Disc Jockey News April 2018 • Issue #150
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PAGE 2 • Disc Jockey News • April 2018
#MBLV22 Recap By Mike Walter
I’ve been home for less than a week now and wanted to share my thoughts about this year’s Mobile Beat Las Vegas show. You can also hear Joe Bunn and I discuss this on episode 62 of our PhDJ Podcast (shameless plug!) First of all, congratulations to Ryan and Jake and the entire team at Mobile Beat for producing another great expo. They continue to raise the bar every year with their production, and their education is right up there with any show I’ve ever attended. From Randy Bartlett’s opening through Thursday’s final seminars, it was four days of note-taking and nuggetfilled education. Some of the highlights for me were Sonny Ganguly, Jason Jani, Jason Klock and Joe Bunn. And here’s why: Sonny Ganguly spoke about “Staying Ahead of the Curve,” specifically in the tech world. There is no one more qualified to speak on the subject, and it’s always both informative and a wee bit scary to hear Sonny speak. Informative because Sonny knows technology and social media platforms as well as any-
one I know (he was predicting the mobile revolution long before I heard anyone speak about it). And scary because of some of the things he predicts like driverless cars and virtual reality so real that no one is ever going to want to leave their homes, foretell a future I am not looking forward to. Call me old school, but I still like meeting people face to face and sharing a warm meal or cocktail together and not just a text message or cyber-chat. It’s one of the reasons I still love attending DJ conventions. While I can “see” a bunch of my friends from around the country on Instagram and Facebook, it’s not the same as going for a hike or run with them or playing blackjack (even if you lose $200 in an hour!) or sharing some amazing sushi. Jason Jani spoke about branding and he kept going back to one phrase: “real talk.” It reminded me of a hashtag I’ve seen Jason use, #SorryNotSorry. Jason gave some straight up “real talk” about social media and how he’s used it to further his brand (or “image management” as he called it). This image management helped him land some pretty cool gigs (the Eagles flew him to Minneapolis to play their post-Super Bowl party and the dude’s not even a football fan, so, yeah, that kinda cool). I loved how Jason spoke from the heart with very few slides on his Keynote. He’s the type of speaker who has a true passion for a subject and can just riff and share about it. Kudos to whoever at Mobile Beat got Jason out from behind the DJ console to share his knowledge and expertise.
Sell More & Be Happy! By Tamara Sims
I was unable to attend Mobile Beat this year, which is always a highlight for me, as I love learning from the immense amount of talent we have in our industry. For those of you who are unable to travel to industry conferences, I highly encourage you to seek out workshops and seminars in your area that are sponsored by ADJA, N A C E , ILEA, etc. That is exactly what I did last month to get my “education fix,” by attending the “She Sells” seminar by Rachel Sheerin. Just for the record, there were plenty of men at the seminar as well :) We all know there is no “magic pill” when it comes to sales. However, booking our ideal client definitely makes our job easier. The first step in finding your ideal client is to figure out what type of person you are. Rachel focused on the following personality types: 1. Fast Paced People Person-these are people who talk with their hands, love meeting new people and are excited to meet you right away. 2. Fast Paced Task Person- these people get right to the point. They want to know the price and what they need to do to book your service so they can cross it off their list and move on. No fluffy stuff. 3. Slow Paced People Person-They
need time to process the details. They won’t sign a contract at the initial meeting. They need time to reflect in order to make a decision. 4. Slow Paced Task Person-They will ask lots of questions and may send multiple e-mails with new questions regularly. I bet you can guess what type I am! Yep, a fast paced-people person, which comprises 38% of the population. I consciously or subconsciously seek out this type of client. My response
Jason Klock gave a great talk called the “Value of Time.” This hit home for me a lot because it is a subject I struggle with often. I work hard and I want to be successful but I also understand the value of quality time with my loved ones. I don’t want to be the guy on his deathbed who wishes he’d done fewer events or taken a couple more vacations. But Klock didn’t just talk in the abstract about time and how important it is. He gave real-life examples and strategies of how he stays efficient and productive while still having time for his beautiful, growing family. Hint: it ain’t always easy. The guy is at the gym almost every morning at 5 am because he understands that fitness is a huge part of time management. It was inspiring to hear from Jason Klock, a young man who is doing all the right things and growing an amazing company in Pennsylvania. And then there was Joe Bunn who spoke on a subject I’ve written and talked about many times: “Hiring Talent” or as Joe calls it “Hiring the Music.” What I loved about Joe’s presentation (besides the fact that he showed a picture of the actor Peter Gallagher and said it was me) is that Joe and I disagree on a number of things when it comes to recruiting talent and yet his system works so well for him how could I refute it? Joe has a very easy, smooth presentation style, which, along with his down-home sense of humor, makes for a very enjoyable seminar. I know I am biased because he is my business partner in the PhDJ Workshop and Podcast but Joe’s seminar was one of my favorites of the week. Besides the great education, Mobile Beat had a number of exciting evening
activities. Unfortunately, I am in no position to review these because, well, I’m old. I saw a little bit of Monday night’s DJ Takeover and nothing of the Vanilla Ice night. I have a very hard time adjusting to West Coast time and so I was in my room before 11 pm each night (crazy, right?) When they say “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” when it comes to me that means getting to bed early and getting up at dawn. And that pathetic social life should definitely stay in Vegas! I did hit the showroom floor for a quick lap around and wound up buying those cool, light-up letters that spell LOVE. There definitely seemed to be the requisite number of manufacturers on hand showing off their latest gear and lighting and even a few photo booths (which was surprising because the photo booth expo was taking place at the same time across town). I always enjoy the showroom floor at any DJ convention because it’s loud and exciting and gets my blood pumping with anticipation that I just might find my next gadget or tool of the trade that I can use to make money. This year it was those letters. I would LOVE for them to be successful (see what I did there?) I have one more topic to discuss in depth about this show but I am going to save it for next month’s article. Suffice to say; if you attended all the seminars, there is probably one that left you scratching your head. Me too. I’ll dig deeper into the subject in May. Till then, all the best! 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.
time is quicker, and I ask for a meeting right away when I sense this type of personality. I get so excited when my clients are excited; especially when they use lots of exclamation points in their e-mails! Am I missing out on other clients? Probably. But at this point in my career, I want to focus on clients that I “click” with; and I am 100% ok with that. Remember, the number one source of referrals for the millennial generation is word of mouth. Working with clients YOU like will generate more clients who you want to work with. I hope you have fun seeking out your ideal client. The only way to do great
work is to LOVE what you do, who you do it with and what you do it for. 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.
