Disc Jockey News May 2018 Edition

Disc Jockey News May 2018 • Issue #150

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PAGE 2 • Disc Jockey News • May 2018

The Seminar Everyone Was Talking About

By Mike Walter

I offered my full recap of Mobile Beat’s Las Vegas show in last month’s edition of this fine publication. This month, as promised, I’d like to discuss one of the seminars I witnessed at the show in depth and also offer my opinion.

The seminar I’d like to focus on was called “Scaling with Byron Gunter.”

I have to admit, going into the seminar, I knew very little about Mr. Gunter.

I guess I don’t frequent the same Facebook groups that he does so all I knew was a Multi-Op owner from Ohio was going to do a seminar on growing your company. I didn’t hear about anyone boycotting the seminar until after the fact (and I have to say if people did, it was ineffective, Mr. Gunter’s seminar was as crowded as most that week). So since the Multi-Op message is right up my alley, I didn’t want to miss it. As it turns out, Mr. Gunter and I have very similar philosophies about growing our businesses. More often than not, I sat there nodding my head in agreement as Mr. Gunter made his points. But he never got to the question of pricing, so I can’t say how copacetic we are on that point.

And from what I’ve come to know after the seminar, that seems to be the hot-button issue. When I asked Mr. Gunter about his seminar afterward, he told me it was a topic he “intentionally didn’t talk about.”

Which brings me to the main reason I wanted to discuss this seminar. And the main reason everyone else wanted to as well. And that was Mr. Gunter’s presentation style. He hit the stage as if he was already defensive. As if he assumed half the room was upset with him and he had to win them over. It’s a perception he confirmed when he told me: “There was a sizable amount of people in that room that didn’t know who I was. But there were also a bunch of people that know, and dare I say, hate me. . . So yeah, I was defensive.” And that certainly came across. Mr. Gunter often cursed in his seminar which is a style I disagree with.

I certainly use my share of profanity in my everyday life and am not easily offended (heck I listen to Howard Stern, so there’s nothing I haven’t heard) I edit myself in my seminars, much the way I do at my events. So I wasn’t offended at the language, just surprised to hear it used so liberally. And dropping the “R-word” was also a bit much. I would advise anyone reading this that our language has changed and special needs people in our society, and their families, are very offended by that word. If you use it to describe something broken or subpar, find another word.

So it was Mr. Gunter’s language and attitude on that stage that really stood out more than his message. Because like I said, his message was solid and nothing

Couples Just Want To Have Fun!

By Tamara Sims

It’s 2018, and we are overworked, over stimulated and stressed out, so it is not surprising when I ask my brides and grooms to describe their perfect wedding reception, the number one word that comes up is “fun.” In fact, a recent Knot.com survey confirmed my observation as 25% of couples are now using the word “fun” to describe their wedding day (up from 19% in 2015).

Remember a few years ago when every couple used the words “classy & elegant?” I remember time and again being told by my clients that participation dances and slides were not classy. But guess what?

Participation dances are FUN! When I look at photographs from weddings, the ones that stand out are those iconic photos of guests jumping in the air during “Shout.” They might be shots of guest bouncing from side to side during the “Cha Cha Slide” or “Cupid Shuffle,” or forming letters with their arms in the air during the “YMCA.” I am constantly scratching my head when couples meet with me and ask if our company refuses to play The “Chicken Dance,” The “YMCA” and the “Electric Slide.” Yep, there are DJ Companies who flat out refuse to play these songs because they think they are “cheesy.” So if your 90-year-old grand-

mother’s favorite song to dance to at a wedding is the “Chicken Dance,” you better tell her no, because the DJ company you hired doesn’t think it’s “cool” enough to play at YOUR wedding. Attention DJ Companies: It is not YOUR Wedding! It is your client’s wedding.

And if they want to create fun cheesy memories with harmless old-fashioned songs like “The Chicken Dance” and “YMCA” let them. Lighten up…life is short.

that frequent attendees haven’t heard in the past from speakers like Jorge Lopez and yours truly. In fact, the day after Mr. Gunter spoke, Joe Bunn, my partner in the PhDJ Workshop, gave a seminar called “Find Hire and Retain Your DJs” that touched on many of the same issues.

But very few people were all abuzz about Joe’s presentation while Mr. Gunter’s was the most talked about among the attendees I spoke to.

