Disc Jockey News December 2018 • Issue #150
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PAGE 2 • Disc Jockey News • December 2018
and John Lennon wrote songs together (“eyeball to eyeball” as Lennon once described it) when McCartney presented a nascent version of “Saw Her Standing There” to Lennon the opening lines were: “She was just seventeen, and never been a beauty queen.” Lennon hated that second line and encouraged McCartney to change it. As we all know, what they came up with was, “You know what I mean.” With that line, the listener is drawn in. We become complicit in this tale. It’s a “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” kind of moment, even more impressive when you consider it was written by a 22-year-old John Lennon just beginning to find his way as a songwriter. Lennon would continue including his listeners with lyrics like: “Picture yourself in a boat on a river” and, more confrontationally: “You say you want a revolution...” Back to the point. “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” starts with that question: “What have you done?” This is no longer a 22-year-old Lennon talking about a seventeen-year-old girl. This is a decade later, a tumultuous decade indeed, both for Lennon personally and the world at large. And when Lennon asks this question, there is a sense of challenge in his voice, especially if you know what HE has done. This song is the culmination of Lennon and Yoko Ono’s two-year anti-war campaign. Between bed-ins and billboards and so many classic anti-war songs, you start to lose count (who else could follow up “Give Peace a Chance” with “Imagine”?) Lennon and Ono were
on a mission. And with “Happy Xmas” they were hoping to get more people involved. And so, in my best John Lennon accent, I ask you, dear reader: What have you done? No, I’m not talking about helping to end a war. This isn’t a political publication nor does anyone care about my pacifist message (except, of course, other pacifists). I think “What have you done?” is a simple four-word question we should all ask ourselves on a regular basis. It’s what I call a Mirror Question. You know the ones, you stand in front of a mirror, look yourself in your own eyes (which makes it so much harder to lie to yourself) and ask, “What have you done?” We can ask it about our businesses, our families and our health. And December is a good time to ask it. It’s a good time to look back at the year that is ending and make a plan for the one that’s about to begin. Because the New Year is always a good time to set your goals for the upcoming twelve months. You should write these down, and review them a few times throughout the year. But besides the goals themselves, you should be writing down ways to accomplish them. So if “Adding 2 DJs to my roster” is a goal (for example), write that down. But then, underneath it, you should also write some steps that you can take to accomplish this (by the way if you don’t know any steps to take, maybe I can suggest heading to my website http://www.DJMikeWalter.com and picking up a copy of my book “Running Your Multi-Op.”). You should do this with any goal you set, personally or professionally. Goals are like taking a
trip. It’s great to say, “We’re going to go to Hawaii.” But until you block off the dates, buy the airline tickets and book the hotel, it’s all just words. Lennon ends “Happy Xmas” with the repeated chant “War is over if you want it.” That’s a very simplistic, almost hippie-ish thing to say. Just wanting something is certainly not enough to make it happen. We all know that. But it is a good start. You’ll never be more successful in your business until you at least start out by wanting it. The same goes for your family life. You’ll never spend more quality time with your wife and kids until you start wanting to. And of course, your health is the same. You won’t get healthier (physically and/or mentally) until you want to. And that’s what I believe Lennon was saying at the end of “Happy Xmas.” He was saying, “Let’s all want war to be over.” Then we can get to work on making it happen. So take this month and decide what you want. Personally and professionally. Decide where you want to be in December of 2019. Then roll up your sleeves and get to work. Stare at that mirror a few times and challenge your reflection with a no-nonsense question like “What have you done?” And don’t accept anything but the best from that woman or man looking back at you. Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And Happy New Year! Mike Walter is the owner of Elite Entertainment of New Jersey and a nationally recognized expert in the area of multisystem company development and staff training. You can contact Mike at mikewalter@discjockeynews.com.
who will also work hard. Who wants to pick up the slack for a friend who isn’t a hard worker? Social Media and targeted newsletters are also great ways to find employees. One of our very first DJ hires responded to an e-mail blast we sent out to all of our past brides and grooms; that DJ still works for us today! On the job training is very important in our industry since we work unconventional hours, late nights and weekends. One of our industry colleagues has each new hire (no matter what the position) spend an entire weekend “tagging along” to see what a wedding day or special event day looks like. From gear preparation, equipment pick-up and set-up, sound
check, ceremony, reception, last song of the night, equipment tear down and equipment return. For many, 12-14 hour days are not as glamorous as it looks and you will find out quickly which employees can handle this rough schedule. Remember, employee turnover is an enormous cost to small businesses, so identifying those who aren’t going to succeed early on will save you time and money. Once you hire new employees, it is important to provide what they need to succeed, to lead by example, to inform employees the reason behind why something is done a certain way, to allow employees to take ownership of what they do and to enable them to provide solutions to problems. No one likes being micromanaged, but employees certainly need guidance and feedback in order to be successful. You must manage your new employees’
expectations and let them know what type of growth opportunity is available; monthly or quarterly check-ins are a great idea for the first year, and then quarterly reviews for the long-term. The better communication you have with your employees, the more invested they will be in your company. Please feel free to share your comments with me at: tamarasims@discjockeynews.com or tamara@something2dance2.com Tamara is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Something 2 Dance 2 DJ Entertainment in Schaumburg, IL, which she proudly owns along with her husband Jay Sims. She has over 20 years experience in the wedding industry and loves creating wonderful wedding memories for her brides and grooms.
