How Do We Compete?

[ian . 0]

I was talking on the phone earlier to one of Stoke's top DJ's.

Ok it wasn't, it was Markie G (Jammin Roadshow) - but anyway........ tongue out icon

 

We were talking about just how do we compete against the likes of 'Sixty Quid Sid' who can go into Maplins, spend £300, and walk out as a mobile disco.

Now this begs the question - just how do we compete really?

 

We both offer the same service.

We both use the same types of equipment (note types not quality)

We both play music - us legal shop bought, Sid illegal downloads

Sid has the latest up to date tunes and all the pre releases - we have all the tunes that Woolies have on sale

We have Pli and PAT - Sid has his mate Terry and a baseball bat.

We are both after the same customers.

 

Just how hard is it to justify yourself to a potential client who wants to book you for a 40th. birthday party?

You quote £200. Sid quotes £60. Who has the better chance of getting the job?

 

Now before you all stand there screaming, 'Ah, but I do a professional job, and I've been doing it for years and I've got a good reputation.....', what about Sid? He is good at being a DJ. He's been doing it for a while now. He's well known to quite a lot of pub landlords.

 

Just how do we, or how can we compete against Sid and what he offers for the price?

Are we 'expensive DJ's' only given the bookings when the Sid's of this world are fully booked?

[mikeee 0]

The simple answer is....................you don't compete.

 

If you are competeing, that implies that you offer the same, do you go to "Maplin", do you Download from "P2P sites etc etc. If you are stuck in this "cycle", look at the way you operate. Every body offers "service", even bedroom mixers, you should be looking at the LEVEL of service you offer. I know reckon I lose about 70% of enquire's, at first it worried me dreadfully, now, I don't give a t0$$. I charge ITRO £450.00 the local Yellow pages still has an average of £180.00, so I work half as much and I'm still better of. I do understand where your coming from, so have a little faith in yourself.

[Paul Smith 0]

We are both after the same customers.

Then aim for different customers - not everyone is looking for 'Sixty Quid Sid'

 

You quote £200. Sid quotes £60. Who has the better chance of getting the job?

You, if you take the trouble to listen to what the client wants/expects.

 

Are we 'expensive DJ's' only given the bookings when the Sid's of this world are fully booked?

No I think it's the other way around.

[ian . 0]

The simple answer is....................you don't compete.

 

If we didn't compete, we would be sat at home every weekend while Sid was out doing a birthday disco at the local Fox & Hounds.

We all compete to a certain extent. Some more so than others.

We are chasing the same customers as well.

How many customers want a disco on a certain day in a certain area?

How many DJ's are listed in your local Yellow Pages? Chances are there are more DJ's than there are jobs.

Your average Sixty Quid Sid is going to get better and better at his job as he goes along. Sid can offer a good service at a fraction of the price that we charge.

The average Joe Public isn't daft either. If they hear about Sid, they're gonna think about booking him rather than spending more money and booking us. I know not everyone thinks like that, but money is becoming more and more an issue with weddings for example.

We will always be having to compete with he Sid's of this world, but my question is, just how do we go about it when Sid is good at what he does as well.

 

Time for a lie down in a darkened room.

 

 

[clivehenryjones 0]

Hi Iany,

I understand what you are saying, and if were a level playing field then "Sixty quid Sid" would win all the bookings all the time.

but it ain't a level playing field. You mention money being an issue at weddings. Sometimes it isn't an issue at all, some well heeled parents want the BEST for their little boy/girl and, in their experience (because they can afford it and have tried it), the best COSTS. They are used to Rolexes, Bentleys etc. etc., and have come to associate Cost with quality. They will turn their noses up at SQS's low quote, dismissing him (by association) as being of inferior quality to the service that you, at a higher cost, provide. :mikee:

On the other side of the scale, there are the families that want a cheap and cheerful wedding for Wayne and Waynetta so's they have as much money left over for cheap booze from the offie to lubricate the days proceedings. :dan:

I guess we all win in the end. :Thumbup:

Clive.

