To work it or not to work it?
I was reading a thread on a DJ chat site that asked if a DJ should work an event for much less than their standard rate just to have a booking or to pass on it and just stay home for the night.
It was asked that if a last minute event popped up but was only paying $200 for a Saturday night party, would you take the event or would you pass on it and just stay home? GOOD QUESTION!
There were two very distinct answers made by the DJs on this posting.
1) YES! $200 is $200 and sitting at home doesn’t pay the bills.
2) NO! I work extremely hard at what I do and I am worth more than $200.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these answers.
1) YES! $200 is $200 and sitting at home doesn’t pay the bills.
This DJ believes that if he stayed home he wasn’t making any money and was actually losing money by not taking the event even though it was much less than his standard rate.
His argument was that $200 was added income that he would not have had if he turned it down and if he did the customer would have just continued looking and eventually one DJ would have taken the party. He went on to explain that the $200 would buy some nice things, and he gave a few examples. (Food, gas, entertainment etc.) He viewed that working this event at a fraction of the standard rate as an opportunity to make a few bucks and display his talents in front of a room of potential future clients.
His attitude was that of a positive outlook and as an investment in his business for the future as well as helps to pay his daily expenses today.
2) NO! I work extremely hard at what I do and I am worth more than $200.
These DJs were upset that any DJ would lower their standards, tarnish their reputation and work for a wage that was well below their worth.
They saw allowing themselves to work for a price that was less than even a beginner DJ should charge was just hurting themselves and the industry by giving the image that a DJ will work for little or nothing when asked to.
The majority of the DJs who were against this low rate had an average wedding rate of $900 and up. They remember what it was like to struggle to get up to this rate and actually begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
They know all the time and hard work that goes into planning, working and maintaining a profitable business. They believe that going out to do this low rate event was actually a loss to their business because their expense of doing the event was more then the few hundred dollars that was offered to do it.
Their attitude was that of a feeling of true self worth and as a real business person who knows every element of their business.
Compare and Contrast:
Yes, if you work an event like this it will help to bring in a few dollars and possibly pay a bill or two.
Yes, if your not working your not making money.
Yes, the bills are still accumulating weather you work or not.
Yes, this customer will continue to look for a DJ who will do it for this little amount and the possibility of that DJ being a beginner or a “button pusher” who could harm this clients special day is a viable concern.
Yes, it is lowering your standards and self worth if you allow yourself to work for a fraction of your standard rate.
Yes, you did fight a hard uphill climb to be able to charge the rates that you are presently charging.
Yes, the cost of running your business does actually increase over the normal stagnant rate every time you go out to do an event.
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So who is right and who is wrong? .......Both!
The answer would no doughtily depend on the individual DJ and their personal standards, ethics, self worth and money situation. Your attitude towards money, business and the economy in your area will speak to your feelings of weather to work the event or not.
I believe the concerning part of this and the most disturbing portion of this question is that any client be it a wedding, birthday party, karaoke event or frat party would expect a DJ to entertain for them for any number of hours is only worth $200.00 and would expect to pay only this little amount.
A great majority of DJs all across American including myself charge $200.00 to $300.00 or more per hour for any type of event and this client was expecting entertainment for four to six hours for this little amount is outrageous.
What can we do to change this situation? Educate the clients of what you do, how you do it and the importance of a quality entertainer for their event. If they still insist on only paying a fraction of your standard rate, well then it is up to you if you want to take that event as a positive endeavor or pass it on to a lesser skilled and talented DJ.
Jeff Richards: Party Time Productions