April 2018 In This Issue:
Page 2: Mike Walter Page 2: Tamara Sims Page 4: Mitch Taylor Page 4: Brian S Redd Page 5: Keith KoKoruz Page 6: Ron Ruth
Page 8: Alan Berg Page 9: Chris Politylo Page 10: Joe Bunn Page 11: Mike Lenstra Page 12: Dave Ternier Page 13: Brian Buonassissi
Page 14: Rob Ferre Page 14: Top 25 Charts Page 14: Different Spin Page 15: Jason Spencer Page 15: Brian Kelm
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Disc Jockey News • April 2018 • Page 3
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PhDJ Workshop Review By Mitch Taylor
PhDJ – 5 star Content for the 201301 Seeker Of Knowledge Self admittedly, I’m a conference junkie. I’ve attended over two-dozen workshops, every Mobile Beat show for over the last decade plus, and countless other regional gatherings, local ADJA meetings, and vendor networking sessions. However, ONE workshop had seemed to elude me. That is, until just this past month. I finally had the chance to take the PhDJ Workshop from fellow DJ News Columnists Mike Walter and Joe Bunn just after Mobile Beat Las Vegas. Now full disclosure, Mike, and Joe are friends of mine, but I wanted to give you the most non-biased review I could. First, I want to commend these two gentlemen. They have put together a wonderful curriculum for the Mobile DJ who wants to take their business to the next level. In this 1 ½ day version of PhDJ, Mike and Joe opened with an icebreaker activity that helped us get to know our fellow attendees. We quickly segued into Marketing To the New Millenial, in which Mike gave out a great piece of advice, which I will share with you here. “When you think of an idea, put it on the shelf for a week. If a week later it’s still burning in your mind as a great idea, run with it.” Mike followed this with a great exercise designed to get us thinking about what we currently do vs. what we could (should) be doing.
Mike went on to give us other great examples of marketing to millennials. Joe Bunn went next and dropped some MAJOR knowledge on his favorite platform of Instagram with Marketing The Music. Joe even unveiled his latest effort that he developed for those in the events industry in the Photofy App (check out the Epic Events pack in the cool brands section for more). Joe uses Iconosquare to schedule all of his Instagram magic and gave us 5 Instagram Pro Tips. Want those? You’ll have to attend the workshop to get that. :) To round out our ½ day experience with PhDJ, Mike and Joe had a special treat for us by bringing in Attorney Jeremy Jones. Jeremy is no stranger to the DJ industry, and Jeremy helped attendees through the situation of either being sued or having to sue a client, and how to handle it. Jeremy gave real-world examples of what to do and it was all included in our fee for PhDJ, which was a bargain in and of itself. The first half of our final full day of PhDJ was sales heavy, where Joe and Mike both gave us 201 content designed to go beyond what is shared from main stages of conferences and really get to the heart of sales. Mike went deep into how to sell down from the owner down to the least experienced DJ on your staff, while Joe gave us a behind the curtain peek at his sales process. Mike and Joe approach the sales process from two VERY DIFFERENT perspectives, but they both work. After this, we covered the operations side of the business from Joe with specifically how to generate quality referrals and all of the little details of our business. Mike wrapped up our day with a topic near and dear to his heart, discussing work/life balance for the mobile DJ.
My only critique for the two gentlemen is that this is not really a workshop by definition, but more of a 201-301-breakout session. To me, a workshop is where you get to perform or work on something in the session and then get critique on it. We didn’t really get that in PhDJ, but what we DID get was more than ten plus pages of notes of solid content with action items. If you’re looking to learn from two of the ABSOLUTE BEST in the business, with an in-depth look behind the curtain of their two amazingly successful businesses, then get your own PhDJ. I’ll leave with a quote that Mike gave us in
the workshop “We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” I hope you adjust your sails and seize your opportunity to glean knowledge from Mike and Joe as soon as you can. 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.
It Was My First Time By Brian S. Redd
The first time I ran DMX live at an event was probably well over ten years ago, with four small RGB pin spots and a 19” 3U DMX 512 controller. The effect I ended up with was actually pretty cool, but it did seem like a lot of messing around just to achieve a few simple color changes and fades. When ADJ’s RGB4C came out, controlling my LED wash effects got a whole lot easier. Then, we graduated to the ADJ WIFLY RGBW8C and got rid of DMX cables with WIFLY equipped wireless DMX wash fixtures. The part that I always struggled with was controlling anything other than LED pars and bars.
When moving heads were added to the mix, I guess some of us were better (or at least more patient) lighting designers than others. The built-in programs and show modes seemed a lot more interesting than anything I could create with 40 random pan/tilt scenes. So, I opted for using some kind of compatible remote control and just using my heads in stand-alone mode. That gave me the simple effects I wanted (blackout, sound active on/off, strobe), but the ease of use was never there. The IR remote had to be pointed at the sensor just right to get the fixtures to respond, and any other lighting I was using had a separate controller of some kind. In the end, I had a couple of different lighting remotes floating around on my DJ table. It felt like I was juggling remotes in the wrong chair of my parent’s living room trying to adjust the TV volume and find the right channel on the cable box at the same time. Brian Redd Continued On Page 6
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The Retirement Of Randy Bartlett By Keith ‘KC’ KoKoruz
Last year, Randy Bartlett announced that he would be retiring from the DJ industry in 2018. He would be finishing out his contracted events, speaking on occasion and his last speaking engagem e n t for Mobile Beat would be at Mobile Beat Las Vegas 22 w h i c h happened this past month. In 2017 at Mobile Beat 21, during the ADJA national meeting, Randy was given a Lifetime Achievement Award which seemed to kick off his year of retiring. Randy opened Mobile Beat Las Vegas 22 a packed room and was one of the best attended and well talked about presentation of the entire conference. His passionate seminar brought tears to the eyes of the audience as well as to his own. At the end of his seminar, he was given the Mobile Beat Lifetime Achievement Award. I had the pleasure of meeting Randy Bartlett and becoming friends with him at a Dj Times Dj Expo in the 90’s. I remember Randy wearing shorts (he was only performing not interviewing Michael Buffer, so it was ok to do), teaching the International Chicken Dance during a thrown together “Club Mobile” party hosted on an empty ca-
sino floor in a Trump casino that has since been torn down. Randy said that he remembers becoming friends with me when we were both going back into the casino very late one night and proceeded to talk about djing and the industry for hours. Truthfully, I don’t remember that evening, but I also can’t remember not being actual friends with Randy Bartlett. Randy will admit his flaws very quickly and openly. He is a huge selfadmitted procrastinator. He is not fond of the business side of the business. He has expressed that his true joy in our in-
Disc Jockey News • April 2018 • Page 5
dustry comes from the love of performing at a couple’s wedding. Since I have known Randy, I have always found him in the role of a teacher/ mentor as well as a student. I remember sitting on a panel that he led about phone
consultations done right and done wrong in Atlantic City. His whole presentation was about asking the right questions. Randy took down every suggestion given to him by audience members. He wrote them on an easel and then proceeded to eliminate every unnecessary question in an effort to teach people to focus on the end result of how a great DJ can make a wedding reception amazing while also putting money in your pocket. Since then I have watched him speak dozens of times at conferences all over the country. I have attended his microphone workshop and have continued to learn from him each and every time. If you have ever watched his 1% Solution seminars or videos, they are about creating the best moments possible by making small changes in your performance to give your client the best experience possible. I am sure that when he reads this, I will have somehow not gotten his message 100% correct, but that is how I have interpreted his message. I only listen to about half of what he says anyhow. In addition to Randy’s dedication to his craft as well as his public speaking, Randy has also been a huge supporter of the American Disc Jockey Association. He has been a member since the 1990’s. In that time, he has served as the President of the Sacramento ADJA chapter as well as serving in other various board roles. He also created the national board of advisors and served as an advisor. We are a better industry because of the knowledge that he chose to share with us and I for one wish him a wonderful retirement. Thank You Randy Bartlett. KC can be reached at KC@discjockeynews.com.