December - A Year End Wrap Up By Mike Walter
Do you have a favorite Christmas song? I find most DJs hate most Christmas songs because we have to play them so often this month that we get tired out them. They become the December version of “We Are Family” and “Celebration.” Which is probably one of the reasons my favorite Christmas song is John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” It’s not a song I play at most of my Holiday parties so when I hear it on my own time, I don’t automatically reach for the radio dial. But that’s not the only reason I love it. I think it’s great that Lennon was able to include an anti-war message in a Holiday song (which the pacifist in me loves). If there’s any time of year when we should be thinking about world peace, it’s now. Plus the motivational part of me likes that Lennon challenges the listener with the opening line “So this is Christmas, and what have you done?” Lennon was a master at that, using the second person to speak directly to the listener and making the experience much more personal than just hearing a song. Going back to their early days when Paul McCartney
A Time to Hire By Tamara Sims
As we near the end of 2018, many of us take a look at our team and needs for the future. January is the busiest time of year for job searches and an excellent time for event professionals to hire as we have more time to train January-March with fewer events on our calendar. Building a team can be challenging, and it may be more advantageous to hire quality full-time employees vs. a large quantity of part-time employees, and here are a few reasons why. 1. Part-time employees have other jobs/responsibilities that are their top priority---your job will always come second. 2. Part-time employees or subcontractors will base what jobs they take based on pay. 3. Full-time employees feel more secure and can envision future growth with your company. 4. The learning curve can take quite a bit of time if your part-time workers only work 1-2 times per month vs. a full-time person who is there consistently 35-40 hours per week. But how do I find the best employees? That is a question for the ages. We and many of our industry colleagues have had the best luck with employee referrals. Who better to describe what the job entails than someone who is currently doing the job. If your employees are happy working with their friends than they will be happier at work. Your employees have a vested interest in referring good people
December 2018 In This Issue:
Page 2: Mike Walter Page 2: Tamara Sims Page 4: Mitch Taylor Page 5: Brian Kelm Page 6: Ron Ruth www.discjockeynews.com www.djntv.com 29442 120th St. Grey Eagle, MN 56336 Phone: 320-285-2323 Published by The Disc Jockey News
Editor/Educational Production Manager/ Sales For DJNews and DJNTV John Young john@discjockeynews.com 320-285-2323 office 612-597-4499 cell
Page 7: Harvey Mackay Page 8: Alan Berg Page 9: Jeffrey Gitomer Page 10: Rob Ferre Page 11: Mike Lenstra
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Disc Jockey News • December 2018 • Page 3
PAGE 4 • Disc Jockey News • December 2018
Which Cookie Cutter Are You? By Mitch Taylor
In discussion with DJs on different threads recently, I see some confusion between “cookie cutter” and processes. Cookie cutter, to me, is when someone does the same exact thing at every single event in the performance side of things, and you could walk into their party and know EXACTLY what will happen next. Funny, isn’t that what big business does with processes. Don’t they want their client to have the same exact experience? So if that’s the case, what’s the difference? Before we get to the difference, here’s the REAL problem. This is the typical argument/bashing when someone is trying to say they are a creative artist and tries to bash those who are actually running a legitimate scalable business. The difference is the standards of business. Some are ok with just doing things “their” way, others are all right with their business as long as there are no refunds, and finally, others want to ensure they ABSOLUTELY exceed their client’s expectations every single time. Nothing else will suffice. You can have processes in every part of your business from marketing and sales, to opera-
tions and planning, to production and performance. That doesn’t make you cookie cutter. It becomes cookie cutter if your processes make your business no longer customer-centric. Customer-centric is the future of business. For too long, businesses have relied on advertising, low prices and gimmicks to sell. No longer. Social media has given transparency to business. Those that are the proper CC in customer-centric businesses will thrive, and those that rely on oldschool tactics will struggle to stay alive. How can your company be customer centric? Let’s look how a company not in our niche but wildly successful does it...Apple. Now Apple has certainly created its fanboys over the years, but they have done so to the tune of creating over $5000 in sales PER SQUARE FOOT of their offices. How does your office compare? Apple does this by hiring those with a DEEP-seated belief in their company. Your employees must LOVE WHAT THEY DO and WHO THEY SERVE. Do you hire just anyone with a pulse or do you look for specific characteristics when hiring, and of those you hire, how do they connect with your ideal client? Apple’s procedures and scripting has been honed and crafted over the years but is diligently put together, so most everything is scripted with nothing left to chance. A few years back, one of their Genius Bar Training manuals was secretly revealed. Let’s look at what Apple REALLY stands for in their process.
A - Approach customers with a personalized, warm welcome. P - Probe politely to understand all the customer’s needs. P - Present a solution for the customer to take home today. L - Listen for and resolve any issues or concerns. E - End with a fond farewell and an invitation to return. How can you add or improve on these steps in your business? The other big secret is that when there IS a problem with a customer, Apple employees always EMPATHIZE with the customer. In other words, they put themselves in their
customer’s shoes. Clarifying point: Empathy is NOT sympathy. Sympathy if insincere can be seen as pandering and that’s something you would never see Apple do at least publically. The BIG question, what are you doing in each step of your process to empathize with your client when there is an issue? They don’t like a performance or a process, how does it get solved? Some may say this is cookie cutter, others would call it a customer-centric process. What can this look like when combined with our once in a Mitch Taylor Continued On Page 5
Enough With All The DRAMA! By Brian Kelm
Everywhere you look these days there is always somebody unhappy with something in the world, and our industry is no different. There is clearly a big problem in our industry with the negativity, complaining, excuses, and blame that is shared all over social media and online. What about actions, being a leader, and taking ownership? Frankly, this makes me sick that people could find joy or excitement in spreading these kinds of messages instead of abundance, possibility, and the good that could come. Remember, what you choose to look at and think about is how you will behave. Life is way too short to live negatively in a drama-based atmosphere! Choose to separate yourself from these people who would rather complain and make excuses versus taking any action whatsoever! The world is filled with negativity so do yourself a favor and exclude getting involved in this on-going soap opera of what’s not fair, ideal or makes people unhappy. It takes a lot more energy and discipline to be positive with all the drama present in our industry. Harness what can be learned, experienced, and what I can be thankful for
having right now! Don’t allow the drama and dirty laundry of a few to influence how you feel and behave to everybody in your life! It’s way to easy to get roped in and you must be disciplined enough to resist contributing and redirect all of your efforts to something positive and useful. Your mind, thoughts, and ideas are more precious than anything that could be done to bring you down. Protect it and your attitude! Consider the following questions when you are confronted with other people’s drama! 1. Is what I’m doing now making the situation better or worse? 2. In this moment, what can I do right now to contribute? (in a positive way) 3. What will I be accountable for? (positively) 4. What will I take a stand for now and into the future? (positively) Drama brings everybody down, and a black cloud appears over the industry. Commit to being different, lead people, focus on yourself, and what you can do! Make the most of the opportunities you have been given, help others, and only play a big game! Brian Kelm, CWEP, CGWP, WED Guild is a 25+ year wedding entertainment and planning professional that has been all over the United States. Based in Wisconsin. Serving Anywhere. He can be reached at briankelm@discjockeynews.com
Disc Jockey News • December 2018 • Page 5 Mitch Taylor Continued From Page 4 lifetime client? Just today I received a SECOND baby announcement from Victoria and Nick. I’m sure you have received baby announcements before, but have you ever got a second? Why did I get a second? I left an indelible mark on them. How? Two things. I created and cultivated a relationship with them throughout the process (APPLE), and I made moments that stand out. (Empathy) The stand out moment was spontaneous. At one point on the dance floor, I went out during the Dollar dance and shared a dance with Victoria. I had a much better rapport with the groom Nick, and as I went to exit the dance floor, I turned around and grabbed Nick’s hand towards the end of the dance and spun him around on the dance floor. At one point we both had our arms extended like a scene from Dancing With The Stars. The photographer captured it, and I sent
that photo to them afterward when their photographer shared it with me. Be remembered for the right reasons, because you care and you took the time to create a moment JUST. FOR. THEM. Find NEW ways to become more customer-centric in all facets of your business and not just survive, but thrive. Create customercentric processes that will have you standing head and shoulders above the rest and reap the benefits for years to come. Mitch Taylor is an 18 year veteran of the mobile disc jockey industry, starting out on the cruise ships of Carnival Cruise Lines. He is a member of the American Disc Jockey Association. Mitch owns and operates Taylored Entertainment in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and can be reached at 906.786.6967 or via email at mitchtaylor@discjockeynews.com.
