Weddings What do you charge?

redhotdj said:

the biggest thing no one has said is you can only get what your area will pay,
some have said they get $2000 for a wedding i don't care how many bells and whistles and fancy flat screens you got come to my neck of the woods and you would be out of business in a week the money is NOT here, i only wish i could get $2000 here i know its never gonna happen.Big city more money small town they laugh at you

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I would disagree with you to a point. There are several ways to look at this.
#1 - Do you have competition, if so how many, how much do they charge and are they in your immediate service area or come from another town/city?
#2 - How much effort do you put into planning with your clients to really personalize their event? The more effort you put into it the more you should charge.
#3 - Do you get a lot of Tips at the end of the night? If so that is your signal to charge more, people are obviously willing to pay more.
#4 - Have you tried? Adding a $50 - $100 to your price is not much of a shock value, but if you find doing that nets you little extra work, then add $200-$500 for your services. Test it out. Give two different quotes to two different people and see which books.
#5 - Word of mouth referrals. If you are getting lots. Raise your price, if you are good enough for someone else to sell your service for you. You can raise your price.
#6 - Do you feel you have a better product than any of your competitors? If yes, prove it and ask for what you are worth.

You need to decide who your bride is. Do you want anyone and everyone? Do you want a higher end client? Get more specific, do you want an animal lover for example. You might lose 80% of the market, but how many are tire kickers, bridezillas or hand holders? That 20% you want have the money and want the memorable events. You could charge more, work less and in the end still end up with the same profit.
If you free up a few dates with a higher price this or next year, and still made the same money as last year, think about how much more you will make the year after?

Marketing is Key. I do very little paid marketing, I get very few tire kickers and I am this year booked up for the summer, that is MY signal to raise my price and build it up again. So my price will be $1500 - $2000 with a ceremony.

I am not a worther either. I just don't like swimming with the bottom feeders and I encourage the local DJs who have talent to raise their prices too. I have no problem recommending my quality professional competition. I can't book all the weddings myself and I would like to see every bride who calls me have a fantastic reception.

maestro said:

Wow, I've really got to move away from the West Coast... If you can get those numbers in Red Deer (Pop. 90,000) and I can't get it in Vancouver, BC (Pop. over 2 million!) something is wrong. No, it's not me... My reputation is impeccable; just Google me!

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Maestro,

I'll be in B.C around Aug 20th, I am doing a wedding and consulting for another because the quality of D.J.s I guess is not the best so I am told and I have a lot of family in Abbostford and in Vancouver. Starting to get referrals from that. I plan to be down around the 15th or 16th, If you are on FB look me up "TJ the DJ, Red Deer DJ Service" The bride I am consulting with has booked Creative DJ Services... the MOST ANNOYING WEB SITE EVER... http://www.creativedjservices.com/ Guy talks a good game but he seems to be some what disorganized after booking (sending her e-mails meant for other people) so she heard of me though a friend and we talk and e-mail all the time with ideas and what not.

There is no reason why you can't charge more. You need to really step out of the market. If you are only beating the avg by a couple hundred then you are not really saying much. Sounds like you got lots of confidence, so ask for $1200. I don't know how you market or what your sales pitch is so I really can't say more with out knowing more. I am not a marketing pro, but what I have learned has worked for me and I am sure you could make it work for you, it is just a matter of making it work for your business. I will say your text on your site is small and not easy to read which might cost you some business but other wise it is very cool. Also being a Multi-Op might hurt you a little too. Most multi-ops lack consistency in service, simply because everyone has their own unique style and single ops will take advantage of that point in their sales/marketing if they feel it works for them. Even if a bride doesn't like that single op, that opinion still sticks with them.

There are high end brides. I have quoted several in B.C. at $1200 before travel and got the "Is that all?" Until they hear travel is $1/KM one way and their wedding becomes $2500, and I am not going to just show up for cocktails and a dance... $5000 is what my B.C. show is at and it's a 3 day event. Rehearsal party, the day of with ceremony, and gift opening brunch.

I do a lot more than just show up which is where the value lies.

As for Steve...
I have booked $14,000 in just 11 weddings. Not including any corporate parties I will get in the fall, Halloween parties, summer parties, retirements, anniversaries, or formal grads which start to book up here in around Mid April.

I have booking ranging from $1000 to $1500 not including the B.C. trip which is an aberration, but I was in Saskatchewan a province to the east before Christmas. I try to stand out and so far it works. I should clear $25,000+ this year and probably 35k next.

I live cheap and work hard. I do pass up a lot of bookings and I don't mind. I am not in this to get rich, though it would be nice and I do plan on getting there one day.

I am introducing a Photo Booth as a separate business this summer which should also increase my income so I continue to pay for training and be an even better entertainer than I am.

I should also note, this year I have not renewed my AVLA license. I am testing out a theory. I was promised by the AVLA they would have someone out investigating the 10 or so companies I reported and guess what? NO ONE SHOWED. I know a lot of local DJs and no one so much as hinted they were from the AVLA. So why should I pay a TAX to be in business? I have had a legal license for years and got tired to seeing all these frost wire DJs out there working. I believe in a fair playing field where the only difference should be the quality of service and price. My costs per show is already as much as what most of the bottom feeders charge.

I am waiting to see if I get a call or a letter or anything. For the big stink I raised with the CDJA and CPDJA (the last I am not a member with anymore either, didn't see the benefit on a east coast association.) and the AVLA myself Someone at the AVLA should have noticed I didn't renew and contacted me.