PAGE 6 • Disc Jockey News • April 2018
Three Wedding Trends That Are Moodier, Sweeter, and More Entertaining By Ron Ruth
On a recent installment of my DJNTV show, “Ron Ruth Presents…,” I had a great conversation with Britney BeachJones, the publisher of the Kansas City wedding publication EA Bride. Britney is a friend, one of my past brides and a former wedding planner. During the course of our 45-minute conversation, we talked about the how-to’s to capturing a bride’s eye, heart and business. But, we also spent quite a bit of time exploring three new wedding trends that have or will be popping up over the next few months. The first new trend is a transition to, as Britney puts it, “all things moody.” Over the past few years, weddings have been light and airy and feminine. And, when you look at the photography, you can see so much light inside of it. But, now we see the trend towards the jewel tones and the darker flowers, darker linens and the moodier photography with more artistic lighting. You’ll see darker tones, deep reds, marsala. Brides are even choosing darker lip and eye colors. The second trend to watch for has to do with wedding entertainment, a trend that will provide guests with more of an entertainment experience. Instead of worrying about what little “throwaway” trinket a guest is going to take
home as a memory of the couple’s special day, those couples are focused more on creating memories that their guests will be more likely to keep forever. So,
Surprisingly, when I asked her how all of the added elements of entertainment would or could affect a couple’s budget, she told me that most of the
you’ll see more and more technically advanced photo and video booths included in a reception. Couples will also be bringing in additional entertainment above and beyond the DJ or a band like fire & sword swallowers, aerial artists, magicians, dancers, etc. We will also see more in the way of interactive entertainment with a greater emphasis on a couple’s culture or heritage. In general, a wedding reception will almost have the feel of being a show or an e-ticket attraction. Britney adds, “I don’t want to take away the element of love because that’s the most powerful thing there is, But, at the same time, when you walk into a wedding the experience will create more of a wow factor than a romantic mood.”
entertainment companies providing the supplemental entertainment are not charging as much as one might think. Plus, the number of guests has been going down. There are more weddings with fewer than 150 guests than in years past. That downward trend is turning into a trend itself, allowing for more money to be spent on entertainment than on food and alcohol. By trimming down the guest count, the overall experience can be elevated. Britney and I also discussed a third trend of couples treating their wedding guests to way more sweets than just wedding cake. They better have some macaroons, some pastries, some brownies and maybe an interactive cookie bar, or ice cream bar or waffle bar, as well. Actually, any food that is childhood related or kicking it old school like Oreos and milk, grilled cheese and tomato bisque sliders will be popping up at more and more weddings. I’m getting hungry just writing about it. When it comes to feeding their guests, more couples are opting out of plated meals and traditional buffets. They’d rather order in their favorite pizza, tacos or Italian food because there’s
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Brian Redd Continued From Page 4 Then, late last year, someone in the DJ Video Cave was showing off what they could do with ADJ’s Airstream DMX Bridge. I had remembered that for moving heads, there was this thing you could do with an iPad where you could draw a picture with your finger, and the moving head would follow that pattern. I knew there was a learning curve involved, but I did have a couple of free days to sort it all out, so the adventure began. Joe Lott has a video series on YouTube that was an absolute must for getting started. He covers all of the setup and technical stuff you need to know. Basically, you need the Airstream DMX Bridge dongle (which is both WIFLY & 3 pin DMX cable ready), an iOS device, and the Airstream DMX Bridge App that’s a free download at the iTunes store. According to my daughter, my iPad is relic that belongs in the Smithsonian Institute. It’s a Gen 2, but it runs iOS and that’s all you need for this app. After watching Joe’s videos, with everything in front of me, I was all set up and ready to go. I was kind of on my own with the practical application side of things, so spent a day or so working
some great personal story about going on dates to a particular restaurant. What better way to include the guests in the backstory of the bride and groom’s relationship and the journey that brought all of them to the celebration? I performed at a wedding a couple of weeks ago where the couple had one of the best barbeque restaurants in Kansas City cater their reception, simply because they wanted their out of town guests to experience the best BBQ in the world. (Their words, not mine. But, with their restaurant selection, I would have been hard-pressed to disagree.) After trends, Britney and I moved the conversation to print advertising and how to make your ad “eye-pealing” and stand out in the crowded marketplace of any publication. We also dove into the topic of selling to today’s bride and how to not only capture her heart, but how to capture her business. It was a fun and informative, 45-minutes and you can watch the entire video on YouTube at http://tiny.cc/BritneyInterview Be sure to watch “Ron Ruth Presents…” on DJNTV on the last Tuesday evening of each month. I’ve been given the freedom to interview just about anyone I want on any topic that I find compelling and that will also be of interest to you. My goal is to provide you content that is informative, inspiring and entertaining. So, go ahead and contact me with a topic suggestion if you’d like. Or, reach out to me to be considered as one of my guests. I’m always open to exciting ideas. 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 816-224-4487 or RonRuth@DiscJockeyNews.com
all that out. It was so worth it in the end. I have access to all of my lighting fixtures right in front of me on a touchscreen. After you set everything up the way you want it, you are done. No need to reprogram anything at a gig or whatever. A few of my local pals saw the light shows I was building and decided to go this route as well. Wavey Davey came over a couple of weeks ago with his Airstream DMX Bridge so I could set it all up for him. After he watched me do a couple of FX scenes, I stepped back and watched him do the programming himself. It’s really that easy once you get your head around it. Got another DJ coming over today for a crash course as well. There are a lot of really cool new ways to control your lighting today, all of which can not only improve your light shows but make the whole thing a lot more fun. Step up, do your research and see which option works best for you. If I can do it, anyone can. Practice & Enjoy Brian S Redd is a Mobile/Club DJ in Milwaukee WI, DJ Youtuber and an official “American DJ” Artist/ You can reach Brian at: brianredd@discjockeynews.com/
Disc Jockey News • April 2018 • Page 7
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PAGE 8 • Disc Jockey News • April 2018
The Photobooth Section Get The Most Bang For Your Buck – Exploring Your ROI By Alan Berg
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Understanding and measuring the Return On your Investment will help you understand your business and take it to the next level. If you’re like many wedding and event pros, it was your creativity that brought you into the industry, not your business acumen. To be successful, you need both. Once you decide to sell products or services, you need to develop your business skills and an understanding of the many ways to measure your success. HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS? Any good financial advisor or consultant will tell you that it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep that matters. In the early years of your business, you should plow back much of your profits (if you have any) into growing your business. A growing business should invest 10%-15% of its anticipated sales into marketing and advertising—not 10%-15% of their actual sales; the higher sales number that they’re trying to achieve. Then, once you’ve gotten there, you can lower that percentage to maintain your sales. DON’T SHUT OFF THE ENGINES It’s like the analogy of how a pilot needs to have the throttle on full to get the plane off the ground and get to cruising altitude. Once at cruising altitude, a pilot doesn’t turn off the engines, they back off enough to keep them up there. If they need to climb—they increase the throttle. Similarly, if you want to increase your sales or you expand into a different market or a new service/product, you need to increase your marketing/advertising budget, again. WHAT’S A GOOD ROI? How do know if you’re getting a good ROI (Return On your Investment)? Measure it. That’s sometimes easier said than done. While it’s easy to see online metrics, much of what happens either isn’t tracked or you can’t connect the dots easily. For instance, when someone gets to your website, and sends you an inquiry, that’s great, but from where did that lead really come? I’ve often said, in my presentations, that we don’t get business “from” our websites., we get it “through” our websites. They had to come “from” some- where to get to our sites. And, what if they were at three or four other sites before they got to yours? How did they get to yours? WHAT ARE YOU TRACKING? Too many wedding and event pros are asking the wrong tracking questions—at the wrong time. For instance, if you’re waiting for a phone, or faceto-face meeting, to ask, “How did you hear about us?”, that’s both the wrong question and the wrong time. You’re too far removed from those online clicks. A better question, right on your website contact form, is, “How did you find our website today?” It’s the closest you’ll be to that last click. If you have
