10 Great Tips for Hiring Your Perfect DJ

Hello and congratulations on your upcoming weddings. With all the new brides to be, I thought I would talk about “10 Things You Should Know When Hiring Your DJ”

Boogie Shoes DJ & Karaoke Services has done well over 1,500 weddings and events with traditional and high profile clients and so I do have a few tips to pass on to you.

With all the DJs out there, it is certainly hard to know what to look for in a quality DJ service, especially if you have never hired one before. That is why I’m happy to offer you a step by step process that, if followed, will get you a great DJ service and a successful event. I know you are serious about your function…so let’s get started.

*# 1 DO YOUR HOMEWORK….GO TO THEIR WEBPAGE*

This step can be before or after you phone the DJ you find interesting, but it is one you very much should do. On the DJ’s web site you can get all of the information you need to know to make an informed decision. Look at their reference page to see their testimonials. They should be recent and include a variety of events as well as doing different cultural events.

This is nice to see as it shows the DJ has a lot of experience and is able to trouble shoot effectively when a sudden challenge arises.

Look at the various packages to see if they include what you require. As well, check what extra services are available.

Another very important point is to take a look at their Face book page. Are they active. Are they posting every day. Take a look at their video section. A busy DJ is a good DJ.

*# 2 CONTACT*

Once you have decided on a few DJs you think might be just what you’re looking for, the first contact should be by phone if possible. Speak with them for a few minutes. Are they courteous? Are they open to your ideas, willing to take direction while at the same time able to offer helpful advice? Try to get a feel for the DJ’s temperament. It is your day after all and you want a DJ that you like, who is serious about giving you the best customer service they can and will be helpful with their knowledge and experience so that they can contribute to helping you have the best event
possible.

*Meeting your DJ*

Once you have decided on the DJ you would like to meet with, there are a number of things you will want to look for when you meet them. In my experience, these items help you narrow down the best DJ for you.

*# 3 PUNCTUALITY*

Your DJ should be on time for their meeting with you. If there is an unfortunate circumstance where the DJ will be late, they should phone you and keep you appraised of the situation and let you know when they expect to arrive for the meeting or if another date needs to scheduled. Here again, concern for your time shows concern for you and your event.

*# 4 RELIABILITY*

Before your DJ can play at your event, they need to be there. Punctuality is one indicator of reliability. Another is references. Good testimonials with contact information are indisputable, factual evidence that the DJ is reliable and then some… more on testimonials below.

*# 5 ATTIRE*

Is your DJ presentable? This is a business meeting for your DJ. A tie is not necessary but if your prospective DJ takes the time to dress nicely, then it is another indicator that they take your event seriously, are professional, want your business and will work with you to not only obtain it but will be conscientiously wanting to obtain the coveted “worthy of a referral” award that a happy client bestows. A nice shirt or sweater and dress slacks with proper footwear should be what to expect in your DJ’s attire upon your business meeting. It is also recommended to ask the DJ
what they will wear at your event.

*# 6 REFERNCES /TESTIMONIALS*

Any DJ worth hiring should have recent references with contact information that you should check on. This is one of the ways you can be sure that you are getting a reliable, competent & honest person to provide the music for your very special event, so ask for and check at least three of those references.

In the DJ’s testimonials, you should look for the areas where they not only met their client’s expectations but exceeded them. The more information on their testimonials the happier the client as they took the time out of their busy life to write this for the DJ service.

Please note… a quality DJ service will not give you testimonials with contact information without meeting with you. This is out of respect for their client’s privacy and to confirm a legitimate request for the information is made.

*ORGANIZATION*

99% of success in anything is organization and preparation. Your DJ needs to come to your meeting prepared and organized. An excellent DJ service will want to maximize your meeting productively and provide information, suggestions and show their ability to take your ideas and incorporate them into your event seamlessly so that you need not worry about the music portions of your function. You can then go on to organizing the other important areas of your event. These are a few of the things that are helpful in making that happen.

*# 7 CHECKLIST*

A superior DJ service should have some type of event checklist. This checklist does many things.

First, it organizes the event into sections…helping you to see what areas you need to think about and indeed, may even point out areas that you may not have even thought about.

Secondly it allows the DJ to get a feel for your function. Your tastes, likes, dislike and ideas are explored using a comprehensive checklist.

Thirdly, it helps you think of related questions you might not be aware of and allows you tap into the DJ’s vast experience with thousands of clients and functions.

Lastly, it organizes your particular event from start to finish with the least amount of work for you and gives the DJ and yourself a clear picture of what is going to happen true to your wishes.

*# 8 CONTRACT*

A contract not only shows professionalism but eliminates any confusion that might arise. It is all there on paper in black & white. It protects both parties & sets out clearly what is expected of your DJ and of yourself so that you are able to partnership in getting your event to run smoothly. Always have a contract.

*# 9 WARRANTY *

You may not think this is important but you get a warranty on everything from a toaster to the new home you buy. Why should it be any different for your DJ service? In many cases, the DJ will be providing a service for a function that is a once in a life time event. The more assurances you have that the musical portion is going to go as smoothly as possible the better.

A warranty does two things, it ensures the DJ is going to work hard to give you the best quality service possible and it gives you peace of mind to allow you to concentrate on the other areas of your function.

For example, my money back plus $100 warranty is among the best in the business.

*# 10 PRICE…A word please*

Let’s face it. Everyone is looking for the best deal they can get, but a DJ service that is really cheap is a red flag. One of the biggest mistakes I hear time and time again is on price. I have many horror stories to recount about a DJ that was cheap… and their services also.

Think about it. A DJ must have very good equipment to give great service. With new quality speakers running at $1,000 + each, computers and other equipment, a valued DJ can easily bring over $6,000 worth of resources, excluding a reliable newer vehicle, to even a small event. On top of that there is the work involved… loading from the shop into the vehicle, out of the vehicle into the venue, set up, doing the event, tear down, back into the vehicle and then load back into the shop. We haven’t even touched on upkeep yet let alone customized preparation for the function. A cheap DJ
cannot possibly have quality, guaranteed services without the financial resources to do so. The question is do you really want to risk your event? The fact is that you really get what you pay for in a DJ service so be forewarned.

That being said though, if you find a service you really like but can’t afford, ask and see if there are things in the package that can be dropped to reduce the price. Some services, such as my own, do have budget services that are paired down offerings that still get you a great music service but with less equipment and services. In any case it does not hurt to ask and you may get that quality DJ service you are wanting within reach of your budget if you are willing to do with less.

I’d also like to mention that DJ services will often offer incentives to book early. Ealry bird pricing or free gift certificates for other vendor services can go a long way to maximizing your dollars spent on your DJ service and getting the best value. In any case, don’t wait too long to book your service or you may have to choose a lesser service than you would like.

Thank you again for taking a look at what I know to be helpful information when looking for your DJ. After doing well over a 1,500 successful weddings and events for literally thousands of clients I know the effort involved in finding a quality DJ service is well worth the time when solving your need for a notable event and the peace of mind that goes along with it. I wish you great success in the hunt for your DJ.

DJ Gary

“Your moment, your music. The way you want it played…my personal promise!”

www.djboogieshoes.com
www.karaokedjservices.ca
gary@djboogieshoes.com
604 – 816 – 7727