Have a price for the clients you want to have! Let the other people charge insanely low and take the couples that don’t value DJ services. They aren’t your competition. Great video man!
My first wedding in 2014 when I was a Junior in college at U Hawaii was $350 for a 5 hr reception. Compared to being a cashier at $12/hr I was pretty stoked at the time! Kept raising rates every year and getting more reviews/photos now I'm averaging $1500 ($1150-$2450 range). Still filling the calendar, I prob need to raise them again this year hah. Aloha from Honolulu my mobile dj braddah.
I remember charging $100. I was doing college house parties with a Numark Mixtrack and floor speakers. The ones your grandma used for the house stereo!😂😂
100% on point!! My starting price 12 years ago was $75 an hour…. Now we start at $1400 for a wedding and go from there. If YOU don’t value yourself, how do you expect your clients to value your services and I live in NM…. It’s hard work and you have to know when to say no and walk away. Know your market, know your worth and don’t settle for less!!
Great advice. I usually charge about $175/hour for a small party for up to 4 hours. Which adds up to about $700. Any additional time would be added on.
When I first started I charged $450 - $500 per wedding. Got a TON of bookings!!! Then as time went by, my prices went up to $700, $800,$900 per wedding. I still manage to get bookings here in Wisconsin. I only use name brand equipment now and always bring this up when booking clients.
I got married in 1985 & my DJ charged $200, used vinyl and was excellent! He’s still at it (digital) and charges way more now. I joined the pro DJ wedding circuit about 5 years ago and have raised my prices every year. I’m sure not the least expensive around, but I am competitive with the best pros I know. Come on fellow DJ's, it's 2022, not 1985!
Hey Nick , I am not a wedding Dj and my average party is $500. Mostly word of mouth/friends and family. Haven't had a party since last September. Can not go full time. Love your content. Joe Moscato
Great video - I'd say $500 or less only for a close friend or family...otherwise I agree 100% should definitely be more. Even my first wedding I ever DJed I charged more than $500, I've slowly but steadily been increasing my wedding pricing as time goes on as I realize not only the amount of time and work that goes into making sure everything goes as planned without any problems, but also because I've been realizing my worth more as a DJ as the requests to DJ others' events and weddings increases. Good and relevant video, as you are right, making the transiiton to DJ full time is in fact encumbered by the fact that DJing is a side hustle for so many (including me), that it doesn't always feel as imperative to demand your value and worth as it does in other jobs.
I just got offered to do a wedding from an old high school friend. It’s my first wedding but I’ve done so many parties by now. I wouldn’t take anything less than 1,000. It’s a shot to my confidence and self esteem. Had it not been a friend my price would be $1,500. 4 12.2 QSC, mics and professional lighting.
So far only seen 2 of your videos and I gotta say you are great! Love that you get right to the point and everything you say is spot on. Keep up the great work. Thanx for the inspiration.
I had someone hit me up for a “birthday” party, a 5 hour party. While speaking with her she tells me that they are getting married before the party and then surprising everyone by telling them at the “birthday”. So I’m like, hmmm you’re having a more informal wedding reception, with the appearance of a birthday party. Quote her my price which was more than 500. She gets back to me saying I found one of your competitors who will do it for less than half and was I interested in “re-bidding”. Haha. Thumbtack maybe? I wished her well and said nope. Wonder if she gave the same info to the other guy. My guess is no.
From my experience whenever I lower my prices for a client it’s usually a nightmare for me and there have been times where I’ve even broken some part of my equipment so it ends up being a loss. A $100 for any type of gig is ridiculous even for a favor for a family member or friend. Thanks for the video Nick
My thoughts re: streaming, are that many venues have horrible internet connections, and streaming services have many issues like content being removed at a moment's notice, taking a DJ's offline saves along with them. And since streaming services are also sharing uploaded content from their users in addition to actual label releases, it's hard to trust what the tags say. Some other DJ might have mixed in something inappropriate, or even just incorrecly labeled the track. And during a live event, there's not enough time to properly audition tracks I'm not familiar with. So I love that DJ who stresses that they only use downloaded files that they purchased & backed up. The average bride streaming music on her phone is not a DJ. DJs are supposed to provide something better than what the average person can. That's part of what raises our value.
Scott, I couldn’t agree with you more. I do the same and pay a regular fee to promo only to keep my collection up to date. I come from a professional IT background so the maintenance and backup is just business as usual for me. Storage is cheap anyhow. Sure I have a Tidal subscription to service that one request that I don’t have but I never stream, I always download it before I play it. Thankfully both Denon OS and Virtual DJ work that way anyway when connected to Tidal. If the mobile signal / WiFi is crap then if I don’t have it I can’t play it. It’s not the streaming that needs to improve but the crap internet provision at locations here in UK. I love stream services such as Beatport and Tidal etc. But at the moment we can’t rely on using those services exclusively at events in UK.
