FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
(PLEASE NOTE: At the present time, I have chosen not to secure business using Thumbtack's process, as I - and many others - object to the price point that was set about a year ago. It costs, on average, $15 just to respond to a message from a potential customer, which, for many small businesses, simply isn't financially feasible. I am happy to have a conversation with you about your event via direct email. For wedding officiating, my typical rate is $100, plus mileage to and from the event location calculated at $.58 per mile (IRS standard of $.575 per mile, rounded up). If there is a rehearsal for the ceremony and travel is one hundred miles or more from my home in Jacksonville, IL, I will include in my quote a fee for a reasonably-priced hotel room (typically in the neighborhood of $75-$90, depending on the average price in the area of the event) the night before your event. As a mobile DJ, my typical wedding rate ranges between $175 and $250 per hour, depending on dates (holidays and other high-demand dates are higher) for a minimum of four hours (weddings only... school and corporate events have a minimum three hour requirement), plus a mileage reimbursement of $.58 per mile beyond a 75-mile radius from my home. Additional hours may be purchased at the event, if requested, at a rate of $100 per hour, payable prior to the beginning of that additional time. Certain "prime" dates, such as holiday weekends and any weekend date in the months of May, June, August and September may incur a higher per hour fee, based on event location, number of guests, and other factors. For school events, I can and typically am more flexible with my rates, understanding the thin margins that most schools are working with, when it comes to budgets. I typically waive mileage costs for school events, in addition to being a little less expensive, per hour.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
(PLEASE NOTE: At the present time, I have chosen not to secure business using Thumbtack's process, as I - and many others - object to the price point that was set about a year ago. It costs, on average, $15 just to respond to a message from a potential customer, which, for many small businesses, simply isn't financially feasible. I am happy to have a conversation with you about your event via direct email. With weddings, I have extensive written contact with all customers during the event planning process, in addition to having at least two face-to-face conversations about the event. At these meetings, I focus on getting to know the customer in a casual environment, just talking about their event, their goals for the event, and learning more about them, as people.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
(PLEASE NOTE: At the present time, I have chosen not to secure business using Thumbtack's process, as I - and many others - object to the price point that was set about a year ago. It costs, on average, $15 just to respond to a message from a potential customer, which, for many small businesses, simply isn't financially feasible. I am happy to have a conversation with you about your event via direct email. I worked in commercial radio as an on-air personality for sixteen years and as a mobile DJ for now seventeen years. My on-air experience made a microphone as natural to me as my hands and I will be a confident, assertive voice for your event, while keeping the mood light and festive for your guests. I programmed a Top 40 station, which gives me a strong knowledge of that format of music over the last fifteen years, in addition to working knowledge of other formats. All of my music is 100% legal (no low-quality downloads in my music library) and appropriate for your event.