[C.S 0]

No competition because you should be offering something that he cant, the entertainment you provide should be better than his , you should be doing something special.

[short skirt high heels 0]

You've nearly answered the question yourself. You don't compete.

 

Leave Sid to set up his Friday Disco on the Pool Table at the Fox and Hounds. If he's lucky he won't get drawn into the fight at the end of the night, 'cos they don't employ security.

 

Concentrate on getting work in the Big Chain Hotel in the next town, or alternatively see if Stately Home will recommend you to their Wedding and Corporate clients. PAT and PLI is required in both these venues and you can prove you satisfy that pre-condition to setting up. You can charge more too.

 

The next day while you are having a lie-in, Sid will be picking bits of broken beer glass out of his record box so that he can go out that night to earn another £60.

[spinner 0]

 

 

 

We are both after the same customers.

 

 

Are we 'expensive DJ's' only given the bookings when the Sid's of this world are fully booked?

 

 

 

In Blackpool you can find accommodation very cheaply at one of the hundreds of small, privately run hotels/B&Bs. Alternatively you can stay at the Hilton.

 

Both wil give you a bed. Both will give you breakfast.

 

Are they offering the same service?

 

Are they after the same customers?

 

Does the Hilton get bookings only after all the cheaper places are fully booked?

 

 

[McCardle 1]

You find a niche for yourself then work long and hard building it up

 

 

then you keep it to yourself :hide:

 

[brianmole 0]

I was talking on the phone earlier to one of Stoke's top DJ's.

Ok it wasn't, it was Markie G (Jammin Roadshow) - but anyway........ tongue out icon

 

We were talking about just how do we compete against the likes of 'Sixty Quid Sid' who can go into Maplins, spend £300, and walk out as a mobile disco.

Now this begs the question - just how do we compete really?

 

We both offer the same service.

 

That is the key. No, you are not offering the same service. If you are, you should be competing with them on price.

...nuff said.

 

Out of interest, how did you start in this game?

 

[BigBen 0]

As others have said, you answered the question in your original post. We are NOT after the same customers.

 

I have no intention of playing in a pub, I have no intention of playing in a working mans club, I have no intention of doing 18ths or 21sts, and I have no intention of playing any 'seedy' places that don't fall into the two previous categories.

 

This is because I'm fussy. For Sid, these gigs would be his staple diet.

 

Some of the best parties I've DJ'd at have been 18ths or 21sts. Typically, playing a run-down spit and sawdust venue yields a better night than any upper class do. But these upper class do's are my bag and my clientelle.

 

These are my customers not Sid's.

[stevemarshall 0]

I agree with C.S. every business has a USP( a unique selling point) what differs us from Forty Quid Fred etc is that we offer experience, knowledge,and quailty.

 

And of course much of what we do is by referal, build up a reputation, and Forty Quid Fred is kinda dead in the water.....

[digitaldistortion 0]

I agree with C.S. every business has a USP( a unique selling point) what differs us from Forty Quid Fred etc is that we offer experience, knowledge,and quailty.

 

And of course much of what we do is by referal, build up a reputation, and Forty Quid Fred is kinda dead in the water.....

 

 

Thats a VERY sweeping statement......and Forty Quid Fred is just as liable to be in exactly the same position as you.....not dead in the water!

His reputation and referral status is built upon other premisses than yours, thats all!

 

You're HOPING that your statement is correct, but you don't really know.......

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

Also notice that the people who own them are out most weekend too ?

 

 

There you go My Young. Problem solved. Sid doen`t own these babies neither does Fred.

:good:

Edited January 26, 2007 by stevemitchell

[digitaldistortion 0]

QUOTE(ADS Entertainments @ Jan 25 2007, 06:00 PM)

 

Also notice that the people who own them are out most weekend too ?

