Outstanding info! This should have more views. Too many part-timers will undercut and take business away from a professional and end up selling their gear cheap after their inevitable nose dive and going out-of-business. This shows why clients need to pay the professional a realistic price. Get this out to more DJs somehow. It pretty much applies to bands and other performers too.
Thanks for this helpful vid. I would always just throw out a per hour charge, then wonder why the numbers wouldn't work out. ya know $75 per hr. 4 hr gig., but wait its 20 miles away and ya have to set up by 4 for a 6-10pm. Granted I'm very happy for every event I get but especially now that there isn't that many calls. but unless you take care of yourself your gonna get burnt out.
Since this video is already 3 years ago to date, do you have an updated computation? Thanks for sharing this. For new DJ's like me, at least we have an idea how to breakdown and justify our rates. What about a DJ license, is it mandatory, if so, why is it not included in your computation? Thanks again.
I put a similar list together in a thread on dj chat about 4 years ago, and came up with about $227 per event for the mobile DJ that does 40 events a year.That did not include car insurance, but did include liability insurance. Here's a few things though. A cell phone bill is essentially what a DJ would already be paying for whether they are a DJ or not. DJ expos/training is a mute point. DJs can become DJs in their own or by shadowing a mentor for Free. Prep time paid at $20 an hour is also MUTE. That is time the DJ would otherwise be spending on frivolous activity. Also, minimum wage is $7.25/hr. How can you place a value of $20 per hour on prep time for an event? Just a few things I noticed. I believe the $464.90 is a completely inflated cost per event on a basic to intermediate level of being a Mobile DJ in business. Also, the life cycle of most professional gear is 6 years, not 2 or 3. Yes, the lap top (really two laptops as a DJ should have a back up) will need to be replaced every 3-4 years, but everything else can go 6 years as long as careful maintenance, and use is practiced. For a solo op DJ spending A LOT of money on Wedding Wire, the Knot, and Google advertising, and bridal shows perhaps $464 per event cost might be reached, but for 90% of DJs out there, that cost is certainly inflated.
I feel there needs to be two different videos on pricing your DJ services, staring out and a well established DJ. This video was toward a well established DJ, doing 40-50 gigs a year is not what a DJ will start out getting. Starting out, you don't need a $1000 computer nor a $500 mixer or $1500 of music per year, or $1000 of lighting. The same goes for paying for a phone. Who doesn't have a phone? Only if your phone bill goes up substantially who I consider including that in expenses. The other expenses seem reasonable for both a DJ staring out and a well established DJ. A DJ starting out could easily cut those expenses in half and probably more.
discjockeynews your info is very good and the price might be cheap, i work for a fast food company and every time we call a plumber he charges $120-150 trip charge plus $85/hour labor and they can make up to 50% of every part sold. And why can we fix own sink problems? Because we don't know to and dont have the tools. Mobil deejay requires a lot of prep time knowledge. So if your cheap client says he knows other djs that charge less tell them you have more clients that pay more and value your business. You plan your wedding for a year and you hire a cheap dj???? Good luck
I've got 70k invested in subs alone. You don't have any back up equipment. You need 2 computers not one. Great job but your missing a lot. If your hiring a jock that has a crappy 5k system with no back up for the kind of money and thier laptop died, show over. Really? Totally unprofessional. You get what you pay for. A 500 show and it costs you 500 what's the point? DJ'S need to get the rates up, way up. Some of us have hundreds of thousands invested. We didn't get that charging 500 pr. show. I get it, we all started out with crappy gear but your never going to grow with that kind of budget. Save your old working gear for back up. Eventually your back up will be the same as your show. You may never need back up gear. I've got some brand new back up JBL and crown power that's 40 years old I've never used it but it's there if I need it. Be professional, charge accordingly.
Outstanding info! This should have more views. Too many part-timers will undercut and take business away from a professional and end up selling their gear cheap after their inevitable nose dive and going out-of-business. This shows why clients need to pay the professional a realistic price. Get this out to more DJs somehow. It pretty much applies to bands and other performers too.