You said to find out what the average price weddings are in our market which I did many years ago. You said raise your prices which I did years ago. The problem here in Atlantic Canada is we have others that undercut and they get the majority of the business. When you factor in the people not putting a lot of importance on quality the undercutters are winning. Your right it lowers all of us down and keeps us down. I've spoken to some of those DJs and they just don't care. They get twice the volume to make up for the low price. Young people don't care about traditional weddings anymore and that spills over into our industry, too. Their "relaxed" and "stress free" attitude towards weddings downplays our importance on the priority list. We should be more of a priority. We make the party.
Underselling when entering a field can be a way of getting a stipend along with experience and a "resume" item. But it can become a weakening bad habit to the talented, yet lazy and/or unwise person. This video is so inspiring about market research, an area I can always do better within (as a non DJ). The "numbers" can fortify, enhance wisdom, related courage, direction, help avoid "bad habits" so to speak. Thank you, Nick! ... and super awesome holiday and New Year 2025 to you!! 🎉🎶🎵🎊
True! I think the worst type of 5-star review that you want to have is a bride saying "He did a great job! He is a super cheap DJ"! Great content Nick!
My friend actually lost a wedding gig for being too cheap, he ask the middle man why they said no, they said if he's that cheap he can't be any good ha ha.
@Alan Partridge- that's when you use technology to convince them. Video, pics of set ups. sample mix etc. Also, if your pricing is low, you can speak to that in the bid; competitive market etc. You can also provide reputable references. Should help.
lol mannnnn I had to call Cova and let him know im in one of your videos im dying laughing over here bro!! Detroit Family Entertainment charges $150/hr min to do weddings lol I ain't doing a gig for no $100 no where!!! welp back to twitch but first let me so who else you got in here lol !! oh and imma reshow this on my twitch page too lol i am djrichierichdetroit and I follow you on all platforms keep up the good work!!
Yup too many undercutting DJ'S everywhere and surprisingly after covid too... I just quoted $750 for a supposed 4.5 hour "informal day wedding" event in Palos Verdes CA. they booked someone cheaper. This week quoted $1200 on 2 different weddings ( 2 speakers, controller & laptop setup, 1wired & 1 wireless mic, w 3-4 basic dance lights) 5hrs. ...Crickets, Nada, No Reply. ..lol I include a separate Optional price list: for Uplighting, Ceremony System, Sweetheart & Cake Table lighting, Projectors & Screen, Monogram & Gobo Light/ Projector. Cocktail Area Sound System.
No joke, following guys like you, Nick Spinelli, and all your advice has given me the confidence to raise my rates to well above the average in my area - shit is fucked due to COVID, but I am STILL working even under lockdown and booking weddings steady for the future. Cheers!
my little tip - if you're in lock down, connect with local restaurants and make playlists for them and do live sets to help them sell their takeout food and you'll be surprised how much impact you have in your local community and how many calls you get rather than just investing in advertising
DJ Nate Dawg here and I love the advice and videos that you do. I charge $650.00 per event when I DJ and I have been a DJ since 2015. It doesn’t matter what event I DJ, that is the price that I charge.
If you do a birthday party, the prep time for planning is probably under an hour. If you do a wedding, you’re talking about multiple meetings, putting together music for formalities, request lists, phone calls, etc. Why would you charge the same price for both? You deserve more for all that extra work, and I think any client would agree if you put it to them like that.
@@djdemand3698 yes weddings do require a little more prep time and a little more planning, but as long as the client is happy by the end of the event than I am happy. I have done my job and it was a success. I can start charging weddings a little bit more than I would charge for a birthday party or a corporate event.
Good one Nick. I think one of the major problems is that djs just don't know how to sell or value their talents. They just know how to rock da house, and think all that's needed in marketing themselves.
When I do weddings I charge $100 an hour with a 4 hour minimum. Backyard boogies $80 an hour. In California. 2-Rane 12s/reloop elite mixer & 4 15” JBL’s no subwoofer! Prx 815 & Eon 615s. I get a lot of compliments on the sound. The weddings are usually do or anywhere from 80 to 150 people. I could not even imagine charging $100 for the whole wedding. 😆
Dude you are spot on. the ONLY time im less than $850 is for close friends. and even that is above $500. Nickel Dime prices get you nickel dime weddings. Not for me. I'm Working in 2 Different markets. Icover the Altoona/Johnstown Market and the Pittsburgh Market. The Altoona/Johnstown Market average is about $650 and the Pittsburgh Market is about $1000.
I think those are hourly rates though and that would mean including ur own audio equipment and lights. and if u have uplight and stuff that's extra would be talked about after. so a five hour wedding reception/party would be round 500 if ur doing 100 per hour so let's say 7pm till 12 am. and I believe that's how the mobile wedding dj works in Central valley ca.
They can keep those gigs! There is alot of cheap DJ’s in CA I always tell my clients, when it comes to entertainment is what the people are gonna remeber the most you should be on the range from 1,500 to 2,800 with all your add-ons. Get on it boys!
