How do I hire the right DJ?
There are a lot of different factors when it comes to hiring a DJ and a lot of different questions to think about when you are in the process of hiring. Here at MRR Productions we have come up with what we think are some of the right reasons to hire a DJ and what are the wrong reasons to hire a DJ.
There are certain questions you should have in mind of what make a good DJ:
How long have they been DJ’ing?
What kind of Music do they play?
Do you own the equipment or rent the equipment?
What kind of equipment do they have?
Are they available?
How do they perform and what is their style like?
If hired what does the day of look like in terms of logisitcs?
Do they have packages and what are in each of the packages?
Do you have back-up plans just in case there is a problem?
Do they have insurance?
Do they have a contract?
These are some of the basic questions that you should ask when you are in the conversation with a DJ. Depending on their answer to these questions and what you are looking for, if they match what you want then you can make a more informed decision. There are so many red flags when hiring a DJ and it is always good to see how they react to your questions. Before we dive into why these questions matter you should see the tone of your DJ from the beginning of the call all the way to the end. Are they answering you in a descriptive matter, are they trying to shrug you off, are answers for unclear than the question that was asked and do you hear them start to get annoyed from the conversation that you are having? These are signs that this might not be the DJ for you, some companies have people that take these calls, so you don’t actually talk to the DJ, but you should always request to actually talk to the DJ as well so that way you can make a more informed decision. Attitude makes a big difference when it comes to hiring a DJ and you definitely don’t want someone that is there for a paycheck.
Why do these questions matter?
Our first question is, How long have you been DJing? This is a good question because now you can gauge if this person is experienced or has just started. There is no problem in having a new DJ but there are certain events that experience matters more. If they are new in the field are they assisted by someone with more experience or how can they leverage their experience to help enhance your event versus someone with more experience. At the end of your day if you are hiring for a wedding, that is something that cannot be repeated and that is where experience matters more than anything else for couples. You can add on questions to this like, how many years have you DJ’ed, Have you performed at my type of event before, or even do you have any videos or pictures of events that you have done that I can look at? These are great questions to ask and any experienced DJ or DJ company should be able to tell you the answers right away and offer these things to you right away!
Our second questions is, What kind of music do you play? This question is important because this is where you start to learn about your DJ and what music they are comfortable with and what is their specialty. Knowing this can change the entire conversation, because if you are looking for a DJ that plays only pop music and you want them to play country music, then this DJ will not know every song that can be played or utilize their library to make the event all the more better. You should always ask for a sample or if they can make you a sample according to your likes, then you can actually gauge if this DJ can actually play the songs that you like. By doing this you can be more comforted that the DJ you are choosing is the right DJ and they can play the music you like and really be more specific to your liking. You can even ask if they take requests, and if they say yes then that is a great sign for a DJ. Check out our other post about why seeing if a DJ takes requests can be a big decision factor of if you should hire or if you should not.
Our third question is, Do you rent your equipment or do you own your equipment? This is probably one of the more important questions as this will tell you if this DJ cares about their craft or if this is just a paycheck for them. DJ’s that rent their equipment either are just starting out or don’t want to invest into their craft. Yes equipment is expensive, but when you reach a level of which you are doing events every week and you are doing high-end events, all DJ’s are expected to own their own equipment and be able to perform without the need to rent equipment from third party. DJ’s that own their own equipment are more invested into their craft and is a good judging factor in knowing that they actually care for what they do and they will care for your event.
Our fifth questions is, are you available? If you are planning an event you should always make sure that the DJ that you want is available for your day. Companies are sometimes comprised with more than one DJ and in having that, sometimes the main DJ is booked and they will send you someone from their team. Not saying that anyone on the team does not match up to another DJ, but you want to make sure you know which DJ you are getting so that way you can not have any surprises for your big day.
Our seventh questions is about logistics. When it comes to your big day you want to know how your DJ will be and what they will be doing. Arrival time, set up time, sound check, and so many more are some of the important things to know about your DJ. You want to always share with the DJ what time you are expecting to be picture ready, and that is the time that all the set up needs to be completed and everything needs to be ready to go. Depending on the type of event or venue, there are times that a DJ company can come in earlier than the time they are needed and set everything up in order to ensure that they are set up ready for you. Sound Checks and ensuring everything is working should be done pretty quickly but depending on the complexity of the set up then the DJ team should be able to give you a timeline of how long they need and when they plan to arrive.
The eighth question is very important in knowing what you are getting! You want to know the costs and what different packages DJ’s have. You don’t want to pay for a blanket package that says that they will perform at your wedding, you want to know what is in each package and what you are getting for your money. A red flag is if the DJ tells you what they charge for a simple wedding and they give you a price. You want the DJ to have different packages and showcase what they offer in a very detail orientated way so that way you know what your getting and then you can choose something that fits your budget. Newer companies are usually the ones that don’t have a lot of packages but established companies will have different packages for you so that you can pick something that fits your budget but have options.
The ninth questions is by far something that COVID has brought into attention for a lot of people. When looking at vendors, the last thing you need is for a DJ company to claim a sickness or something that will render them unable to perform at your event. You always want to ask them what are their backup plans for both their sound systems, equipment but also if something were to happen to them. It is very important that DJ companies have someone on standby if something like this happens so that your event can continue without issue. If the company has a plan in place for if something were to happen and it seems plausible to you then that is a good sign, but if a company claims that nothing has ever happened and they don’t foresee any situation like that happening then that is definitely a red flag and be weary.
The last two questions are important as well but they are there to protect you and the venue. You want to make sure that everything is in writing and being nit-picky during this process is very important. You never want to leave anything to assumptions during this process, because you will be spending a lot of money for an important day, so better to take a few minutes and ensure that everything is there in the correct order for you.
All in all, these are some of the questions you should keep in mind when hiring a DJ. Granted these are not the only questions that you need to ask but have some that are more specific to you. Never be nervous to talk to a DJ and always take note of how they answer the questions and what answers they give you. You can tell a lot about a person when you speak to them, but always remember you are spending the money to have them there and you should ensure that you are spending the right amount of money to have them there for your big day. Keep an eye out as we will answer these questions in full depth in a post coming up.