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PAGE 6 • Disc Jockey News • December 2018
ICYMI: Voters Approve Law To Fire You By Ron Ruth
In case you missed it, during this past mid-term election cycle, voters overwhelmingly approved a law that will affect service providers across the country. In a nutshell, the new referendum that takes effect at the end of this year gives consumers the ability to terminate or void a service provider’s contract for any just about any reason. As an example, if a service provider fails to deliver any part of a service that was promised, or even implied, at the time the contract was signed, the consumer has the power to walk away from the said agreement without legal obligation to compensate the service provider. When that happens, the agreement becomes null and void. This all means that a service provider can be fired just like any workplace employee with or without just cause. During exit polling, a number of voters said they voted in favor of this new law because they didn’t feel respected as consumers and they were tired of being obligated to contracts and that heavily favor service providers. Many said they felt a disconnect that leads them to believe they are not respected as consumers and that their hard-earned money was being wasted on service providers who weren’t living up to their promises or expectations. It’s important to note that no one is exempt from this new law, not even wedding DJs. So, how are you going to protect yourself and your business from this new legislation? What steps will you need to take, immediately, to assure that your clients’ wants, needs, and expectations are not only
being met but exceeded? What parts of your business operation, procedures, processes, and policies do you need to address today to avoid the possibility that a customer can and will fire you? There’s no doubt that you will have to take a no-nonsense approach to evaluate every phase of your operation since the legalese of contract wording is being replaced with how your business is perceived in the eyes of the consumer. Remember, it doesn’t matter what you think of the product or service you provide. The customer’s perception of those things is your reality. Let’s start with the basics. How will you adjust your sales process? Will you become more selective as to the clients you want to work with as opposed to going for a quick and easy paycheck and, perhaps, a miserable outcome? Will you be more cautious as to making promises that you know are outside of your skill set and spend more time asking questions of the customer, so you have a complete understanding of precisely what it is they want before you agree to be of assistance? Are you being totally honest and transparent? Are you focused on gaining the attention of customers who will allow you to do your best work? Now, more than ever, it is imperative to be as thorough as possible in interviewing those who are interviewing you. Think of that process this way. You’ve chosen friends that make you feel good about spending time with them. Your mentors and business associates are people who make you feel secure because you share a mutual trust and respect. You continually do business as a consumer with others who make you feel appreciated with every contact. Without the positive feelings or emotions, these interactions create, you’d feel no loyalty to remain in those relationships and move on. Chances are, if you didn’t feel some sort of immediate emotional connection at first contact, you wouldn’t have been in those relationships in the first place. The customers you work with want to
enjoy those same warm, fuzzy feelings with you. Although the qualities of the products and/or services you provide are extremely important, their value takes second place to the emotional connection you make with your customer. That connection can determine the strength and length of their relationship with you, and it drives passion, loyalty, and advocacy. In the business world, the emotional connection your clients feel they have with you is directly proportionate to how they feel about the experience of doing business with you---now and in the future. If you’re not feeling any love for your customers, don’t expect them to feel love for you. What about training? Maybe this new law will provide you the motivation to finally get additional training that will help you improve your service or product and increase the level of customer care you provide. How sad and embarrassing to be terminated based on ineptitude and lack of talent. If you have employees, you’ve really got your work cut out for you. With the new law, a simple misstep by a team member or sub-contractor could create the only spark needed for the customer to terminate your services. How are you going to assure that each member of your team is not only on board but up to the challenge? Now would be a great time to review your company culture. What message does it send to those who represent your business? When your staff feels appreciated and cared for, they are more likely to reciprocate through respect and appreciation of each other. They’ll also convey that same respect, care, and appreciation to your customers. If you’re a sole proprietor without a staff, then the burden is on you to create an environment that mirrors the culture of your business, so your customers will feel like more than just a transaction. It’s easy to blame others when things go awry. But in business, the buck must stop somewhere and as a business owner or manager---that buck stops with you.
What about responsiveness? How quickly do you respond to a customer’s text, email or phone call? If it consistently takes you longer than a couple of hours, you may have a problem. We live in a got to have it now universe. Understanding that other business needs may pull you away from your office for long periods of time, it might be wise (and good manners) to let your customers know through an advance email that you are going to be away for a while and that it may take you a bit longer than usual to respond to their needs and concerns. How about preparation? Are you currently giving every event and client the proper amount of time and effort to address every detail? When you walk into your wedding, have you checked and double checked every possible “what if” scenario to assure that your performance and the client’s event will be as flawless as they expect it to be? What are your backup plans in the event the unexpected rears its ugly head? And then there’s the question of attentiveness. If your focus is not on the event at hand, you could be fired. It would be a good idea to refrain from Facebook posts while on the job, especially while in full view of the guests and your customer. It would be a better idea to use that time doing whatever you can to make the celebration more memorable and to making yourself easily accessible and approachable. Look for guests who may appear to be lost or confused with their assigned seating and offer to be of assistance. Assist an elderly guest to their seat. Help a mom locate a high chair for her infant. Be observant and proactive and don’t wait for problems to come to you. No employee ever keeps their job if they aren’t willing to be flexible with their responsibilities. How flexible are you? If you’re set-up and ready to go before your scheduled time and guests begin to arrive a few minutes early, are you going to stick to the terms of your contract or are you going to go ahead and set the mood by starting the
Ron Ruth Continued On Page 7
One Person Can Make A Difference
Disc Jockey News • December 2018 • Page 7
By Harvey Mackay
A new era began at the University of Minnesota when PJ Fleck was hired as the head football coach. Since he landed in Minnesota less than two short years ago, he has already begun to energize the entire state. He is always up for a challenge and setting records, which he did on his high school and college football teams as a wide receiver. He was an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers until his playing days ended with injuries. That’s when he hit the coaching profession with full force, leading one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history – a 13-0 undefeated regular season at Western Michigan in 2016. He is one of the youngest and brightest minds in college football. His commitment to character development with his players is unparalleled! I love his message on leadership and culture change. For example, he doesn’t believe that leaders should separate their personal life and their professional life. He says, “As the leader, you are the walking, talking vision of whatever you say.” He practices the three Ls of Leadership: Look. “Leaders have to look around every corner,” Fleck said. “Leaders should never be surprised. It’s not IF something will happen, it’s WHEN it will happen. Leaders must look for everyone else.” Listen. Listening is crucial for Fleck. He believes there is a big difference be-
tween communicating and connecting: “Leaders pull people along with them. They surround themselves with smart people and listen to them.” Lift. This is #1 for Fleck. Leaders must lift people up. “You can’t just tell people to do things and put your fist down,” he says. “There are times to be demanding, but if you do it too much, all you do is wear people out. Getting to know how your people are motivated and inspired is a true characteristic of an elite leader.” Fleck lives by the never-give-up slogan, “Row the boat.” There are three parts to it, the oar, the boat, and the compass. The oar is the energy you bring to your life. It’s what moves the boat. The water is life. Most people go through life and say I’ll see what happens. That’s not how we live our lives. We put our oar in the water, and we row and row and row … no matter if it’s positive or negative. The oar is the only thing you can control now. The boat is the sacrifice. We all want something that we don’t have. What are you willing to give up to get what you want? The more you give, and the more you serve, the bigger that boat gets, and the more people you can take on that trip. The compass is the direction, which Fleck considers the most important part. Who you surround yourself with is who you become. If you surround yourself with bad people, you will do bad things. If you surround yourself with elite people, you will do elite things. “When you row a boat, your back is to the future,” he says. “You can’t see what’s ahead of you. You row in the present. You can’t control the past, but you can learn from it.” Fleck said he and his staff and players operate in a HYPRR culture, which stands for HOW, YOURS, PROCESS, RESULTS, and RESPONSE. He ex-
plained that it’s important for everyone to know their roles and their culture. The HOW is your people. If your company is struggling, either your people or your processes are screwed up or both. Take a long time to hire, but fire quickly. The HOW is also your heart, spirit, and will. How you do something matters more than what you do. YOURS stands for your vision. Everyone should have a vision for their company and what their life should look like. Every person you hire should know that vision very clearly. If your PROCESS is on target, you get the RESULTS you want. Leaders should never be surprised by the results. They should know what’s coming and how to fix it by looking, listening and lifting. The RESPONSE is crucial. Watch
your body language because that’s the first way people respond. We train our players on body language. We teach them to watch their opponent’s body language. Your body language as a leader sets the tone in your organization. “Love equals sacrifice,” he says. My players know that I am not here to be liked, but I am here to be loved. There is a big difference.” Mackay’s Moral: Leaders find a way to get it done. Reprinted with permission from nationally syndicated columnist Harvey Mackay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller “Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive,” “We Got Fired!...And It’s the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us,” and “The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World.
