You said your competitor isn't worth 2k. That's your opinion. You could be right though. The thing is he is getting paid 2k. That means somebody thinks he's worth it or they wouldn't pay it.
There is a DJ at the agency I am with who now charges $1,950. He owns his own small insurance firm now. The only reason he upped his rates is because he is busy with his insurance firm. Nothing changed with what he offers to his clients. He just wants to work less, and earn more money if he has to go and DJ a wedding.
He was charging $1400 to $1550 just a year ago. ...I actually received an inquiry from prospects through the agency because HIS PRICE WAS TOO HIGH. ....They saw him at a wedding, and liked him a lot, but just don't have the budget to afford $1950 on the DJ. The agency pitched me at $1,400+ additional money for up lighting. ...The bride/groom liked my bio, and wanted to schedule a phone chat. I talked with them for not even 15 minutes, and the next day they requested an agreement on booking me.
Had that DJ kept the same pricing he had last year he would have been booked, but instead I'm getting the work. ...Of course he likely doesn't mind it because he is busy with his new insurance business now, and probably wants more of his Saturdays off.
$2,000 Wedding DJs are often charging that much because they really don't NEED the money. They have a well paying job during the week, or already have a solid source of income. Not all of them, but that goes for a lot of $2,000 DJs out there.
Others like DJ Taso are charging $2,000, and it's their sole income. He is in the circles with a lot of higher income clientele out there, and the video marketing he does keeps that clientele coming to him.