analytics for your website, it’s not likely to be sophisticated enough to show you the path for that specific customer, before they got to your site. THE BASICS OF ROI The difference between an investment and an expense is that an investment may return you more than you invested. While an expense gets you only what you paid for (gas, your vehicle, your computer, etc.). To calculate your ROI, you need two numbers: the amount you spent on that investment and the amount you got in return. You can never say whether something is expensive or inexpensive based solely on the price. While one professional camera may cost twice as much as another, it may have features that will help a particular photographer make more sales. If those additional sales justify the extra investment, then it’s not expensive; however, the same camera to a different photographer—with no way to monetize that feature—may be considered expensive. ALL ROI ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL Of course, not all investments return the same ROI, nor should they. There’s usually no connection between different investments, so comparing their ROI is an imperfect exercise. What we need to do is measure each investment’s ROI, on its own merit. From a business and financial perspective, does this investment make sense? The opportunity cost of choosing one over another is the potential profit of the investment you didn’t make—if it could be higher than one you’re making now. But, that too, is an imperfect analytic. In the real world, it gets more complicated. For instance, let’s say you were thinking of doing a particular wedding show, so you decide to move some of your advertising dollars from something else to that show. While that seems like a sound decision, in the real world, any couples who would have found you on the ad you dropped, won’t find you at the show, or even on a different website. The couples who choose to attend a particular wedding show, or frequent a particular website, won’t go looking for you elsewhere if they don’t see you. They’ll choose from the vendors they see where they are (on that site, or at the show, etc.). If you have a positive ROI from the ad you’re thinking of dropping (you’re making more in profit, than you’re spending), then you’re going backwards by dropping it. The new investment needs to bring you at least the same profit, or you’re going backwards; but you won’t know—until you try it. DON’T BET THE RENT MONEY What I suggest is to find additional money to try with the new opportunity. Once you prove that it works, and brings you better profit, you can decide if you should drop something else. However, if they’re both bringing in a good profit, even if those profit margins are very different, don’t shoot yourself in the foot (or rather, the bottom line). The only time I’d drop the lower-performing investment, is when the new one is filling your calendar. NO ONE LIKES A RATE INCREASE I often present on getting you to raise your rates, charge what you’re worth, Alan Berg Continued On Page 9
Disc Jockey News • April 2018 • Page 9
The Photobooth Section Advertising On Photo Strip; Tacky Or Brilliant Marketing? By Chris Politylo
Asking this question among photo booth owners could be the equivalent of asking an American if they voted for Trump or Clinton; Should you include your website or contact information on a photo booth strip design? There may not be a right or wrong answer, but there are certainly opinions that vary dramatically based on the event the design is intended for and the strategy of the photo booth owner. Let’s start with the obvious events where photo booth owners must advertise on their photo strips: Wedding/ Bridal shows or other trade expos are no-brainer events that you must advertise your website and contact info on a photo strip. Clients are expecting to be advertised to, they want to be able to easily follow-up with you. The photo strip is your business card during these events; there is zero shame in advertising here. In addition, most photo booth owners don’t hesitate to place their website or contact info on a photo strip for a donated/discounted event or fundraiser. When you are donating your services, clients usually have an expectation that you will market yourself to make the event worth your time and paper and ink. What about all other events? Some photo booth owners consider this type of branding standard industry practice, while others believe that it is as tacky as a chrome suit. The pro-advertising argument. The subtle inclusion of a website on the photo strip is an easy and effective way to reach potential, future, clients. The reality is, people will not and do not throw away these photo strips. These photo strips hang on fridges, office cubicles, and bulletin boards for years, and are always glanced at fond memories of the good times and laugh provided and captured by your photo booth. People who can afford a qual-
ity photo booth, usually have circles of friends and family who can also afford a photo booth, thus getting a photo strip in the hands of every guest, with your site on it, can be a powerful tool. The tacky argument. On the opposite side of the argument, many photo booth owners find the inclusion of a website or contact info on a photo strip to be a tacky addition that should not even be considered other than for a trade show or donated event. These owners believe that the work speaks for itself and that curious potential clients will take a business card at the event or contact the event planner for contact information. Other options. 1. Sticker on the back. There are some photo booth owners who place a sticker on the back of each photo strip that includes their web address and phone number. This seems like a good compromise, however, could be difficult to keep up with at a busy event. I have yet to hear of a photo printer that is able to print text accordingly on the back of the strip. Perhaps this will be an option in the future. 2. Change the wording. Most photo booth owners upload an event’s photos to an online gallery of sorts. You can make the guests aware of this on the photo strip. Wording such as: “Find your photos at www.yourphotoboothsite.com” or “See More Photos at www. yourphotoboothsite.com” are great choices to drive clients to your website. Potential clients will love the opportunity to view and print more copies of the photos they love or photos of friends they may have missed. This is a great way to build rapport with potential clients and the community-at-large as well. 3. Remove advertising for a fee. Some photo booth owners will charge a fee for the removal of branding. What do I do?
Alan Berg Continued From Page 8 and ac- count for your increasing costs. So, it’s kind of hypocritical to raise our rates and complain when another business does it to us. Take the emotion out, and look at it rationally. Don’t look at what the rate was, look at what the new rate is, and does the ROI make sense at the new rate. FINAL THOUGHTS One of the most important metrics is profitability. I don’t care how many weddings or events you do. I’m not impressed if you double the number of events, but your bottom line doesn’t increase. Feed your family, not your ego.
If your ROI from two different ads, or opportunities, is the same, it’s a coincidence. Before you jump from one opportunity to another, look at your ROI for each, not in comparison to the others, but on its own merits. WPM 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
DOWNLOAD FOR FREE AT: PROFIT911.BIZ/25THINGS
In general, I do subtly, and tastefully include my website on the very bottom of the photo strip. Here is a key to doing this with confidence and no shame. Do not surprise your client with it on the day of the event. When you send your client proofs of their photo strip design, include your website if that is what you intend to do. Get your client to approve or disapprove the design. Do not add
your advertising after your client has approved the design without it. I trust my gut, and you should trust yours. Sometimes I do not even place my website on the proof because I know that it will be an issue. After some experience, you will learn to spot these clients. You can contact Chris at chris@ photoboothtraining.com.
