Small Town vs. Big City...continues
Here we go again... Can a DJ in a small town earn as much as a comparable Big City DJ?
I don't want to keep beating the Big City vs. Small Town issue to death, and I am not here to say “Look at me” but today I went to meet with a potential client who is having a three hour graduation party for her daughter.
The party is on a Sunday from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. No lights, no extras, and no interaction to speak of, just me and the music the kids want to hear.
When I was on the way to her house, the sign to her city read a population of 4113 people. (Small Town?)
For this short Sunday event I will be receiving my standard higher rate along with a mileage fee.
I know some of those DJ's who complain about the Small Town vs. Big City thing sometimes don't charge this much for a much longer wedding reception.
It can be done; small town folk do want a quality service and will seek it out outside their area at almost twice the "average" DJ rate of their immediate location.
The only real difference between myself and many of these unhappy DJ’s who believe that they can’t charge a livable wage rate, is that I ASK for this amount and by the means of my web site, my presentation and professionalism; most people don’t hesitate to pay me what I am worth.
Jeff Richards: Party Time Productions
Here is an update to this event.....(6/4/07)
It was originally to be a three our event in their back yard with no light show, no extras and no real interaction. All they really wanted was fun background music to listen to as the celebration went on.
Everyone was having so much fun that the mother of the graduate asked me to stay for an additional hour, so I did.
This four hour event in a “small town” on a Sunday afternoon/early evening had a pay day of $850.00
This is much more then many of the DJ’s who complain about not being able to charge higher rates in a “small town” make for a complete five to six hours or more, wedding reception.
I guess this goes to show them that if you have the quality, the professionalism and the ability to charge a higher rate, then clients will pay for it, but if you don’t then your stuck complaining about charging a low rate.