Expanding your Mobile DJ Business Part 2

We have already covered some additional services you can include as part of your disco in issue 14. In this newsletter we will look at other options mobile disco operators can offer to further expand their portfolio. Many of these will require the purchase of extra equipment so we recommend extensive market research before investment.

Dancefloor Hire is becoming increasingly popular. With the introduction of LED acrylic floors and their availability, there is a growing market for them, especially at marquee functions. Before embarking on this concept, do some market research in your area. Look at how many other companies are offering this service. Also take note of the popularity of marquee functions too and also the likelihood of venues using your service. Trying to market something in an area where there is no or little demand would be like selling a refrigerator to an Eskimo. When pricing this service consider not only the initial outlay but the time taken to lay, take up and clean afterwards.

Chocolate Fountains, Popcorn and Candy Carts are often a feature at weddings and corporate events, adding a novelty to the evening reception. A chocolate fountain can be offered with a variety of different chocolate and dips, and made more of a feature with neat presentation including an LED lighted table. Candy carts can be individualised with interesting sweet jars, attractive bags and with a traditional cart or purpose built table. With both, check out the legalities including hygiene and food handling certificates and liability insurance for all operators. Again, there are many operators in this field, so do thorough market research in your area before investing in the equipment.

Drinks Fountains can be provided for use with alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages. The general rule of thumb if you are selling alcohol is you need a licence, however if you are using alcohol supplied by the venue then their licence will cover you for this purpose.  Although a champagne fountain  looks impressive, the drink can soon go flat, which spoils the unique feature of it. An interesting alternative would be a liqueur.

Bouncy Castles, for both children and adult use, are popular for parties and corporate days. Apart from the initial layout, also consider storage and transportation, and for the larger ones, the awkwardness and weight which would require a team to set them up. You will need additional PLI to your existing DJ public liability insurance. To minimise accidents, have each piece of equipment manned by a trained crew member to ensure safe usage.

Casinos are popular additions to both weddings and corporate events. As well as the equipment, which can be expensive for a good roulette table, you will also need appropriately trained staff.

Large games can be offered as a service for any event, such as a corporate fun day, birthday party or wedding. These can include giant chess and connect four sets, props from popular TV quiz shows, sumo wrestling suits and many more.

Venue Decoration can offer lots of opportunities for expansion of your business - here's just a few examples ...

Fairy Light Curtains look stunning as room decoration for wedding receptions. They are becoming very popular, but as yet only a few chair cover companies and florists are offering this service. Things to consider are the logistics of setting up before the day starts, having a range of sizes and heights to suit different venues in your area and of course the transport and cleaning.

Chair Covers have been around for a long time and, whilst still popular, the profit has declined over the years because of increased competition. There may still be an opening in your area though so it could be worth looking into.

Balloons are often required for a variety of events from birthday parties and corporate functions to weddings and retirement parties. You would need to keep in stock a variety of colours and designs plus of course a supply of suitable gas. The other consideration is delivery of the order ie a vehicle big enough for the inflated balloons.

Theme Nights are very popular. Being able to provide and set up the decor for a specific theme could be a real asset. Storage and transportation of a variety of sets would be a major consideration. This idea could work alongside your mobile disco business very well and almost falls into the category of a natural extension to your disco service.

Fireworks and Chinese Lanterns can be popular services, but there are many things to consider when dealing with pyrotechnics. First and foremost is the safety. Even in controlled situations there have been many reported accidents associated with fireworks and Chinese lanterns. Most DJ PLI policies exclude both of these. Finally, although there may be a demand for this kind of service in your area, there are an increasing number of venues/councils banning them on the basis of safety and disturbance to neighbours.

These are just a few examples for expanding your business into other areas - they all have a demand (varies by region) so, if you are thinking of widening your scope, then hopefully we've given you some ideas for researching.

Until next time good luck

Sandy and Paul

PS If you have a subject or idea that you would like us to investigate for a future newsletter, do get in touch. Or if you just want to say hello or ask a question....its always good to hear from you. Either email or call 08456 808 247