Describing a karaoke place or a KTV bar as what people usually call it is not impossible, for this article won’t cover it. This article will focus on how to start your own home-based karaoke business. In other words, if you have a spare room in your house or somewhere that can be used for hosting events like birthday parties, karaoke nights or even hip hop jam sessions, then you can consider yourself lucky.
Karaoke is really popular among Filipinos who want to relieve stress at the end of their working day (this article will be written based on facts concerning the Philippines). Imagine the following scenario: lights are dimmed; people start singing their hearts out, and then they record their singing performance (either with the karaoke machine itself or with their own mobile phones), and at last, they upload it to YouTube.
Indeed, this is what Filipinos do most of the time when they host a party in an undisclosed location at night. And because of its increasing popularity, many people are now thinking about starting their own karaoke business.
“As what other people say, if you want to start a business, then choose one that will give you not only money but also something that will bring happiness to others.”
So if you are planning to buy your first karaoke machine or even the second or third, I urge you to read this article carefully.
And who knows, after reading everything I have written in this text, your business may flourish, and you will be able to earn a decent income.
How to start a karaoke business
1: Set Up the Right Mood for Your KTV Business
According to surveys about Filipino karaoke lovers, it has been revealed that the most important factor that motivates people to sing is the atmosphere.
Indeed, this is what makes karaoke very popular worldwide, even in its birthplace in Japan, where people tend to be more reserved when it comes to singing in front of others.
Here are a few tips that can help set up a good party mood for your guests:
• Dimming the lights
If you have tried karaoke before, you know that people tend to feel nervous when it comes to singing in front of many people. This is the main reason why a dark room with dimmed lights can help reduce everyone’s anxiety.
• Playing instrumental music during breaks between songs
Playing instrumental music (e.g. smooth jazz) during breaks between songs is advisable to create a more relaxed and fun atmosphere. This will give people the time to relax and recuperate after singing before they take another turn at singing their favourite tunes.
• Playing songs that everyone likes
It has been observed that Filipino karaoke singers prefer oldies than new songs and those in Tagalog or English than those sung in foreign languages like Japanese and Korean. If you want your guests to be happy with the selection of songs available to them, then I advise you to play popular songs from different eras and genres, so no one becomes bored throughout the party.
2: Set the Right Price for Your Karaoke Party
Setting the right price can mean a lot of differences between success and failure for your karaoke business. If you set it too high, then many people may not be able to afford it; if you put it too low, then your guests won’t get their money’s worth, and competitive local KTV bars will eat up most of your profits.
To avoid such problems from happening to you, here are some valuable tips that I urge you to follow:
• Open up during off-peak hours
According to experts in the field of entrepreneurship, what they say is true when it comes to starting a karaoke business – “Don’t bite more than you can chew”. In other words, open up only when there are few competitors around. This will give you time to discover your customers’ needs before other karaoke bars start opening up in your area or local market.
• Don’t be greedy
Always remember that setting the price too high can lead to poor sales, so always set it at a moderate rate. Another thing is not to open during peak hours when your competitors are around because people will not be able to patronize you. Thus, by choosing the right time and setting the price accordingly, you can ensure that there is never a shortage of customers who would want to sing in your KTV bar.
3: Hire Talented Singers to Make Your Establishment More Popular
One of the best ways to make your karaoke business more popular is to hire singers who can perform well and give customers a good time. By doing this, you will be able to enthral your guests and provide them with an unforgettable party experience.
However, finding talented and skilled Filipino singers won’t be easy, especially if you do not know anyone who can sing well. My advice is to make it a point to hire singers with good voices, entertaining people and fun to be with (like stand-up comedians), and those who hype up the party atmosphere by dancing energetically while singing their songs.
4: Provide Adequate Equipment for Your Karaoke Party
Although it may seem like an afterthought, providing good equipment for your karaoke business is crucial when it comes to making guests happy with their party experience.
It goes without saying that having good sound systems are important for every music playing establishment, but in the case of karaoke establishments, it is even more important because you want to make the guests feel like they are in a real live concert. Right?
Aside from professional sound systems, be sure to have enough microphones in case your party gets packed with singers. There is nothing more irritating than waiting for hours before you finally get a chance to sing in front of an audience. That’s why I highly recommend getting several mics to make sure everyone gets their turn right away.
Of course, it’s also wise to invest in other karaoke equipment like lighting systems (this affects the overall atmosphere) and screen projectors (so you can put song lyrics on them).
5: Provide Customers with Good Service
We all know that good service goes a long way in building a strong customer base and keeping them coming back to your establishment. Why? Because good service produces satisfied customers who will compulsorily become raving fans of your business because you gave them an experience that they can’t forget.
But what does good service mean for a karaoke bar like yours? It means providing quick and attentive service that will ensure that your guests are satisfied with their party experience. This means properly attending to them, making sure they get their requests on time and giving them the assistance they need so they can sing happily.
You can’t expect people to enjoy themselves singing in front of an audience if you don’t give them good service. That’s just common sense.
6: Lastly, Know How to Handle Difficult Customers
Every karaoke business owner dreads the idea of dealing with difficult customers, but this is a part of life that you have to learn how to handle if you want your business to succeed. Learn how to take control of the situation by dealing with them effectively.
People can be difficult, especially if they’re drunk, but don’t expect them to change their ways all of a sudden because you gave them an attitude or made it appear that you are not happy with their actions. All you have to do is calmly tell them that the rules of your establishment do not allow for this kind of behaviour, so they have to either comply or leave.
If nothing works, follow your security guard’s lead and tell the guests that they are no longer welcome in your business. If you think about it, there is no other way for you to deal with difficult customers other than by being firm and reminding them of your rules.
Related:
How To Start A Hot Sauce Company
How To Start And Make Money From woodworking business?
Conclusion:
Running a karaoke business is a fun and exciting thing, but it’s also a lot of hard work. But if you have enough passion for this kind of business, then you will surely enjoy every minute of it.
Remember that if you want your karaoke establishment to be successful, you have to have a lot of hard work, patience, time, dedicated staff who are passionate about their line of work, and the right mindset.
Do you have what it takes to start your own karaoke business? Let us know by leaving a comment below.