Karaoke Forums

Percentage doesn't bother me, especially if the bar isn't putting it all on the KJ to bring in and keep the sales going. What I don't like is when the bar wants to only pay a little if there isn't enough crowd but when there is an extremely good night, doesn't want to pay any extra.

Don't drop your rate.
Up your show.
You can't do it sound wise.
You already have it as good as you can get it.
Go on ebay and get a really good visual aid.
Lighting does help.

I love your Hair OMG!

_________________
No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

I use lighting every week.

_________________
No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

Thank you to everyone that replied

I have some homework to do, trying to figure how to tackle my situation at hand. I will keep everyone abreast how my situation turns out.

As a side note, Thursday night I visited a venue I was thinking about targeting for a new gig and was pleasantly suprised to find a husband and wife running a good show with good sound and good (legal) music. I met them and invited them to get involved with our local ADJA chapter here in Knoxville. They are competition but they deserve my respect at well.

My conclusion:
There should be plenty of work to go around but instead there are a bunch of "junk" (we know the ones I am speaking of) shows. I will work harder to get the work I want and try to educate the bar owners (the ones that care) to not only help me but our industry.

_________________
No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

It's good that you use lighting.
It shows you go the extra mile.

Soap box time...

There is lighting and there is Lighting.
If you dont stand out from the rest now...
Could you get more spectacular lighting.
I now do two nights in the same pub.
They laughed at KJ's who tried to undercut me and one I knew.
She is a better host than I am and far better looking..
They love my lighting.
Without it I would be out of a job.

Realize that not only do you have to be worth the bars to charge extra, but you have to be able to prove it to them.

Unfortunately even if you are a better KJ than the one charging $100 less, and eventually could bring more money into the venue even if you charge $200 it takes time to prove it.

Karaoke shows run on momemtum, and it takes several weeks to months to build a dedicated following and prove your worth to a bar as a KJ worth $200. On the other hand a discount KJ can also take several weeks to months to drive away the regulars attracted by a former "Good" KJ to the point that the bar makes less money with the discount "Bad" KJ.

Throw other factors in like the weather and various other events etc, it may take a 6 month or longer assesment by the bar to determine a KJs real value. Individual comments may come sooner, but most KJs will have their own loyal following, that may express their opinion. It just takes time to see if the new KJ's regulars are worth more to the bar than the old KJ's regulars.

Remember also all low priced KJs are also not equal. Some can be very good KJs just responding to economic pressure to lower prices, or are new KJs or KJs who moved into the area and are trying to build reputation.

Here's a different sort of answer: Get snobby

I have taken on the practice ( after several decades in the business) of making clear that an interview is a two way street. Couched in way nicer language than I'm using here. I make clear that though I would love to work for ? venue, I have a strong desire to be a success, and am evaluating that venue in regard to that possibility at the same time they are evaluating me. If I don't believe that it's a good combination, I won't take the job.

When questioned about this, I mention that I already have a following, which means that they like ME. However, if they don't like the VENUE, they will just go to my OTHER shows.

To repeat: I couch this in MUCH more friendly and pleasant language than the snotty sounding above. However, the point is still made:

1) This is a JOINT decision.

2) My show has an established rep

3) I'm worth what I charge.

When faced with "*** charges***" I re- introduce documentation of my references/track record of success. I also remind then that I will never follow a failed KJ - just another obstacle to success. The implication is that they get one chance.

All of the above sounds like I have the biggest head and biggest set of....testosterone production....on the planet. In real life, that's not the case. However, as a competitor in several areas I have found "playing from strength" to be a winner.

Kind of like being in High School. If you ask a girl to the prom thusly: " Um, you don't want to go to the prom with me, do you?" there's a good chance you'll be shot down. However, if you were to make the same person fell LUCKY to go with you the chances are she will say yes.

Of course, it helps if you have several multi-year gigs as references to show...

_________________
"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

FYI - I used to work for a company that claimed that Sam W. visited their "State of the Art" Warehousing system and copied their system. Just "shows to go ya" that it's not just a problem in the Karaoke business.

Hi Rumbolt

I'm sorry to hear your having a rough go. I think everyone if put in a situation like that has to evaluate it from their own circumstances. KJing is my second job. I can survive with out it although I have become accustom to the extra income. If I had no gigs and wanted to KJ because I loved it I may have to suck it up and take on a less paying gig. I don't know that I would take on a once a week for only $100 though. All the work that goes into what we do - setting up, tearing down, the expense of it, just isn't worth it to me. I'd probably just do private parties at that point and work less.