Love this one. I actually researched what DJs cost as early as I could find. In the mid 70’s the average cost of a DJ was $800..... $800!!!!! How, with inflation, are so many charging less than what the OG’s were in the 70’s?! Gas, milk, coffee, everything has inflated by 400% and we all just like ... nah, I’m good... lol And for those who say “the couples in my area are cheap”, you’re finding the wrong couples! Walmart couples expect everything for nothing, Luis Vuitton couples trust they’re getting the best and don’t question, haggle or demand. Raising your rates puts you in a different bracket of couples and it’s a much better bracket. Mark Farrell raised his rates and stopped getting bookings and then raised his rates again and started booking a ton. He found out he was in between brackets. Too expensive for the cheap couples, too cheap for the expensive couples. Raise it up. If it doesn’t work, raise it again. They’re out there. In every market. Every. Single. One. Go find em.
Nick!! Thanks for the video. Totally agree.....decided to look at my entire state and we have ONE DJ who is under $500 BUT....it is for DJ equipment rental. I believe we do have an expensive market, with over 13 companies starting at $2000! Competition here is fierce, but like you said, doing market research assists you in determining when you are undercharging and when you are charging so much, you are pricing yourself out of your couple's budget. Keep up the good work! #EastCoast #Brooklyn
Nick! love your videos and specially this one. Many brides getting scammed here in this area by low end DJs. May I use a portion of your video giving you credit to post in my Ohio region's wedding pages on Facebook? LMK. THX!
The average price here in northern Germany are around 1000 Euro, so 1150 $ for 8 hours of having music at the location - like from 6pm to 2am - plus way plus building up, 80 € added each hour, all including 19% VAT. Those are summer prices. In the winter prices go down big time, since there are nearly no weddings and DJs go down with their prices. I don't... So I don't have many bookings during winter. Prices are also depending if you book a City-DJ or a DJ from the countryside.
Another great video. The problem today is company like American wedding group that have these package deal with a DJ and photographer and videographer. It’s like we need a union LOL
I’m from Iowa and I agreed to do one of my friend’s wedding for $100 because he’s a homie. Another friend asked me to do his wedding and was mad I wanted to charge him $350 🙄
If you have the experience, the skills, the right equipment, and referrals, $1400 -$2000 per day in Los Angeles. Could go higher if extra production is required.
The problem with charges are other DJ that give more cheap rate than other standard rate dj. That is why clients know someone who gave them that rate before so they know someone will take that kind of rate again.
great video and i just raised my prices this year . i did lose a graduation party but i am going to stick to my guns and not bring down the industry !! i booked two weddings and charged 200.00 more and they gladly paid it.
Utah has the lowest average wedding budgets in the entire US which is pathetic. I would say average price for a DJ is $800 but I didn’t crunch the numbers so don’t quote me on that.
I saw my company on your wedding wire list. I did bump up my pricing when I realized I had 10 weddings booked in October alone, thats too busy for my part time efforts. Funny story I did a wedding a couple of years back and offered a super value oriented rate. The brides best friend reached out to me wanting to book me for her wedding recently. I told her my rates had gone up $150 measly bucks, never heard back.....
I’m the only one in my market charging per package. The hourly rate averages from $50 to $200/hr for my competitors. My average wedding is around $1000 for a 4hr reception . I have been offering a $500 Covid wedding package which is 2 line arrays with 50 or less guests for 4 hrs. It’s been working lately with all the restrictions still in my area
Those prices are nuts. There’s a DJ in my Area only charges 500 to 600 for a wedding. It takes him 4 hrs for setup. He doesn’t charge for travel time. Example he drove to S.C. to dj a wedding and only changed $500 bucks. Then he complains to me he doesn’t get the bookings like we do and we a close to 3 to 4times his price. He said he will never raise his wedding prices.
Damn bruh, this looks like my hometown 😂 you should check Facebook marketplace DJ’s have 20k + setups and charge $350 for like 8 hours. They ruin business for us. They’re not even djs they just got the money to buy the equipment. They go to the swap meet and buy hard drives full of music, get a cheap laptop at Walmart and download the free version of virtual dj and start playing whatever songs were in a hard drive.
Some of those companies out in the middle of nowhere don't have the demand. People will just get their own $100 bluetooth speaker and pull up a Spotify playlist.
These WeddingWire ads are mostly bait and switch. Central Arkansas DJs don't leave the shop for a wedding less than $1500. Everything is an upsell. Mics, lighting, PA system, uplighting, MC (announcements) everything. They are a multi operator with ~16 DJs...& One of our competitors. Definitely on the high end but not the highest. Don't let stereotypes cloud your judgement of good-ol Arkansas. Recall, Walmart HQ is based in N.W. Arkansas. (Plus the State University & tons of support businesses)
Hey I am one of those 500 dollars DJ lol I am a part time DJ. The $500 is the start price and goes up. But I do give clients the options to go to someone else if I can't handle it. I actually last year send someone to your company I am not sure they got you or not .There is going to be a market for lower cost DJ this year and next year because of the COVID situation. It might skyrocket but too soon to tell.