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PAGE 10 • Disc Jockey News • April 2018
Where Were You? By Joe Bunn
I’m sure I’ve written an article like this before, maybe even for this very publication you’re reading right now, but I feel like I need to address it again. I’m just returning from Las Vegas where once again I attended the annual Mobile Beat Convention. The convention put on for the readers of this magazinemobile DJs! So, where were you? I’m not going to do a full recap of the show here because I’m sure that some of the other DJN writers are going to cover that. But I do want to touch on a few things, namely the advantages. There are so many things that you can get out of attending conferences, not just MBLV, but any of them. Seminars. The producers of these shows, no matter how large or small, bust their tails to bring you fresh content each and every year. They are always looking for the up and coming speakers like Jason Klock and mixing them in with some veterans like Mike Walter, Randy Bartlett, and Mark Ferrell. As for Mobile Beat, I get it; it’s Vegas. You stay up too late, maybe have too many cocktails, but do yourself a favor and get up and GO to the seminars! Nobody knows everything there is to know about the mobile DJ business. I promise that each seminar will have at least one takeaway, one action item, one nugget, or whatever you
want to call it. Networking. To many, this part of any DJ conference is as important or more important than the seminar content. The area outside of the seminar room was constantly buzzing with tables of DJs sharing contact info, tips, information or just catching up. I even saw Marcello Pedalino, in a full three-piece suit nonetheless, organizing a plank version of the “Cha Cha Slide”! Part fitness, part line dance. Now that’s what I’m talking about! Entertainment. I’ll be honest with you. I’m not the kind of guy that wants to grab a drink at the bar, sit on a stool and chat. I want to be entertained when I go out. Maybe it’s because I’ve been an entertainer myself for the past 30+ years. Mobile Beat this year had plenty in the way of entertainment. I personally attended the Monday night party at The Havana Room in the hotel where several of my industry friends ripped DJ sets. I also got to see and meet Vanilla Ice, who was actually a great time and a really cool dude. The Gear. Of course, I can’t forget the gear. It’s the Achilles heel for many of us right? I have a love/hate relationship with it. Just when I think that I have the perfect DJ setup, I see someone else’s or some
manufacturer comes out with a new piece of equipment that makes me drool. Pretty much all of the big dogs in the mobile DJ world were present on the show floor in Vegas. If you are looking to upgrade or change brands, this is definitely the best way to try it all out and actually see DJs demo it that know the ins and outs.
If the big shows aren’t for you, I get it, but there are so many other things you can attend throughout the year. You have Midwest DJs Live coming up very soon. ARMDJs is not only in Tennessee this year but is traveling around the country. The Marquee DJ Show is having its first ever show this year in one of my favorite cities, Chicago, in July. Then you have The DJ Expo in Atlantic City in August. Try to hit
one, or all of them! Maybe you don’t want to go to a DJ show at all? There are countless other opportunities to learn things that will help you grow your business. Check out a social media conference! How about Wedding Wire World? Wedding MBA? If you’re into lighting and production, LDI is perfect for you. There are also NACE and ILEA based conferences like Catersourse or The Special Event. If you want to rub elbows with the biggest wedding planners and vendors in the world, check out the Engage conferences. There is literally a conference every month that you could attend (if you had a lot of money). So pick one or two every year and GO! If they don’t do it for you, pick others the following year. I’m always out and about at various conferences during the year whether I’m speaking or just simply learning. I hope to see you at one soon! 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.
The Way I See It: Hiring The Music
Disc Jockey News • April 2018 • Page 11
By Michael J. Lenstra
Joe Bunn’s third DVD installment in his series has hit the market. Following up on his first two releases—Marketing the Music and Selling the Music—his latest entry takes the next logical step and helps guide multi-op owners to find their next great DJ with Hiring the Music— a step-bystep guide that he uses to recruit and train the talent for his business, Bunn DJ Company. A native of North Carolina, Joe has been in the mobile DJ business for over three decades now and has four different offices serving three different states in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He also has become an emerging voice in the industry through his DVD series, speaking engagements at several industry-related conferences, and a workshop—The PhDJ Workshop—that he co-hosts with fellow DJ Newswriter Michael Walter. In this installment of the video series, Joe breaks down the process he undertakes to find the individuals with the personality and passion he desires to entertain as DJs under his company name. The DVD is broken down into four parts: Finding Talent Hiring Talent Training Talent Retaining Talent In part one, Finding Talent, Joe reveals that he uses very few traditional methods such as Help Wanted ads in local newspapers in searching for his next great mobile DJ but instead relies predominantly on a contact form that is permanently displayed on his company website, as well as on craigslist
ads. From the responses he receives from these sources, the vetting begins, “I would never hire anyone who doesn’t know how to use a shift key, can’t spell, and uses terrible grammar,” Joe says. He also does a bit of social media stalking on the potential recruit. Posts he finds that are political rants or filled with vulgar language immediately disqualify the potential candidate from consideration Once Joe has identified those individuals he feels will be a good fit for his company, the interviewing process begins. First, there is a questionnaire that he sends to the applicant, and if filled out to Joe’s liking an interview is scheduled. For the benefit of the video, Joe re-enacts an interview he recently had with one of his actual recent recruits. The interview, though staged, comes off refreshingly real with enough “ahs,” “ums,” and “you knows,” along with a bit of spontaneous humor, to make the segment seem to be an actual, real-time interview. The answers to the inquiries are important to the process, but as Joe explains, it is not the secret ingredient that he looks for during the interview process. “It’s more about the person than how quick their mixing skills are,” he says. “I’ve had plenty of guys that can’t mix chocolate milk but got amazing reviews just because they were good people.” Part three then moves on to the training of those recruited. Joe makes this
part of the video very user-friendly by providing the purchaser of the DVD with a pdf of the Bunn Company training manual to help the viewer follow along as he explains his process in the film.
