Nnnnooooo! Not Another "pro Dj"!

[Dukesy 0]

Very interesting comments so far and I would like to see some more - but as pointed out, please do keep the AUP in mind!!

[UKHero 0]

Can everbody please make themselves aware of the forums acceptable use policy here.

Inparticular the section on questioning others business practices.

Jim

 

 

Hi Jim if I have broken the AUP then I do appologise for this. I was just asking the question not accusing the poster of such an act. As I say sorry if this has caused a problem to the Mods...

 

Nik

[TonyB 0]

My opinion is that the £60 Sids will always be there. There will also always be a market for them as no matter what you say to some people, they will think they know best and will only want to pay what a £60 Sid charges. Not all £60 Sids are bad, some that do it as a hobby and love what they do and will provide an adequate service.

 

No matter what anyone tries to do, I believe that they will always be there and no amount of regulation/red tape will get rid of them. It can make it more difficult for them to get work but there are always people that will turn a blind eye to regulations to get a bargain.

 

If you did manage to get rid of them, the people that would only be prepared to pay what they charge would either not bother having a "Disco" type party or would find alternatives (such as Ipods). If there was a greater demand, Ipod Disco's would become more popular (where theres a profitable market there is always someone that will exploit it) and it could start to affect the upper markets.

 

It is up to each DJ what they charge and if they charge similar to the £60 quid Sids then they will be in competition with them. If a DJ charging at this level doesn't get much work, it is easier to apportion blame to the £60 Sids for undercutting rather than look at their own modus operandi that may be lacking in some area.

 

These areas could be

 

marketing - are they reaching the right markets and is their marketing material putting across the right message (or are they sitting there without doing much hoping the work will come to them?)

 

Attitude - when an enquiry is received how does the DJ's attitude come across to the client? An impression is formed by the client within the first 5 minutes and if you don't get it right, the sale is lost before you get any further. What do you "sell" on? The best, loudest DJ setup in the coubtry with all the trimmings and a lighting set up like Blackpool illuminations or service and what you can do for the client?

 

Performance - If you are good, you will get referrals. If you get referrals often its a case of the client asking if you are available first then asking the price. If they like what they saw then price will be a secondary consideration. If you are not getting referrals from previous gigs then evaluate what you do, how you do it and try to identify areas you can improve.

 

Up your gain - if you are as good as you think you are then why are you charging prices that compete with the £60 Sids? If you up your prices then you will be competing in a different market with different clientelle. There are three markets, bottom, middle and top. There is less competition in the middle markets and even less at the top.

 

As you move up though, it is advantageous (and will be expected) that you operate in a more proffesional way. Contracts, booking confirmations, client visits, PLI and PAT illustrate that you are serious about what you do. Clients are a bit market aware about the reputation of some DJ's and putting their mind at rest by giving them assurances is half the battle to get them to use you as opposed to someone else.

 

We all have an equal chance to charge as much as each other. The only things that stops us is our own attitude. Instead of moaning and winging about £60 Sid undercutting and nicking your work, look the other way and think "he is charging £300/£400/£500 a gig and getting plenty of work, what can I do to get the same". Have a half full cup instead of a half empty one.

 

Every gig we do, we are ambassadors to the DJ'ing profession. The more people/venues that see a professional attitude from each of us will get the message that a £60 Sid may be cheap but may may not always perform/turn up or may have an attitude problem.

[Dream Catchers 0]

Talk of £60 Sid's come up over and over again.

Looking throughout the internet if you search for £60 Sid you will find virtually every post/comment is from another DJ complaining that Sid is pinching their work.

 

The vast majority of work done by Sid is for family or friends who don't want to pay £300 for a DJ that has PLI PAT and a PDL. They are quite happy with cousin Sid playing the tunes from his laptop with a sound and light system he has got from ebay for £200.

OK there are a few times when Sid is a friend of a friend who will do Maggies 18th for £60 and he doesn't show up. Quite often in these circumstances it isn't Sid who is at fault, it is the person arranging Maggies 18th that hasn't made sure all the arrangements are in place, they have only spoke to Sid's friend of a friend who said he would do it, not actually asking Sid themselves.

 

Every weekend throughout the country there are parties going on where Sid is doing the disco and everybody has a great time.

 

I would put money on it that virtually every DJ on the forums started out as a Sid, I know I certainly did, I also know my son did.

 

Hopefully some of these Sids will start getting more bookings and use some of that £60 to start building up a setup that he will be proud of. The ones that make a mess of it don't get asked to do any other gigs so they give it up.

 

Back to the OP, he stated that the bar had paid £2.5k on sound and lighting and got somebody with no experience to DJ, that DJ failed so he got rid of him, as he did with the next. The present one may be fantastic.

 

I know it is unusual for somebody to land a residency as their first gig and it may well be that the DJ's the bar owner has employed are 'friends', but I'm pretty sure that after investing thousands in the kit the owner will be looking for some return on it. He is going to try to recoup his money as quick as he can, he has obviously tried by paying as little as possible for the DJ, quite possibly getting the DJ to work for free until business picks up, only time will tell what works for him.

