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CHAPTER SIX
THE GOOD STUFF: PRICES
Why Are There so Many Varied Prices?
Okay, so why are DJs priced the way they are? Why spend $895 for one, if you can get another DJ for $200? Or why spend $1400 when you can get someone for $900? Believe it or not, I am not going to tell you that you have to spend a certain amount to get the "perfect" DJ. After all, it's your money, and you should decide how to spend it.
If you want to spend $1400, $800, or $200, and you feel like it's the right thing, by all means, do it. It's your party. It's no use getting sleepless nights, or being so worried over your wedding expenses, that you second-guess yourself.
My Advice To You
I am going to tell you that almost always (but not every time) the old saying still goes: "You get what you pay for."
Unfortunately, in the majority of the weddings planned nowadays, the DJ is the last component to be added to a wedding reception. It may be simply because when you think of weddings, these things come to mind: The beautiful wedding dress, flowers, invitations, the church, and photography. A DJ is just simply not on that list most of the time.
Yet, if wedding consumers looked at it logically instead of emotionally (a very difficult thing to do when we're talking weddings), they might see this:
- If the flowers come on your wedding day and they are the wrong type, you, and your family, may be very upset. But, more than likely it will not ruin your whole wedding day. Most guests did not know what type of flowers you ordered, and probably would not notice.
- If you paid for steak, and the caterer served chicken, you would be livid, and demand a refund. Again though, your guests more than likely don't know what's on the menu and they won't notice the difference.
See the pattern? Many things (hopefully not at your wedding) could happen without the guests even realizing it. But, if your DJ/Host for your reception is not up to par, everyone notices.
Scare Tactics?
These aren't meant to be scare tactics, they are illustrative examples. I have personally seen these things happen, and a lot more.
For example, at one wedding, the bride and groom entered their reception and everything was wonderful. Soon, however, the bride was in tears speaking with her mother. It turns out her wedding cake was completely wrong; she had never even seen it before. Apparently her cake was delivered to another wedding, and she got this one. But, she and her mother were the only people aware of this situation. Many of the guests commented on what a beautiful cake it was. The best part- the groom had no idea anything was wrong!
This example may change how you think about receptions. Take a step back; look at it from an unemotional, business point-of-view. You may get an entirely different perspective on how you should approach your day. Now let's move on to the best part- explanation of prices.
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Four Basic Types of Rate Structures
I want to lay it out for you plain and simple. DJs are very competitive, and sometimes it's difficult to be at this profession full-time. The way I see it, DJs are priced four different ways.
- Type 1/The Cheapest DJs
Many part-time operators are excellent DJs. Many have talent, but may have no business savvy. Unfortunately, many also have no business license, business telephone line, or insurance. This could be a risky proposition, as you know from reading above. But I guarantee you; this is how all DJs start. Unfortunately, some stay this way. It is entirely possible for you to spend $150-$250 and be totally happy with your DJ. Again, you have to be comfortable with your decision.
If this is the route you are taking, it should be only on the advice of another bride who has used this DJ, or someone you have already seen at a wedding where you have attended as a guest. Beware of "I have a friend of a friend who is a DJ." That DJ may be only a hobbyist and not know much about wedding receptions. Although there are DJs who have talent in this category, the majority are beginners. Be extremely careful and thorough here when making your choice.
If you really are caught in a budget crunch, save your $300 and have a close friend play music and host your day.A little later, I'll show you how you can potentially stretch your wedding dollar.
- Type 2/Cheap to Moderate DJs
The next group of operators, priced from $400-$600, are all over the map. Some are weekend DJs, moving up from the previous category, usually working alone. Some have a business license, phone, and insurance, some do not. Some large DJ Companies fall into this category.
Multi-Ops, which we have discussed above, can keep a price at this level because of volume, using 5 to 15 DJs per weekend. Again, it doesn't mean that they are not good, they simply rely a quantity of jobs for their profit margin.
You'll find many DJs priced this way. If you select a DJ from this category, choose someone who uses a business phone, has a business license, and is insured. Also, choose someone with many years of experience. Don't forget, using a Multi-Op, go with a company who can guarantee which DJ will host your wedding. Remember, you need to feel comfortable with the whole process. They should impress you.
