Quoted my first bride with the "inclusive pricing" next year

I guess it's probably one of those up-sells that if you can get the client to bite then it's all good and it does undoubtedly get some use if it's at an event, but to me it's not an up-sell that significantly enhances the event experience itself.

Unless I'm running something other than a wedding or a party, I would prefer to have the focus of the event geared towards getting people out on the dance floor instead of offering them any distraction away from that.

I could see where it might have some possible uses at certain corporate or fundraising functions.

rickryan.com said:

I know there are several here who are big on the "rent it" mentality. I am not for precisely the reasons you mentioned. For the past few months, we've been renting a 3rd camera body/lenses on shoots. A couple of weeks ago, I bought a 3rd unit (with lens) just because I didn't want the stress of having to remember to setup the rental, then worry about getting everything back to them the next day. Same thing on my DJ gear. Every time I've come up with something new to add (uplighting, photobooth, etc), I've gone out and bought the needed gear just because I didn't want the stress of promising a client something, then have the rental company not follow thru on their commitment to me.

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I carry 2 bodies in my main bag and my second shooter has a bag with another body in it. On gigs where I need more my second shooters bring their gear (cheap for me!!).
I have backups to my main lenses (24-70, 70-200) and 3 flashes with me, and 2 more old crappy ones if I need them. As a canon CPS member I get 1 week turnaround on repairs so rarely am I out key gear for a main shoot.

In 10 years I had one camera shutter fail (3 days out of 1 year warranty, canon covered it free). I had a flash act up but it worked, a lens' IS go bad (canon recall on that). Not a lot of issues.

Since I got backup gear for DJing I now bring it. Only issue i had was an amp case dove off a dolly onto the pavement and broke a power transister, so no sub for that gig. the fix was only $140 -but the nearest qualified repair place is 90 minutes away, each way and they needed it for a week...so 6 hours of my time spent driving.

Hence my issues with renting - ain't nuthin good close and my time has value. And sure, if they place has 10 sets of subs and one breaks and they only need to rent 8 it's all good. Unfortunately I've had many bad experiences renting things in the past so that's not part of my plan.

A ceremony system here rents for $80 and they have one. Subs (passive, pair) $40, and they have one set.

I can't run my business based on how someone else may run their's.

DJ Ricky B said:

Did they mention in their expert advice whether you should post prices on your website, or just show the 3 packages, and make the prospects call or email you for price information?

The thing about a bottom level package is how to price it accordingly if I'm going to show the price. How many prospects will I lose because the package is $100 outside of budget when I could have accommodated them. However, I don't want to make the package price "too low" of a price, and be way lower than my mid level package price.

A top tier package would have to include an add on like up lighting etc....I don't see how I can offer 3 packages that differentiate greatly with just DJ services for a wedding.

I offered 3 package levels once on the website...it was 2007 and 2008. No one ever ordered the top package at the time, and most clients just wanted the price quote for basic DJ services. However, that was also the recession, so things may have changed a lot since then.

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They sad you should but that it was really up to you. I tend to not do any of that and simply let them call me.