 

Maybe the OP could have suggested working for the bar and using his own equipment instead of advising him to buy the gear and get a novice working for him. I have seen quite a few posts where DJs have kitted out bars in return for getting all the gigs there.

 

Jim

[exbutlinred82 0]

60% of my bookings have seen me before.....30% are from family recommendations from previous functions .... 10% are having a stab.That 10% I invite to other functions I am doing to check that I am suitable.

 

I am at The Netto end of the market and proud of it (Who is this Sid anyway).I'm not working for family.....I'm working for the friends I have made by offering a fantastic service for an affordable rate.

 

No advertising costs,website costs and my business cards where remarkably cheap from Vistaprint.

 

 

Am I the best value DJ in Yorkshire ??

 

I'm not sure but I am in the TOP1....LOL...(Brian Clough)....

 

 

[Dukesy 0]

I am at The Netto end of the market and proud of it

 

Marks and Spencer's anyone? Waitrose perhaps? Harrods or Primark's! There are analogies and analogies....so I guess the pound str£tcher discos are the ones Sid has the monopoly on?!

 

But a couple of points I want to come back on, on forums, the fear of offering advice being misconstrued as being ‘legal advice’ didn't seem to apply when posters replied to a members thread about a recent car accident - naturally, a poster can be as selective as they like or intend, but generally speaking, never take posters comments personally or incriminate by knee jerk reply. Just chill. smile icon

 

For instance, there's a diference to passing a comment about a third party service publicly - do think before you type "Would I say this on my own business web site" because if you wouldn't, don't do it here!

 

Listen, before I get stitch having had a good laugh re-reading this thread, just remember, if you really, truly want to do well, don't chase the competition, chase the dream, but always be aware that illusions can and often do become shattered. Success begins with will and ultimately state of mind; i.e. if you think you are beaten, you are. If you dare not, you don't, etc.

 

Whilst DJ'ing is as broad and diverse as other fields, the field of the 'hobbyist' and field of the 'serious business' are only separated by a thin line really - both fields may offer a 'service' at the end of the day but if one chooses to focus on turning their 'service' into a more lucrative practice, accepting better financial rewards for their 'service' and following accepted methods in business as a service provider to a level of professionalism over than that of the 'hobbyist' operator - so what?!

 

We continually hear and read about business company's finding work is quiet, who consider winding their neck in spending wise and tightening their belts, maybe offering their sales people better commission to hammer on more doors to replace it. Effectively, such company's focus more on marketing their business and obviously don't go out and spend like a sailor!

 

But if people really are more interested in how much they can spend on gear and what pretty lights they can buy rather than getting more work and that which is better paid, - so what?!

It's their wallet!

 

Sometimes, it is better to take a step back, blow air through the nostrils a few times and chill as opposed to taking it out on the keyboard - nobody wins an argument on the internet after all, do they?

Edited April 14, 2009 by Dukesy

[DJTREV 0]

While I have been quick to dismiss the 'business' side of this thread and as one forumite has pointed out my apparent laid back attitude.This apparent attitude can bite you in the bum.

While I am quite happy to accept that I am not getting that much work for whatever reason and not get too uptight about it,it does mean that all my outlay-PAT,Insurance and music costs are hardly recoverable.

As I said earlier,PAT PLI are not a problem at the moment,but I am still buying tracks each week.

I do think I will cut discos back to the absolute minimum when I come back but I will concentrate on another side of the dance scene.

 

[Dukesy 0]

What is often forgotten is that in the UK, PLI is not a legal requirement.

 

That said, in the event of a liability claim (and that would bite yer bum folks in the event of!!!) having PLI cover is a NO BRAINER, especially when it has been presented to be very affordable, and, in numbers, the price can be driven down FURTHER in the future, so actually, it's in everyone's interest to work together than be at loggerheads over it! LOL!

 

 

 

[wayne_uk 0]

£60 Sid is only worth £55 now due to the recession

[deejaymitch 0]

£60 Sid is only worth £55 now due to the recession

 

£50, 4 pints and a bag of nuts is the going rate afaik.

[UKHero 0]

£50, 4 pints and a bag of nuts is the going rate afaik.

 

Wont be any good to me I only drink water when working lol. Infact last sunday I did a wedding where the B&G had set up a tab for the DJ behind the bar... I had one pint of tap water lol...

 

Nik

[deejaymitch 0]

Wont be any good to me I only drink water when working lol. Infact last sunday I did a wedding where the B&G had set up a tab for the DJ behind the bar... I had one pint of tap water lol...

 

Nik

 

That statement upset me so much that I am close to tears. But I'll be joining you soon.

 

Actually I'm planning a sober weekend. It will be very difficult as I know I'll be offered free drink all night tonight, and a lock-in. But following a recent discussion on a local football forum, I'm off drink until the end of the month (started yesterday). The is the first step of a series of drastic lifestyle changes I'm planning. I'm incredibly unhealthy and need to do something before it's too late. I'll keep you all posted on my progress.