Hiring the right the DJ for your wedding, party or corporate event is one of the most important decisions you will have to make to ensure your event is a success.
You don’t want an inexperienced DJ rocking up who may not be prepared or have poor equipment. Often an inexperienced DJ will not have a large music selection and are restricted on what they play.
Leaving it to the last minute to book your DJ, it doesn’t give you much time to plan your
event
Below is some of the main mistakes people make when when hiring a DJ.
Book your DJ Early
In many situations when planning for your event, other vendors tend to get booked well in advance of an event and the DJ is sometime is overlooked. Some may think booking a DJ is easy or make the mistake thinking that all DJ’s are equal.
A good reputable DJ will be booked out well in advance. Trying to book a DJ just a few months out from your event will have a much higher rate of ‘good’ DJ’s being booked out.
Remember that a good DJ plays a major role in the success of an event, so the decision is an important one.
Choosing The Wrong DJ
Do not assume for a minute that a DJ is a DJ and they all they do is play music. Not so! There are many aspects to consider when choosing a DJ, below are a few suggestions.
Do They Have Experience For Your Type Of Event?
Entertaining the room, whether it be a Wedding Reception, School Dance or a Corporate Event, it takes a certain level of skill and experience for A DJ to keep the vibe going. Once an inexperienced DJ starts and it is too late to do anything about it, the dramatic effect could be lost. You might chance it and get a good but inexperienced DJ, but the odds will be stacked against you.
Does The DJ Have A Good Reputation?
Do your research, read their webpage and social media, check their reviews and ask others, word of mouth is still a powerful tool.
The internet is a useful way to help narrow down your DJ selection, invest in your time in doing this.
What Is Their Equipment Like?
Most beginner DJ’s will have beginner equipment, this can produce a poorer quality sound. DJ’s that have done this for a while will understand quality equipment and will invest in it. Though the best sound system does not necessarily mean the best DJ.
How Big Is The Music Collection?
A beginner DJ will most likely have a smaller music collection and will restrict them on what they can play. An experienced DJ will have been collecting music over many years giving them a much broader cross-section of what they can play and will be more likely to take requests.
Will They Help Plan Your Event?
The old saying of “failing to plan is a plan to fail”. This ring very true when hiring a DJ. You can draw on a DJ’s experience and they can offer assistance and advise for your day. A planning running sheet of your event is essential so your DJ can plan for your event.
A good DJ will spend many hours planning and prepping for an event as they want it to run smoothly with as little stress as possible. A DJ going in with a “She’ll Be Right” attitude will almost always fall short of the mark and not give you the experience you were hoping for.
“Did You Know?
Within one week after their reception, 78% of brides said they would
have made the entertainment their highest priority”.
Does Your DJ Have Insurance?
Some venues will not allow DJ’s with public liability to perform in their venue. If something should happen and you are the hiring person, this could lead to unnecessary legal battles. An experienced DJ will eliminate as many hazards as possible and plan much more to avoid injury. An inexperienced DJ may not be able assess a problem adequately or just maybe a a hobby DJ with no business skills.
People Do Not Invest Enough In Their DJ
“A good DJ isn’t cheap and a cheap DJ isn’t good”. You may have read this and is a common saying in the industry. It is true for many things in life, so adhere to this advise. There are sharks in many industries so be careful not to be caught on booking a DJ solely on price.
Dance Floor Placement
Your DJ is not an after thought, they are the entertainment so it is critical to have your DJ near the dance floor. If the DJ is too far from the dance floor, they will have to blast the people near the speakers to get any sort of volume to the dance floor. If you have hired lighting there will also be issues with lighting the dance floor from a distance. In this instance the excitement will not reach and the dance floor maybe empty.
Placement of Older Guests
This happens more than you would imagine, the older guest are placed closed to the DJ. This age group is more sensitive with their hearing and may have trouble coping with the louder music. If they are placed close, it is most likely they will keep asking the DJ to turn down the music. Even for dinner music, you want the sound to fill the room so closer to the speakers the louder it is.
Consider placing these guest further away from the speakers, replacing them with the younger guests.
Not Confirming Details Prior To The Event
DJ’s are often among the least of peoples priorities! A good DJ will be in touch prior to your event to verify details. This may not always be the case, so make sure if you have not heard from your DJ that you get in contact with them. This is to confirm the booking and run over details of the event.
It is also important the the DJ can pronounce names if they are MCing, it is also important that special event songs and their versions are correct.
Choosing A Venue Suitable For The Crowd
Choosing a venue that is suitable for the number of guests makes a big difference to the atmosphere . A big room with a small crowd creates much less of an atmosphere over a perfect fit. The guests get spaced out and in to groups if the venue is to large. It is like a big dance floor and not many people on it, but the same amount of people on a smaller dance floor gives the illusion of a packed dance floor. The energy in the room can be deeply effected with the to guest to room size ratio.
There is not a perfect formula for this but it is defiantly worth considering.
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