it is a huge venue I will inisit on me Bringing the bigger speakers and the full bank of lights.

  • Everyone swoons when i quote prices but everyone always says on the night and after the night I was worth every penny. If its a girls 18th I discuss with the birthday girl What music shes in to and also what her friends like. Its a custom service and I taylor the set and set up to the people i play out to and also the venue size.

  • Dont ever let people chip away at your price and be firm with everything. I take a deposit on the day they book and I take cash up front for a set time. If it goes on later I make sure I state that if it does go over and they want me to play longer (while there booking and on the day itself) I will do it but they need to pay per hour or whatever you require. Its always worth writing stuff up and getting them to sign it.

  • It does not have to be an air tight legal document but its nice to have whats agreed on a piece of paper both for them and for you as once the drinks flowing people forget about the DJ lol

    ESSAY Over Mr Lordstar pens down time to hand it in.

  • Do you notice you've gone to some gigs and with the music for you client only to find out the other guest want something else? Do you take some other stuff with you just in case?

  • your never going to make everyone happy ive been asked to play Only house music and no cheese by the person booking. Only yo turn up and its a familly party with kids from 6 to 6o years old.

    i was a rock DJ and I got told i would not get paid unless I played what they wanted so I asked them to construct a list of artists they wanted playing. That way its there fault if they dont put bon jovi on the list.

    97% of work will be cheese guaranteed!

    this is where having a laptop is handy.

  • yh take a variety of music because you wont play one type of music all night i done a gig with pop/hip hop then rnb then club classixs and some rock at the end

  • i practice everything exactly everything you said I make alot more money then when I first started 12 years ago. also dj's should bring a dvd demo of there parties or events that they have done or a sample cd of a mix that they have created. Good Luck to all the djs. I hope this helps you.

  • Holy fuck this is the really good info! i never thought about it like that

  • this is great advice and is actually common sense!

  • Great video J, thanks for the help !! keep practicing and enjoying XD !!

  • quality video!! true true true i cant argue with any of that..cheers

  • Another informative video J.

    As for the personal experience package, going to the venue and so on, fine if your close to the venue, but if you have to travel any distance it could pose a problem.

    Something i tend to do is google the venue, if there's a gallery thats a bonus, if not ring and speak to someone like the manager of the venue and get them to tell you the in's and out's.

    Lastly, i have a mid sized to large set up, i charge nowhere near £350. Maybe i should re-asess my price.

  • Vary good info!!!!!!!! Great work J

  • good info

    its helps me good!

  • Great work Johnathan!

    Rock solid statements..

    Cheers from Norway

  • Thanks Jonathan  *** A MOMENT OF CLARITY***

  • Im no mobile DJ, but this sounds very logical.

    Anywhere you go today, the more you want, the more it costs. So why not in DJ business ?

  • gREAT VIDEO GOOD JOB!!!!

  • A key point to key in mind, I learned from my dayz in landscaping. If u have speakers or lights or what have u. It has a life span, it has parts that need to be serviced, time is the point here, its better to take account of your replacements and keep a log of this use, as it can help u to price your services not just on skills, and lights and speakers, keep in mind your "real" cost.

  • yea good point all lights and gear have a lifespan and all gear need maintanece i once saw a lighting hire company that tryed to cut corners and missed the maintainence part and some of the gear that showed up dident work!!! but we were paying dirt cheap prices

  • I do a basic package which is just 2 speakers and a sub. A premium package which is bigger speakers and bigger sub. And I do an elite package where I basically rent what I need, and add it to the invoice, and then charge them my premium rate. I usually bring the same light show to every gig since it isn't that big anyway.

  • So would you say its better to have a flat rate for the whole night based on gear? What about an hourly rate? What do you guys think is better

  • I totally agree with him. Whenever my family and friends want me to hook them up with my services, I know they dont expect to pay so I only take the bare minimum. It's a lot easier on me not to carry all my heavy gear to their party.

  • Spot on.

  • I have run a successful mobile business for ten years and bass our service on an hourly rate.

    If you promise more gear and you deliver less gear your in a lot of trouble.

    If you promise a large setup and the week before it blows up or has a problem, you're out of pocket big time.

  • That´s the only way! It´s the same way how I calculate my price. Very good video for beginners and newcomers.

    Greetings from Germany

    DJ Vossi

  • Comment removed

  • I use a Bronze, Silver and gold system. Take different levels of kit. Us djs need to realise the time and money we invest into this be it a job or hobby. Dont be afraid to charge good money for a good job. Let the idiots go out and do the crap jobs and receive crap money. Lets lift our heads high and get paid if you want minimum wages sell your gear and go work at Mc Donalds.

  • wow i been doing the same exact pricing you just named with the same amount gear

    its hard trying to sell the 500 package

  • thanks man! nice.

    Just 1 question ;

    Im a newbie dj , just started , have dj;ing on like 3 parties, now a "club" wants me as their permanent dj, should I play like , 1 or 2 partys for free, then take charge , so my name spreads out and more and more wants me as a dj ?

    or should I take charge at the start?

