Tips For Hiring A DJ

Apr 11

There are many important factors to consider when booking a DJ for your special event. After all, nobody want a bad DJ! In this article I will cover the top 7 criteria that you should look at when you meet with each company. I will also include a link at the end of this article to download our ‘Tips For Hiring A DJ’ document for free!

1.PROMPT RETURN OF YOUR PHONE CALLS OR EMAILS.

Does the DJ you are thinking about hiring respond in a prompt manner? You should expect to get a call back or an email back within 24 hours. The only exception may be weekends when most DJs are performing. If your potential DJ is poor at responding before you have even booked them that may be a sign that they are unorganized. If this is the case it is best to move on and continue your search elsewhere.

2. WILLINGNESS TO MEET WITH YOU AND PRESENT HIS/HER SERVICE.

Will the DJ try to meet with you or at least schedule a video conference? If your DJ is only willing to commit to a phone call that may be a sign that it’s time to move on. Most DJs will want to meet in person and go over their presentation with you. At the very least you should be able to have a video conference with your DJ to meet them ‘virtually’. We do all our initial consultations in person or by video conference so you can meet your DJ and see their set up. Phone consultations are the last resort for us.

3. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON THAT SHOWS UP?

There is NOTHING worse in the world than having to do business with someone you do not like. Choosing the person who feels right is the most important factor in picking the right entertainer for your party or reception. This is also a great way to get a vibe for your DJ to see if they are someone you trust to help you throw the biggest party of your life.

4. DOES THE DJ HAVE A MUSIC LIST OR ONLINE SYSTEM THAT SHOWS YOU WHAT SORT OF MUSIC HE OR SHE HAS AVAILABLE?

You need to be assured that the DJ you hire not only has a sizable collection, but has a variety of music, especially for wedding receptions, where many different styles of music and guests will be in the same room together. Now in the digital age it is extremely easy for DJs to acquire new music, but you also need to make sure that the sound quality is good. We do not download from YouTube or any online streaming service. We use only professional DJ catalogs of the highest quality music and variety to purchase our music such as BPM Supreme & Direct Music Service. We will also NEVER stream live music during an event off of YouTube or any other streaming service. We use an online planning system for our clients to plan their timeline and pick their music selections. This system lists our 100,000+ songs in our database and makes song selections extremely easy for our clients. On top of our database we have over 30 Spotify playlist available to help clients with ideas for songs like their first dance, cake cutting, and more.

5. DOES THE DJ USE PROFESSIONAL GRADE EQUIPMENT?

The DJ should always be able to tell you what he/she uses and characterize the equipment as professional grade. This can be a tricky topic to address as there are many different brands for DJs to choose from. You also need to check if the equipment is relatively new and properly cared for. Below I have listed some of the major brands used for sound and lighting by industry professionals.

Chauvet DJ(lighting)
ADJ(lighting)
JBL(speakers)
Yamaha(speakers, mixers)
ElectroVoice(speakers, microphones)
QSC(speakers)-not used by us, but a good brand
Sennheiser(microphones)
Sure(microphones)-not used by us, but a good brand
Software- Serato, VirtualDJ, Traktor, Rekordbox, PCDJ
DJ Controllers- Pioneer, Roland, Dennon, Traktor

Remember, while there are certainly other brands out there the ones listed above are the most reputable in our industry. A DJ that uses Windows Media Player or iTunes is not a DJ. You also need to factor in how their setup looks. Will it match your style or stick out like a sore thumb? Remember, your DJ is there to provide the entertainment not be the center of attention with their large and bulky setup. If there are loose/visible cables in their sales photos then can you trust that they will clean it up when it comes to your event? Below is a photo of our setup and a well…let’s say a not so good setup.

6. DOES THE DJ OFFER TO MEET WITH YOU AFTER SIGNING THE CONTRACT TO PLAN YOUR EVENT?

A professional DJ is ALWAYS willing to discuss your event at any time before the event starts, and should display the flexibility to accommodate changes and help you solve problems. Meeting or phone/video conferencing your DJ to plan your event is a paramount importance to a successful event such as a wedding reception. You should feel comfortable reaching out to your DJ as much as you want. They are a great planning resource to help you. After all we’ve done this a few times…

7. WILL THE PERSON THAT YOU INTERVIEW BE THE PERSON THAT WILL PERFORM AT YOUR EVENT?

This is THE most common complaint about the DJ industry today. The person you meet turns out NOT to be the person that actually does your show. Often, you are not made aware of this. Ask the DK you interview if he/she will be the actual person performing, or will someone else perform the event. You need to know this UP FRONT before you sign a contract. When you schedule a consultation with one of our DJs that will be the person who shows up for your event. It’s even written into our contract!

Joe Nagan