One of the most asked questions by DJs in Melbourne is: how much should I charge for my services? There is no one answer to this question because every DJ should charge depending on their value. A starting DJ cannot charge too high because no one will hire him/her. There are however numerous ways DJs can make money without relying on gigs.
Know your costs
Before you know what to charge, you should first know what it costs you to deliver services. You have to travel, you have to pay for training and buy your equipment. You also need to eat and drink. You should consider each and every coin you spend during a gig. If you are providing your own equipment you should also consider that. Mobile DJs also need public liability insurance. Try to calculate and know how much you will spend before you know what to charge.
Work out your value
Any DJ should know their worth. You can calculate your value by looking at your years of experience, your promotional outreach and materials such as videos, online mixes and released tracks. You should also compare how you rate against other DJs in your area. You should not undersell yourself because this will devalue you.
Don’t charge per hour
Some DJs charge per hour. This can be suitable for some DJs but it is not the norm for event DJ services. You should charge for your set. You will only get paid once a night.
Are you a promoter or a DJ?
Some Melbourne DJs don’t know what they really are. Promoting a gig is not the work of a DJ. But this doesn’t mean that a DJ should not get involved in the promotion of events. You get more exposure by promoting events. Make sure you make good use of your social media accounts to update your followers on available gigs. You can use artists in town to announce your gigs. Sometimes you have to prove to people that you have a fan base to gain credibility.
Pay for exposure
Some DJs say that they cannot pay for exposure. This is a lie. It is very difficult to find a successful DJ who has never paid for exposure.
Deciding on your fee
You should be very clever when it comes to deciding on your fee. Don’t sell yourself short and make sure you get the gig. Make sure to do proper calculations not to run into losses and you should also not overcharge your client. Don’t be afraid to talk about money because that is what you are after. You shouldn’t, however, show the client that you are only after the money. Try to show him/her that you have a passion and a dream to fulfil by delivering quality services.
Don’t rely on gigs
Remember there are many DJs in Melbourne competing for gigs so don’t just rely on gigs. Try to sell your own mixtapes and create DJ effects for sale. Optimise your website and have one of the best-ranking websites in your area.