California DJ! Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Co. 85% of up charge $1750 for 6 hours ( $250 each additional hour). The guy in Bakersfield is problem new in the business. Lots of start up DJ Co. there and they’re all competing. Some try to come to our area (about 2 hours away), but the here brides are smart and don’t fall for that.
just got asked to play an engagement party, this would be my very first gig, so basically no experience. it’s a 4 hour gig at a home and would be bringing my own speakers and minimal MC duties. is $500 still a fair price to charge?
My rate is $150/hr based on being in the Rochester, ny market. And I never use streaming. All music is offline, on my external ssd. Two tweeter/midrange and two subwoofers.
I always felt that if this was your side job, then you should charge as much as you could, because you have a back up plan, your OTHER JOB! Double your price and throw it out to the client, if they balk... 1, work on your sales presentation 2. enjoy your night home you, because you already worked 40+ hours this week. My medium package (the middle most popular) is $2500.00 for 6 hours. Yes it's in Los Angeles, but I'm surrounded by $500.00 djs, they are neck deep and I don't have a fall back plan... just courage. Change your fucking life and double your prices NOW!
Vince, small or large---just set an hourly rate. You will be happy. The same junk you bring at a 99-199 person wedding should be the same price as a 25 person wedding. No head scratching, just solid pricing. You think if a rich person with 100 guests rents out Disneyworld for a night, they're going to get a discount?
It's more like when you are getting started so that you'll get a lot of booking and create a name. And then you can charge more when you more experienced and have better equipment
I actually like my 9-5 job. Working from home, pays my bills and then some, fancy car, ... 🤷♂️ Also, here in Belgium, because of Covid, we're in lockdown at least until march and I don't see any parties happening again for another year. Prices here also are a lot lower than in the US for DJ's I think. I think 500 is a high price here. I haven't done much real gigs yet except for parties/clubs, friends and family but I wouldn't feel comfortable asking more than that.
I’ve been DJing for like ever. I’ve done only like 20 weddings. But these days as NYC DJ, I’ll be damned if I charge less than a grand for a wedding. Too much work to charge less. And I’m only using Mackie thump tops and behringer subs (I hate these subs 🙄). Yep less than a G laughable.
Unpopular opinion. I just started and only interned another DJ for one wedding. I only charge 400 dollars for a 4 hour reception. Just booked my third solo wedding.
That Jump... Almost did it.... and then Covid Hit... that’s when I actually joint Wedding Wire... which as of now is a complete loss... but Hopping for better days... Orlando Florida have some cheap ass Couples... a lot of them offering $300 and want everything
Starting at $100 here, but for that I only include only 1 song. Ice Ice Baby or Informer. You pick which and it plays on a loop.
That’s a good one 😂
Bro, I'm ctfu at this ahahahah
a licky boom boom dowwwn
😂😂😂😂😂😂🤦♂️
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Have a price for the clients you want to have! Let the other people charge insanely low and take the couples that don’t value DJ services. They aren’t your competition. Great video man!
My first wedding in 2014 when I was a Junior in college at U Hawaii was $350 for a 5 hr reception. Compared to being a cashier at $12/hr I was pretty stoked at the time!
Kept raising rates every year and getting more reviews/photos now I'm averaging $1500 ($1150-$2450 range). Still filling the calendar, I prob need to raise them again this year hah.
Aloha from Honolulu my mobile dj braddah.
💯💪🏾
I remember charging $100. I was doing college house parties with a Numark Mixtrack and floor speakers. The ones your grandma used for the house stereo!😂😂
Bruh I just rocked a Sweet 16 with 2 Kenwood floor towers with 2 15 inch tops 🎯💯..😂😂
100% on point!! My starting price 12 years ago was $75 an hour…. Now we start at $1400 for a wedding and go from there. If YOU don’t value yourself, how do you expect your clients to value your services and I live in NM…. It’s hard work and you have to know when to say no and walk away. Know your market, know your worth and don’t settle for less!!
Great advice.
I usually charge about $175/hour for a small party for up to 4 hours. Which adds up to about $700.
Any additional time would be added on.
When I first started I charged $450 - $500 per wedding. Got a TON of bookings!!! Then as time went by, my prices went up to $700, $800,$900 per wedding. I still manage to get bookings here in Wisconsin. I only use name brand equipment now and always bring this up when booking clients.
Scratch Academy grad right here! Love the gift of gab, keep it up man!
I got married in 1985 & my DJ charged $200, used vinyl and was excellent! He’s still at it (digital) and charges way more now. I joined the pro DJ wedding circuit about 5 years ago and have raised my prices every year. I’m sure not the least expensive around, but I am competitive with the best pros I know. Come on fellow DJ's, it's 2022, not 1985!
Hey Nick , I am not a wedding Dj and my average party is $500. Mostly word of mouth/friends and family. Haven't had a party since last September. Can not go full time. Love your content.
Joe Moscato
Wish I had this channel when I first started. Undervalued my services for far longer than I needed to. Thanks for all you do Nick!
