How do you handle 2 hour gig requests on a in demand Saturday Night?

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This is interesting to me. I can't remember the last time if ever someone contacted me about needing a DJ to play for them for 2 hours. Personally I don't like short events like that. They for me don't give me enough time to really show my stuff. Especially if there is to be some serious dancing. I would quote each one a price and let them decide if they want to book my company or not. I certainly wouldn't expect either of these gigs to be high paying gigs. Now if they agree to my prince quote then the job would get done. If not they can keep searching.

The thing is what would you expect such a client would be willing to pay? I say probably no more than $250 and more than likely looking for you to go lower than that.

And in some instances, you would be wrong. It's not about what a client is willing to pay - it IS about conveying what you think the value of an event is. If your customer believes in that value, they will buy it. If you can't show your value, then you will not be commanding any dollars.

How's that Business Plan? Website? Taxes?
 
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I'm begining to think of approaching these things like hotels - 'dates' are inventory. With an expiration date.

So a saturday is a prime product, sun-thurs less so. A saturday 3 months off? Worth more than say, this saturday that is gonna 'expire' for free so even $150 is better than free.

Now you can go look, assuming you keep great records, what your avg saturday sells for and make that your min to leave the house - for a gig X days/weeks out.
 
I'm begining to think of approaching these things like hotels - 'dates' are inventory. With an expiration date.

So a saturday is a prime product, sun-thurs less so. A saturday 3 months off? Worth more than say, this saturday that is gonna 'expire' for free so even $150 is better than free.

Now you can go look, assuming you keep great records, what your avg saturday sells for and make that your min to leave the house - for a gig X days/weeks out.
it will work but only somewhat, you have to account for extra demand for certain holidays, and even specif dates 12/12/2012 was a very high demand date for me simply because on the date
 
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Go ahead and book the gig at a low price with no contract. When a better gig comes along cancel or just don't show up for the 2 hour party. :worriedsmoker:
 
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I book the motown gig and sub it to mix he'll do it for $150 so the rest is all profit


LOL...Gas prices are low so the trip down from Orange, NJ down to Silver Spring, MD shouldn't cost THAT much. What say you Mix, you want a gig for $150? You can't back out on me though...this is an in demand date and I won't be able to find any one else to cover for $150.

I'm not sure if I have faith in Mix pulling this one off actually. They want a lot of beach, shaggin' music to be played from the 60s and 70s. They are also old people and DO NOT need a DJ to bring EarthQuake or Yorkville subs in. ...no no no, I don't need to hear the complaints on volume, and too much bass from the clients the following Monday morning.

...Good news on this particular client. She called me 15 minutes ago, and while she wanted to meet in person before booking I informed her how we work for parties, and in person meetings are not included at the price I gave her. She understood and wanted to book anyway. Everything handled over the phone and thru email.
 
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Personally I don't like short events like that. They for me don't give me enough time to really show my stuff. Especially if there is to be some serious dancing.

Wow...that there says volumes to me.

Why do you feel the need to "show your stuff" at every event?

Rather let your MC and crowd reading skills do the talking...without the need to show your stuff.

Be subtle and professional, have good posture, smile at guests, show them YOU are having a good time and they should pick up on all that.
 
I'm not too "good" to not take a 2 hour event. I actually like doing those...They are super easy. You go, and set up, deejay for two hours. The time goes by quick, then if the client doesn't have a dead line time with the venue, I can sometimes get them to go overtime and go another hour any way. If not, then I pack up, and go home...Usually these gigs are at most 5.5 to 6.5 hours of my total time involved. Maybe I spent $10 to $12 in gas to do the event. I'm not making any where near as much money as I would on a 5 to 6.5 hour wedding ceremony/reception, BUT sometimes it's good to do a gig other than a wedding or mitzvah once in a while.


It sucks that this particular one is on a Saturday night, but I hate losing prospects if the event is worth while. I can still maybe book something earlier in the day and double up, even though day time events are harder to come by.

I also am still able to book my brother on a nice paying wedding if one comes in, and take a commission on that.
 
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LOL...Gas prices are low so the trip down from Orange, NJ down to Silver Spring, MD shouldn't cost THAT much. What say you Mix, you want a gig for $150? You can't back out on me though...this is an in demand date and I won't be able to find any one else to cover for $150.

