5 Things to Know Before Hiring a DJ
Hiring a DJ is a big decision. We absolutely understand that! What's at stake? Well, in addition to the music, the DJ is in charge of executing your entire day and night. Things like making sure Uncle Joe, who's been banned from talking on the mic, isn't able to jump up and grab the mic in between toasts. Or maybe it's ensuring the DJ doesn't play that song you hate, says everyone's names properly, allows your vows to be heard during the ceremony, and doesn't miss that moment you envisioned. Those are just a few things that could go wrong with a sub-par DJ. So here's 5 Things to Know...and Ask...Before Hiring a DJ that will help you choose wisely.
1. EXPERIENCE
Experience matters. Ask how much experience they and their company have. The longer someone has been doing something, the more situations they've encountered and more they know how to adapt to and fix things. Not to mention, it's like practice - the more someone does something, the better they are likely going to be at it. Especially when factoring in purpose and guidance. The more experience someone has - no matter what aspect of this industry or other career it is - the more demand they likely have. Experience carries the likelihood of greater competence, and it also can reveal character and passion through reviews, reputation and the fact they've been doing it a long time.
2. TIME & TRUST
Ask questions about what you get for TIME from your DJ. You deserve a DJ and company who is going to invest time in getting to know you and customize your day to you, not mail in a stock-standard-stale performance. You also want to make sure you're able to meet with them as much as you need, that setup/breakdown time are included, what the travel radius is, and of course, how much time you're getting that day from the start of prelude through the sendoff. Time and trust go hand in hand. As your DJ invests time in you, you'll gain that trust in them and be comfortable on your wedding day or big event.
3. EQUIPMENT
What equipment are they using? You may not know the brands, but do some quick research on them. EV, QSC, Shure, Sennheiser, Yamaha, and Pioneer are just a few examples of solid brands. Good equipment costs money. But it also means things sound great, and look great, on your day. It's about both quality sound and a clean presentation. And beyond the brand of the equipment, ask if they have backups. Good equipment isn't going to fail often, but at some point, things do fail. Like if your DJ is set up outside on a 100-degree July day. Even the best equipment is at risk. Even more than that, we've seen a guest with bad dance moves almost take out a speaker before. So if something crazy happens, will they have backup equipment and be up and running again in minutes?
4. SITUATIONS
How will they handle certain situations? If you're wondering, ask! Maybe you have divorced parents and aren't sure if, or how, to introduce them. Maybe there's that one guest you know who is going to keep requesting that one terrible song all night long...and you want to be sure your DJ isn't going to allow it. Maybe you don't want to dance an entire dance with your parents but aren't sure how to end it early. Whatever the situation you're worried about, or that you want to make sure goes smoothly, ask the DJ how he or she would handle it. As we mentioned above, an experienced DJ will have been through these situations and have an answer.
5. MUSIC
Music is a big part of what the DJ does, right? So you want to know what they are going to play, and how they are going to make your night pop! There are some basic questions you need to ask your DJ about music though. For starters, how involved are they in choosing the music? And are you able to have input? This is your day, right?! That sounds like an obvious question, but it's one you need to ask. It's your day, so make sure you can give as much direction as you'd like. For you, it comes down to thinking about 3 categories: MUST PLAYS, MAYBE PLAYS, DO-NOT-PLAYS. Now, if you only have a few songs you know you really want played, ask the DJ how they'll handle that. With music, you also need to know how the DJ is going to handle requests. Requests can be a good thing or bad thing, so make sure you talk about that. And lastly, how are they going to keep people dancing? At an event, you have people of all ages, agendas, and tastes of music. So how are they going to get them on the dance floor. Again...a DJ with experience will have some answers for this.
We hope this helps narrow down your list of DJs. We also hope we're on that list! We'd love for you to grill our DJs with these questions and topics, or any others you have. Click our Contact page and let's setup a call!