Great video - I'd say $500 or less only for a close friend or family...otherwise I agree 100% should definitely be more. Even my first wedding I ever DJed I charged more than $500, I've slowly but steadily been increasing my wedding pricing as time goes on as I realize not only the amount of time and work that goes into making sure everything goes as planned without any problems, but also because I've been realizing my worth more as a DJ as the requests to DJ others' events and weddings increases. Good and relevant video, as you are right, making the transiiton to DJ full time is in fact encumbered by the fact that DJing is a side hustle for so many (including me), that it doesn't always feel as imperative to demand your value and worth as it does in other jobs.
I just got offered to do a wedding from an old high school friend. It’s my first wedding but I’ve done so many parties by now.
I wouldn’t take anything less than 1,000. It’s a shot to my confidence and self esteem. Had it not been a friend my price would be $1,500. 4 12.2 QSC, mics and professional lighting.
So far only seen 2 of your videos and I gotta say you are great! Love that you get right to the point and everything you say is spot on. Keep up the great work. Thanx for the inspiration.
I had someone hit me up for a “birthday” party, a 5 hour party. While speaking with her she tells me that they are getting married before the party and then surprising everyone by telling them at the “birthday”. So I’m like, hmmm you’re having a more informal wedding reception, with the appearance of a birthday party. Quote her my price which was more than 500. She gets back to me saying I found one of your competitors who will do it for less than half and was I interested in “re-bidding”. Haha. Thumbtack maybe? I wished her well and said nope. Wonder if she gave the same info to the other guy. My guess is no.
This video is awesome! Haha
From my experience whenever I lower my prices for a client it’s usually a nightmare for me and there have been times where I’ve even broken some part of my equipment so it ends up being a loss. A $100 for any type of gig is ridiculous even for a favor for a family member or friend. Thanks for the video Nick
My thoughts re: streaming, are that many venues have horrible internet connections, and streaming services have many issues like content being removed at a moment's notice, taking a DJ's offline saves along with them. And since streaming services are also sharing uploaded content from their users in addition to actual label releases, it's hard to trust what the tags say. Some other DJ might have mixed in something inappropriate, or even just incorrecly labeled the track. And during a live event, there's not enough time to properly audition tracks I'm not familiar with. So I love that DJ who stresses that they only use downloaded files that they purchased & backed up. The average bride streaming music on her phone is not a DJ. DJs are supposed to provide something better than what the average person can. That's part of what raises our value.
Scott, I couldn’t agree with you more. I do the same and pay a regular fee to promo only to keep my collection up to date. I come from a professional IT background so the maintenance and backup is just business as usual for me. Storage is cheap anyhow. Sure I have a Tidal subscription to service that one request that I don’t have but I never stream, I always download it before I play it. Thankfully both Denon OS and Virtual DJ work that way anyway when connected to Tidal. If the mobile signal / WiFi is crap then if I don’t have it I can’t play it. It’s not the streaming that needs to improve but the crap internet provision at locations here in UK. I love stream services such as Beatport and Tidal etc. But at the moment we can’t rely on using those services exclusively at events in UK.
You said to find out what the average price weddings are in our market which I did many years ago. You said raise your prices which I did years ago. The problem here in Atlantic Canada is we have others that undercut and they get the majority of the business. When you factor in the people not putting a lot of importance on quality the undercutters are winning. Your right it lowers all of us down and keeps us down. I've spoken to some of those DJs and they just don't care. They get twice the volume to make up for the low price. Young people don't care about traditional weddings anymore and that spills over into our industry, too. Their "relaxed" and "stress free" attitude towards weddings downplays our importance on the priority list. We should be more of a priority. We make the party.
Underselling when entering a field can be a way of getting a stipend along with experience and a "resume" item. But it can become a weakening bad habit to the talented, yet lazy and/or unwise person. This video is so inspiring about market research, an area I can always do better within (as a non DJ). The "numbers" can fortify, enhance wisdom, related courage, direction, help avoid "bad habits" so to speak. Thank you, Nick! ... and super awesome holiday and New Year 2025 to you!! 🎉🎶🎵🎊
True! I think the worst type of 5-star review that you want to have is a bride saying "He did a great job! He is a super cheap DJ"! Great content Nick!
Great video! So many DJ’s need to hear this! 🙌🏼
My friend actually lost a wedding gig for being too cheap, he ask the middle man why they said no, they said if he's that cheap he can't be any good ha ha.
@Alan Partridge- that's when you use technology to convince them. Video, pics of set ups. sample mix etc. Also, if your pricing is low, you can speak to that in the bid; competitive market etc. You can also provide reputable references. Should help.
@@jeffsullivan4150 . Yes I agree
lol mannnnn I had to call Cova and let him know im in one of your videos im dying laughing over here bro!! Detroit Family Entertainment charges $150/hr min to do weddings lol I ain't doing a gig for no $100 no where!!! welp back to twitch but first let me so who else you got in here lol !! oh and imma reshow this on my twitch page too lol i am djrichierichdetroit and I follow you on all platforms keep up the good work!!
