BACKUP DJs AND BACKUP EQUIPMENT
Be sure you are comfortable with your DJ’s answer to the following question: “What if you are sick, injured, or an emergency comes up and you can’t make it to my event?”
When it comes to backup equipment, make sure that they bring this along with them. Redundant systems mean that if there is a failure, your event will not be adversely affected. Remember, your big day is not a dress rehearsal, if something goes wrong and there’s not backup equipment on site you can’t go back and do it over again.
DRINKING ALCOHOL – WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY POLICY?
Be sure to ask the company if they have a policy in place regarding drinking alcohol on the job. This can be a legitimate concern. A professional DJ WILL NOT drink on the job.
WHEN TO RESERVE DJ SERVICES
Although it is never too early to reserve a DJ for your wedding, there are recommended time frames in which to do so. Keep in mind, the peak months sell out the quickest; so don’t be left stranded. Gather all your information well in advance of your wedding day in order to make the most informed decision. The following are guidelines as to when to reserve your DJ.
April, May, June, July, October, November, December – 8-12 months in advance
March, September – 6-8 months in advance
August, January, February – 4–6 months in advance
RELIABLE FULL-TIME COMPANY
Just because a DJ advertises in the yellow pages, has a presence on the internet or is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, does not necessarily mean they are well established. Most DJs start out as a one DJ company. Then, after several years in business, they expand and hire other DJs. DJ companies come and go every years. Especially with the recent bad economic times many established companies have failed. These tough economic times have also seen the startup of less-than-professional companies due to the fact that many look at DJ industry as an easy one to enter into. After all, all it takes is a couple of speakers a laptop computer and some illegally downloaded music right? WRONG!
Here are some suggestions on what to look for and what to ask your prospective
DJ before you make a decision to hire their services.
Does he/she use professional equipment?
There is a BIG difference between the home stereo equipment in your living room and the equipment a Professional Disc Jockey uses. A Mobile DJs equipment has to be able to stand the torture of going on the road every day and performing to the highest standards day in and day out. Make sure your DJs equipment is professionally and attractively cased. In addition be sure it is Professional enough to sound as good as possible for all your guests to enjoy.
Does your DJ provide at WRITTEN contract?
It is vital that you have ALL of the details of your event confirmed in writing! ALL terms of your agreement should be in writing to avoid possible conflicts at a later date.
Will your DJ be suitably dressed for your occasion?
It is important that your DJ be dressed appropriately for the type of event you are hosting. He or she must look the part by dressing formally for a formal affair like a wedding, semi-formally or in theme-type outfit for other type parties. Sneakers and T-shirt at a wedding simply will NOT do! Be sure to specify the type of attire you want your DJ to wear. There should be no upcharge for formal attire at a wedding.
Is the DJ flexible enough to be the "entertainment" YOU want?
If you want a DJ company that brings the dancers and the "circus" atmosphere to your reception, can this candidate deliver that? Or, if you want someone to be more formal and less "in-your-face," can the DJ tone his act down a bit. Find the DJ with the personality to match yours and to match the needs of your party. DO NOT hire a DJ by the size of his music library or by how much really "cool" equipment he has. Hire the one you feel most comfortable with. Sit and chat with a few until you find the one you like. Ask if he or she will be the one actually working your function! (Many times a company will send a salesman to sell you on hiring his DJ company, then you'll find a complete stranger at the function to perform.
How does HE/SHE know what you want.......?)
Does your DJ know the proper procedure and etiquette for your type of event,
especially weddings?
A Professional DJ will become heavily involved with the planning of your special day and will be prepared to handle all announcements and ceremonies involved with the reception. There should be at least one major planning session a couple weeks before the wedding takes place with your DJ and all the important decision makers surrounding the events of the wedding.
Does your DJ care enough to ask for your musical tastes and specific music selections ahead of time and will he/she play requests, particularly if they are suitable for dancing?
A professional DJ is aware that he can not know the exact tastes of every client he works for. In a similar manner, he knows that songs that work for one party may not work for the very next one. He needs to be flexible enough to accept certain guidelines you set for YOUR wedding or event! There should be a planning session where you tell him what you would like to hear and what you would NOT like to hear. A skilled professional will be able to take requests during the event, play them when appropriate and blend them in with other known songs to create a flow and a party atmosphere at any given moment during your event.
Should your DJ provide you with a Music List or guide to assist you in planning?
In a word, "Yes." Most will give you an abbreviated version to show the range and styles of music he/she carries. A DJ should take the time to consult with you about your tastes and styles of music, as well. By the same token, an experienced DJ knows what will and will not work, too. You should listen to his suggestions on grey areas of music programming. If you ask to have an all Rumba wedding, chances are good that a professional DJ will know it just won't work and you should probably listen to his reasoning in this case....
What about over-time if your guests are having a great time
toward the end of the contracted time?
Your DJ should have discussed this with you in your planning session and should approach you within 1/2 hour of the scheduled end of the event to see if you want to go over. He should always suggest 1/2 hour overtime sessions rather than full hours
because parties can sometimes break up quickly.
When should I be expected to pay the DJ Company?
All companies operate differently. Some expect payment in full prior to the event and some require it the day of. In no circumstances should the DJ have to wait until sometime after the day of the event to get paid. At the very latest, the DJ should be paid in full at the end of the event. He/she should discuss that with you at the first meeting or the
planning session prior to the event itself.
