"Why do I need to pay so much for a DJ? All you guys do is press buttons right?!"
....*Head Desk*
The amount of times I have had people say that to me does my head in! Granted once I explain exactly what a DJ does they come to realize maybe there is a little more than "Just playing music" Like the old saying goes: Pay Peanuts, Get Monkeys. But that being said there are a few Gorilla's out there charging alot but you end up getting only slightly better monkey service. Komodo Music DJs hopefully can help you out with explaining what you should be paying for.
The "Cheap" Option
DJs who charge anything under $400 in Perth you have to be VERY careful about. Sometimes the price reflects the amount of experience they have or in some cases, don't have. Sometimes as well their "service" is the bare basics, no benefits and the equipment can be a little "out of date". If just having a party (like a 21st or 18th) you can sometimes get away with this but for a wedding you need to do your research.
The "Mid Range" Option
These are DJs who charge between $600-$800 for a wedding. Usually DJs who charge this price are sole traders who have very few overheads so most of the profit goes to themselves. There is nothing wrong with this and DJs can be very intimate with their clients, however there are drawbacks as in they can only do a certain amount of shows a year, and usually if there is an emergency (such as sickness or equipment malfunction) their backup options are limited.
The "High End" Option
DJs who charge between $800-$1000 are usually companies which have multiple DJs and have larger overheads. The benefit of this means you tend to have backup and emergency procedures in place, not to mention reputation and benefits that smaller DJs can't offer.
The "Expensive" Option
These are for DJs who charge over $1400+ for a reception. These "expensive" DJs usually can offer a unique or niche selling point that others can't. Examples include DJs who can MC in a foreign language, many years of experience or a production setup. Again these DJs can be very good for your event, but you must be careful it is not a "Cheap" or "Mid-Range" DJ masquerading as an "Expensive" one.
Some people may be looking at these prices and be shocked, but keep in mind that for places like "Toronto", "USA" and even "UK" our High End costings are their Mid Range and some DJs easily charge over $2000 a night! The biggest things to remember when looking at prices are the following:
- How many years experience are they offering you?
- Do they include things like MC, Equipment, Meetings, setup and pack down as part of their price?
- Do they have emergency and back up procedures in place?
- Do you get to meet the DJ who will be doing your event?
- What are they offering that justifies their prices?
A more detailed list of questions can be found on my previous blog HERE. In the meantime, always remember to do your research before booking anyone regardless on how much their services are ;)
(Photos courtesy of "www.thebeatery.com" and "www.sarcasticgamer.com")