Thanks CarlAnthonyTV Disc Jockey News
This is my fifth time watching this! You are really making me realize the business side! This is game changing THANKS!!!
Right in time as i went into thinking block last month
Thanks for this helpful vid. I would always just throw out a per hour charge, then wonder why the numbers wouldn't work out. ya know $75 per hr. 4 hr gig., but wait its 20 miles away and ya have to set up by 4 for a 6-10pm. Granted I'm very happy for every event I get but especially now that there isn't that many calls. but unless you take care of yourself your gonna get burnt out.
Since this video is already 3 years ago to date, do you have an updated computation? Thanks for sharing this. For new DJ's like me, at least we have an idea how to breakdown and justify our rates. What about a DJ license, is it mandatory, if so, why is it not included in your computation? Thanks again.
I put a similar list together in a thread on dj chat about 4 years ago, and came up with about $227 per event for the mobile DJ that does 40 events a year.That did not include car insurance, but did include liability insurance. Here's a few things though. A cell phone bill is essentially what a DJ would already be paying for whether they are a DJ or not. DJ expos/training is a mute point. DJs can become DJs in their own or by shadowing a mentor for Free. Prep time paid at $20 an hour is also MUTE. That is time the DJ would otherwise be spending on frivolous activity. Also, minimum wage is $7.25/hr. How can you place a value of $20 per hour on prep time for an event? Just a few things I noticed. I believe the $464.90 is a completely inflated cost per event on a basic to intermediate level of being a Mobile DJ in business. Also, the life cycle of most professional gear is 6 years, not 2 or 3. Yes, the lap top (really two laptops as a DJ should have a back up) will need to be replaced every 3-4 years, but everything else can go 6 years as long as careful maintenance, and use is practiced. For a solo op DJ spending A LOT of money on Wedding Wire, the Knot, and Google advertising, and bridal shows perhaps $464 per event cost might be reached, but for 90% of DJs out there, that cost is certainly inflated.
Part 1 on How To Price Your DJ Service: Expenses: By John Young of the Disc Jockey News - UA-cam buff.ly/1moKFXJ
I feel there needs to be two different videos on pricing your DJ services, staring out and a well established DJ. This video was toward a well established DJ, doing 40-50 gigs a year is not what a DJ will start out getting. Starting out, you don't need a $1000 computer nor a $500 mixer or $1500 of music per year, or $1000 of lighting. The same goes for paying for a phone. Who doesn't have a phone? Only if your phone bill goes up substantially who I consider including that in expenses. The other expenses seem reasonable for both a DJ staring out and a well established DJ. A DJ starting out could easily cut those expenses in half and probably more.
▶ Part 1 on How To Price Your DJ Service: Expenses: By John Young of the Disc Jockey News - UA-cam
discjockeynews your info is very good and the price might be cheap, i work for a fast food company and every time we call a plumber he charges $120-150 trip charge plus $85/hour labor and they can make up to 50% of every part sold. And why can we fix own sink problems? Because we don't know to and dont have the tools. Mobil deejay requires a lot of prep time knowledge. So if your cheap client says he knows other djs that charge less tell them you have more clients that pay more and value your business. You plan your wedding for a year and you hire a cheap dj???? Good luck
I've got 70k invested in subs alone. You don't have any back up equipment. You need 2 computers not one. Great job but your missing a lot. If your hiring a jock that has a crappy 5k system with no back up for the kind of money and thier laptop died, show over. Really? Totally unprofessional. You get what you pay for. A 500 show and it costs you 500 what's the point? DJ'S need to get the rates up, way up. Some of us have hundreds of thousands invested. We didn't get that charging 500 pr. show. I get it, we all started out with crappy gear but your never going to grow with that kind of budget. Save your old working gear for back up. Eventually your back up will be the same as your show. You may never need back up gear. I've got some brand new back up JBL and crown power that's 40 years old I've never used it but it's there if I need it. Be professional, charge accordingly.
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