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 best Dj EVER!!
Hey Nick I love your channel. I'm a 33 year musician and 13 year DJ and I love it.
I love how you are ready to read the fine print.
Ohh oh 👀 I'm on Nick's Secret Spreadsheet
Awesome lol
Good content Nick 👍
Yup too many undercutting DJ'S everywhere and surprisingly after covid too... I just quoted $750 for a supposed 4.5 hour "informal day wedding" event in Palos Verdes CA. they booked someone cheaper. This week quoted $1200 on 2 different weddings ( 2 speakers, controller & laptop setup, 1wired & 1 wireless mic, w 3-4 basic dance lights) 5hrs. ...Crickets, Nada, No Reply. ..lol
I include a separate
Optional price list: for Uplighting, Ceremony System, Sweetheart & Cake Table lighting, Projectors & Screen, Monogram & Gobo Light/ Projector. Cocktail Area Sound System.
Great video, made me take a hard look at what we are saying on WeddingWire. Time for a refresh!
No joke, following guys like you, Nick Spinelli, and all your advice has given me the confidence to raise my rates to well above the average in my area - shit is fucked due to COVID, but I am STILL working even under lockdown and booking weddings steady for the future. Cheers!
my little tip - if you're in lock down, connect with local restaurants and make playlists for them and do live sets to help them sell their takeout food and you'll be surprised how much impact you have in your local community and how many calls you get rather than just investing in advertising
DJ Nate Dawg here and I love the advice and videos that you do. I charge $650.00 per event when I DJ and I have been a DJ since 2015. It doesn’t matter what event I DJ, that is the price that I charge.
If you do a birthday party, the prep time for planning is probably under an hour. If you do a wedding, you’re talking about multiple meetings, putting together music for formalities, request lists, phone calls, etc. Why would you charge the same price for both? You deserve more for all that extra work, and I think any client would agree if you put it to them like that.
@@djdemand3698 yes weddings do require a little more prep time and a little more planning, but as long as the client is happy by the end of the event than I am happy. I have done my job and it was a success. I can start charging weddings a little bit more than I would charge for a birthday party or a corporate event.
Great video Nick!
This is quite enlightening, I'm just about to do my second wedding for £350. Might have to hike it up after this one.
Great content Nick and your videos are great, lol your pa comment about not being up on music 🎶 had me tight lol😂 but good stuff. 🎉
Good one Nick. I think one of the major problems is that djs just don't know how to sell or value their talents. They just know how to rock da house, and think all that's needed in marketing themselves.
When I do weddings I charge $100 an hour with a 4 hour minimum. Backyard boogies $80 an hour. In California. 2-Rane 12s/reloop elite mixer & 4 15” JBL’s no subwoofer! Prx 815 & Eon 615s. I get a lot of compliments on the sound. The weddings are usually do or anywhere from 80 to 150 people. I could not even imagine charging $100 for the whole wedding. 😆
you gotta up those prices on the weddings, backyard boogies I understand
@@loud.dreamz Yes sir I’m raising the prices for next year!!
@@loud.dreamz I try to stay affordable for this year and this year only next year is a different story that’s for sure!!
@@Johnnybang916_ this was the year for djs to recover tho
Dude you are spot on. the ONLY time im less than $850 is for close friends. and even that is above $500. Nickel Dime prices get you nickel dime weddings. Not for me. I'm Working in 2 Different markets. Icover the Altoona/Johnstown Market and the Pittsburgh Market. The Altoona/Johnstown Market average is about $650 and the Pittsburgh Market is about $1000.
Great video im in stitches
thanks!
LMFAOOOO This was hilarious! Good job Nick!
here in Hawaii DJs charge 1k and up for weddings. some close to 2k.
I think those are hourly rates though and that would mean including ur own audio equipment and lights. and if u have uplight and stuff that's extra would be talked about after. so a five hour wedding reception/party would be round 500 if ur doing 100 per hour so let's say 7pm till 12 am. and I believe that's how the mobile wedding dj works in Central valley ca.
Solid tips as per usual !!! Thx NS
your the man Nick. hold it down!
Dang I got paid $1k for a Sweet 15 and it was my first time playing for a big event.. I was experienced but didn't have the best DJ setup...
They can keep those gigs! There is alot of cheap DJ’s in CA I always tell my clients, when it comes to entertainment is what the people are gonna remeber the most you should be on the range from 1,500 to 2,800 with all your add-ons. Get on it boys!
Love this one. I actually researched what DJs cost as early as I could find. In the mid 70’s the average cost of a DJ was $800..... $800!!!!! How, with inflation, are so many charging less than what the OG’s were in the 70’s?! Gas, milk, coffee, everything has inflated by 400% and we all just like ... nah, I’m good... lol
And for those who say “the couples in my area are cheap”, you’re finding the wrong couples! Walmart couples expect everything for nothing, Luis Vuitton couples trust they’re getting the best and don’t question, haggle or demand. Raising your rates puts you in a different bracket of couples and it’s a much better bracket. Mark Farrell raised his rates and stopped getting bookings and then raised his rates again and started booking a ton. He found out he was in between brackets. Too expensive for the cheap couples, too cheap for the expensive couples. Raise it up. If it doesn’t work, raise it again. They’re out there. In every market. Every. Single. One. Go find em.
there weren't that many djs back then. now everyone with a laptop and virtual dj can dj so the market got bigger..
