Weddings Mastering the ART of saying NO.

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DJ Ricky B said:
When is it? We look forward to seeing pictures and video of the event in the gig reports section :)
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I never have and never will do those, I prefer to focus my attention on the client and event, there is typically a well paid photographer and videographer there taking pictures, I think it looks very tacky for a vendor to be taking photos while performing. The only reason my phone is even in the building with me is in case I need to use it as a hotspot.
I have performed several times for weddings at Lambeau, it is one of the premier venues in the state.
 
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tunes4046 said:
wierd I just booked 50th birthday party in the event space at Lambeau field, it a 4 hour drive they agreed to my price no questions asked
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I don't sell my services 4 hours away. It's self defeating. I focus on services that can be sold right where I am. The price is irrelevant. The 8 hours driving round trip is better spent doing another local gig. It doubles my LOCAL referrals, giving me twice the choices and twice the notoriety locally. The exception of course, is a local client with an event further away. (Typically a child's wedding, or business conference.) This wasn't always the case, but a lesson I'm happy to have learned.

Boston used to be a 30 minute drive for me. Now it's 2 hours or more. I didn't move further away. Traffic has gotten that much more congested. So, I don't advertise or solicit work there. I focus on my local area, and find the gigs that let me do work I like - jobs that teach me new things, and connect me with more local people, more local work. If I get a request for the city I evaluate my local options first as a higher priority - at any price.

Those who DJ part time, available only 45 days out of the year - may think they have no other choice than phishing for the highest bidder no matter the distance or personal cost. Performing 4 hours away however, is a great way to remain anonymous. With no connection to the area in which we work the cycle continues, conditions don't improve and the work doesn't make us happy or fulfilled.

Perhaps distant gigs are necessary to part time DJ work. To run a local business we have to be avaialble to local patrons all week long and not simply on a few key Saturdays of our own choosing. So, that makes it a full time business rather than a sideline, and it's true that most of my own patrons are repeat clients, with decades of history. The attendees typically include other clients, and future prospects. People who see the same vendor at all kinds of events ultimately place them top of mind producing yet more future referrals.

Today, nearly all of my business is within 15-40 minutes of my front door. I love it. The key people in my community know who I am and what I do and every job is a referral, or we've already met at another gig. That doesn't mean I'm mopping up all the gigs around here - not by a long shot. But, even the people who want something different still know what I do, and are capable of referring others.
 
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Proformance said:
I don't sell my services 4 hours away. It's self defeating. I focus on services that can be sold right where I am. The price is irrelevant. The 8 hours driving round trip is better spent doing another local gig. It doubles my LOCAL referrals, giving me twice the choices and twice the notoriety locally. The exception of course, is a local client with an event further away. (Typically a child's wedding, or business conference.) This wasn't always the case, but a lesson I'm happy to have learned.

Boston used to be a 30 minute drive for me. Now it's 2 hours or more. I didn't move further away. Traffic has gotten that much more congested. So, I don't advertise or solicit work there. I focus on my local area, and find the gigs that let me do work I like - jobs that teach me new things, and connect me with more local people, more local work. If I get a request for the city I evaluate my local options first as a higher priority - at any price.

Those who DJ part time, available only 45 days out of the year - may think they have no other choice than phishing for the highest bidder no matter the distance or personal cost. Performing 4 hours away however, is a great way to remain anonymous. With no connection to the area in which we work the cycle continues, conditions don't improve and the work doesn't make us happy or fulfilled.

Perhaps distant gigs are necessary to part time DJ work. To run a local business we have to be avaialble to local patrons all week long and not simply on a few key Saturdays of our own choosing. So, that makes it a full time business rather than a sideline, and it's true that most of my own patrons are repeat clients, with decades of history. The attendees typically include other clients, and future prospects. People who see the same vendor at all kinds of events ultimately place them top of mind producing yet more future referrals.

Today, nearly all of my business is within 15-40 minutes of my front door. I love it. The key people in my community know who I am and what I do and every job is a referral, or we've already met at another gig. That doesn't mean I'm mopping up all the gigs around here - not by a long shot. But, even the people who want something different still know what I do, and are capable of referring others.
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I do understand what you are saying and I would feel the same if I were in a major metropolitan area the truth is its well over an hours drive to any city with a decent population. Also it’s been a very long time since I’ve “sold” my services, it’s all referrals, if it’s a 4 hour drive I simply quote a price that makes it worth my time and effort, it’s really quite simple
 
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Proformance said:
I don't sell my services 4 hours away. It's self defeating. I focus on services that can be sold right where I am. The price is irrelevant. The 8 hours driving round trip is better spent doing another local gig. It doubles my LOCAL referrals, giving me twice the choices and twice the notoriety locally. The exception of course, is a local client with an event further away. (Typically a child's wedding, or business conference.) This wasn't always the case, but a lesson I'm happy to have learned.

Boston used to be a 30 minute drive for me. Now it's 2 hours or more. I didn't move further away. Traffic has gotten that much more congested. So, I don't advertise or solicit work there. I focus on my local area, and find the gigs that let me do work I like - jobs that teach me new things, and connect me with more local people, more local work. If I get a request for the city I evaluate my local options first as a higher priority - at any price.

Those who DJ part time, available only 45 days out of the year - may think they have no other choice than phishing for the highest bidder no matter the distance or personal cost. Performing 4 hours away however, is a great way to remain anonymous. With no connection to the area in which we work the cycle continues, conditions don't improve and the work doesn't make us happy or fulfilled.

Perhaps distant gigs are necessary to part time DJ work. To run a local business we have to be avaialble to local patrons all week long and not simply on a few key Saturdays of our own choosing. So, that makes it a full time business rather than a sideline, and it's true that most of my own patrons are repeat clients, with decades of history. The attendees typically include other clients, and future prospects. People who see the same vendor at all kinds of events ultimately place them top of mind producing yet more future referrals.

Today, nearly all of my business is within 15-40 minutes of my front door. I love it. The key people in my community know who I am and what I do and every job is a referral, or we've already met at another gig. That doesn't mean I'm mopping up all the gigs around here - not by a long shot. But, even the people who want something different still know what I do, and are capable of referring others.
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tunes4046 said:
I do understand what you are saying and I would feel the same if I were in a major metropolitan area the truth is its well over and hours drive to any city with a decent population. Also it’s been a very long time since I’ve “sold” my services, it’s all referrals, if it’s a 4 hour drive I simply quote a price that makes it worth my time and effort, it’s really quite simple
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Tunes and I are very similar been around a long time, we live non urban and we are both mostly referral, As much as it would be nice to be close to home every weekend it's just not reality in these markets.

This year is a rarity for me the longest drive is a half hour but most years 2/3 of my business is an hour to two hours away
 
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Jeff Romard said:
Tunes and I are very similar been around a long time, we live non urban and we are both mostly referral, As much as it would be nice to be close to home every weekend it's just not reality in these markets.

This year is a rarity for me the longest drive is a half hour but most years 2/3 of my business is an hour to two hours away
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The town I live in is 2500 people, the county I live in which is the largest geographically in the state has a population of just over 52,000
 
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tunes4046 said:
The town I live in is 2500 people, the county I live in which is the largest geographically in the state has a population of just over 52,000
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I'm in an area bigger than you but spread out quite well. The whole CBRM is roughly 100,000
 
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tunes4046 said:
I don’t always have a long drive, this was tonight, local bar fun crowd great vibe all people I know kinda like getting paid to hang out with your friends, everything needed is on or in the cart including light show
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Not to mention, you get to be the rockstar DJ for your friends. That's a nice gig to have.
 
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