CHAPTER FOUR
WAYS TO DECIDE ON A DJ
Start at the Beginning.
First and foremost... if you have attended a wedding with a DJ you liked, that's it, you're done! Believe it or not, that is how most of my personal business happens. Word-of-Mouth is the single most important thing a DJ can have. It translates to: tons of satisfied clients.
Unfortunately, many people have not attending a wedding recently, or maybe they have experienced a DJ that wasn't so great. Now what?
Watching a Video
Many DJs will send out videos of themselves in action, many do not. Why would some DJs not send out a video?
- SECRET- Any video you watch will highlight the absolute best performance of a DJ. It's common sense; no one is going to send out material that will make him or her look bad. Go ahead- get videos from everyone. They'll all be great, and that's the problem.
Which is exactly why some DJs will not bother with a video. It really does not tell you a thing except what the DJ looks like, and what he sounds like. Which leads me to...
Watching a Performance
Many Bridal Magazines, Websites, and well-meaning friends will give this advice: "You better go see the DJ at a wedding reception so you can see him live, in action!"
Believe it or not, I am not going to recommend this, either. Why? Think about it. Would you want potential clients of the DJ that is hosting your wedding hanging around your reception?
Two Main Points about Watching a Performance
Number one, the DJ will not have time to personally speak with you. Number two, the reception you drop in on may be one where the bride has a completely different idea (than you) of what a perfect wedding reception is. For example, you may absolutely hate involvement dances like The Chicken Dance, The Macarena, YMCA, or others similar to that style. What if you drop in, and that is exactly what is happening? What if the dance floor is hopping, the DJ is into it, and people are "YMCAing" away?
You may have trouble envisioning this DJ having great success at your reception without these songs. Understand that great DJs are able to adapt to any style, and great DJs do not do "cookie-cutter" weddings. It may be very difficult to gauge how this DJ will fit with your personality if he is performing for a completely opposite personality type than you.
Other Troubles and Such
Sometimes receptions run late. What if you arrive at a wedding reception, and you hear some great Sinatra tunes as you walk in. To your horror, the dance floor is completely empty! No one is dancing! You promptly turn around and leave, not giving another thought to this DJ.
Uh-oh. What you didn't know was that dinner was running late, and Sinatra was the dinner music. The couple had not even danced their first dance of the evening! Because the DJ is not able to interrupt his performance to speak with you, you never knew it was only dinner music.
Or on the other hand, what if you do successfully "peek in" at the performance, and what you see is great? The DJ is handling the crowd with finesse. Everything looks perfect- so you go home and immediately pop a deposit/retainer check in the mail. Then- after you book him- you realize when talking to him about your reception plans, that he is an unpleasant egomaniac? Just looking at his performance cannot "seal the deal."
So Then How Can I Hire a DJ?
The best method: a personal meeting. Many times you can get a feel if your personalities will click simply by speaking on the telephone; if that works, super. Otherwise, meet in his office or at the local Starbucks (Bookstore Cafes are also good) face-to-face. Another good strategy is to go to a scheduled reception before it starts. The DJ will have a few minutes to speak with you before the guests arrive, and you can see his equipment set-up.
But I Won't See Him Perform!
Guess what- you don't need too. If he has been doing weddings for many years- it's obvious he can handle it. After you have done all your research, the last thing to decide on is "personality."
You can tell what the DJ sounds like (you want a good speaking voice) by telephone, or what he looks like by a photo on a website- or a face-to-face meeting. Do you and your fiancé "click" with the DJ? During your conversations do you feel you have chemistry together? Do you feel like you could invite him out to dinner and it would be a fun evening? It's the intangible part of hiring that right person. It will simply "feel right." Make sure the DJ has personality! :)
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CHAPTER FIVE
DJs AND ADVERTISING
Help Me Through All This Stuff!