Ron Ruth Continued From Page 6 background music? If children are running around the dance floor during dinner, are you going to look at them as a personal inconvenience or are you going to do what you can to keep them entertained while guests finish their meals? These are just a few of the basics you really need to consider to keep you from being summarily terminated under the new law. Unfortunately, there’s not enough space for me to discuss attitude, appearance, and aptitude. But that doesn’t make them any less important, and I would encourage you to include them in your overall evaluation because your clients most certainly will---if they’re not already! I’m a pretty good judge of character, and I honestly believe that most Disc Jockey News readers will have little trouble overcoming the consequences of the new law. Keep in mind; however, no one gets a free pass. The status quo of adequate performance and service are no longer enough. Greater attention must be placed on what will make the client happy as opposed to what we’ve always perceived. If not, you could be the first to hear those dreaded words, “You’re fired!”
If you believe any part of this story, you must be really worried about the level of service you provide. Even if you didn’t believe me from the start, as we head into a new year, now would be a great time to do an honest, objective business assessment. Better yet, put together a focus group of past customers and let them tell you how they perceive what you do. These are the individuals who will vote in your favor through their referrals. Until next time I wish you and yours a very happy holiday season and a bright and prosperous New Year! Ron Ruth has been on the front lines of weddings celebrations for over 25 years as a Disc Jockey and certified, Wedding Entertainment Director®. He’s a well-known speaker and workshop facilitator in the DJ and wedding industries, a client experience designer and coach and a self-described Disney “Geek.” Get Ron’s FREE e-book, “The Client Experience Demystified” at RonRuth.com. You can reach Ron at 816224-4487 or RonRuth@DiscJockeyNews. com
PAGE 8 • Disc Jockey News • December 2018
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WHY DON’T YOU?
I recently finished reading (listening to) Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why. If you’re not familiar with it – or him – Simon has one of the most watched TED Talks, in which he describes “The Golden Circle.” The Golden Circle is three concentric circles: “What” – the outer circle, “How” – the middle circle, and “Why” – the inner circle. He describes them as follows: WHAT: Every organization on the planet knows WHAT they do. These are the products they sell or the services they offer. HOW: Some organizations know HOW they do it. These are the things that make them special or set them apart from their competition. WHY: Very few organizations know WHY they do what they do. WHY is not about making money – that’s a result. WHY is a purpose, cause, or belief. It’s the very reason your organization exists. While our HOW is what sets us apart, our customers very often can’t see those differences. Many of the differences are intangible, so it’s not something that can be seen; rather, it’s often felt. How does it feel to do business with you? What does it sound like to do business with you? What does it say to their friends and family that they’ve chosen you? Many of the answers can be traced back to WHY you do what you do – and WHY they ultimately choose to buy from you. By the time you get the inquiry… Many steps and buying signals happen before you get an inquiry, be it an email, contact form request, text message, or phone call. Very few of our prospects come directly to us; rather, they make many stops along the way – search engines, referrals, online ads, social media, etc. By the time you get the inquiry, they need WHAT you do. At a high-level, they’ve determined that you can fulfill their WHAT – the product or service you provide. They probably can’t tell the difference – at this point – in your WHAT and another company’s WHAT. If you’re a wedding photographer, the things that make you different are more evident to other photographers than they will be to your pros-
By Alan Berg
pects. They’ve also likely looked at many other options and cut that list down to you, and maybe a few others. The paradox of choice Another book I enjoyed is The Paradox of Choice – Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz. I’ve been saying for a long while that you should be giving your customers fewer choices, not more. Giving them more choices makes it harder for them to decide. I’m not advocating that you have fewer products or services to offer – just that you do some filtering – through better questions, and then only show them the choices that will get them the results they desire. Everything you offer can’t be right for every customer, or really for any customer. Using your experience, and the answers to the better questions, cut down their options to one or two. Any more than two and it becomes exponentially harder for them to decide. It’s called decision paralysis. Three packages Some of you have heard me speak about having three packages, and that’s correct. When you have three packages, more people will choose the one in the middle. It’s up to you to help them see that only one (or two) of those packages are really right for their needs. If you’ve ever watched the TV show “House Hunters,” you’ve seen where they make them cut down their three possible houses to only 2; before ultimately making them choose which house they’ll buy. They’re using what’s been referred to as the Choice Close: Do you want Option A or Option B? It’s a great technique, and it makes it easier for your customers than asking if they want one of three, or more, choices. Decision paralysis You want to avoid giving them “so much to think about” that they need to “go home and process everything you’ve shown them”. If you hear that a lot, you need to realize that you’re creating that decision paralysis. Give them fewer – but better – choices. Don’t cloud their thinking with options that aren’t right for them. For instance, if you’re a caterer, instead of sending them every menu you offer (breakfast, brunch, lunch, buffet dinner, plated dinner…), find out what they’re looking for – and then only send them that one, or those, menus. Let’s face it; they don’t really need to choose which appetizers they want in order to select you as their caterer. There are very few things a professional caterer can’t produce that would be a dealbreaker for them. And, if there are specific needs (dietary restrictions, ethnic specialties, etc.), they would have likely asked you about them already. Alan Berg Continued On Page 9
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’Tis The Season To Be jolly? By Jeffrey Gitomer
Let’s see, there’s summer, fall, winter, spring, and uh, jolly. For the uninformed, the jolly season started around Thanksgiving and goes all the way until Christmas. Or what used to be called Christmas. Now it’s called the holiday season to make certain that no one is offended. The jolly season or the holiday season is SUPPOSED to start the day AFTER Thanksgiving, but it now actually starts the day of Thanksgiving because people just can’t seem to wait to be jolly. And it seems as though, regardless of our current “jolly” directives, there are always a few spoilers: people who just refuse to be jolly no matter what. People like politicians, governments fighting one another, sending their soldiers or their armies to kill one another, employees that are having to work longer hours during the “jolly-days” and then there are the people that don’t have enough money to buy stuff on the jolly-days. What constitutes jolly? Shopping? Traveling in super-crowded airports? End of the year tax planning? Goals to lose weight or get in shape? It’s kind of a mixed jolly season when you think about it. One that presents from Santa and a family dinner may not fulfill. Whatever the circumstances in your world, the likelihood is that there is not enough “jolly.” Or the jolly is somewhat hypocritical. Or the jolly is somewhat contrived. Or the jolly is somewhat insincere. Regard-
less of the jolly type, there remains a root of jolly season and process. Jolly is the happiness that springs forth eternally, and creates a jolly attitude or a jolly mindset. Jolly is HERE (point to head) not here (jiggle belly). So, here’s my jolly message: I think jolly should be all the time. Why wait for Thanksgiving? Why wait for the holidays? And when the season is over, are you going to go back to being pissed off, or are you going to try to maintain jolliness? Do you think you could have a jolly year instead of just a jolly season? That kind of makes more sense doesn’t it? Why is the month of December the “jolly month”? When does jolly actually start? Why isn’t May as jolly as December? Why isn’t this the YEAR to be jolly, or for that matter, the lifetime to be jolly? I’m asking because I have dedicated my life to being jolly, and I challenge you to do the same. Jolly is not just a gift, or a family dinner, or a holiday tree, or singing a few songs, or a season – jolly is an attitude – and it’s an attitude for all seasons. Here are a few jolly things to consider as you look to “put” and “be” jolly in the new year: • Jolly about yourself. • Jolly about your life. • Jolly about your relationships. • Pride in what you’re doing. • Love of what you’re doing. • Desire to be the BEST at what you’re doing. • Knowing the purpose behind what you’re doing (your REAL WHY). These elements will give you the freedom to find internal jolly – also known as internal happiness. Here’s a short excerpt from The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude. It substitutes the word HAPPY for the word JOLLY, but the