Nick!! Thanks for the video. Totally agree.....decided to look at my entire state and we have ONE DJ who is under $500 BUT....it is for DJ equipment rental. I believe we do have an expensive market, with over 13 companies starting at $2000! Competition here is fierce, but like you said, doing market research assists you in determining when you are undercharging and when you are charging so much, you are pricing yourself out of your couple's budget. Keep up the good work! #EastCoast #Brooklyn
Well said!
I’d love to see a mini series of “Rate my Region” where you put the companies on blast vi wedding wire xD
Nick! love your videos and specially this one. Many brides getting scammed here in this area by low end DJs. May I use a portion of your video giving you credit to post in my Ohio region's wedding pages on Facebook? LMK. THX!
The average price here in northern Germany are around 1000 Euro, so 1150 $ for 8 hours of having music at the location - like from 6pm to 2am - plus way plus building up, 80 € added each hour, all including 19% VAT. Those are summer prices.
In the winter prices go down big time, since there are nearly no weddings and DJs go down with their prices. I don't... So I don't have many bookings during winter.
Prices are also depending if you book a City-DJ or a DJ from the countryside.
Another great video. The problem today is company like American wedding group that have these package deal with a DJ and photographer and videographer. It’s like we need a union LOL
I cracking up over here this takes the cake, Nick you make this tooo funny
What’s the average price SCE charge for weddings ?
My starting rate is $2750 for the 4 hour reception. Cocktail hour and ceremony is extra.
@@NickSpinelli jesus.....lol
@@NickSpinelli is that a one man ? DJ/Mc ?
@@NickSpinelli #goals !!!!!!!!!!!
@@NickSpinelli does that price include subs? :)
I’m from Iowa and I agreed to do one of my friend’s wedding for $100 because he’s a homie. Another friend asked me to do his wedding and was mad I wanted to charge him $350 🙄
If you have the experience, the skills, the right equipment, and referrals, $1400 -$2000 per day in Los Angeles. Could go higher if extra production is required.
Good Tip Thanks Nick
The problem with charges are other DJ that give more cheap rate than other standard rate dj. That is why clients know someone who gave them that rate before so they know someone will take that kind of rate again.
Cayman Islands here, weddings start at $2150 USD
Just upped my rates to 1995.00 for seven hours. Cocktail hour, dinner and dance.
great video and i just raised my prices this year . i did lose a graduation party but i am going to stick to my guns and not bring down the industry !! i booked two weddings and charged 200.00 more and they gladly paid it.
What is the average price in your market?
Utah has the lowest average wedding budgets in the entire US which is pathetic. I would say average price for a DJ is $800 but I didn’t crunch the numbers so don’t quote me on that.
$1200-$1500 in our area - Philadelphia/King of Prussia
It was right around a grand before the pandemic, it has since dropped to $800. Metro Detroit area.
$1200-$1800 in SF Bay Area
In Mass. we are also about 1,200-1,500 for basic setup and then go upwards.
I saw my company on your wedding wire list. I did bump up my pricing when I realized I had 10 weddings booked in October alone, thats too busy for my part time efforts. Funny story I did a wedding a couple of years back and offered a super value oriented rate. The brides best friend reached out to me wanting to book me for her wedding recently. I told her my rates had gone up $150 measly bucks, never heard back.....
$500 with add on too package deal DJ Gear is not cheap if it brakes any thing can happen on a good day 💀 Good log Mane 🎯💯
man grate video!
Wisconsin Checking In
$1,500 is pretty much base for the pros around here, and it goes up from there. I wouldn't even show up for $500.
In India starting average wedding price 15000... And another price range with dancefloor Higher quality sound twenty thousand to 25k for wedding
I charged $600 for a wedding.. They only wanted me for 2 hours of dancefloor time, only brought linear arrays, dj set, dance lights and a mic.
Comin in hot with the facts 🔥
Looking for bundle prices and finding hourly rates?
Great content, including the burp!!!!!
Greensboro NC is starting price $1,2000 for super basic then up
I’m the only one in my market charging per package. The hourly rate averages from $50 to $200/hr for my competitors. My average wedding is around $1000 for a 4hr reception . I have been offering a $500 Covid wedding package which is 2 line arrays with 50 or less guests for 4 hrs. It’s been working lately with all the restrictions still in my area
Those prices are nuts. There’s a DJ in my Area only charges 500 to 600 for a wedding. It takes him 4 hrs for setup. He doesn’t charge for travel time. Example he drove to S.C. to dj a wedding and only changed $500 bucks. Then he complains to me he doesn’t get the bookings like we do and we a close to 3 to 4times his price. He said he will never raise his wedding prices.
