ALT-1 How to Start a Career in Karaoke
For someone serious about starting a career in karaoke, you really don't need a great singing voice, It takes leadership, the ability to get an event going, Someone who can get people up and get the party going, that takes a really good DJ. Because you'll find a lot of people are afraid of being laughed at, because they feel they can't sing, If the DJ is willing to sing that's great at getting things started.
Doing karaoke at Church events, birthday parties or whatever the occasion, is totally different then singing on a home karaoke machine with family and friends. Karaoke is a lot of fun. Having the right equipment is a must in doing this as a career, and a large selection of songs. You have to have the proper songs for the events you are booked for, since so many songs today have inappropriate language in them.
If you don't have a place nearby to purchase karaoke equipment, you can go on line, You'll find a lot of reasonable priced professional equipment to get you started. With a good sound system even the worse voice can sound good.
Karaoke as a career isn't something that you can just buy equipment, get bookings and all the money you make after that is clear. That's not the case, you have to keep up with all the latest hits, microphone's wear out, equipment malfunctions, if you're really good, there is money in karaoke, you can easy make $350.00 for two hours at a birthday party.
Now that you've gotten everything you need, it's time to let people know about you. Place ad's in newspapers, and the phone book, see if you can place flyer's in the windows of music stores, grocery stores or any place of business that will let you, make your ad noticeable and appealing. At first you may have to start out free or real cheap, say do karaoke at a birthday, Halloween or Christmas party for a friend or family member. If you're good you can easy get 3 or 4 bookings off a party you did free or way below the price you had wanted. You might consider local bars that don't have karaoke into letting you host karaoke nights at their business for income between bookings.
Before you start, make sure you get your business license, city, county license and tax ID's, don't want the IRS coming around saying you owe. Because karaoke is like any other business, you have to keep up with what you make, your expenses, pay your own social security taxes and all, don't attempt under the table events, if you're caught the fines can cost more then your equipment. Karaoke as a career is a great way to meet interesting and well known people in your community, like the mayor, city councilmen, doctor's and lawyer's. You never know who you'll meet at a booking or will get bookings from.
