You’ve got a company meeting or office party coming up, an invite-only industry event, or a wedding coming up, and you need music. You’re preoccupied with a thousand other tasks in order to make the event a success, but there’s one question about which you’re still unsure.
Who am I going to choose as the DJ? Do I hire a professional DJ or find someone in-house (a coworker or close friend who can play music)?
You have some money set aside, and as you consider your alternatives, you wonder what the difference is between an amateur and a professional DJ.
There are some significant differences between a casual DJ and a professional DJ hired for the job — differences that can literally determine whether or not your event is a huge success (music at an event is THAT important). What does a professional dj do? Here are the differences.
A PROFESSIONAL DJ HAS THE ABILITY TO READ A ROOM (AND KEEP THEM HAPPY)
The most important skill a professional DJ brings to your event is the ability to build and maintain a crowd’s interest and excitement. This entails playing the right songs, playing genres that elicit a response, and, most importantly, keeping people moving throughout the event while adjusting the music on the fly to match the energy level.
For example, at a wedding, this could mean that the wedding DJ plays the perfect mix of dancefloor-filling wedding anthems (“Happy,” “Uptown Funk,” other contemporary and classic standards) and love songs, reading the room and making the music reflect the newlyweds’ and guests’ energy and vibe.
Knowing what music to play for your audience is crucial — you don’t want to play Elvis Presley for the first dance if the bride and groom are old school hip-hop fans.
This is a sixth sense that a dedicated DJ develops through years of performing; it is this experience that allows the DJ to hone her gift, and it is not something that a casual DJ will have mastered.
KNOWS HOW TO MATCH THE MUSIC TO YOUR EVENT’S THEME AND TONE
This goes beyond the ability of a good DJ to read a room. Finding the correct genres and forms of music to suit the nature of the event – whether it’s a more formal corporate function, or a vibrant party or marketing activation.
A professional DJ knows that at a beauty event where people are going around booths or getting product demonstrations, the most important thing is for the crowd to hear what is being said to them. So they simplify the experience by carefully controlling the music’s style, perhaps focusing on ambient background music rather than dance anthems or pop hits.
Similarly, at an office party, the music should be less risky — expletives should be avoided or kept to a bare minimum, for example — and easier to digest for a crowd of varying ages and backgrounds.
This degree of expertise is entrenched in every professional DJ, but it may not be there in someone who has just DJed a few events.
A PROFESSIONAL DJ WILL DRESS PROFESSIONALLY AND PERFORM PROFESSIONALLY.
This point may be at the bottom of the list, but that does not mean it is irrelevant. Your DJ’s appearance and demeanor can have a significant impact on your event. This is especially true for office parties and corporate events. What all boils down to is that when you book a professional event DJ, you know you will receive a DJ who acts 100 percent professional.
This entails more than just arriving early for the sound check.
It means:
- They’ll put on fancy attire (or as formal as your event is)
- They’ll dress and do hair/make-up to match your brand if your event is a promotion, such as a product or brand launch or marketing activation.
The difference a skilled DJ makes is one of the main reasons DJ agencies like Buffalo DJ Pros exist. There are numerous horror stories regarding what may go wrong with inexperienced DJs (especially when they’re brought in at the last minute) and how this can drastically degrade an event.
If you have an upcoming event and want to learn more about the benefits of hiring a professional DJ, contact us today and we’ll walk you through what you’ll need for your event and answer any questions you may have.