Damn bruh, this looks like my hometown 😂 you should check Facebook marketplace DJ’s have 20k + setups and charge $350 for like 8 hours. They ruin business for us. They’re not even djs they just got the money to buy the equipment. They go to the swap meet and buy hard drives full of music, get a cheap laptop at Walmart and download the free version of virtual dj and start playing whatever songs were in a hard drive.
Some of those companies out in the middle of nowhere don't have the demand. People will just get their own $100 bluetooth speaker and pull up a Spotify playlist.
These WeddingWire ads are mostly bait and switch. Central Arkansas DJs don't leave the shop for a wedding less than $1500. Everything is an upsell. Mics, lighting, PA system, uplighting, MC (announcements) everything. They are a multi operator with ~16 DJs...& One of our competitors. Definitely on the high end but not the highest. Don't let stereotypes cloud your judgement of good-ol Arkansas. Recall, Walmart HQ is based in N.W. Arkansas. (Plus the State University & tons of support businesses)
such a shame! bait and switch is car salesmen shit
Your soo right love your videos ...so funny
haha thanks Peter!
Hey I am one of those 500 dollars DJ lol I am a part time DJ. The $500 is the start price and goes up. But I do give clients the options to go to someone else if I can't handle it. I actually last year send someone to your company I am not sure they got you or not .There is going to be a market for lower cost DJ this year and next year because of the COVID situation. It might skyrocket but too soon to tell.
California DJ! Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Co. 85% of up charge $1750 for 6 hours ( $250 each additional hour). The guy in Bakersfield is problem new in the business. Lots of start up DJ Co. there and they’re all competing. Some try to come to our area (about 2 hours away), but the here brides are smart and don’t fall for that.
The ones that gave you a thumbs down is mad mad 😡 probably one of those DJs you called out
just got asked to play an engagement party, this would be my very first gig, so basically no experience. it’s a 4 hour gig at a home and would be bringing my own speakers and minimal MC duties. is $500 still a fair price to charge?
We’re talking about per hour here right?
Wow, you have to do a new one see if anything is changed since this was done two years ago.
I’m a beginner dj. Brand new to this but I love entertaining the people. It’s in my blood!
But what’s this wedding app you’re talking about!
My rate is $150/hr based on being in the Rochester, ny market. And I never use streaming. All music is offline, on my external ssd. Two tweeter/midrange and two subwoofers.
I always felt that if this was your side job, then you should charge as much as you could, because you have a back up plan, your OTHER JOB! Double your price and throw it out to the client, if they balk... 1, work on your sales presentation 2. enjoy your night home you, because you already worked 40+ hours this week. My medium package (the middle most popular) is $2500.00 for 6 hours. Yes it's in Los Angeles, but I'm surrounded by $500.00 djs, they are neck deep and I don't have a fall back plan... just courage. Change your fucking life and double your prices NOW!
Most people lose sight of the fact there is a large amount of upfront work, so charging more than $100 only makes sense.
I charge $500 for small weddings. You dont get all the bells and whistles and effects, you get sound. Just sound. No mas.
Vince, small or large---just set an hourly rate. You will be happy. The same junk you bring at a 99-199 person wedding should be the same price as a 25 person wedding. No head scratching, just solid pricing. You think if a rich person with 100 guests rents out Disneyworld for a night, they're going to get a discount?
🤣 I recognized the last one instantly here in Portland.
I used to charge those LOW prices back when i started in the late 80's
I love the owl vs the horse 😂 I’m dying can you repost the UA-cam video of you showing us how you look up music by artist with that website man please
You can't even rent a pair of speakers for $100
I agree.
We’re the cheapest pay in event
Mariachi bands charge $700 dollars an hour.
Damn
It's more like when you are getting started so that you'll get a lot of booking and create a name. And then you can charge more when you more experienced and have better equipment
I actually like my 9-5 job. Working from home, pays my bills and then some, fancy car, ... 🤷♂️
Also, here in Belgium, because of Covid, we're in lockdown at least until march and I don't see any parties happening again for another year.
Prices here also are a lot lower than in the US for DJ's I think. I think 500 is a high price here.
I haven't done much real gigs yet except for parties/clubs, friends and family but I wouldn't feel comfortable asking more than that.
I’ve been DJing for like ever. I’ve done only like 20 weddings. But these days as NYC DJ, I’ll be damned if I charge less than a grand for a wedding. Too much work to charge less. And I’m only using Mackie thump tops and behringer subs (I hate these subs 🙄). Yep less than a G laughable.
my first gig is a 50th wedding aniversary and im charging 300 for 5 hours
my starting package is NJ are 750.00
Unpopular opinion. I just started and only interned another DJ for one wedding. I only charge 400 dollars for a 4 hour reception. Just booked my third solo wedding.
That Jump... Almost did it.... and then Covid Hit... that’s when I actually joint Wedding Wire... which as of now is a complete loss... but Hopping for better days... Orlando Florida have some cheap ass Couples... a lot of them offering $300 and want everything