[Colin Cook]

Haterage, love that word lol!

Schools are as diverse any any other client. I rarely if ever do non-wedding events these days but when I did quite a few school parties I was charging fees which were higher than many DJs go out for on a staurday night - for a couple of hours midweek.

Never did any major bucks proms though - would love to do that. I know Gilbz does a few bnut no idea on prices.

I did a Leavers Ball for an all-girls school though back in 2010 at Newcastles Centre For Life which was quite swish though not huge budget. The chap who was assisting me at the time was a young 16 year old lad who was absolutely blown away by the gorgeous girls. Apparently he came away having had 5 girls' phone numbers 'forced' on him. As all the young ladies were 18 I was a little disappointed not to be similarly treated, but then at my age not exactly surprised lol!

[Colin Cook]

christoph, on 06 February 2012 - 12:16 PM, said:

No offence mate, I'm kinda on your side, but until you've come to the uk and done it - it's just hollow bragging. Come here, get 4 or 5 £7k bookings at schools and we'll stop doubting you.

I totally see where you are coming from there Chris, but there are still DJs around (including on this forum) who would call anyone who claims to get £200 for a gig liars. The one thing I have learnt since becoming a DJ is the one thing which holds most of us back is out own lack of beliefs and inability to open our minds.

Doubt it sure, but give it a try. Hey, if you get £10 more a gig after trying it you are a heck of a lot better off each year than before you tried.

When I started DJing for £50 a night I had no idea anyone could earn the kind of money I take for granted now, and there are a lot of DJs out there who earn a heck of a lot more than me.

You yourself have seen ways to increase hugely what you get for a gig.

So maybe take Arnoldos offerings with a pinch of salt, but give it a go. One thing is 100% and that is that nobody is going to phone you up and offer you these kind of fees off the bat. If you want them (or similar, or half, or even a quarter) then its down to each of us to find the way to do it.

My first £1,000 gig stunned me, but now, although they dont come around every week (or even every month) they come around often enough for me to realise there are plenty of gigs out there. Same with the £1500 gigs. Now, to aim at £2k for a gig without a dance floor is my next challenge. Might not be possible, but I wont know until I try - several times lol!

Oh yes - and dont forget that $7000US is only around £8.27 in old money lol!!! No seriously, I've seen what some of the Asian weddings pull in and I just know the money is there. I just cant find the secret to tapping it - yet!

[Arnoldo Offermann]

What's funny is how many members here keep thinking I am making the claim you can make $XXXX in the (insert region here). All I do is teach people to be the market leader and sell bigger and better than ever. What that monetary figure is will be up to the respective business person. I don't care where you are from-- being the market leader is a good thing!

[Colin Cook]

Just been showing my girlfriend the 'haterage' thread and she was as shocked as I.

She did make one comment which really hit home with me and perhaps explains a lot.

From early childhood american children are taught that they can be anyone and do anything they want, that there are no limits. They are taught that if you want to fly to the moon you can, that if a black child wants to become president, he can - that the only barriers are the ones you create yourself.

In england we are mostly taught that the world is sh*t, that you get what you get that you should be happy with your lot. That no matter how hard you work you'll never do more than just get along. The the next guy is doing you down and you should be jealous of what he has.

Now those are of cause stereotypes, but I think have a lot of validity. Reading forums and articles by americans always seems to show what you can do, what you can aim at and what can be achieved. UK based ones often seem to focus on what isnt happening, what cant be done.

Of course some brits shun that completely. Richard Branson, Alan Sugar, Mr Sainsbury, Duncan Ballantyne and many others. The result - those who put the extra in seem to get the results.

The US style of presentation and their extremely enthusiastic outlook on everything is often really annoying to us 'down to earth' brits, but you can take out the stuff that works for you and just leave the rest. Try it - you might be a little suprised!

An old saying - the harder I practice, the luckier I get.

Just food for though.

[wayno]

I for one am pleased that you are sticking around as one day as haters should never win and the thread was way OTT.

I would also love to visit my friends in chicago and stick my head in on florida whilst I am at it (and san fran)

It's all a pipe dream at the minute but one day, one day...