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Chicago Illinois Wedding
Reception Specialists
Hi! And, thank you for taking the
time to read this article.
So, how do
you avert disaster and make certain that you hire
entertainment that will deliver the feelings you want?
You need to follow the right steps.
“The 11
Steps to Hiring SENSATIONAL Disc Jockey Entertainment
for YOUR Special Event.”
STEP
ONE:
Find out what kind of company you are considering.
The first thing you will want to
determine is
“What kind of company are you
considering?”
This question may sound foolish; however, just because a
company contracts disc jockeys does not make them a disc
jockey company. Qualify whether you are
speaking to a professional mobile disc jockey company
OR a professional booking agency. You want to speak
with someone who has
DIRECT EXPERIENCE
in PERSONALLY providing the service
YOU
WANT.
When you talk to a disc jockey
company, the individual with whom you
are corresponding is drawing on their own,
personal experience, which is
irrefutable. After all,
how can you take issue with someone's experience? To the
contrary, when you deal with an agency who books disc
jockeys, you are often times dealing with a salesperson
whose field of expertise is in another area. Ask the
questions that need asking. Find out exactly what kind
of company you are talking to and what direct,
PERSONAL experience the person has with YOUR
particular event.
STEP 2:
Determine the individual’s or company’s experience in
providing professional mobile disc jockey entertainment
for your type of event.
So,
you’ve determined what kind of company you are dealing
with and now you may want to ask
"How
long have you been entertaining as a professional disc
jockey?"
Many
things can happen during an event, both expected and
unexpected. A disc jockey’s ability to handle any
situation that could arise can have a profound effect on
the success of your event. Make certain you contract
with a seasoned professional who can handle various
situations and work with your caterer, photographer,
videographer, banquet manager, party planner and
most importantly, YOU,
in a professional, congenial manner.
STEP 3:
Test the company’s competency and resiliency by asking
“What if” questions.
For
example, you may want to ask,
"What
would you do in the case of______?"
Fill
in the blank with the potential situation that concerns
you the most and see how the individual reacts. See if
they can give you multiple solutions to the same
situation. Give them the same amount of time to come up
with a solution that they would have if the actual
situation were to arise. Ask them if the situation you
brought up has happened to them and how they handled it
in that situation. You will quickly
get a sense for their level of experience and
professionalism.
STEP 4:
Determine the frequency that the company provides the
kind of entertainment YOU WANT.
You
may want to ask, "Is this your full time profession
or part-time vocation?" Follow up this question
with
"A
how
many shows do you provide this DJ
entertainment at per month? Per year?"
Now,
the person may say they have been entertaining
as a DJ for 14 years. However, what if they only
perform at 6 shows per year?
Do you still want to hire them? Now, you may be asking why this matters. Well, think
about professional athletes or concert pianists or
best-selling authors. Clearly, they perform at that
level of mastery because they DEDICATED
themselves to ONE
THING
and they ACHIEVE
regularly. Professional disc jockeys and disc jockey
companies vary greatly. Make sure you contract with
someone who dedicates the majority of their professional
life to their craft - entertaining at
events for people like
YOU.
STEP
5:
Verify the company’s credibility through a third party.
"Can
you supply at least 3 (recommend 7-12) references
from clients for the DJ(s) who will be entertaining at
my ___________?"
OK,
the person says that they or their
company are experienced DJ
professionals who have personally performed at 100's of
events. Now, you might want to inquire about
references. If the company cannot supply references for
the DJ who will be at your party, you might want
to consider someone else.
STEP
6:
Find out EXACTLY what separates this disc jockey company
apart from their competitors.
As
the client, what you are really asking here is,
"Is
your DJ company a commodity or a
unique entertainment service?" Are
you getting a Chevrolet or a Rolls Royce? Now, if
the disc jockey or disc jockey company cannot rattle off
6 or 7 things that separate them apart from their
competitors, that may be a strong indicator that they
don't know their business. As a result, they may not be
able to provide the level of service you deserve.
