By Alfred Gonzalez
You’re probably familiar with rental programs. After all, renting band and orchestra instruments has been a mainstay of the music business for a long time. Now a variety of cultural and technological factors have come together to create an opportunity for music dealers to transfer their “rental experience” to a new and potentially profitable market by renting lighting products to working bands, DJs, schools, churches – just about every customer who walks into his or her store.
There are some important similarities between renting a band instrument and renting a lighting fixture. Parents who rent a clarinet or saxophone often do so because they’re reluctant to buy the instrument until they’re confident their child has a genuine long-term interest in playing. Similarly, some bands and DJs are hesitant to invest in a lighting system until they see the payback that an exciting lightshow can give them in terms of more and better-paying gigs.
In both cases, the bottom line is the same: once the parent or band/DJ sees that the investment makes sense, they end up making a purchase from your store. In the meantime, though, the rental program has generated a steady revenue stream for your business.
The time has never been better to start a lighting rental program.
• Lighting Is Everywhere. When was the last time you saw any form of entertainment for which lighting did not play a big role? Everyone expects good lighting to be part of the entertainment they see today. Bands and DJs are aware of this, which is why they are motivated to make lighting part of their show. Simply put, for many people there is no show without lighting.
• Lighting Systems Are Sophisticated. Lighting is more prevalent today because even affordable lighting products are an exciting addition. Rather than working alone, many of today’s lighting products have been designed to work in systems. This makes them more impactful, but it can also increase the upfront costs for the end user. That makes renting a more attractive option.
• Lighting Products Are Reliable. Today’s lighting products are also more durable, which makes them well-suited to rental programs. Lighting products are more user-friendly, too.
Modern lights also come equipped with preprogrammed, advanced sequences that bring visual excitement and cutting-edge effects with no programming skills required. This not only makes them a time-saving value for working bands and DJs, but also means they can be used by anyone, even beginning users who haven’t learned to program their own light sequences.
As a result of all of this, more bands and DJs will be ready to rent and use these lights, even when they’re new to the business. Let me give you an example. Let’s say “DJ Anyone” runs gigs through the summer, working weekend parties mostly for friends and neighbors. Suddenly he’s asked to DJ a friend’s wedding for a much higher payday. Unfortunately, his current setup doesn’t include enough flat pars or bars to create a romantic wedding atmosphere with uplighting. His current party setup won’t cover the reception’s larger dance floor, either.
Even though he’s a positive guy, DJ Anyone doesn’t know if this one wedding will bring in a new, steady line of business. Trying to borrow money or take out a loan to purchase these lights upfront doesn’t make sense since he’s just building his career as a party DJ. This is where you can step in to save the day. While this gig doesn’t pay enough to invest in several new lights, it certainly covers the cost of renting. With your rental service as an easy option, DJ Anyone can accept the gig, put on a great lightshow, and still turn a good profit. This, in turn, will lead to more weddings for him – and more rentals and sales for you.
There are easier ways for dealers to get involved in the rental business nowadays, as well. For example, my company, American DJ, has started a new program called “ADJ Rental Center” to promote the concept. Our program gives dealers a manageable way to start their own lighting rental business by offering a variety of rental product packages as well as marketing materials. Dealers who participate in this program or take any step to develop their rental market for lighting products should find it well worth the effort.
Alfred Gonzales can be reached at (800) 322-6337 or (323) 582-2650, or by email at alfred@americandj.com.