I'm not sure if I have faith in Mix pulling this one off actually. They want a lot of beach, shaggin' music to be played from the 60s and 70s. They are also old people and DO NOT need a DJ to bring EarthQuake or Yorkville subs in. ...no no no, I don't need to hear the complaints on volume, and too much bass from the clients the following Monday morning.

...Good news on this particular client. She called me 15 minutes ago, and while she wanted to meet in person before booking I informed her how we work for parties, and in person meetings are not included at the price I gave her. She understood and wanted to book anyway. Everything handled over the phone and thru email.
Glad you got the gig. Who said I would bring in Earthquakes or the Yorkville subs. It would depend on their needs and the size of the venue. Like I've said before some DJs think you got to blast people out with the sound to impress them. No you don't. It needs to be comfortable for that age group. Some events if you don't use those things you mentioned I have people will complain that the sound wasn't good enough.

I can't forget a lady where I used to work at when I worked my day job and what she said. She was at her cousins wedding and wished I was the DJ because she said the DJ who did it had the music so loud that after he stopped playing the music her ears were ringing. She also said the room wasn't that big. You just got to know what you're doing. What to use and what not to depending on the size of the room and the type of event it is.

Sir I'm 57 years old. So me being the DJ at a gig like that would be too easy for me. As far as me doing it for $150 I certainly would. Just so they could tell you what a great time they had with me as their DJ. Just so I could brag on here what a great job I did. No I wouldn't do it because once they got a taste of me they would not dare ever mention your name or Tunes. LOL.

The one thing though since it got mentioned I wouldn't allow you or Tunes to sub out the job to me. Me and my friends we don't do that. We just recommend them to a job that either we can't do because we're already booked for that day or it's an event we don't feel comfortable doing. We don't take advantage of our friends like that.
 
You might not but your friends sure do
No they don't. Not the ones I call my friends. The funny thing is I've seen on some paid lead sites where a bride is having her wedding and looking for a DJ for 2 hours to perform at their wedding. Where would there be time left for the guest attending the wedding to dance and enjoy themselves? Not a wedding I would do.
 
No they don't. Not the ones I call my friends. The funny thing is I've seen on some paid lead sites where a bride is having her wedding and looking for a DJ for 2 hours to perform at their wedding. Where would there be time left for the guest attending the wedding to dance and enjoy themselves? Not a wedding I would do.

Those types of leads are usually of the following:

1. They have a band already performing, and want a DJ to close the night out and do a 2 hour set. Sometimes, it's an after party
2. The bride and groom are not dancers, and also putting their wedding together on a budget. They don't want music during dinner or cocktails. Either there will be no music, or they are playing their own play list through a venue sound system. Sometimes they have a guitarist or violin trio, or jazz band doing the music for ceremony/cocktails/dinner, and after all that there is just 2 hours left for dancing.

Those types of clients are usually easy to work with. Problem occurs when you get one that wants you set up before people arrive into reception room. That is when you usually lose them because you want to be paid as if it's a 4 hour reception at that point. Sometimes they have a set play list for you to play for 2 hours...those clients suck to work with too if you do mind working off of play lists.

I would book those gigs if the date is open and not in demand Saturday over 4 months out. Under 4 months then it comes down to what kind of money I can get on the booking. ...Under 5 weeks away...I book it regardless at that point.
 
The funny thing is I've seen on some paid lead sites where a bride is having her wedding and looking for a DJ for 2 hours to perform at their wedding. Where would there be time left for the guest attending the wedding to dance and enjoy themselves? Not a wedding I would do.

It's not up to you to decide how much time is allocated for guests attending to dance. You are being asked to perform a service for 'x' amount of time, that's it.
 
Problem occurs when you get one that wants you set up before people arrive into reception room. That is when you usually lose them because you want to be paid as if it's a 4 hour reception at that point.
And then sometimes the band wants to plug into your system because they don't have one. If you refuse you look like the bad guy.
 
I may be a little hesitant to book it at first...
depending on how close it is to the date.
I really don't work every weekend, and May is NOT a big month for gigs around here...
so I am probably more likely to take the gig, especially if it's this close.

The only problem I have is that for what I would charge (or for what they would pay)...
the price would border on the "not worth leaving the house" level.