Taking Gigs "Just for Money"

[unlimitedsounds]

I am usually picky about what gigs I take etc..... BUT now with buying a larger house in the next few months, I need to make more income. I do have a day job but I need to up my DJ business... with that being said, unless the job is a total PIA and I cant get enough money, I will take the job if I am not busy. I just took an inexpensive fund raiser event in Philly. was a good cause and I cal always use money.... Beats sitting home not making anything... wouldn't you rather make something for an easy event then make nothing at all? Also, as other have stated, being a good DJ means that you can make the best out of an event you thing wont be any fun. I did a wedding this past weekend and when I looked at the request list they gave me, I didnt know what to expect. I too their play list and added my own flair and made the reception great and everyone commented on just how much fun they had.... Its all about how you work the event. Some events are just what they are....and you have to deal with it...

[jimeppes]

Have to say I am with Mark on this one....

I sat down with a Bride once and her parents staring at me as if to say, "save us".... She wanted acid, punk, etc and would not budge even when she admitted her grandparents and older folks would be there.

I could not move her... so I moved me.

And work with enough event companies... you will get lied to about what the gig is... you start to know what the truth about the gig is by asking the right questions.

The key is to market well enough that you have a good choice of gigs.

lil i ain't touchin' that jimmy

[djstevieray]

The last Wedding I did were "My Clients"

When I sat down with them last month to go over the details, they handed back the planning sheets with the names for the Bridal Party, and only their first dance, and both parent songs picked out. I asked is there any other special songs they want me to add to the request list. Their response was.

"No, we hired you because you are a professional, and we know you will pick the right music to get everyone dancing."

These are the clients I aim for, now not all of my clients are that open with their music, but how often do you see the B&G tell the photographer or videographer how to take pictures or shoot their wedding? They don't. They may ask for a certain portrait or family shot (ie, like giving the DJ a couple of request), but they do not tell them how to do their job. If you take a client, who tries to plan out all of their music, that tells me that they either 1) don't respect you as a professional or 2) Do not truly believe you are a professional, and therefor need to direct you on how to perform. I do not take these clients. For years when I worked for a large Multi-op I had many clients like that, and only a small percentage turn out successful, and are happy. If a (prospective) client, does not believe in my abilities then they are not my clients.

The real problem I see, is at almost every one of my initial consulations, one of the first things I hear is. "The last Wedding I was at, the DJ was terrible." When I hear this, the first question out of my mouth is, "What did he do?" Sometimes I hear stories that blow my mind, other times, I hear exactly what many of us do week in and week out, and I will take notes. Like, some people will say he played too many slow songs, others will say a DJ didn't play enough, other people will complain about all of the line dances, some others will complain about not having any interactive line dances. I take notes on everything they say. If they saw there were too many slow songs, I ask how often slow songs were played. I then know what the clients wants, needs, and desires are, sometimes better than they realize themselves. I can then cater to their tastes, without them telling me or feeling like they need to tell me how to do the job. If you ask your clients the right questions from the start, and take the time to listen to them, you can easily help them plan exactly what they want, without them having to do it for you.

[Maverick]

I am usually picky about what gigs I take etc..... BUT now with buying a larger house in the next few months, I need to make more income. I do have a day job but I need to up my DJ business... with that being said, unless the job is a total PIA and I cant get enough money, I will take the job if I am not busy. I just took an inexpensive fund raiser event in Philly. was a good cause and I cal always use money.... Beats sitting home not making anything... wouldn't you rather make something for an easy event then make nothing at all? Also, as other have stated, being a good DJ means that you can make the best out of an event you thing wont be any fun. I did a wedding this past weekend and when I looked at the request list they gave me, I didnt know what to expect. I too their play list and added my own flair and made the reception great and everyone commented on just how much fun they had.... Its all about how you work the event. Some events are just what they are....and you have to deal with it...

And this is common in most every industry..work more, make less, but work..to each his own.

[DJ-JC]

I take every gig that comes my way.
Here are my reasons, go ahead and beat me up.
1. When you reach a point in your career that you don't mind taking the "don't dance crowds" then you have achieved something we all desire,.. not to be bothered much by the unexpected "don't dance nights". Just try some class reunions and you will get my point.

2. Money??? I am just as satified performing my $1200 weddings than my occassional $400 weddings (for the ones who can't pay my regular pricing). I feel better when I leave those lower pay gigs because I felt I helped someone out....however....>>>>yes those "needy" clients occasionally show up in not a limo,,,but big azzz tour busses. All the good feelings can be wiped out by a bus. I guess you can say they threw me under it lol. Oddly enough, this year it seems like the higher end gigs actually appreciate my services more (I'll let you figure that out, I can't).