Disc Jockey News • December 2018 • Page 9 meaning is the same. It explains the urgency obstacle in the way, something to be gotten of self-imposed happiness as it relates to your through first, some unfinished business, time success. Please don’t just read or listen, please still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life apply it. would begin. At last it dawned on me that The truth is, the fact is, the reality is, these obstacles were my life.” there’s no better time to be happy than right There is no “way” to happiness. now. Happiness is the way. If not now, when? After the economy gets There is no “after” to happiness better? Happiness is now. You may not be able to wait that long. Here’s the answer: It’s inside your head Your life will always be filled with chal- FIRST and everyplace else second. Happilenges, barriers, and disappointments. It’s ness is a treasure. Your (missed) opportunity best to admit this to yourself, and decide to be is to treasure every moment that you have. happy anyway. Alfred Souza said, “For a long, I wish you the jolliest of seasons and the long time it had seemed to me that I was about best jolly happy healthy New Year possible. to begin real life. But there was always some Alan Berg Continued From Page 8 Back to WHY Do you understand WHY you do what you do? Is it for the money? Is it for the satisfaction of a job well done? Is it for the “Thank You”? I’ve found that – for me – any time I put the money first, it doesn’t work out well. It feels disingenuous because I’m not driven by money. Money is a bad goal, at least for me, because you can never have it all. I find that focusing on abundance is much better. Cavett Robert, the founder of the National Speakers Association, famously said that we’re not trying to get a bigger piece of the pie, we’re trying to make a bigger pie. My WHY is in the results that people get from my speaking, consulting, and sales training – and what that means to them, their team, and their families. I’m in alignment with my WHY because both my clients and I, are focused on the same things. They want to succeed (whatever that means to them – more sales, more profit, etc.) and I want them to succeed; therefore, their success IS my success. The money comes to me because of THEIR success. As Simon Sinek said, “WHY is not about making money, that’s a result.” I’ve passed on many opportunities because they felt too much about the money and less about the results. Any time someone stresses to me how much money I can be making from an opportunity, as the main
reason to do it, I’m turned off. Talk to me about how my clients will be better off, and I’m listening much more intently. When we’re the customer It’s the same when we’re the customer. If the salesperson only talks about price, then price becomes the deciding factor. If they talk about results and then talk about WHY followed by the price, cost becomes less of a factor. We’ve all spent more than we had anticipated on something in our lives, usually because the WHY was a bigger factor in that decision. You need to try to understand your own WHY, your team’s WHY (it’s not always the same motivator as yours), and also your customer’s WHY. What are the most important factors for them when choosing your product or service, and WHY? If they can’t perceive any difference between buying from you, and buying from someone else, then the lower price will likely win. If they want to buy from you – and only from you – then you have pricing power, and you have a brand! Alan Berg has been called “North America’s Leading Expert and Speaker on the Business of Weddings and Events”. Find out more about his speaking, website reviews, consulting, books, DVDs and audio presentations at http://www.AlanBerg.com - email or call Alan, 732.422.6362
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PAGE 10 • Disc Jockey News • December 2018
Gamify Your Holiday Parties By Rob Ferre
Tis the season to be jolly and spread holiday cheer. If you are like me, I have a lot of holiday parties on the books. I do a variety of holiday events for a wide variety of clients from dentists to engineers. Each group is unique and have different types of parties. Some groups are ready to dance and party. Other groups need more inspiration and incentivization to get people to participate and get on the dance floor. I wanted to give a couple of ideas you can pitch to your clients right away so that you can bring some fun games and customization to their event. Also, remember not all games are one-size fits all scenario. Ask your organizer important questions like the size of the group, room layout, demographics of the guests, the budget for prizes, etc. Go into your event prepared and ready to give them something they will remember. Here are a couple of games that you can do bring interaction and people to the dance floor. The Napkin Dance. If you are doing an event with a group that will be serving dinner and all the guests sitting at round tables, this is perfect. Often times each table is decorated and has a centerpiece. Sometimes those centerpieces are something the organizer wants to give away. If that’s the case run this idea of
the napkin dance by your event contact person. What you do is have one person hold a napkin, and you explain the rules. You will prompt that person to pass the napkin around the table clockwise when the music starts. Play holidaythemed music and the fun begins. Stop the song and make sure one person from the table is holding on to the napkin. You can either end the game there or extend the game. Option one is to award the person with the napkin the centerpiece or say “the person to the right of the person holding the napkin is our winner!” Option number two is to eliminate that person holding the napkin and make them a judge. Keep the napkin dance going until you have one winner. It’s a very simple game but a lot of fun, and it gets the entire table to interact with each other. The Card Game. Depending on the size of the group this works really well. The smaller the group, the better. This works great for a group of 50 to 100. You bring in face cards. Distribute the face cards during cocktail hour or during dinner. Give one card to each guest and tell them to hold on to their cards until the time is right. This game is either to award people and get people to the dance floor. This game is a great floor filler. The timing of this game works great after dinner and the program. You have everyone take out their cards. Then you ask them to create a poker hand on the dance floor. You can also be sneaky by saying “the center of
the room” because the word dance floor can be intimidating. So call out a hand like “Full house” or “Straight.” The first team to the dance floor with that hand get’s either cash, prizes or tickets for the
end of the night raffle. Play this game three times, and your dance floor is full at which point you drop the beat and get the party started. Keep in mind the vibe and the tone of the room. Having organic participation is essential to getting your crowd on your side. Raffles and drawings. Most company organizers aren’t quite as creative as you may think. They keep the status quo and do the same thing they’ve done year in and year out because their people expect it and it’s safe. So don’t try and completely rock the boat if they don’t want to but give them alternative solutions. If
they do a drawing or a raffle encourage them to split up the times of drawings. Our company DJs a lot of casino nights where they often do one huge drawing at the end with people’s winnings. That is often long and tedious. Here are two solutions that will help with drawings. First, have people write their names on their tickets. It’s much easier to locate a person than calling out the same number 6 numbers over and over again while we wait for people to match up their numbers. Second spread out the drawings. Don’t do one huge drawing at the end of the night. Have three or four different times on the half hour and hour to do the drawings. Also, do the drawings on the dance floor, and even better they must be present to win. This fills the dance floor and incentivizes people to either dance or be where the action is. Remember these tips and games aren’t always a surefire bet but will allow you to create more interaction, more incentivization and more inspiration with your clients. I suggest you always collaborate with your organizers and pitch these ideas before implementing them. Just simple ideas like this will set you apart from the competition. Happy holidays to you. May your dance floors be full and your games merry and bright! You can connect with him at RobFerre@discjockeynews.com.
