How to Hire a DJ
It’s a question I get asked a lot, ”how do I hire a DJ?”. My first word of advice is “carefully.” Here’s why… just like the location “sets the scene” for an event, your entertainment company and DJ sets “the mood.” Ever been to an event that was just “ho-hum”? Perhaps things moved too slowly. Or maybe the music was so loud during dinner that you couldn’t hear yourself think let alone carry on a conversation with any of your table mates. Maybe no one was dancing because the music wasn’t right for the crowd. All of these situations are influenced and controlled by your DJ. A good DJ will keep the party going, play music that gets your guests out on the dance floor (instead of clearing it) and will help make your event a success. A great DJ will do all of that and take the pressure off of you during your big event!
So here are my suggestions on how to hire a great DJ that will add to the success of your event, whether it’s your wedding day, your husband’s surprise birthday party, your company’s holiday party, your child’s mitzvah or just a fun filled karaoke party for you and your friends. From the smallest event to the largest, a great DJ will provide you professional service that enhances the experience for you and your guests.
Suggestion #1: Give your event some thought before you ever call a DJ…
The first thing a DJ/entertainment company is going to want to know is “what is your event?”. A wedding? A corporate event? This is typically followed by when, where, what time, how many hours, etc.. You’ll want to give your event some thought before you start calling potential DJ/entertainment companies. That way when you get them on the phone you won’t get caught off-guard by all of their questions. Remember… you won’t be the only one asking questions in your initial phone conversation.
Suggestion #2: Meet with potential DJ’s in-person if you have time…
Meeting with a potential DJ/entertainment company before you hire them will help to put your mind-at-ease. It also means that on the day of your event you won’t be strangers!
Suggestion #3: Let the experts do their thing…
Sometimes it’s easy to get bogged down in the details and coordinating an event can turn into a micro-managing nightmare that sucks all the fun out of the actual event. If you have it within your budget to hire a DJ/entertainment company… take advantage of the fact that you’ve hired an expert. Unless you really want to spend hours creating a playlist (and not many people d0), just let your DJ know what genre(s) of music you prefer (and which ones you definitely don’t want to hear) and let the experts do their thing!
The exception to this advice is… your first dance as bride and groom. Choosing a song that is meaningful to you and your new spouse should be one of the fun parts about planning a wedding reception.
Suggestion #4: When in doubt… ASK!
If you have a question about something pertaining to the music/entertainment for your event… ASK! Never be embarrassed or concerned that your question is a “dumb one.” Quite the contrary. Not asking is
more likely to result in disappointment than asking. A professional DJ/entertainment company would always rather know your questions so that they can help to answer them and provide services that meet your needs and solutions to any problems.
