Most people’s first experience with hiring and working with a DJ is either for a wedding or some kind of celebration. So, we have put the procedure into an easy 10 step progression of how the initial contact with your DJ moves along.
- An email has the advantage of allowing you to put all the details in writing so they can have time to research and get back to you. Sending out a concise and informative information package to each enquiry is step one.
- This is a great way to get a feel for the personality and organizational skills of the music service. A contract can be signed at this stage or you may want to think about it.
- Organizing is the key to having a smooth and trouble-free event in terms of your music services provider. Your music services company normally has a very large variety of music collected over years of events and weddings and preparing for them as well as always acquiring new music. Here, your DJ will use a checklist they’ve created specifically for your kind of gathering to combine your music and requests.
- Your DJ should arrive early enough to load in and have everything set up and ready to go by the start time.
- The DJ service must allow for travel time. A more recent model and dependable vehicle are essential for getting them, as well as their equipment, where they need to go. At times, consumers are searching for the best DJ deals. I constantly remind them that if the DJ doesn’t show up, it’s not a deal for you.
- Vendors can take up to 40 minutes to load into some venues. Check ahead for any special instructions that may delay a vendor from getting into the venue. Some venues require you to load up on a dock, call someone to come get you, pull everything up to the room then find parking.
- DJs need to start off on the right foot when they are preparing for their first night at a club or event. The venue manager or room captain needs to be introduced to and get to know by the DJ. This can set the mood for the whole evening right from there.
The DJ striking up a positive rapport with staff always helps with solving challenges. Moving a setup to another spot often entails at least a partial tearing down and then setting up again. This can delay the music service starting on time so best to get it right the first time. - The DJ should be able to give the MC a heads up as to when the entrance, cake cutting, first dance are about to happen so that the DJ can cue up the music.
- This part of the evening involves handling both the client’s and the guests’ requests. A pleasant, approachable DJ is going to be a lot more fun than one who has their nose in the DJ equipment all evening.
- The breakdown and loadout can actually be the most exhausting part of the evening for your DJ. Your music service has likely put in at least 10 hours of labor for a 7-hour event. Not including music preparation time, your DJ may have worked an additional 3 hours on their event.
As you can see, there is a lot that goes into the preparation and activities of the DJ working your event.