Things wrap up in part four with a section on ways to keep those All-Star DJs you just produced in the fold, which include scheduling some fun activities for team building, social outings, and of course appropriate compensation. “If you keep your DJs busy and pay them well they won’t want to go anywhere else,” he concludes, then warns: “If you aren’t going to pay well then you’re going to pull from the bottom of the pool.” As a bonus feature, Joe includes pdfs of all of the questionnaires and forms that he demonstrates in the video for the purchaser to consider incorporating into his or her own business. He also includes a Frequently Asked Questions session at the tail end of the production. This may be the only part of the video I have some apprehension about. Part of the session deals with one of the often-asked questions in our industry: Are those who work for you subcontractors or employees? Joe opts to classify his help as subs. “Mike Walter swears I’m going to prison because I pay my guys as subcontractors, and I’ve done that for 20 years,” Joe states in the video. However, he states that his accountant assures him that he is compliant. In fact, he reveals
that he was once audited by the state and they never raised an issue with the subject. But by just including the piece on the DVD I question whether it runs the risk of falling into a competitor’s hands, where it might be made available for review by an entity like the State Department of Labor. It’s a risk that I question needs to be taken. The Way I see it: The video is well shot by Twenty One Films of Raleigh, North Carolina. Several camera angles are used which it make much more appealing than a YouTube video shot with a shaky cell phone. The aesthetic backgrounds also add to the quality of this well put together production. The video moves at a steady to the quick pace and keeps your attention. The little but wellplaced humor (“Bye, Felicia”) make this much more appealing than many other similar videos currently on the market. Until next month, ~ Michael ~ Michael J. Lenstra is a 20-plus-year veteran of the Mobile Disc Jockey Industry, a full-time entertainer, and owner of Alexxus Entertainment in Dubuque, IA. He can be reached at mikelenstra@discjockeynews.com
PAGE 12 • Disc Jockey News • April 2018
No More Bad Wedding Toasts By Dave Ternier
Ever witnessed a bad wedding speech? A toast to the bride that kind of flopped? A toast to the groom that quickly descended into jokes that should have stayed with “the boys”? A welcome to the family speech that just… wouldn’t… end? Any DJ that has spent any time at all working with weddings has witnessed a few of the above (if not all of them). For many people speaking at weddings, this is the first time they’ve had to write a speech or toast like this. Remember that surveys commonly show fear of public speaking, also known as “glossophobia,” sitting at the top of the list of worst fears. It’s no wonder that weddings play host to so many bad speeches, but fear not (see what I did there?!), you can play a massive role in changing that. Before I present you what I am about to share, you will need to accept that you’re not going to turn everyone into a public speaking rockstar. With a few proactive steps, you will greatly increase the odds of quality speeches and toasts being delivered at your weddings. This will, in turn, help you to create more successful events which will translate into more success for your DJ business. First of all, you’ll need contact information for all of the people speaking at the wedding. In my part of Canada, the people that are usually toasting consist of wedding party members and the parents of the bride and groom. Before the first planning meeting (5 – 6 months before the wedding), my couples are instructed to log in to my planning website (powered by DJ Event Planner) and fill in three contact forms. Those contact forms are “Family Names & Contact Info,” “Wedding Party Names & Contact Info” and “Wedding Vendor Names & Contact Info.” During the first planning meeting, a lot of discussion takes place around who will be presenting the toasts and welcomes. I do my best to learn about why they’ve chosen these people and what type of speakers they might be. If required, I will offer other suggestions about who they might choose (a favorite aunt or uncle, siblings not included in the wedding party, all of the bridesmaids together, etc.). Following that first planning meeting, I wait for the bride and groom to confirm with each person speaking that they are, in fact, planning to speak at the wedding. Only after that confirmation do I proceed to the next step. Around 3-1/2 months before the wedding, I email all of the people that are confirmed to be speaking. They each get an email that contains an introduction from me with a couple of sentences explaining why I am getting in touch with them. Also included in that email are links to a couple of documents to help with the composition and presentation of their speech. The first document contains a series of “speaking at weddings” tips and pointers that I’ve assembled over the years. It discusses how long their speech should be, tips on font style and print size, basic
microphone techniques, etc. I also outline where they will be standing for their speech, provide them with some YouTube links to videos about speaking at weddings and I suggest that they email their speech to me for backup purposes. The second document is a PDF version of the book “Wedding Toasts Made Easy.” This book contains a wealth of knowledge for assembling a wedding toast and the author, Tom Haibeck, makes a limited number of electronic redistribution licenses available to mobile DJs. This arrangement with Tom has been of great value to my company, and any DJ that is interested in providing this to the people speaking at their weddings should get in touch with Tom Haibeck. Lastly, I also suggest some basic
talking points and offer to proofread the speech for the person toasting. I have had a surprisingly large number of people take me up on proofreading (every speech for some weddings!) which has provided me greater insight into the order which the speeches should be scheduled at the wedding (based on humor, overall quality, energy, etc.). In conversation with my brides and grooms at our final planning meeting (1 – 2 months before the wedding), I’ll often ask them who the “best” speaker might be. It is always my goal to have the speeches being presented build in energy and quality, as opposed to the other way around. Having the speeches to read ahead of time takes most of the guesswork away. On the wedding day itself, I make a point of going around during dinner to review microphone technique with each person scheduled to speak as well as the order and location of speeches being de-
livered (generally speaking, speeches take place after dinner in Canada). With all of that, the quality of speeches I experience at nearly every wedding I work with has gone way up. Many times, the people I am emailing for this purpose are thrilled that someone with experience (me) is available to help them. They feel more confident, are less intimidated by the task ahead of them, and they do a much better job! I’ve also started developing a rapport with them well ahead of the wedding which might have numerous side benefits for my work in the future. ~ Dave Based in Manitoba, Canada, Dave Ternier is a single operator DJ/MCfor his company, Special Request Weddings and he is the founding author of aDJthought. com. Dave Ternier can be reached at DaveTernier@discjockeynews.com.
Disc Jockey News • April 2018 • Page 13
Side Hustles: Why You Should Have One (Uber, Etc.) By Brian Buonassissi
Upon glancing at my title, you may ask yourself, what the heck does this have to do with DJ’ing? A lot. I’m narrowing this article audience to the full-time DJs. Let me first define a side hustle – it is a way to make some extra money that allows you the flexibility to pursue what you’re most interested in. On the flip side, it could also BE your true passion (example: DJ’ing) which gives you an opportunity to delve into it without quitting your day job. Let’s go with the former for the sake of this article. I know how much time running a business demands as I own a multi-op so beyond the cash, why add another thing to your plate (especially if you have a family)? Great question. Let me give you some reasons. #1: FINANCIAL SAFETY NET: Let’s face it – the economy has its ups and downs so I’m a huge proponent of multiple income streams. Sometimes it could be a natural or man-made disaster. A few years back, our Florida office was dealt the BP oil spill. Although the spill wasn’t that bad in our area, the media spun it in a such a way, that our destination couples were canceling their weddings on a scale I had never seen. Somehow, by the grace of God, we came out of it OK. Many did not and closed up shop. If I had had some side hustle then, it would have been a lot less stressful. A
side hustle can also finance some leisure activities instead of you have to pulling more cash out of your main business. #2: REJUVENATION: Getting a break from running your DJ company may renew your passion for DJ’ing. It can also spark creativity. Some of my best ideas had come when I stepped away from the desk or see another business in a completely different industry doing something that I can tweak to fit what I do. When I return to my DJ company, I have fresh energy, and I’m ready to dominate. #3: POSSIBLE NEW CLIENTELE: With a side hustle, you’re exposing yourself to a new social circle. This can lead to another group of clients that you may have never been able to meet prior. Early in my DJ career, I wanted to go full-time, so I jumped into it, but I didn’t have the cash to support myself in the winter. I had to humble myself and take a temp office job. I was only there for two weeks and not only did I make my daily wage, but I sold two weddings to some co-workers out of it at full rate. Talk about the good use of time/investment for myself. #4: EXIT STRATEGY: I hate to break the news to you, but if you’re of the mindset that you will DJ forever, that just isn’t reality – especially in the private event industry. At some point, you will need to transition into something else. Even a person like Randy Bartlett, who has retired from active DJ’ing (allegedly), has a side hustle to fall back on with speaking and product (which has timeless principles) that he’s recorded over the years. Don’t wait until it’s too late to figure it out. Deciding what you want to do after your DJ days are over is a great way to find a side hustle. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give any ideas
on side hustle ideas and how to do them. I mentioned one in the title – Uber – but any ride sharing stuff is fantastic (Lyft, Via, etc.). You can create your hours and decide when you want to work them. It could be a night manager at a hotel, real estate, a holiday/seasonal job or selling something through Amazon. I tend to encourage folks to pick a side hustle that falls within a horizontal scope of the line of work you are already doing. The learning curve is typically a lot less that way. For me, I’m working on working with DJ brands and helping them get out to the masses as well developing my DJ company coaching (which I hope to launch soon). Guys like Mike Walter and Joe Bunn have parlayed into the speaking/selling education product and classes. Jason Jani is doing remixes. Jason Klock
is building a corporate event business, and the list goes on. The key is finding balance and not putting yourself in a situation where you’re working two full-time jobs. Like when you started your DJ business, start small and build it slowly. What are your thoughts? Have a side hustle? If so, I’d love to hear what is working for you. Send me a note. Until next month. Based out of NYC, DJ Brian Buonassissi is a successful internationally traveling DJ/MC specializing in luxury destination private events. He runs a multi-city mobile DJ/event business with offices in Southern California, Destin, FL and New York City. You can connect with him at brianbuonassissi@discjockeynews.com.