Complimenting the above question, you may want to ask,
"What makes you uniquely qualified to DJ at my
_______________?"
Again, the presence, skills, unique ability and
experience of the entertainer are
critical
to
the promotion and
success
of your event. Weigh these past two questions heavily
in separating the professionals from the amateurs.
STEP
7:
Get specific.
"Can
you give me an example of how you do _______________?
In
the case of a wedding you might ask the person how they
orchestrate the introductions, the cake cutting, and the
garter removal. In the case of children’s parties, you
might ask what age specific games the disc jockey will
be playing with your 8 year olds.
Ask them what they would do for your situation.
Don't expect the person to give away their pearls or
trade secrets. However, they should definitely be
able to give you specific examples.
STEP
8:
Make sure you cover your bases.
"If
the establishment requires an insurance binder, can you
provide one?"
This
one question alone separates the professionals from the
amateurs and the reckless from
the responsible. More and more venues are demanding
proof of insurance prior to any outside contractor
stepping foot on their property. Avoid putting your
entire event in jeopardy. Hire someone who takes what
they do seriously and runs their disc jockey company
like a business. You wouldn’t want to get in a car with
a driver who is uninsured. Don’t risk your once in a
lifetime event to someone who is equally reckless.
STEP 8:
Make certain you have a say with the
music.
"Who
determines the song play list?"
Make certain that
YOU
know that your DEFINITELY DO PLAY
LIST and DEFINITELY DON'T PLAYLIST will be honored -
period. And, with increasing
litigation by record labels, make certain that your DJ
has legal copies of the music. The last thing you
want is someone's illegal library being confiscated the
week before your event; and, the person you hired is now unable to perform.
Pay the extra money for a legitimate business and
eliminate any potential problems resulting from illicit
behavior.
STEP 9:
Speak directly with your disc jockey PRIOR to your
event.
"Can
I speak with my DJ prior to my event to make certain we
have rapport and review my requests?"
If you are unable to speak with
the DJ prior to them arriving at your reception, then
the DJ cannot
TRULY know what
YOU WANT.
YOU never communicated your needs to THEM
directly. Again,
since your special event only happens once,
don't leave a miscommunication
or omission to chance. The DJ
isn't going to get the opportunity to make it right at
your next wedding reception.
STEP 10:
Mold your professional mobile disc jockey in YOUR image.
"Can
I choose the personality of the DJ and the level of
their interaction with my guests?"
Make certain the DJ interacts at
the level YOU WANT. And, find out whether the
company provides what THEY THINK is best or
they ultimately deliver the feelings
YOU WANT. While the company can make
professional recommendations, always be sure that they
know YOU
have the final say. Again, you are a client, not a
customer. This is not a candy bar transaction.
Nevertheless, you decide whether you want a Snickers or
a Milky Way.
STEP 11:
Determine if your disc jockey is willing to go the extra
mile.
"Do I
have to come to your office for a meeting?"
Attitude, attitude, attitude.
And, experience. Ask anyone who is a professional
in their craft whether someone who does what they do
"once in a while" could beat them at their game on a
regular basis. Why? It's self evident. That
level of mastery needs to be complimented by a great
attitude. If
someone truly wants your business, they
will do what it takes to get it and keep it. A
great company will make the
effort to accommodate you at all stages of the process.
I have
driven nearly 3 hours to meet with clients;
and, I
understand how important someone's
once in a lifetime event is. Clearly,
sometimes people are in different states and a physical
meeting is not possible. However, at the least, a
conference call can be arranged at the disc jockey’s
expense. Hire someone who is at least WILLING to
go the extra mile – literally AND figuratively.
Hopefully, these questions will
help guide you during your interviews. With these
questions, you should be able to determine who is going
to provide you with
SENSATIONAL
DJ entertainment for your
special event. If you have a specific need which we
have not addressed, please feel free to contact us
directly at the following email
address:
glenndavid@glenndavidproductions.com
and we will return your e-mail within 48 hours.
I wish
you the best in hiring a
SENSATIONAL
disc jockey for your event.
Warmest wishes and best regards,
Glenn
Schroeder, Entertainment Manager and
Musical Host
Glenn David Productions
http://www.glenndavidweddings.com |