3. I took a gig with a strong minded client that said his last 5 weddings he went to the music sucked. I gave him the top 200 top music for weddings and he vetoed all but 22 (no top 40, or cha cha, etc). THen he gave me his "playlist" (let's just say after 500 weddings I had to purchase over 40 songs that I did not have) . It was at this point I wish he would of fired me (I do not allow myself to quit). After 8 months of worry prior to the date it turned out to be one of the best events I ever had. I also got the biggest tip in my career. I felt I faced, and beat the challenge. There were cetain "tricks" to achieve this sucess, but I will save that for another time.

4.. In my opinion you are in business to take the good, bad and the ugly. Do not let your competition take anything that crosses your path. A sense of acheivement is a greater reward than money.

Regards,
dj-jc

[Jason Cathcart]

I take every gig that comes my way.
Here are my reasons, go ahead and beat me up.

Okay, but only because you asked for it.

1. When you reach a point in your career that you don't mind taking the "don't dance crowds" then you have achieved something we all desire,.. not to be bothered much by the unexpected "don't dance nights". Just try some class reunions and you will get my point.

I'd rather reach a point in my career where I'm doing events that turn out just the way I expect them to, rather than be surprised by the outcome. I work with high-end clients who are after a specific look and feel for that event, and often that includes a packed dance floor. If I can't deliver on their expectations, whatever they are that I've agreed to, then I have failed.

2. Money??? I am just as satified performing my $1200 weddings than my occassional $400 weddings (for the ones who can't pay my regular pricing). I feel better when I leave those lower pay gigs because I felt I helped someone out....however....>>>>yes those "needy" clients occasionally show up in not a limo,,,but big azzz tour busses. All the good feelings can be wiped out by a bus. I guess you can say they threw me under it lol. Oddly enough, this year it seems like the higher end gigs actually appreciate my services more (I'll let you figure that out, I can't).

The higher end clients appreciate your services more because they see you for the professional that you are. By the same token, when you've allowed yourself to get hosed on the price and they then show up in a bus, it's because you have failed to show this client that you are more valuable than a 2 hour bus ride listening to the radio.

3. I took a gig with a strong minded client that said his last 5 weddings he went to the music sucked. I gave him the top 200 top music for weddings and he vetoed all but 22 (no top 40, or cha cha, etc). THen he gave me his "playlist" (let's just say after 500 weddings I had to purchase over 40 songs that I did not have) . It was at this point I wish he would of fired me (I do not allow myself to quit). After 8 months of worry prior to the date it turned out to be one of the best events I ever had. I also got the biggest tip in my career. I felt I faced, and beat the challenge. There were cetain "tricks" to achieve this sucess, but I will save that for another time.

This goes back to #1 - I'd rather be at a point in my career where the clients are hiring me because after a discussion we're on the same page about music, rather than deal with clients who feel the need to dictate every song that is played all night.

4.. In my opinion you are in business to take the good, bad and the ugly. Do not let your competition take anything that crosses your path. A sense of acheivement is a greater reward than money.

I'm not in business to take the good the bad and the ugly. Absolutely not. I am in business to build a brand for my services, and that doesn't include taking events that will harm how potential clients could see my business. I don't want or need every single event that crosses my path - in fact I've turned away numerous potential clients in the past because I don't feel that their event would be a good fit for my company. I agree that a sense of achievement is a greater reward than money, however first you have to define a goal to achieve.

[DJ-JC]

Jason,
Don't mind at all the unpersonalized clubbing. You make some interesting points (except #2 which your argument as written dosn't make sense). It seems that we have different business paths. AS so many clients do, I would find it interesting to see what you would do if a client drops songlist bomshells and alike AFTER you have deemed them low risk for your business. I do sign my far share of clients at Bridal conventions without having the luxury of time going over every detail of their wedding 12 months out (which I am sure they arn't set on details either). If I don't sign them now, the next booth would.
I took a job once with strickly latin music. It was about a year out, so I learned very basic spanish with cds in my car in place of Kesha, then I inquired to many latin DJs about getting a good selection of music for this particular event (as well as the client who basically had no input). I took all this knowledge that cost me mucho plenty of hours and applied it. THe event was a huge sucess, I learned a little Spanish, and I got many gigs from it. Best of all, I accomplished something that would intimidate my competiters.

Botomline,, Life is a like a box of chocolates,,,you never know what your going to get" and if that is the case on a few weddings a year, so be it. It's the challenge I won't run away from. I will dig deep in my bag of "tricks" (experience) to make the evening a sucess.
And Jason ...on those rare occasions of the crowd not responding (and yes,,it really can happen to the best of us,,really, it can) ....I have been around long enough not call myself a failure. I prefer to think of myself as doing the best that I could.
My message is simply.... don't be afraid, and welcome any challenge that comes your way. Just give yourself enough time to prepare to do it well. It can be far more rewarding than the "cookie cutter, in my comfort zone" weddings.
dj-jc