- Type 3/Moderate to Expensive DJs
Priced from $600-$1000, this category is a pretty small group, there just aren't very many of them. Personally, I charge this rate for my years of experience, professional audio equipment, MC & hosting abilities, and personalized service. Anyone you hire in this category, at the very minimum, should offer:
- References
- Years of experience
- A valid business license
- A business telephone line
- Liability insurance
- Experience in high profile events
- Reliability guarantee
- Easy to reach
- Professional equipment
- Back-up emergency equipment
- Thousands of songs
- Various packages to choose from
You may ask yourself why DJs (or the really good ones, anyway) are priced the way they are (expensive). Think about it this way: You could go out and rent the equipment yourself. You would need at least two speakers, an amplifier, CD players, and a mixer. To get this setup in a professional grade would be about a $350 rental. Add a wireless microphone for another $50. We haven't even talked about the thousands of songs most DJs bring with them; if you could rent that type of collection, I would guess it would rent for at least $100. (I can tell you my collection of CDs have a total of cost $7500 to $9000 throughout the years). Add the various expenses of business (license, telephone, insurance, tuxedo, travel expense, etc.) for another $100.
Have you added it up yet? It is now at $600 and we still have not added in the actual hours a talented DJ/MC will get paid for his time. At a four-hour reception, we can figure a one hour consultation, and another hour (minimum) prep from the DJ before the wedding day. Don't forget, the DJ will arrive at least one hour before the reception, and leave about 30 minutes after it ends. That is over 7 hours of work involved in your four-hour event, sometimes more.
You can see now why DJs who truly are professional and take their businesses seriously as a career, charge the prices they do. You will pay even more for a more talented or in-demand DJ.
So then, why do some DJs charge so little? There could be a multitude of reasons, but it boils down to this: They are either brand-new to the business, hobbyists, or they cut back somewhere else. Old equipment, old songs, and little or no planning are all parts of cutting back, but there is something new: the internet.
Music illegally downloaded from the internet may be fine for your personal use; however, it has no place in a real business. Always ask any prospective entertainer how they obtain their music. "What difference does it make?" you may ask. There are two real answers:
One, the quality of illegally downloaded music may sound fine in your portable CD player. But in a large hall, it suffers. Two, (more importantly) if a company has a library of illegally copied music; it probably will not affect you. That is, of course, unless it is confiscated from them the day before your wedding. That is one phone call you don't want to get. Odds are it wouldn't happen... but, just like the insurance situation, if it does, it's really bad.
Most all DJs use digital CDs or MP3s legally recorded in a computer format (iTunes and Rhapsody are two such services). Any DJ you hire should take the time and effort to provide quality, legal recordings, whether on CD or on a computer.
Another real life (and unfortunate) example of how illegal music is affecting our industry is in the school dance market. I stopped performing school dances years ago, however the latest trend is for schools to forgo a reputable DJ and hire a "DJ wannabe". They will "save money" by paying $100 to a student from their school with a thousand illegal downloaded songs and a laptop. It is a horrible practice (school districts are on tight budgets, but if they charge 300 students $7 each for a ticket, their profit is $2,100!) This also makes it appear that schools are condoning stealing to its students. One sad by-product from this whole situation is that more and more schools are canceling dances altogether because of past experiences with sub-par, hobbyist DJs.
- Type 4/Very Expensive DJs
This category is also a pretty small one. These are the folks who charge $1300-$2000 for a reception. These are the DJs and larger companies who regularly perform at conventions or huge weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. These guys and gals are great! Their parties come with full professional stage lighting, props, sometimes two (or three) DJs, and even dancers, plus much, much, more. If you've got the money, and this sounds like fun to you, by all means go for it. You'll have a blast!
Summing Up The Pricing Game
It all comes down to the old saying- you really do get what you pay for. I hoped I have shed light on why DJs are like airline tickets (all over the map!) This way, you know what to look for, and you can make your way through truths and not-so-truths in the sales pitch.
How Can I Do It?
"I really want to spend the money on a great DJ, but I simply don't have the money!" Let's look at a few things here from a different perspective.
Because your wedding is mostly an intangible thing (in other words, it's not product you buy, but an idea of what you think is perfect) it is harder to make price = memorable wedding day.
For example, take champagne. If the best man stands up, gives a toast that is insulting to the guests and mortifies the bride and groom, it won't matter a hill of beans if you bought the most expensive champagne in the world. The guests won't remember the money you spent on champagne; they'll remember how insensitive the best man was.
On the other hand, if your best man gives a thoughtful, poignant toast that touches everyone in the room, you could have just the existing beverages on the table and it wouldn't make a difference. Not buying champagne could save you $300-$600.
Remember, the intangibles are what make up the majority of your day. Will guests remember the little squares of cheese they ate, or might you save $300-$400 by not having a cheese tray?
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