Disc Jockey News • December 2018 • Page 11
The Way I See It: How Do You Determine Something’s Value? By Christopher G. Feldman By Michael J. Lenstra
Note: my colleague and I have this conversation from time to time so I thought – since I was busy with the final weddings of the season, kicking off our trivia program and prepping for upcoming holiday parties - that I would invite him once again to be my guest columnist and share some perspective from someone outside of our business on this issue. From Christopher G. Feldman S o m e might say quality is the primary determinant of value—the better something is, the more it is worth and the more you can charge for it. A diamond costs more than a pebble, for example. And quality certainly is a factor—after all, people who do poor work and get bad reviews are unlikely to keep getting business—but contrary to popular belief, quality alone is not the primary basis of price. To show why, let’s take an example from the world of pop music. One of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time is the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Check any list of the Top 10 albums of all time, whether from Rolling Stone magazine or WatchMojo.com, and odds are that album will be included, often at #1. So, it is pretty universally accepted as a high-quality piece of music, and as such, if quality is the determining factor in setting value, it should be among the most expensive albums to purchase. Let’s test that theo-
ry. If we go to Amazon.com and type in the Beatles album, you’ll see that there’s a 2-CD deluxe edition of Sgt. Pepper’s available, and a brand new CD copy of the album will cost you $17.25 (if you’re lucky enough to be a Prime subscriber, your shipping is free). It’s in stock, so in two days you can have a brand new deluxe CD of this Beatles masterpiece for under $20. So, there’s your benchmark. If a high-quality album sells for $17.25, all other albums of lesser acclaim should sell for less, right? To test that theory, let’s stay on Amazon.com and type in Peter Wolf’s 1984 album Lights Out. It’s a fine album, it had a couple of Top 40 hits, but I have yet to see any list where it was considered one of the Top 10 albums of 1984, let alone of all time. Clearly, this less-acclaimed album must then sell for less than $17.25 per CD, right? In actually, a used copy of the CD in good condition is available on Amazon for $149.44. That’s the lowest price you can get it for. On eBay, the price for the CD ranges from a low of $119.99 to a high of $599.99. And based on the reviews on Amazon, there are people who have been willing to pay that high price to get that CD. Of course, there’s also the sentiment expressed by R. Johnson, who wrote in his review, “We’re also not that stupid to buy them for $200 a pop—we do understand the meaning of paying a bit more if it is ‘hard to buy’ but we also recognize abuse, too.” How can this be? Why does the Peter Wolf CD cost so much more, when it’s not as universally respected as the Beatles’ work? The answer: Because it is out of print and hard to find, and therefore there’s a limited supply to satisfy the record-buying public’s demand for it. So the price goes up. If next week it were reissued and back in print,
it would probably sell for under $10.00, even with bonus tracks. Now, you might be saying, “That’s an exception, apples and oranges.” OK, then let’s do a comparison of cheese balls to cheese balls. A couple months ago I walked into one of our local grocery stores and saw a display for Planter’s Cheez Balls. They had been off the market for some time but were recently reintroduced to select locations. As I’m all about anything nostalgic, I purchased a 2.75 oz canister for the sale price of $2.99. A couple weeks later I was watching a Tami Dunn YouTube video. She and her husband frequently review new food products that come out. On this episode, she was reviewing Planter’s Cheez Balls, the same product I had bought, and she noted a viewer sent the 2.75 oz container to her to review, and it cost her $12.99 to acquire online because the Cheez Balls were not available in her area. So, exact same product, exact same size, exact same time frame, but this individual paid over 400% more than I did for the exact same item. Why? Not because Cheez Balls sold in Michigan are of higher quality than those sold in Iowa. It was because there was a demand for the product and not enough supply to cover it. Again, that caused the price to go up. How are these examples relevant to DJs? Well, DJs (like any other business) have to set a price for their services, and ideally, it’s the price that maximizes their yearly income (considering events performed and the price charged), so they can make a comfortable living. And there can be a tendency to believe that simply charging a higher rate brings in more income and makes you more successful. But is that considering the big picture? If a music store happens to have that Peter
Wolf CD, the store owner might make a tidy profit if he finds someone to buy his one copy. But it’s the only one he has. If his weekly expenses are $150, selling one Peter Wolf CD for $149 isn’t going to cover it. However, selling nine copies of the $17.95 Beatles album will, with money to spare. Higher prices result in fewer buyers. If you’re a DJ (and if you’re reading this article, there’s a pretty good chance you are), ask yourself this: Is a DJ who charges $2,500 per event but only gets 10 events a year at that price (for a total of $25,000) really better off than a DJ who charges $1,200 per event but does 50 events a year (for a total of $60,000)? There’s also a view that the amount a DJ charges is a reflection of how good that DJ is. But, what the Cheez Balls showed was that two items, exactly the same, can sell for radically different prices, which suggests it’s not the quality of the item so much as how available it is and how badly somebody wants it. A similar example happened when Prince died in 2016—suddenly his CDs that sold for $4.00 on eBay were selling for near $20.00. Exact same item, but something happened to increase the demand at a time when the limited supply couldn’t handle it. An average DJ may be able to charge $3,000 per event if he’s the only DJ in the area, whereas an excellent DJ may have to settle for under $1,000 per event is located in a saturated market. The bottom line is, if the DJs in an area are charging a certain amount, that’s probably because, through the balance of supply and demand, that amount is what that market can support at that time. I’ve heard of some DJs who took the advice of others, doubled their rates, and saw their Mike Lenstra Continued On Page 12
PAGE 12 • Disc Jockey News • December 2018
How to Keep It Fresh By Joe Bunn
Another holiday season is once again upon us. At this time year, most of our wedding business is wrapping up, and we are switching into full-blown corporate holiday party event mode. At Bunn DJ Company, we are very lucky in that we have clients that book us year after year. In fact, they usually book in January right after the holidays to ensure that they get the same DJ for the coming December! That’s what I call amazing repeat business! Some people wait until summer when they can assess how their year is going and still others are very last minute waiting until November to book. We try and do as many as we can to close out the year strong. So what are some things you can do to keep things fresh when you do the same event year after year? One of the things that you can do is change up your gear. I’m not saying go out and by all new stuff, but maybe just change things up to give the client a new look. If you work for a bigger company like mine, maybe borrow something from the office warehouse or one of your fellow DJs. One of my DJs last year said he had been doing this same holiday party for about six years and wanted to switch things up on them. I loaned him an LED facade and my small FastSet table and also let him use my moving head lights with his LED bar. It was simple but effective. The client noticed and loved it and even mentioned it in the review they left online for him. If you’re more of an interactive DJ (I’m not), make sure you’re up on the newest line dances. Do you know all of the steps well enough to get out there and teach Shirley from accounting how to do it? What if they need you to fill some time with something interactive? One, please find this out well in advance of the show. Secondly, what are you going to do? If they don’t have suggestions like “Bad Santa” or maybe company trivia, then they are going to be looking to you for answers. Use other DJs as a resource! There are tons of DJ Facebook groups and podcasts (shameless plug for The PhDJ Podcast). Ask and pick the ones you like, then present your favorites to the client. Ask Mike Walter; I bet he can help you out! Finally, what else does your company offer? Upsell them! Don’t underestimate the power of something like a photo booth at a stuff corporate event. It lightens the mood automatically. Do you offer karaoke? Tell them about it. It can fill the time when/if the dance floor isn’t exactly bumping. How about uplighting? Show your client before and after pictures of their room. As we know, lighting can turn a stuffy and boring ballroom into more of a club vibe. Even if you don’t have things other than DJ services to sell them, have a list of other vendors that you can refer to them that have specialties. For example, maybe they want a flash mob in the middle of the party. I have a group of dancers and aerialists and entertainers that I can call to pull that off and much more! How about an ice cream or food truck outside? A cigar roller? Amazing florals? Someone dressed up like Santa? I know people that can do all of this stuff. Don’t be afraid to pitch their services and of-
fer their contact information. One, these items can possibly turn a boring party into cool and two, they are going to remember that you sent them the idea and you look like the hero. Plus, the vendor that gets the business is going to love you as well and probably send you even more business in the future! Win-win! Hopefully, you book a ton of holiday parties this year and can use some of these tips to wow a customer that you’ve been working with for years! Good luck and Happy Holidays! Joe Bunn is the co-founder of The PhDJ Workshop (www.pdhdjworkshop. com) and also the creator of the videos “Selling the Music” and “Marketing the Music” which can be found at djjoebunn. com.
