Contests ... Good or Bad?

[TraxMasterDJRob]

Hi All.
I've found the reading of this discussion very interesting. ThankYou!!!

.....(I digress)....I've KJ'd contests, been a contestant blah blah ect. ect. just like most of you. I DO NOT LIKE CONTESTS!!!
DO NOT DO THEM!!!! I'll tell you why
Most owners want to do them to make instant cash. This is called "A false sense of Economy". Oh sure, they make $1500 or more, the few nights they host a contest. But all of the 'ringers' and their people will go back to the bar they're used to. If you, (KJ), can talk some of the singers into coming back, good job! But next week, in all likelihood, they're going 'home' and your stuck with whatever crowd you had before. Your 'people' will still come. You have to build -that- group. How many regulars, (remember, they spend more $$ over time) have any chance in those contests. It humiliates the people you have been trying to make think were good or at least halfway decent.

If they know they suck, they stop coming to sing.

The ringers that didn't win think it was rigged (all that BS & Drama). That's not good P.R. for the bar! And, there are lots of losers, only 1 winner. Lots of pissed off people. The ringers are at their 'Home' bar and business has dropped off.

The best way to build business is to advertise and put on a good show. Word of mouth has and will continue to support karaoke. A good show night in and night out will triple the business for a bar owner whose got nothing going on. It takes about 2 months and you should be doing pretty good. At the begining is when advertising is most important. Mr./Ms. Bar owner needs to be able to accept a little loss for the 1st month'ish. Then expect to break even, followed quickly by reliable and consistant crowds making them $$$. It's really rather easy. BUT!!!!....

YOU, Mr./Ms. Karaoke Jockey!!!! Please use the fundamental rules for KJ'ing, ie. use a rotation, don't let 1 person sing 3 or 4 times in 1 rotation, just because they're helping someone on a song, you have to limit that as much as possible. A person new to the bar that night sees this girl sing 3 times since he last sang. That's not good business. Everybody's money spends the same. It is important to remember that. Great singers will jump on you, make you believe your their best freind, and manipulate you into letting them "help" someone else sing songs all the time!

Please do not play for Tokens. It is crucial that you charge the going rate (in your area).

The reason a KJ makes more than Live Bands is simple. A 4 piece band splits $350 - 500=$75-125 a night. A KJ splits $175.00 with 0 people (not counting spouses, of course)!! Simply Math, My Man. It's nothing personal against bands, I Love Live Bands. I've never done that, wish I could. BUT!!!!!!

Bands cost the bar owner more money than KJ'ing, plus You drink less for free than 4 people drinking for free. That's what bar owners need to look at. Beside the fact that once your business is going strong, you make just as much $$ for the bar as the Band can. Simply Math, My Friend.

To resove your tech-thread issues...email support, they get back to you.

Well, I'm tired of all this thinking and typing, so bye for now.

GO PISTONS!! GO RED WINGS!!! GET OUT LIONS & TIGERS!!! (just kidding) Rob E