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PAGE 14 • Disc Jockey News • April 2018
What’s In A Name? By Rob Ferre
We are in the business of customer service, sales, and performance. That is a lot to ask of one person running a small business, but this is what we have chosen. Always keep in mind the most important thing we can do is leave a lasting impression with our performance when it’s all said and done. But throughout the process, we need to connect with our clients and we need to start off on the right foot. T h i n k about the times where you received terrible customer service or didn’t feel like a valued customer. Think about when you call any customer service for help, and they immediately ask for an account number. The companies that impress me
are the ones that ask for my name or how I am doing. I always prefer, “Hello, who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?” as opposed to, “What is your account number sir?” In some cases, I’ve received the dreaded (as a sir) “What is your account number, ma’am?” People like to be addressed by name and like hearing personal greetings to feel more valued and not like simply another number. Let’s give the same service and feeling of value to our clients that we desire ourselves. It can be as simple as saying their name at least five times in the consultation. If you are dealing with a new couple that is getting married always address them by their names. If you are doing a presentation, have their names on the title slide of the power point. For even more a wow factor, if you create custom
monograms, have that ready when they walk into the room. I cannot repeat enough
- always address your potential clients by their names. It may seem simple, but you will create an invaluable impact. When it comes to the day of the event,
especially weddings, say your client’s name throughout the day. That way, when you get on the mic, you are saying “Larissa and Rob” instead of “Bride and Groom.” That way, you are saying “Noah!” instead of “the bar mitzvah boy.” That way, you are saying “Victoria” instead of “the birthday girl.” How generic is it just to state what they are to you? Your clients are looking forward to this once in a lifetime celebration, and you must treat it as such. No one ever wants to be treated like a “fourth wedding of the week.” Make them all feel as if they are the only people in the world for your time together. In the words of Destiny’s Child, “Say my name, say my name,” and that will make all the difference. You can connect with him at RobFerre@discjockeynews.com.
Top 25 Song Charts For April 2018
The Weekly Printable Charts (Top 50 and Recurrent) are available at http://www.discjockeynews.com/charts for Subscribers Pop 1 ZEDD/MAREN MORRIS/GREY The Middle 2 BRUNO MARS & CARDI B Finesse 3 G-EAZY & HALSEY Him & I 4 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L. 5 NF Let You Down 6 CAMILA CABELLO Never Be The Same 7 ED SHEERAN Perfect 8 DUA LIPA New Rules 9 THE WEEKND & KENDRICK LAMAR Pray For Me 10 DRAKE God’s Plan 11 MAX Lights Down Low f/Gnash 12 IMAGINE DRAGONS Whatever It Takes 13 MAROON 5 Wait 14 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Say Something f/C Stapleton 15 MARSHMELLO & ANNE-MARIE Friends 16 MEGHAN TRAINOR No Excuses 17 BAZZI Mine 18 LAUV I Like Me Better 19 DEMI LOVATO Tell Me You Love Me 20 KENDRICK LAMAR & SZA All The Stars 21 DUA LIPA IDGAF 22 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER Want You Back 23 POST MALONE Psycho f/Ty Dolla $ign 24 TAYLOR SWIFT Delicate 25 N.E.R.D. & RIHANNA Lemon Urban 1 DRAKE God’s Plan 2 MIGOS Stir Fry 3 CARDI B Bartier Cardi f/21 Savage 4 BLOCBOY JB Look Alive f/Drake 5 BRUNO MARS & CARDI B Finesse 6 DEREZ DE’SHON Hardaway 7 RICH THE KID New Freezer f/Kendrick Lamar 8 BLAC YOUNGSTA Booty
9 DJ KHALED Top Off f/Jay Z, Future & B 10 SZA Broken Clocks 11 KENDRICK LAMAR LOVE. f/Zacari 12 BALL GREEZY Nice & Slow 13 JAY ROCK/KENDRICK/FUTURE King’s Dead 14 H.E.R. Focus 15 KENDRICK LAMAR & SZA All The Stars 16 THE WEEKND & KENDRICK LAMAR Pray For Me 17 JACQUEES At The Club f/Dej Loaf 18 OFFSET & METRO BOOMIN Ric Flair Drip 19 REMY MA Melanin Magic (Pretty Brown) 20 STEFFLON DON Hurtin’ Me f/French Montana 21 ELLA MAI Boo’d Up 22 JHENE AIKO Sativa f/Rae Sremmurd 23 TANK When We 24 CHRIS BROWN Tempo 25 DANIEL CAESAR Get You f/ Kali Uchis Adult Contempory 1 ED SHEERAN Perfect 2 P!NK What About Us 3 SHAWN MENDES There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me... 4 PORTUGAL. THE MAN Feel It Still 5 THE CHAINSMOKERS Something Just Like This 6 CAMILA CABELLO Havana f/Young Thug 7 CHARLIE PUTH Attention 8 MAX Lights Down Low f/Gnash 9 ZEDD & ALESSIA CARA Stay 10 BON JOVI When We Were Us 11 IMAGINE DRAGONS Thunder 12 CALUM SCOTT You Are The Reason 13 CHARLIE PUTH How Long 14 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Say Something f/C Stapleton 15 P!NK Beautiful Trauma 16 KESHA Praying 17 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L.