From July to end of september I think I have 1 open weekend left. That's a solid wedding season. May used to be the start but the last few years we have had snow till june, so weddings are starting to go into october.

We have had a pretty bad recession actually Last two years for christmas bookings I have had 2 or 3 shows tops. Oil rich yes, but only when people are working to pull it out of the ground. My area is very much oil service company dependent, but I have learned if your product is good enough, people will buy it.

$15,000+ a year here is when you start paying taxes. Make less than that and you get a nice refund check. $25,000 is about an average income for a single full time job that isn't specialized. The average wedding here is about $12,000 - $15,000. Unlike the U.S. where the stats are in the $20,000 range. So I am making around 10% of the average wedding budget. My goal is closer to 20%.

I got a great deal on rent, My van's 20 years old so my insurance is $40/m. I have cut out a ton of pointless unnecessary costs. I am literally a 24/7 focused on what I do as a business. I spend more time in a day learning about SEO, Marketing, Social Media and talking with other DJs and vendors from all over the place than anything else. I love what I do and I love learning new things and helping every bride I meet have her day.

Event the ones that don't book me. Sure some other guy gets the coin, but if one idea, one suggestion I make has an impact on her wedding, she will remember who she got it from and I have gotten business from that. I build relationships with my clients, some I am even friends with, even after their wedding. I'm not making a killing yet, but I own all my gear, it all works, it's all legal, I am debt free, I LOVE what I do and sometimes money gets tight, but I just make a few phone calls and I can always book something. I could work a lot more, but there is a certain clientele I want. And I don't mind sharing them with other DJs who have the same passion I do and want to make money at as well.

Anyone can get $1200 a gig, there are people in every market who will pay that or more. The only really problem is, how big is that market? If you are are in the middle of no where you wont see a lot. At least not until you convince the rest of the market that your price is fair and reasonable. That all comes down to about 70% marketing and 30% being able to pull off a show that is truly professional and impressive. It all starts with your own confidence level. If you convince your self you are a $1200 DJ you will be. But you also have to back it up. But I really don't think I am doing too much more than a lot of other DJs. I am sure some of you probably do a better show than I do in many cases. I have a lot to learn still in my opinion even after 16 years. I know I am good at what I do, but there is always a different way to do things, to introduce a song, a new dance, or idea that has nothing to do with me but can really engage the guests. Most DJs are wedding consultants they just don't realize it.

Steve LeBlanc said:

TJ - no disrespect; the way you describe yourself; you're more of an "artist", than anything.

Many people aren't content with 25K a year, particularily if you have a wife and children, mortgage payments, or wish to live with more than the minimum.

If you are happy with where you are.....I can't fault you.

Why not do 35 events at $750.00 versus 11 at $1200; doesn't that make more business sense?

As far as anyone getting $1200 a gig....likely anyone can...The question is can you get more than one?

The average in my area is $450.00; I charge more but for that I pay a heavy price in the number of bookings available to me...that's OK. I'm an admitted hobbyist, so 10 bookings a season is fine.

There is absolutely no way though that one could make it as a sole operator in this area, let alone the rest of Canada; that is, if you are content at 25K a year in earnings...I'm not.

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Why would I work more, put my gear though more and have to replace it more often for the same money?

Wedding season is literally Mid June to Mid September here. So there is no 35 weddings a year unless you are a multi-op. I am already booking as much as any $750 DJ in my area. There are very few weddings out side of the "season". I did do one end of Feb and I have another in April and one in May, I booked every off season consultation I had. (which is out side my 11 and I gave seasonal discounts which I am discontinuing after this summer.)

$25k is this years earnings, next year it will be more, and more the year after. I have only been running my own business for 3 years. I took no business from my previous DJ employers. I started ground up.

I am not an artist. I play other peoples music, I don't do too much beat mixing, I am creative only in taking the stories I am told and suggesting ideas to bring those stories out for their guests.

If a bride and groom told you 15 minutes after the proposal they had wings and beer I am sure you could pick up on that and might have suggested having wings and beer for their cocktails or mid night lunch rather than wine and cheese.

PM has a similar story in his book about the couple that had their fav burger joint cater. It's really a matter of listening and personalizing. If all you do is show up and play the same 65 songs week in and out. Your not really a DJ in my opinion any more than a radio personality is a DJ. The music is pre-programed and all you are doing is announcing between songs.

If you personalize and tailor every event, and every part of that event to couples, they will likely pay what ever you ask because the next DJ or the one before you who charges as much or even a little less probably didn't offer more than a "take it or leave it" price quote.

Is it a lot of extra work? That depends... are you cooking the wings and serving the beer? Not every idea needs to involve something we do, but where possible it is nice.

Another suggestion I use that I haven't seen in print anywhere. Suggest on the RSVP card a line that asks "What was your first song when you got married?" People who get that are likely to thing they haven't chosen a first song and need some suggestions, or don't want to copy anyone. I suggest when they get those songs, they pick the couples that mean the most to them, Parents, grand parents, close personal friends, who traveled the furthest, who is having a bad run in life from an illness etc... and rather than playing random meaning less ballads, every slow song is a special dedication.

"Grandpa and Grandma Jack & Jill have been married for 52 years and (enter Bride and grooms name) would like to honor them and hope they have have many more years together. This next song was played at their wedding for their first dance."

You will likely pack a dance floor, and you can bet that everyone you honor in this way will remember that wedding as special.

Again, who is doing all the work? But YOU come off as a flippin genius.