This chapter will help you decide what's real, and what's not. If you have been searching for very long, I bet you can't believe the vast differences in the quality of websites you visit. Remember what we talked about before- DJs are not regulated. Let me help you navigate the DJ advertising world.
Yellow Pages
It's slowly happening, the Yellow Pages are headed towards extinction. If you live in any big city, they are huge, and sometimes even split in two! With the coming of the internet, many people simply find them too cumbersome to use. Many of the large ads you see, believe it or not, are from the newest DJs in your area.
- SECRET- When DJs are trying to establish a new presence in town, the absolute quickest way to do it is by having the biggest ad, right up front.
Established DJs do not need this kind of exposure, and Single-Ops simply cannot afford it- they can never book enough jobs to cover the expense.
If you are using strictly the Yellow Pages, be sure to call the smaller ads and even some of the "one-liners". Beware- you will get a mixed bag by using this method (from hobbyists to professionals), so you must apply what you've already learned.
Calling the DJ
Now that you've got a few numbers, go ahead and make those calls. No doubt you will get an answering machine 80% of the time. Is that bad? It depends.
Most Single-Ops use answering systems. If the message is clear and professional, you should have no problem leaving your number for a call back. You should expect a call within 24 hours. If you wait more than 2 days to get a response, move on to your next choice.
If you get an answer immediately (most all Multi-Ops, and some Single Ops will have someone to talk to you) you want to first establish if your date is available. Next is- who will your DJ be? Is the person you are speaking with the DJ who will perform at your wedding? If it is, you can almost immediately get a sense of personality. Are you feeling comfortable with the DJ?
Don't get to pricing right away- let some conversation happen first. More than anything, feel comfortable. (Am I starting to sound like a broken record? :)
If you are speaking to a Multi-Op DJ company, see if you can speak to the DJ who will handle your reception. If they cannot do this for you, move on.
One last point: Make sure whomever you call is professional. If you are calling a DJ business listed in the Yellow Pages, and the called is answered, "hello?" you can almost be sure this person is not treating his business as a business. I would also not be comfortable leaving my personal information on a machine that simply stated, "leave a message."
The Big Bad Internet
Most of my bookings nowadays come first from word-of-mouth, then from the internet. Having an easy-to-read, easy-to-navigate website is crucial. Nothing can be more frustrating than a messy, incomplete, badly designed site that you can't readily get information from. If you would like to look at my website- please do. I do my best to keep it open, honest, and straightforward. It's at classicdj.com.
Some things to look for:
- If there is a link to prices, there should be a price there. Or at least something like: packages starting at $595, or this: If your wedding budget is $10,000. we estimate your cost for entertainment will be between 8-9% of your budget.
- If the DJ does not provide prices, do not fear, he must account for all the variables for your reception. After you call him, use the 24-hour rule again.
- Look for references, and explanations of how the DJ will make your day special. Be wary of websites that use scare tactics about other DJs. Good DJs co-exist everywhere. Someone who trashes competition is not the professional you are looking for.
- Sometimes emails can go a little longer without being answered, but I would not wait more than 72 hours. You probably want to call, though. That is the best way to get the ball rolling.
- Don't compare apples and oranges. We will talk about prices in Chapter 6, but one rule here: Do not email a bunch of DJs and ask for a quote on a four-hour reception. It's like emailing all the car dealers in your city and asking for a quote on a 4-wheel car. You do not know what you are getting until you speak to the DJ.
The theme here is obvious: Attractive websites can help you navigate through your choices, but you still need to pick up the phone.
Where Are the DJ Websites?
One of my favorite choices is adja.org. It will help you locate a DJ in your city. If you use a search engine such as Google, type in: your city +DJ, and that will get good results, too. Also good are sites that deal with DJs specifically. Be aware that some DJ search sites that refer you to other DJs sometimes charge those DJs to be listed. That is not a bad thing, just something to be aware of.
Wedding sites that deal with all aspects of weddings are usually less helpful because they want to encompass the whole wedding experience, not just concentrate on your entertainment.
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