18 DUA LIPA New Rules 19 HALSEY Bad At Love 20 KEALA SETTLE This Is Me 21 LUIS FONSI & DADDY Y Despacito f/Justin Bieber 22 DEMI LOVATO Sorry Not Sorry 23 BRUNO MARS & CARDI B Finesse 24 ZEDD/MAREN MORRIS/GREY The Middle 25 LESLIE COURS MATHER We Should Try Againy Country LUKE BRYAN Most People Are Good 2 JORDAN DAVIS Singles You Up 3 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L. 4 BRETT ELDREDGE The Long Way 5 DEVIN DAWSON All On Me 6 THOMAS RHETT Marry Me 7 JASON ALDEAN You Make It Easy 8 HIGH VALLEY She’s With Me 9 KANE BROWN Heaven 10 DARIUS RUCKER For The First Time 11 CHRIS STAPLETON Broken Halos 12 BLAKE SHELTON I Lived It 13 DIERKS BENTLEY Woman, Amen 14 DAVID LEE MURPHY Everything’s Gonna Be Alright 15 LUKE COMBS One Number Away 16 BRANTLEY GILBERT The Ones That Like Me 17 LEE BRICE Boy 18 MORGAN WALLEN Up Down f/Florida Georgia Line 19 GRANGER SMITH Happens Like That 20 CHRIS LANE Take Back Home Girl f/T. Kelly 21 JAKE OWEN I Was Jack (You Were Diane) 22 MICHAEL RAY Get To You 23 LINDSAY ELL Criminal 24 MORGAN EVANS Kiss Somebody 25 DYLAN SCOTT Hooked
5 Bad Business Habits To Break By Jason Spencer
When I left my former DJ company of 13 years and decided to start my solo career, I thought I had it figured out. But I quickly learned that being self-employed is a rough life. Many things can prevent a business from growing, and ultimately they can (and will) destroy most businesses. Learning to spot these issues and then creating a shift in how you approach these situations will help you greatly. 1. Procrastinating Think about the reasons you started your own business for a moment. Was it because you wanted to follow your passion? Did you want flexibility? Freedom? Unlimited financial potential? Did you desire to create your destiny? With all that free time on your hands, you certainly are getting everything done, right? Except usually you’re not getting much of anything done, and it leads to anxiety and becoming your own worst enemy. There are some ways to solve this problem. You need to start by figuring
out all the time you’re wasting. Do this by tracking the time you spend doing various things. My favorite is TSheets, which fully integrates into QuickBooks Online and is even better if you have staff. Some other low cost/free options include Tick (tickspot.com), Harvest (getharvest. com), and Toggl (toggl.com). You’ll be shocked to find how much time you waste during the day. However, armed with this new data, you can now set realistic SMART goals each day. Continue tracking time and factor in a reward for yourself when getting things done on time. 2. Isolating Yourself or Your Team Being a solopreneur has its challenges, and the biggest one is spending too much time by yourself. Even a small team can become narrow-minded when they are isolated from other colleagues and business owners. That’s when you begin to lose perspective. And without outside contact, you’ll be less motivated and perhaps even depressed. If you work solo, schedule lunch or coffee time with other colleagues to get you out into the world. Networking meetings help too, but sometimes get too confined to work topics. Try to rotate your contacts, so you don’t get locked into a routine with a small handful of people. If your company has a staff, try to do 2-4 outings together a year. Joe Bunn does a great job talking about this in his newest training video “Hiring the Music” (djjo-
Disc Jockey News • April 2018 • Page 15 is by empowering business owners with ebunn.com). 3. Relying On Your Current Custom- the Profit First methodology. It’s not a replacement of traditional accounting. ers I’m probably going to get flak for this, However, it sits on top of it so that you but becoming complacent on recurring – the business owner – can get a clear clients (schools, corporate, bars) and ex- picture of your money without needing pecting referrals from your best one-time to learn how to read an income statement clients (weddings, mitzvahs) can get you or balance sheet. in trouble. All it takes is one recurring 5. Letting Your Skills Slide After attending a recent DJ conferclient to cut you lose or one referral chain to dry up, and your cash flow will feel ence, I realized that I had become complacent in a few areas of my business the pinch. Make sure that you are always mar- – performance and otherwise. Newer, keting to new prospects. That can include younger DJs with some brilliant ideas social media, advertising, blogging, and were popping up, and I hadn’t realized it. even building co-branded partnerships Are you keeping pace with the industry with other vendors that serve the same or slowly becoming obsolete? There’s no shortage of educational client base. This is critically important, even if you are swamped with the de- opportunities within our industry. My mands of your existing customers. Make own Profithood Academy is a great place the time to remain top of mind with your to tackle some topics on growing your business financially and systematically. target audience. If you need help with sales, Mitch Tay4. Not Managing Your Money Again, think back to why you started lor is one of the best resources around your business. It probably wasn’t be- with a multitude of offerings. I already cause you love dealing with complex mentioned Joe Bunn, and don’t forget his accounting software and chasing clients PhDJ Workshop counterpart, Mike Walto get paid. Ignoring the money leads to ter. Jared Wade has launched a new Toastcash flow problems and resentment of the masters International online for DJs and MCs. Even the newly announced Disc business. A few solutions to this problem exist. Jockey News Convention Series launchYou probably should learn the basics of es this month and has an impressive lineaccounting, and maybe even find a book- up running every Monday throughout the keeper to keep your journals clean. That summer (djntvinsider.com). The point here is that you don’t have said, you also probably do what most small business owners do: Bank Balance to go far to find valuable education opAccounting. This is when you, the own- portunities to better your performance er, log into your bank account online and skills or business. And once you begin views the balance of your bank account breaking these bad habits, you’ll begin and determine that’s the money you have seeing your business thrive. Jason Spencer is a Certified Profit to run the business with. Only, that’s not the whole picture. First Professional and founder of ProfitThat money needs to cover many things. hood Academy. He has over 20 years of Things like payroll, taxes, expenses, new wedding and event industry experience equipment, repair of old equipment, and and is the owner of Spencer Weddings let’s not forget paying yourself. You need and Entertainment in Northern Califorto make sure each dollar in your business nia. He can be reached at 916-264-9777 or by email at jasonspencer@discjockhas a purpose. The easiest way I’ve found to do that eynews.com.
Can You Handle The Responsibility By Brian Kelm
The level of responsibility we are accountable for as entertainers has gone up considerably over the years and will not be slowing down anytime soon! With all the social media platforms, ideas everywhere, and customers wanting to create an experience, taking responsibility in serving the customer from concept to reality is our new job description. Your job is now to go out and deliver on your promises to achieve these expectations. You either go all out to exceed any customer expectations and give the performance of a lifetime, or you don’t. The funny part about responsibility is that we have more of it now than ever before. The customers we are serving and society, in general, have expectations and a perception of what these entertainment experiences should be. They have the expectations without any awareness on their part of what it all takes in labor, talent, production, and ultimately the price tag to make it a reality. I believe that if you can take a customer’s money, (regardless of how much it is) you are responsible to serve them any way you can to make their experience unforgettable. From a performance point of view, the only thing that matters is the outcome of the
event and whether the expectations were exceeded or not. The saddest thing about this high level of responsibility is that we all have the duty of putting events together and being a collaborative partner with others in a once in a lifetime event, and yet we might not put in the effort to exceed expectations. We might be completely unaware that as performing artists; especially with all that is at stake with your reputation, referrals, word of mouth, and instant sharing on social media, have way more on the line that many other professionals. Being truthful with yourself first about what you can deliver regarding your performance is crucial and irreplaceable when building trust with your customers. Once you know that you can deliver the type of performance needed, you can become a partner in helping them create their vision. Ask yourself this profound and lifechanging question – “Are you willing to do what it takes to be an asset to your customer?” (Perceived as more than a DJ) Take responsibility for everything in your life personally and professionally. If you make a mistake no matter how big or small, admit to it, and reestablish your integrity. Become known as a person and professional who takes action, commits, and delivers extraordinary results for every customer you have the honor of serving! 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
PAGE 16 • Disc Jockey News • April 2018