HOW TO AVOID THE 7 MOST COMMON MISTAKES WHEN HIRING A DJ

Erik Michaels of Megasound wrote the following article. The points are very solid and as with any decision on hiring any entertainer (disc jockey or band), much thought must go into place before signing on the dotted line.

COMMON MISTAKE #1

CONTRACTING A DISC JOCKEY BASED ON PRICE ALONE.
What a huge mistake! The musical entertainment is one of the most important elements in the success (or failure) of your engagement.
An exceptional entertainer satisfies you and your guests AND he or she leaves you with great memories of your engagement. Base your decision to hire an individual or company on what features they offer you, not on price alone. The "best price" is not always the "best value."

COMMON MISTAKE #2

WAITING TOO LONG TO HIRE THE ENTERTAINMENT.
Time is of the essence when locating and hiring your entertainment. No one has unlimited resources. If your engagement is scheduled for April, May, June, July, August, September, October, or December, you need to book your entertainment much earlier than the rest of the year. Entertainment for weddings, high school proms, homecomings, reunions, and holiday parties is much more in demand during these months. In addition, the best entertainers usually get hired first which makes them unavailable for a given date much earlier than others.

COMMON MISTAKE#3

NOT DETERMINING THE EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF STAFF FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT.
Determining the actual experience level of your entertainer is quite important. Knowing this will help you understand how well your engagement will be handled when unexpected problems arise as well as the overall atmosphere of your event. Look for an individual or company with at least five years in the disc jockey industry. Specifically ask if they have the type of experience that you expect for your event. If you are hiring a DJ for a wedding, 10 years of experience is recommended. Weddings are more complicated than a backyard party or high school dance. Making certain that your wedding DJ is proficient as an MC is also important. DJs who can officiate ceremonies will naturally also perform better at the basics.

COMMON MISTAKE#4

NOT CHECKING ON BACKUP EQUIPMENT.
Backup equipment needs to be on-site, hooked up and ready to go for each and every event-especially yours! Make certain that your event will not "end early" due to equipment failure with no way to get the show back up in under 5 minutes. Also, make sure that your entertainer will not back out of your engagement because of equipment failure. See (#5) below for more equipment information.

COMMON MISTAKE#5

SELECTING AN ENTERTAINER WHO DOES NOT USE PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT.
Professional equipment is a must. An entertainer who uses home stereo equipment puts your party at risk of unexpected breakdowns-blown loudspeakers, amplifier shutdowns, and improperly operating equipment. Home stereo equipment was never designed for heavy-duty use, constant transportation, and the other range of variables such as temperature, humidity and dust. Although professional equipment is not indestructible, it is designed to withstand this type of use as well as being designed for larger venues.

COMMON MISTAKE#6

NOT CHECKING THE ENTERTAINER'S CREDENTIALS.
This is a HUGE mistake. Check your local Better Business Bureau concerning the individual or company you are considering. Another source of information regarding credentials is your local Chamber of Commerce. If the entertainer that you are considering has had complaints made against them to the BBB, you could be the next person who hires that entertainer and receives unsatisfactory service. Keep in mind that many "moon-lighters" are not even on file with the BBB, but still may do a good job. However, if an entertainer that you are considering has NO file with the BBB AND NO listing in your local yellow pages, watch out! These charlatans do not take this business seriously and many times lack necessary experience, insurance requirements, business licenses or certificates of compliances, and/or other areas of concern (such as proper ethics). If you are interested in locating a good entertainer, look in the yellow pages of a five or six year old telephone book (which can be found in your local library) to cross-reference the entertainers which appear in the current telephone book. You will discover names in the first book which are missing in the second book, and vice-versa. Another great source of reference is to check with the manager at the facility you are renting or other professionals such as photographers.

COMMON MISTAKE#7

BELIEVING THAT A PARTICULAR SETUP WILL BE THE SETUP AT YOUR ENGAGEMENT.
Most DJ's or companies use different equipment from the equipment you saw in their office, at a bridal show, or at a particular engagement. The setup at your show could be considerably different from how it looked before. Ask for pictures or video footage before hiring anyone. Your particular reception hall may be too small or too large for a given setup. If the setup is too small, find out if the entertainer offers larger equipment. Few companies offer standard equipment (this is where all the entertainers from a given company all use the same basic setup). Make certain that enough room is available at your party hall for the setup; conversely, if the setup is quite small, it may be too small for your particular event.

THIS INFORMATION IS PUBLISHED COURTESY OF MEGASOUND AND IS NOT INTENDED TO DISCREDIT ANY INDIVIDUAL OR COMPANY. ITS SOLE PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION OF CONCERN TO CONSUMERS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.