How Fast does Your Site Load?
Payment
for Your Service
To avoid any problems with payment for your disco service, it's best to have a clear strategy for dealing with the money side of your business.
Deposit/Booking Fee
Whether
you call it a deposit or booking fee, it's advisable to have one! The
proportion of the full price is a personal preference. Some DJs ask for a
percentage of the balance. Alternatively, you could opt for a set amount
such as £50.
A deposit
confirms your commitment to the event, and also that of the client. By
taking a deposit, you are less likely to be in a situation whereby the
client changes their mind and cancels at the last minute or double books
you. People tend to remember when they have parted with hard cash!
Make it clear to the client that the deposit/booking
fee is non-refundable if they cancel. If you have had an expense such as a meeting with the
client or checking out the venue, then you will not be out of pocket if they
subsequently cancel the event. If you are able to re-book the date then you
should consider refunding the original client (less any reasonable expenses
you have incurred).
The Final Balance
There are
two schools of thought on when to take the balance payment.
The first is payment at the
event. It is prudent to only accept cash on the night as cheques can take
several days to clear into your account. If it bounces after the event, you
have the problem of chasing the client. Always insist on monies being paid
at the start of the night, not at the end. It is worth, when chatting to the
client beforehand, to ask who will be holding the money so that you will
know who to approach. If your fee isn't paid before guests arrive, be
prepared not to start the evening. After all, no one else works for nothing.
The second option is to take payment a few weeks
before the event. Many clients, especially brides, prefer having all
suppliers paid in full before the day, rather than having to carry a large
quantity of cash on them. It also allows clients to pay using a variety of
methods such as bank transfer, cheque, PayPal, credit card or cash. It also
means that you can arrive at the venue with your 'DJ head' on, rather than
your business one.
Payment
Terms
Whichever method you adopt, make your terms of
payment clear on your contract/booking form and also in your terms and
conditions. Bear in mind that, if you work regularly for a hotel or agent,
they may have their own terms. This is often 30 days from the date of the
function.