Does Your DJ offer a Guarantee of his service?
Do you REALLY know what you are getting and can you measure it? Did the DJ do everything he promised he would do? Can he describe to you what to expect and then deliver? These are all important questions you need the answers to before booking your entertainment.
Is this his full time career or his part time hobby?
During the week, does he work on your event or at his "regular" job?
Does he have the time to return your phone calls and e-mails promptly?
This is the most common problem in the Disc Jockey industry. There are numerous Disc Jockeys who are billing themselves as "professionals" while they are working full-time in some other field. They don’t really have to care if they do an outstanding job or not, because they still have their regular job to fall back on. One of the best ways to spot these "part-time professionals" is by looking at their prices. A full-time professional Disc Jockey (who isn’t overbooking and sub-contracting) cannot afford to cover his business expenses and make a livable wage for $400.00 - $500.00 per wedding reception. If the Disc Jockey tells you he is doing this full-time, but his prices don’t match, he is probably practicing overbooking and sub-contracting, in which case you’ll most likely wind up with a part-timer at your reception anyway. Another clear sign of a part-timer, is the Disc Jockey’s inability to return your calls promptly or meet with you during the day. Wedding Receptions and party planning require full-time attention!
Will he meet with you in person to help you plan your reception?
Is he willing to meet with you at your home or at the company office? Will he take the time to meet with you multiple times, if needed? Will he help you plan your reception to be exactly the way you want it to be?
Watch out for DJ’s who tell you that you must do your meetings on the phone or you are asked to fill out the paperwork yourself and send it back with a signed contract and a check, before you even get to meet with a real person. Would you sign a contract for something as important as a wedding reception without face to face meeting? This practice is very common among companies that overbook and sub-contract because then you have no idea what your Disc Jockey even looks like,and so you'll be less likely to spot the bait and switch.
Does he have company standards that govern his behavior?
Can he provide you with a printed list of his company standards? If so,
do his standards meet or exceed your expectations?
Can he provide references that will confirm his adherence to these standards?
Some Disc Jockeys are notorious for doing the most inappropriate things at wedding receptions. Things like helping themselves to the open bar, hitting on your Maid of Honor or playing a song by 2 Live Crew when your Grandma finally gets out to the dance floor. If they don’t have written standards for their behavior, then they are telling you that just about
anything can and will happen at your reception.
What will he do at your reception/party that makes his service unique?
Does he have creative ideas for customizing and personalizing your reception?
Will he keep your guests’ attention where it belongs—on you?
Will he incorporate your ideas with the personality and style you desire?
Unfortunately, many people think that Disc Jockeys are a dime a dozen.
And, based on the way most Disc Jockeys promote themselves and perform, this belief is very understandable. If you want your reception to be unique and memorable,
then you should find a Disc Jockey who is unique and memorable as well.
Each Disc Jockey has his own personality, skills and ideas, so take the time to find
the person who will best meet your needs.
Does he coordinate your entire reception for you?
Does he have a checklist to ensure that your reception will flow smoothly?
Is he willing to work with the other vendors and keep them informed?
Will he get your permission before making any changes to your reception?
Most Disc Jockeys will tell you they coordinate the events at your reception, but the true test is asking them for the checklist they keep at each event to make sure everything is in place and all the events will flow together smoothly. If they don’t have a checklist prepared, then they aren’t really prepared to coordinate your reception events. Whether the Disc Jockey wants to coordinate or not, when things go wrong, he is the first person everybody looks to for direction, answers, and for someone to blame.
Disc Jockeys already have the responsibility, so they should act accordingly.
Does he have a wide base of entertainment experience to draw from?
What is his/her entertainment background?
What is he/she currently doing to improve his entertainment skills?
Is his/her entertainment experience limited to just disc jockey work?
In order to provide the best quality entertainment possible, each Disc Jockey should be actively seeking to improve and broaden their entertainment capabilities. Most Disc Jockeys aren’t fulfilling this important detail because they fall into categories #1 and #2, and therefore, don’t really care about improving their services. People tend to become what they are committed to becoming. The same is true for Disc Jockeys.
Does he have the skills to deliver announcements that are clear and direct?
Does he/she have any public speaking experience outside of disc jockey work?
Does he/she have any speech and/or vocal training?
Are his/her announcements direct and to the point?
If you’ve ever seen someone try to get a crowd’s attention without the proper vocal skills, then we need not say more. Or when they do open their mouths, they don’t know what to say. Words like "uh" and "um" get used too much and then your guests are left asking each other, "What did he just say?" The person you choose as your Disc Jockey will be your spokesperson representing you to your guests.
In closing, for those of you that may have skimmed through the content above. The most important thing I can convey to you as I stated a few times above is that your wedding day is not a dress rehearsal, it's not a movie where the director says "cut" let's do that scene again. Once the damage has been done, it's too late. Whichever entertainment option you decide upon, Please Choose Wisely.
Some Interesting Wedding Statistics
*AFTER THE VOWS...
72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
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Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
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During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer - reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities.
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Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!
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When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
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65% of all couples that chose a band to entertain at their wedding, said, if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen a disc jockey.
