DangerousDanKaraoke @ Thu Oct 09, 2008 1:22 pm wrote:
cueball @ Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:36 am wrote:
Well... I can see that you are a person I would NEVER call to fill in for me in a pinch!!!
You are describing a totally different situation. If you have called me to fill in for you, that's YOUR show. By accepting the gig, I am performing under your "sponsorship" for the night. You have made that show possible for me. It's like you trusting me to escort your girlfriend to some event while you're out of town. I would be all kinds of a creep to put the moves on her and I wouldn't do it.
But if I'm walking into a karaoke venue cold and pitch the owner on why they should hire me? If they are happy with you and the crowd you bring in (translation: ringing the register) they'll show me the door. If not, they'll listen to what I have to say and maybe try me out. Nothing to do with "ethics" - that's free enterprise! Do you think that because Acme Linen Service has a restaurant account it's "unethical" for a rep from National Linen Service from pitching them?
Babs @ Thu Oct 09, 2008 8:26 am wrote:
The KJs that have tried to steal my gigs ended up being black balled by my customers. Most KJs have a loyal following and they don't like the idea of someone new trying to take over.
Babs, that's an enviable position to have with your customers and your venue. But don't kid yourself. Unless you're in a small town, a KJ is an easily replaced commodity. When I was in radio, at one station I worked I had huge ratings and a rabid following. When management decided they were going to "go in another direction" there was an initial flurry of listeners jamming the phone lines saying how they wouldn't listen to the station again if I wasn't brought back. From friends I had at the station who were giving me the scoop, within a couple of weeks those calls died down and the new morning host caught on.
Why? Because as much as we'd like to think that karaoke patrons are coming to see US, that's only a portion of why they come. They come because the bar's in their neighborhood, or they like the drink prices, or the bartender, or that all their friends go there. You can bet that the venue replaces you with someone with the same (or better) competence as you as a host (personality, gear, song selection) you will soon be forgotten by "your customers". Who, when you step back and think about it, are not YOUR customers. They are the BAR'S customers who come in for karaoke.
Maybe there's a rare exception, but for the most part anyone who thinks they can't be replaced because their "following" will "blackball" the place is burying their head in the sand and needs a reality check. Just my opinion.
Dan,
It sounds like you have been through the "Business Wars", as most of us Part Timers have experienced with our 9-5. How secure is your day job these days? And that experience along with DJ'ing and KJ'ing have made us all thick skinned the longer we are in the Karaoke Bizz. We all have a following ( My Girlfriend / Roadie, is at 95% of my shows.
.) We all like to think that we have a following. ( Ask most owners, and they will tell you that Karaoke Singers are a bunch of Water Drinkin' Deadbeats), then after they cancel the show and the non-singing patrons ask what happened to the "Entertainment" , and the "bottom line" starts to take a dive, and you get that apologetic phone call (LOL). I like your analogies with the linen suppliers, and slaughter house production!!!! I like to draw upon my Real Estate background and use the 80%-20% comparison. You know that the top 20% of the producers (Salesmen) will bring in 80% of the business, and you as ownership/management, will hire and fire a whole bunch of good, moral, dreamers in order to find that 20% !!!
Now back to the subject of Karaoke gigs. It's business, not personal !!! Bottom line !!! Show me the Money!!! You will be replaced several times by KJ's that you deem are inferior either because of their stage presence, equipment, singing acumen, etc., only to find out it was because ownership/management thought that they could get the same product for a bargain price!!! EVERY SHOW you must audition for the next week!!! If you take anything for granted ( permanent gig ) like it's my show, my night, my following, you will be burned by not necessarily a backstabber, but a better businessman that knows how to compete, and keep this juggling act that we call a regular gig.
Being competitive in pricing your shows, whether it's hourly, nightly, long term, etc. is the most important. Add to that your dependability, showmanship, adaptability and you can bet a fly by night will have a tougher time making a move on that venue!!! But if you're not on your toes..., and take too much for granted ... then be prepared to be conquered by a Professional Karaoke Jock !!!
Rick
Rikki Tikki Karaoke
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I live in a Chicago suburb. I would say our bar has a small town feel though. I've been at this bar around 6 yrs or so. I've seen other KJs try to come in and steal my gig. They've come in and tried to undercut etc... , but the owner knows if I go the crowd goes. He's learned through time that if he has a band come in for a special occasions or holidays there is no crowd. Once he even put a different KJ in back in the beer garden on a seperate night, after asking my permission first, and it bombed miserably. I didn't care because I didn't want to do that night myself, I was already over booked. I even encouraged people to try it out. This guy was no threat to me.
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