Mike Lenstra Continued From Page 11 business dry up until they lowered their price back down to where it was initially. That’s the market at work. So, if there’s a desire for DJs to raise their prices as an industry, how can that happen? Economics would say there are two options to raise prices: (1) lower the supply, or (2) increase the demand. Lowering the DJ supply is tricky, as most DJs are independent contractors who would not take well to being told they can’t earn money in a career of their choosing. So, the better option may be to increase demand. How do you do that? Do you offer services other DJs in your market do not, like ceremonies or expanded light shows or photo booths, that make hiring you more desirable? Do you travel to areas not served by other DJs? Do you provide something extra, like a flash drive at the
end of the evening that contains all the music played at the wedding reception, leaving the couple with a comprehensive soundtrack to their special event? These little differences can go a long way in justifying why you’re charging $200 more to play “Dancing Queen” after “YMCA” when another DJ in town follows the same playlist. As Mike would say, that’s the way I see it. Chris Feldman is a freelance author, editor, music enthusiast, and occasional DJ who is filling in for Mike Lenstra this month.
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5 Years? Already? Photo Booth Expo Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary With A Return To South Point By Robert Lindquist
Having been personally involved with the Photo Booth Expo for the past three conferences has greatly altered my perspective as to the future of the entertainment services industry. As my own background leans heavily on the DJ side, having this opportunity to meet and speak with the most knowledgeable and creative Photo Booth professionals has been a real eye-opener. When Rob Savickis launched Photo
number of attendees. Much of the attraction is the energetic atmosphere Rob creates. “When people come to PBX,” he explains, “I want it to be a fantastic experience. When they walk into that exhibit hall, they should just be blown over by what they see.” If it has anything to do with Photo Booths, photography or mobile entertainment, you’ll find it at Photo Booth Expo. Previous shows have featured
Booth Expo (“PBX” for short) in 2015, the first to embrace it was DJs who were either offering Photo Booth rentals as part of their service or were looking into investing in their first Photo Booth. Since that inaugural event, PBX has grown exponentially and now surpasses both the Mobile Beat Show and DJ Times in terms of exhibit space and
everything from stunning, tricked-out Mercedes vans (and other vehicles) to portable games, lighted dance floors, and various products and services for scaling your DJ or Photo Booth business. As Rob explains, “Our exhibit hall is a place where buyers and sellers can share information, build relationships, and Robert Lindquist Continued On Page 14
Disc Jockey News • December 2018 • Page 13
PAGE 14 • Disc Jockey News • December 2018 Robert Lindquist Continued On Page 14 talk about how they can work together to grow their businesses.” With the 2019 PBX returning to South Point, the exhibit floor will again expand as most previous exhibitors return and several new ones are added. For those PBX attendees who purchase a Key Pass, there is an exceptional educational track starring the best in the business. As a global event drawing “Boothers” from over 50 countries, PBX presents a wealth of information with an international perspective— something that is unmatched by other shows. For 2019, the schedule includes business-centric sessions focusing on: How to profit from social media; How to lock up corporate events; How to hire and inspire so you can retire; How to develop your entrepreneurial mindset; The power of personalization with props; How to succeed with video marketing and much
more. Presenters include Vanessa Joy, Scott Faver, Catalina Bloch, Calvin Harrell, Amber Warren, Rex Huang,
Brandon Wong, Jason Hsiao, Jordan St. Jacques and over a dozen more. In comparing the upcoming 2019 PBX with past events, Rob says “ Technology has grown leaps and bounds since the first Photo Booth Expo. Many popular products used in the business today were just being introduced or had not even been invented. The industry has grown into many subsets - The options available to photo booth operators
have increased exponentially.” In 2017, PBX began catching the attention of the media as several Las Vegas TV and print publications began covering the show—including a 10-minute live feature on one of Vegas’s top morning programs. With over 130 exhibitors joining 4000 attendees from all over the world, the effect that PBX has had on promoting Photo Booths cannot be understated. “PBX has brought the global PB industry to-
gether as had never happened before,” says Rob, “It’s provided entrepreneurs a stage for introducing new products, and I believe it will continue to grow in popularity, and the technological advances will spawn many new products.” The 5th Anniversary Photo Booth Expo runs from February 24th to the 27th, 2019 at South Point. For more information, go to http://www.PhotoBoothExpo.com and beside to follow PhotoBoothExpo on facebook.
Disc Jockey News • December 2018 • Page 15
Top 50 Charts for December 2018
