Professional DJ vs the little guys background info on disc jockeys
As a mobile disc jockey I get numerous questions about my experience, the kind of format that us DJs go by, how to book an event, venue recommendations, legalities, types of setups we use, and the most popular one of all......Why should I hire you?
I will be totally honest with you, I am not a salesman nor am I that great at selling. But what I normally offer my potential customers is a wonderful & friendly personality, peace of mind that everything will go smoothly and that I will make sure that they have as much input about their event as they choose.
Here is the number one tip I can share about the DJ industry that most people may or may not know about. Professional DJs who have much experience in the entertainment & music industry actually know what they're talking. What I mean by this is if you hire a friend or a DJ who just started a few months ago or maybe a year or 2 ago they are still developing their format. They don't know what songs work with what types of activities. New DJs aren't experts on the mic and introducing the guests of honor unless they have a gift of great talent instantly. I'm not trying to put down any entertainers, but having years of experience under your belt allows you to produce a great set of music for the crowd you're playing to. I will tell you that I've had DJs work for me that only have a year or 2 of experience and they would go from genre to genre just trying things. There would be 1 or 2 people out on the dance floor most of the night. You have to choose songs that appeal to the majority of the crowd.
- What types of events have they performed at
- How do they format their music during your event.
Here's a couple of top priority questions to ask:
1) Do they have liability insurance? Most of the part time weekend warriors are not insured in-case something happens to a facility or a guest.
2) Ask to see their website and photos/videos/references or thank you notes / song lists.
If you're hiring DJ Partyman, go to his website. If you see only one homepage with a picture and a description with a phone number, chances are he may not be the one you're looking for. If you go to a website that has more information about how perfect and spectacular they are than you care to read, they might be the DJ that's going to take over and make a concert of your event.
My advice on how to know who is right for you is..... someone who's middle of the road and has enough knowledge where you feel comfortable with them. They must be open to your ideas and incorporate their tips as well as yours together. If you're giving 90% of the input and the DJ hardly does any than you may have a problem on your hands. Make sure you go over with them the kinds of music you would like heard along with what they're mixing in for the guests. Are they friendly? Do they make you feel excited about your event? Make sure their not over the top and extremely pushy. There are dozens of DJs telling you moment to moment what needs to happen, they're way or the highway. They feel as if they're the mobile wedding and party DJ Gods. If that's the kind of DJ you would like that's totally fine that's just my opinion and many of my customers opinions. From some of the customers I speak with they tell me they aren't interested in DJs go for;
"Let's make a deal, I'm the best there is, you need to book me or else, $2000 and your event will be the best, credit card and contract immediately please, sorry but that's not how I run a reception." There are others too!
I will be totally honest with you, I am not a salesman nor am I that great at selling. But what I normally offer my potential customers is a wonderful & friendly personality, peace of mind that everything will go smoothly and that I will make sure that they have as much input about their event as they choose.
Here is the number one tip I can share about the DJ industry that most people may or may not know about. Professional DJs who have much experience in the entertainment & music industry actually know what they're talking. What I mean by this is if you hire a friend or a DJ who just started a few months ago or maybe a year or 2 ago they are still developing their format. They don't know what songs work with what types of activities. New DJs aren't experts on the mic and introducing the guests of honor unless they have a gift of great talent instantly. I'm not trying to put down any entertainers, but having years of experience under your belt allows you to produce a great set of music for the crowd you're playing to. I will tell you that I've had DJs work for me that only have a year or 2 of experience and they would go from genre to genre just trying things. There would be 1 or 2 people out on the dance floor most of the night. You have to choose songs that appeal to the majority of the crowd.
The best way to know that they can handle your event is just ask a few questions about them. Start with the basics. You can tell if they have no idea or they have good answers.
- What facilities have they worked at - What types of events have they performed at
- How do they format their music during your event.
Here's a couple of top priority questions to ask:
1) Do they have liability insurance? Most of the part time weekend warriors are not insured in-case something happens to a facility or a guest.
2) Ask to see their website and photos/videos/references or thank you notes / song lists.
If you're hiring DJ Partyman, go to his website. If you see only one homepage with a picture and a description with a phone number, chances are he may not be the one you're looking for. If you go to a website that has more information about how perfect and spectacular they are than you care to read, they might be the DJ that's going to take over and make a concert of your event.
My advice on how to know who is right for you is..... someone who's middle of the road and has enough knowledge where you feel comfortable with them. They must be open to your ideas and incorporate their tips as well as yours together. If you're giving 90% of the input and the DJ hardly does any than you may have a problem on your hands. Make sure you go over with them the kinds of music you would like heard along with what they're mixing in for the guests. Are they friendly? Do they make you feel excited about your event? Make sure their not over the top and extremely pushy. There are dozens of DJs telling you moment to moment what needs to happen, they're way or the highway. They feel as if they're the mobile wedding and party DJ Gods. If that's the kind of DJ you would like that's totally fine that's just my opinion and many of my customers opinions. From some of the customers I speak with they tell me they aren't interested in DJs go for;
"Let's make a deal, I'm the best there is, you need to book me or else, $2000 and your event will be the best, credit card and contract immediately please, sorry but that's not how I run a reception." There are others too!
Always choose a DJ who is willing to work with your other vendors, your coordinator and facility and especially you! There was a DJ locally in my area who had a set time and ended an event at 9pm. The bride and groom started about 15 minutes late and they ended up needing about 15-20 minutes just to cover the rest of their activities. The DJ stopped the music and announced it was the end of the night right at 9pm with no flexibility. The bride and groom were angry and shocked that the DJ wouldn't make that extra few minutes for them. There were terrible reviews written and the DJ didn't look like a very professional person. This also happened to me on several occasions and I made the extra few minutes to get everything in and ended up getting wonderful reviews, another booking and a tip. It's a matter of your entertainer making it happen for your special occasion. There was also an incident where a catering director wanted to switch something around and the DJ said "NO!" He wouldn't do it and his agenda was staying. A major argument broke out at the facility and I'm sure that didn't go over well.
I apologize on the length of this post as it is quite long. My point of filling you in is making sure you get the best person for the event. I genuinely care about the way events turn out and really feel bad when I hear of a story where the event professionals made an event sour.
To sum everything up for you once again here it is. Looking for a DJ or even an event professional for your special occasion? Look for someone who is friendly, courteous and is willing to incorporate your thoughts and ideas as well as their professional expertise together. Don't go for someone who is extremely pushy or overbearing, especially someone who is going to take over your event and do dance moves in the center of your dance floor! Unless you want it to be about the DJ instead of the guest of honor and/or guests. Make sure they have the qualifications such as insurance, back up equipment, full library of music and even a website or paperwork that has the information you need. Especially a professional contract with all details highlighted. Professional event planners and services take their job very seriously and will make sure they have the right stuff to make your event happen.
If you have questions or things you would like to share or want me to write about something feel free to post here. Happy event planning!
- Billman
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