    Thanks :)

  • Hi there, I'm djing myself for about two years now. I was in a similar position to yourself when I started. A bar asked for me to do a "trial" gig free off charge. I refused.. why? Because why give them my service free of charge? I put alot of time and effort into my work and all it takes is for them to tell me they don't like my music and do the same thing to the next poor person! Charge at least a small amount! Your name will spread mate dont worry about that!:)

  • DOnt give it away for free, what I suggest, is that if you don't feel comfortable asking for money up front, do what I do. I ask for a bar tab, a meal before the show, and a percentage of the door. On an average place just 2 bucks a head can make you upward of $300.00, if you do really well off the door, dont forget to tip the Bartender and the head Bouncer a little, so that you "Buy" their love. remember that they will be asked buy the club manager about the quality and viability of your show.

  • "Bartender and the head Bouncer"...

    That is for sure a Deejay's in or out guardians..

    Agree.. cuddle them well :-D

  • but this 1 wont get as much money as a bar, my bad , its not a club, more like a small salon, about 100 ppl will come, so dont think they will give me any percentage from the door ..

    I can tell them that I just want like 20 $ ( im just 14 , but they dont know that...) for a trial gig, then Ill go like 50 $ and so on :)

  • Ask for what I ask, the meal and door money, they are always happy to give up door money as they are not out of pocket, when you ask for a percentage, thye can moe UP the door if they want more money,

  • aight nice thanks :)

  • Comment removed

  • a club has recently asked me to dj aswell but i have not accepted the job yet.. im thinkin of gettin more experience around by doing a couple of parties for my friends for free.. then slowly charging higher and higher until im more and more known.. then start working for the club.. =)

  • the key of this is to make sure your client is happy with everything that you are going to provide them with. when taking bookings for weddings i have a 'tick' sheet of everything the client wants then start adding them up then when you are quoting them the booking fee you can go through all the things you are going to do for them at the event. people will always pay more if a professional aproach is used.

  • Great movie! ill think of that :)

  • There seems to be dirt on your lens J may want to clean it.

  • yeah i thought it was my screen but it's the camera. new lens time!

  • big up john

  • What about making an order form? Making a set price for just spinning, amp, speaks, standard light, then for every additional speaker/light, fog etc. Charge an additional fee? ex)2 more speaks $50. That way you're kind of giving them the choice to add and subtract what they want and if you come with not enough gear, that's on them... what do you guys think?

  • Hmm. Good idea.

  • yea that how ive operated 4 the past 6 months that i have really existed as a buisness and im only 14 i thought of this straight from the start i looked at other dj's and lighting hire companys and mushed the 2 together!

  • This is the strategy I would use.

    However I'm thinking the down-side to this is your name and reputation. If your sound is designed for a 40sq/m dance area but your clients won't pay the extra for the required 80Sq/m area, your set is going to sound crap with a full dance floor. That's your reputation going down the drain. Playing good music is one thing and ultimately it separates the wheat from the chaff. However can you risk bad sound because your client is a cheap-skate?

  • I don't think it is fair really to start going up to £500 for instance a teenagers birthday party, as the parents may not be able to afford it, and the venue isn't their fault.

    But yes, totally agree, more equipment should theoreticly cost more money.

    Weddings are easy to get away with, as the average person spends thousands on the reception alone.

  • I think that makes lots of sense. It's gonna take more of your time to get that extra gear ready, set it up, It's another thing to think about during the gig, and another thing to maintain as bulbs burn out etc because of normal use.

  • awesome vid j!

    definitly one of the best posted in a good while!

  • luvin the artwork lol keep the infor coming !! keep it funk punk :||)

  • thanks for the info, will keep tht in mind.

  • Your artistic skills astound me... What are you doing DJing when you could be making a living off your artwork :D

    but really thats a bitchin idea, like most of the ones have you :) thanks for sharing mate.

  • Heh. Nothing new to me, but I can tell, that you have a VERY good point in this. More things you carry, more work you do. J, I have to admit that you're doing outstanding work. Thanks for all your videos and I'm sure a lot of people are grateful of your vids :)

  • great vid buddy

  • with the economy the way that it is i cant talk to a client without them asking me for a discount. what i do is tell people I cant really go down in price, but instead i can throw in some things for free. example: i tell them base price is no lights no cocktail hr, but then say ok for you i will throw it in. this way they feel they are getting more stuff for free, when i really would throw it in anyway.

  • "no cocktail hr"?

  • wow man, some great advice there, thanks!

  • You're a very good speaker.

  • great advice man keep the vids coming

  • very good video..i think it depends on where ur living etc..i know 4 a fact that at some gigs i bring alot more gear than other djs around my area 4 the same price..it kinda annoys me bt at the same time i like to show me gear new lights etc of as u said in the vid.. i think what uv said in the vid will only work 4 certain people.. intresting vid tho

  • I agree with you, but how about to get people to pay for what you take , a light will cost you so after 20 gigs wouldn't it be good to know that you have taken into concideration the cost of the light and added this to the price so after 20 gigs it's sort of payed for? j

  • yh true say, but u dont want to get inda greedy, just increase the charges accordingly, how much would u pay for a DJ? regardless of whether ur a dj urself

  • This works for everybody, bar none. Why would you do a bunch of extra work if you weren't getting any extra money for it? I've done wedding photography and those guys are PRO when it comes to upselling and add-ons. They don't do it in a sleazy way, but it's an extremely effective way of building a sale. If you sell yourself properly, you should be able to get the money you deserve for your extra effort instead of letting the customer take advantage of you.

  • Solid advice mate. We work exactly like this.

  • me and my dad have been doing this for years!!!! good tips tho

    btw i know I'm 18, ive been helping my dad DJ at asian weddings since i was 11

  • 1st?

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