 

 

There you go My Young. Problem solved. Sid doen`t own these babies neither does Fred.

:good:

 

 

I DO hope that was tongue in cheek....

 

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

QUOTE(ADS Entertainments @ Jan 25 2007, 06:00 PM)

 

Also notice that the people who own them are out most weekend too ?

I DO hope that was tongue in cheek....

 

 

I know Mr Young and he will understand the crack, so DON`T you be worrying yourself.

[gunslinger757 0]

Is forty quid fred sixty quid sids brother?

[digitaldistortion 0]

I know Mr Young and he will understand the crack, so DON`T you be worrying yourself.

 

Having realised which topic the quote came from, I wasn't.

 

So don't YOU be worrying YOURSELF!

 

By the way......enjoy Tuesday evening. Will I see you there?

 

[Jimbo55 0]

Well.. I may as well change my name to 'Sid's disco and karaoke' because I fit the description. I work in Pub's and community clubs and I also do private parties, weddings and other celebrations for the same clientèle that frequent those Pubs. I work for a bit more than £80 though

 

Free pint and eel pie for the first singer of the evening. :cow:

 

Could be.. but not where I choose to work. Many of the clientèle are wealthy business men and woman and some are nationally Known.

 

So I will continue to work as I do and stay happy.

 

Sid's Disco and Karaoke is alive and doing quite nicely :mikee:

 

Jim

[digitaldistortion 0]

Well I may as well change my name to 'Sid's disco and karaoke' because I fit the description. I work in Pub's and community clubs and . I also do private parties, weddings and other celebrations for the same clientèle that frequent those Pubs. I work for a bit more than £80 though

 

Free pint and eel pie for the first singer of the evening. :cow:

 

Could be but not where I choose to work. Many of the clientèle are wealthy business men and woman and some are nationally Known.

 

So I will continue to work as do and stay happy.

 

Sid's Disco and Karaoke is alive and doing quite nicely :mikee:

 

Jim

 

This was where I was going before....to be honest, if you were all honest, then I think that there are probably more people sitting closer to Sid and Fred than there are those that sit with Pete Tong (or whatever).

 

 

 

[Jimbo55 0]

Damn ..you got in before I could edit the bad grammar :joe:

 

Jim

[ian . 0]

Sid and Fred were having a demo of 'that system' just last week Steve. :scared:

Do you know where your's are now? tongue out icon

 

I've been having a ponder about these comments saying we have to be better and offer more.

But we are all DJ's who do discos. So is Sid.

We may be very good at our job, but so is he.

I think the only thing we can do that he can't is diversify.

Let me explain....

 

Dukesy..... Mobile DJ - offers Video Discos

ADS.... Mobile DJ - offers near enough the full wedding package (apart from the Vicar)

Another member on here who I forget.... Mobile DJ - offers chair covers

Steve Mitchell.... Mobile DJ - offers nicked hub caps and car stereos :joe: (scally!)

 

Now lets have a closer look at ADS aka the 'infamous Andy Chocolate Fountain 'arris' :nbow:

He has always stated that the competition in Devon is very cut and thrust, and there are loads of Sids.

He's invested thousands and thousands of pounds into his business. He offers something that us 'mere mobile jocks' cannot. In my opinion, he is a winner and a survivor. But at what price?

Whats to stop Sid doing the same?

 

 

[ian . 0]

I know Mr Young and he will understand the crack, so DON`T you be worrying yourself.

 

Ah yes.... We'll always have the memories of our time in the sauna! :scared:

By the way, how is the rash? tongue out icon :dan+ju:

 

:bouncy:

[digitaldistortion 0]

Damn ..you got in before I could edit the bad grammar :joe:

 

Jim

 

SEEN A LOT WORSE ON THIS FORUM!

 

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

 

By the way......enjoy Tuesday evening. Will I see you there?

 

Where am I going Tuesday? West Ham ,away?