Something to consider also is taking a gig for one night for $100 just to show the bar the difference between a professional and a hack, letting them know your real price from there on out. Just an idea, but maybe after they see the difference you'll get invited back for the amount of money your worth. I realize that's stretch, but I honestly think sometimes bar owners have no clue the difference a good KJ can have for their business.

Good luck!!

_________________
[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Welcome back Babs. I like the idea of a show for $100 to let them decide. But I think the introductory offer could be a couple of shows maybe. My thought behind this is to , hopefully, let them see that a real show will draw more people there?? Give your name a chance to be out there for this venue.

If you believe things that easily, I have a bridge I would like to sell you.

Even if he had copied that starting point exactly, which I sincerely doubt, they have gone *way* beyond that. The brilliance is in the execution, not the idea. The ideas have been developing for decades.

_________________
[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Thaks for the imput Babs,

I have been in this market working regular gigs for quite a while. My current regular gig over 2 years.

I don't mind giving up money on a gig to "showcase" what I do and how I may be differant from my competition, the problem is that there is so much lowballing goinging that getting a fair market price for my services is getting harder and harder.

_________________
No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

You are part of the same problem that you are trying to fight against. Your own web page says that you add "karaoke FREE" to your DJ jobs.

You're GIVING AWAY karaoke services? Now who's the lowballer here? How can you possibly expect to ever get a decent price for something that you give away free?

If you're not willing to put value on your services, how can you justify charging for it at any price? No wonder the prices are going down the tubes.

Where do you get "free" from? He's offering it as added value as an incentive for DJ bookings. It's something I've done often. Rather than take $100-$200 off my regular price, I might offer the prospect "free" lighting or a complimentary hour of cocktail music when they book me as a DJ.

For computer-based DJs, offering karaoke is only a matter of bringing a video monitor and some microphones. They are already paying for your time, travel, speakers, amps, mixers, etc. to play recorded music as a disc jockey.

That's a big difference from soliciting gigs by offering a free show.

_________________
[font=Lucida Console]DangerousKaraoke.com[/font]
[font=Lucida Console]"Sing for the day, sing for the moment, sing for the time of your life!"[/font]

I think you've misread what he's posted.
Here's what it REALLY says:
(Bolding mine)
He's not giving away the karaoke, but he IS giving away his personality.
Something to think about, though, Rumbolt. If one person misreads it, how many more will? The font on that particular word, "Personality" is somewhat smaller than the rest and can easily be overlooked. You might want to rethink how you've presented it.

Diafel - Have I told you lately I love you !

_________________
[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Awww. shucks!
Why thank you!
I love you too

If I misread the page, then you have my apologies....





It's more than just "a matter of bringing a video monitor and some microphones."

It's a video monitor, monitor stand, video lines and additional power lines (and a rug to cover them), microphones (and cables), "vocal mixer" not just a dry DJ mixer, a number of $10-$15 song selection books, pencils, song slips, specialized software to play the tracks and finally, the VERY expensive song library. You will never recoup the cost of this if you continually give it away.

And yes, they might be paying for your time (as a DJ), your travel, speakers, amps, a mixer (but NOT necessarily a vocal mixer), and your "recorded library for karaoke" is upwards of 5 times the cost of a DJ library. I don't give that all away as an "incentive." I also would NEVER give away an entire show.... If they want to see how I operate, they are welcome to visit me at another established club... which costs them NOTHING and shows them everything they need to see.


There are plenty of people that "add karaoke free" as an "add-on" to their DJ services and yes, I have a problem with that. My KJ library costs many-times more than a DJ library, my equipment cost more... and there's more of it... so there's no way I'm going to minimize its value it by making it a simple "free incentive."

Agencies here try that from time to time with a booking and say; "It's a DJ job, but bring along the karaoke in case they want it."

Well the agent gets stopped in their tracks at that point and reminded that if they book a band, they don't tell the band to do face painting and balloon animals for free on the side do they? If I set up the karaoke, someone's paying for it. It's not a "kiddie-freebie" that I casually throw in.

You're welcome to offer these "free incentives" all you like and your competitors will be forced to do the same... then what do you have left? Free DJ services too?

But then you really don't know what i get for private functions, and I will tell you it's a whole lot more that a weeks worth of bar gigs. So i really am not giving it away.

_________________
No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!