There are major issues you want to know about before interviewing prospective DJs. Know the date, time, and exact location at the bare minimum. Rates can vary on ALL of these items, and without these, a price quote may not be accurate. Surveys show that 80% of the success of your event will depend on your entertainment. So, how much should you budget for something as important as your DJ? Professional DJs will invest roughly 8-10 additional hours to your actual event time (travel, setting up and tearing down equpment, consulting, equipment maintenance and organization) to make sure everything runs as planned.
GUARANTEES
/ WHAT YOU WILL HEAR FROM EVERY DJ
Prior to interviewing, save yourself time by finding out how they work and if they will do what
you want. EVERY client says "We don't want a DJ who is over the top/cheesy, we want good music and we want to have fun."
There is not a DJ that will tell you they cannot accomodate those wishes. Guarantees should go MUCH further than just date,
time, and price on a piece of paper. While interviewing DJs over the years we have heard MANY tell us they tell the client what
they want and then on the day of the event they do what THEY think is in the best interest of the party EVEN IF CONTRADICTS the clients
wishes!
DON'T FALL FOR SALES, DISCOUNTS AND HIGH PRESSURE TACTICS
"We are having a sale that ends this Friday!" REALLY? Do
you seriously believe that? Call that company back next week and you will hear the same thing! If you feel your DJ plays
an important role, don't try to save money on the lower end service. Discounted rates mean inexperienced DJs and/or DJs
desperate for work. If they are so good, why would they discount their services? The higher the price, the higher
the demand - it is that simple. So, do you want the DJ nobody else wants to hire because they are cheaper?
HIRE
A DJ WITH EXPERIENCE!
A polished professional can calmly deal with the nervous family member, or a crowd that just won't dance, while
keeping the event enjoyable. Your DJ should be experienced at YOUR type of event. A DJ whose resume accentuates night club experience
may not be best suited for the professional atmosphere that is necessary for weddings. And, ask how the company trains their DJs-you
may surprised at their answer! The inexperienced DJs are usually packaged with the companies who pressure you to use their service.
INTERVIEWING YOUR
DJ
While an interview with your DJ is important, don't let the interview be your only criteria! Some companies go as far as instructing their
DJs to "tell the clients whatever you want to get the booking". Clients often make the mistake of hiring a DJ they "liked" without
finding out more about that DJ. An interview will NOT tell you how much a DJ will interact on the microphone, ability
to read a crowd, organizational skills or even follow instructions at your event. This is why some clients still
have complaints after an event where they interviewed their DJ? Complaints vary from "I told him to do something and he
didn't do it", "he didn't play the music I requested/ignored our request list", "he didn't seem cheesy when we met him, but at
the wedding he was over the top/obnoxious". Obviously, an interview never solves these problems. What is more
important is the guarantee you will get such as music and personality. You can meet with our DJs before or after you sign a
contract - just don't let that be your only criteria.
WILL YOU BE PROMISED THE "BEST" DJ?
Why would anyone EVER want anything less than
the company's "best" DJ? Be cautious of services who package their DJs as "SUPERB" or "DELUXE". This is a tactic to have you pay more
money for the same service. Don’t be suckered into their idea of what is a "good" - it may be drastically different than yours. Conversely,
if only a handful of their DJs are labeled as "BETTER", just what does that really say about the remaining ones? You may even
see things like "Best wedding DJ in the US". There is no national gauge or even a standard that can measure this subjective
description. Any DJ who could fit that description would never need to advertise and would be booked every weekend for years
in advance.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CHOICE OF PERSONALITY
Some clients ask for heavy interaction, while others want a DJ who will
remain in the background, and many prefer someone in between. NEVER use words like "fun" and "good"- these are very subjective. Most
independent (single operation) DJs have one personality and they hopefully they will perform the way you want on your day. Also
keep in mind that definitions of personality and interaction vary from one DJ to the next.
MAKE SURE YOUR DJ HAS BACKUP
EQUIPMENT AND ALSO A BACKUP DJ
If there is no backup, a common response you may get is: "We have NEVER had a problem," or "I work
with several DJs (network of DJs) that will be on backup for me." Both of these answers means they do NOT have backup! Make
sure it is written into your contract. What if your DJ is sick or is involved in an accident? Is that a gamble you want to take
on your special day? Independent DJs and small companies with less than 3 DJs on staff are the highest risks since they
will usually book all their DJs, leaving you without a backup! If it is not an issue, it will be in their contract without the
need for you to ask.
PAY WITH A CREDIT CARD
It shows the seriousness of the business with which you are dealing.
Any DJ company which is in the business as a professional organization, will likely accept credit cards and pay the very low
cost of accepting credit cards