The Weekly Printable Charts (Top 50, Recurrent and Billboard Singles) are available at http://www.DJNTV.com/charts Sponsored by iDJPool.com Pop 1 MARSHMELLO Happier f/Bastille 2 PANIC! AT THE DISCO High Hopes 3 ARIANA GRANDE Breathin 4 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER Youngblood 5 HALSEY Without Me 6 BENNY BLANCO, HALSEY & KHALID Eastside 7 KHALID X NORMANI Love Lies 8 NF Lie 9 POST MALONE Better Now 10 MAROON 5 Girls Like You f/Cardi B 11 ARIANA GRANDE God Is A Woman 12 BAZZI Beautiful f/Camila Cabello 13 JUICE WRLD Lucid Dreams 14 LOVELYTHEBAND Broken 15 ARIANA GRANDE thank u, next 16 POST MALONE & SWAE LEE Sunflower 17 SHAWN MENDES & ZEDD Lost In Japan (Remix) 18 SILK CITY F/DIPLO/RONSON Electricity f/Dua Lipa 19 CAMILA CABELLO Consequences 20 TRAVIS SCOTT Sicko Mode 21 THE CHAINSMOKERS F/K BALLERINI This Feeling 22 ELLIE GOULDING X DIPLO Close To Me f/Swae Lee 23 LSD (LABRINTH/SIA/DIPLO) Thunderclouds 24 LADY GAGA & BRADLEY COOPER Shallow 25 DJ SNAKE/SELENA/OZUNA/CARDI B Taki Taki 26 KHALID Better 27 IMAGINE DRAGONS Natural 28 ALESSIA CARA Trust My Lonely 29 DRAKE Don’t Matter To Me f/M Jackson 30 DEAN LEWIS Be Alright 31 DAN + SHAY Tequila 32 WHY DON’T WE 8 Letters 33 LOUD LUXURY Body f/Brando 34 ZARA LARSSON Ruin My Life 35 TWENTY ONE PILOTS My Blood 36 STEVE AOKI Waste It On Me f/BTS 37 DJ KHALED/BIEBER/CHANCE/QUAVO No Brainer 38 LAUV There’s No Way f/JuliaMichaels 39 AJ MITCHELL Girls 40 DRAKE In My Feelings 41 AVA MAX Sweet But Psycho 42 LUKAS GRAHAM Love Someone 43 BAD BUNNY MIA f/Drake 44 RITA ORA Let You Love Me 45 ELIJAH WOODS X JAMIE FINE Ain’t Easy 46 BENNY BLANCO & CALVIN HARRIS I Found You 47 GUCCI MANE/BRUNO/KODAK Wake Up In The Sky 48 MADISON BEER Hurts Like Hell f/Offset 49 LOGAN HENDERSON Pull Me Deep 50 LIL DUVAL Smile B*tch f/Snoop & B.Greezy Urban 1 GUCCI MANE/BRUNO/KODAK Wake Up In The Sky 2 ELLA MAI Trip 3 MEEK MILL Dangerous f/Jeremih, PnB Rock 4 LIL WAYNE Uproar 5 TRAVIS SCOTT Sicko Mode 6 CARDI B Ring 7 LIL BABY Yes Indeed f/Drake 8 LIL BABY & GUNNA Drip Too Hard 9 SHECK WES Mo Bamba 10 KODAK BLACK Zeze f/Travis Scott & Offset 11 FLIPP DINERO Leave Me Alone 12 TORY LANEZ & RICH THE KID Talk To Me 13 LIL DUVAL Smile B*tch f/Snoop & B.Greezy 14 CARDI B Money 15 COCA VANGO Sauce All On Me 16 QUEEN NAIJA Karma
17 DRAKE Nonstop 18 JACQUEES You 19 LIGHTSKINKEISHA & BSMYTH Ride Good 20 DANILEIGH Lil BeBe 21 YUNG BLEU Ice On My Baby 22 AGNEZ MO Overdose f/Chris Brown 23 H.E.R. Could’ve Been f/Bryson Tiller 24 YOUNG DOLPH Major f/Key Glock 25 ANDERSON .PAAK Tints f/Kendrick Lamar 26 YELLA BEEZY Up 1 27 JAY ROCK Tap Out f/Jeremih 28 TYGA & NICKI MINAJ Dip 29 FRENCH MONTANA No Stylist f/Drake 30 PARDISON FONTAINE Backin It Up f/Cardi B 31 FUTURE & JUICE WRLD Fine China 32 QUAVO WORKINME 33 VIC MENSA Reverse f/G-Eazy 34 Q MONEY Neat 35 CITY GIRLS Where The Bag At? 36 JUICY J F/TRAVIS SCOTT Neighbor 37 YG Slay f/Quavo 38 SAWEETIE X LONDON Up Now f/G-Eazy & Rich The Kid 39 6LACK Pretty Little Fears f/J Cole 40 GAME DTF f/YG, Ty Dolla $ign... 41 ELLA MAI Shot Clock 42 T.I. The Weekend f/Young Thug 43 SADA BABY Bloxk Party f/Drego 44 XXXTENTACION Arms Around You f/Maluma, Swae 45 MIKE WILL/KENDRICK/PHARRELL The Mantra 46 TRAVIS SCOTT Yosemite 47 JAZZ CARTIER Right Now f/Ktoe 48 DAVIDO Fall 49 QUAVO Pass Out f/21 Savage 50 JEREMIH & TY DOLLA $IGN Goin Thru Some Thangz Adult Contempory 1 JOHN LEGEND Have Yourself A Merry Little.. 2 TAYLOR SWIFT Delicate 3 KATY PERRY Cozy Little Christmas 4 MAROON 5 Girls Like You f/Cardi B 5 ZEDD/MAREN MORRIS/GREY The Middle 6 ED SHEERAN Perfect 7 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L. 8 MAX Lights Down Low f/Gnash 9 LAUV I Like Me Better 10 ELIZABETH CHAN Best Gift Ever (‘18) 11 SHAWN MENDES In My Blood 12 PENTATONIX What Christmas Means To Me 13 ERIC CLAPTON White Christmas 14 INGRID MICHAELSON All I Want For Christmas Is... 15 SIA Candy Cane Lane 16 CAMILA CABELLO Never Be The Same 17 LINDSEY STIRLING Carol Of The Bells 18 ARETHA FRANKLIN Silent Night (‘18) 19 LOVELYTHEBAND Broken 20 LADY GAGA & BRADLEY COOPER Shallow 21 LUKAS GRAHAM Love Someone 22 MARIAH CAREY With You 23 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER Youngblood 24 JIM BRICKMAN F/L MCMASTER Raise A Glass (It’s...) 25 WEEZER Africa 26 SELENA GOMEZ Back To You 27 BACKSTREET BOYS Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 28 STRAIGHT NO CHASER That’s Why We Celebrate 29 INGRID MICHAELSON Rockin’ Around The Christmas.. 30 TRAIN Call Me Sir f/Cam/Travie McCoy 31 ARIANA GRANDE No Tears Left To Cry 32 THE RUA Have Yourself A Merry Little.. 33 JOSH GROBAN Granted
34 DAVID ARCHULETA Christmas Every Day 35 PAUL MCCARTNEY Come On To Me 36 GREGORY DARLING Unconditionally 37 PENTATONIX Grown-Up Christmas List 38 MICHAEL W. SMITH A Million Lights 39 IMAGINE DRAGONS Natural 40 HANNAH KERR Winter Wonderland 41 GEOFFREY ANDREWS Have Yourself A Merry ... 42 ELIZABETH CHAN O Holy Night 43 PENTATONIX & MAREN MORRIS When You Believe 44 MARSHMELLO Happier f/Bastille 45 CHEAT CODES No Promises f/Demi Lovato 46 DAN + SHAY Tequila 47 CHARLEENE CLOSSHEY I Heard The Bells On... 48 MONKEES Unwrap You At Christmas 49 LEANN RIMES You And Me And Christmas 50 ROD STEWART Didn’t I Country 1 KANE BROWN Lose It 2 JIMMIE ALLEN Best Shot 3 LUKE COMBS She Got The Best Of Me 4 MITCHELL TENPENNY Drunk Me 5 DAN + SHAY Speechless 6 KIP MOORE Last Shot 7 DUSTIN LYNCH Good Girl 8 DIERKS BENTLEY Burning Man f/Brothers Osborne 9 THOMAS RHETT Sixteen 10 BLAKE SHELTON Turnin’ Me On 11 MAREN MORRIS Rich 12 SCOTTY MCCREERY This Is It 13 JASON ALDEAN Girl Like You 14 ERIC CHURCH Desperate Man 15 CHRIS STAPLETON Millionaire 16 MIDLAND Burn Out 17 JORDAN DAVIS Take It From Me 18 LUKE BRYAN What Makes You Country 19 RILEY GREEN There Was This Girl 20 JAKE OWEN Down To The Honkytonk 21 TIM MCGRAW Neon Church 22 MICHAEL RAY One That Got Away 23 KEITH URBAN Never Comin Down 24 JON PARDI Night Shift 25 CARRIE UNDERWOOD Love Wins 26 OLD DOMINION Make It Sweet 27 KENNY CHESNEY Better Boat f/Mindy Smith 28 TYLER RICH The Difference 29 CODY JOHNSON On My Way To You 30 BRETT YOUNG Here Tonight 31 ELI YOUNG BAND Love Ain’t 32 CHASE RICE Eyes On You 33 TRAVIS DENNING David Ashley Parker From... 34 GRANGER SMITH You’re In It 35 RODNEY ATKINS Caught Up In The Country 36 BRETT ELDREDGE Love Someone 37 KELSEA BALLERINI Miss Me More 38 RANDY HOUSER What Whiskey Does f/H. Lindsey 39 RASCAL FLATTS Back To Life 40 LOCASH Feels Like A Party 41 MORGAN WALLEN Whiskey Glasses 42 LEE BRICE Rumor 43 MADDIE & TAE Friends Don’t 44 RUNAWAY JUNE Buy My Own Drinks 45 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE Talk You Out Of It 46 BRANDON LAY Yada Yada Yada 47 LUKE COMBS Beautiful Crazy 48 BILLY CURRINGTON Bring It On Over 49 MORGAN EVANS Day Drunk 50 DAVID LEE MURPHY I Won’t Be Sorry
PAGE 16 • Disc Jockey News • December 2018