And that’s everyone’s goal, right?

Certainly, when I give a seminar or workshop, I scour social media to see if people are discussing me. I’m flattered when someone takes a picture of me on the stage and posts it, especially if the comment is something like “Mike Walter killing it at Mobile Beat.” Presenters put a lot of time and energy into their seminars, so that’s a nice reward. So if “Most Talked About” is the criteria for winning a conference, the award goes to Byron Gunter, hands down. But since Mobile Beat also introduced a new app this year that allowed attendees to score every presenter, I can also see that Mr. Gunter is the lowest scored speaker with two and a half out of a possible five stars.

There are a number of us with a perfect Five Star rating, but since I have the most votes as of this writing, I guess I scored highest - take that Randy Bartlett!

So which is more important? Would we rather be the most liked or the most talked about? One could certainly argue that Donald Trump was the least “liked” Presidential candidate in recent history (once he won the Republican nomination even members of his party wouldn’t sup-

port him). But no one could argue that he wasn’t the most talked about. Every day during the campaign, and, let’s face it, every day since, Mr. Trump has led the news. Whether we are talking about things he’s tweeted or policies he’s proposed, we are talking about him. And guess what? He’s President of the United States. So I can probably take my Five Star rating and put it on a shelf somewhere because if Mr. Gunter and I were running for office, he’d probably win (the electoral college at least; I might take the popular vote).

In communicating with Mr. Gunter after the seminar, he told me he felt his seminar went well and “I spoke on that stage like I speak in real life.” I’ve connected with Mr. Gunter on Facebook since seeing him speak and I can indeed report that he is the same person online like the one I saw on stage. So this is neither a compliment or a critique. It is simply a report. Form your own opinion and if he’s back next year at Mobile Beat, decide for yourself if you want to attend.

If you’d rather not sit through some rough language, than feel free to skip his seminar. But if you can handle the presentation style, I’d recommend you attend, especially if you are interested in growing your company. You might not agree with everything he says (or how he says it), but you can’t argue with his success.

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.

And if you don’t believe me take a look at my friend and mentor Mike Walter’s WeddingWire Review page for Elite Entertainment. His company has over 1675 5-star reviews and the photographs on his storefront capture so many moments of interactivity that exemplifies the word: FUN. Funny enough as I was working on the finishing touches of this article I took a break to look at Facebook and this is the first post that came up: “Electric Slide. Cha Cha Slide. Cupid Shuffle. The Wobble.

The Macarena. A Conga Line. Even the Chicken Dance. When all they’ll dance to is audience participation, I dig

deep.”

Thank you for this perfect ending to my article Mike Walter. I rest my case.

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.

May 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: Harvey Mackay Page 13: Justin Miller

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Disc Jockey News • May 2018 • Page 3

PAGE 4 • Disc Jockey News • May 2018

Two Communication Reminders

By Mitch Taylor

Recently I was part of an exchange with a fellow businessperson, that reminded me of a couple of principles, one of which I had forgotten.

Number 1: There’s a time and place for communication. If/when you have constructive criticism or if you’re worried about someone, then the time and place to talk about it is in private and NOT when you are in a public setting. Bringing up something at an inappropriate time Is a huge turnoff, breaks down communication and it doesn’t promote a healthy relationship.

That being said, hardly anything in life is private anymore. Everyone everywhere has a recording device both audio and video in their pocket. Walk around Vegas or practically ANYWHERE in public and SMILE! You’re on CAMERA! For someone to think that they have “privacy” anymore, ESPECIALLY online, well let me state one thing. You’re fooling yourself.

So what’s one to do, if given the above situation? Either meet in person or pick up the phone. Yes, one can be still be recorded on the phone but it’s MUCH better than trying to keep things “private” in a private message online which can be sent as a screenshot to anyone anywhere at any time. Welcome to the fishbowl!

Number 2 Communication Reminder: Your job in sales is to focus on the positive. If you tell your clients that here are the rules that you have to follow, or you have to do this and this has to be this way or else this can’t happen, that’s a DEAL KILLER. We sell fun. Let me repeat that, we sell FUN! People don’t want to hear negativity. Do you like being told what you have to do? NO! Share with them what you can do for them. Ensure they understand how you can help, AND how it benefits THEM. Your clients don’t need to know the inner workings of your job behind the scenes, what you have to do, what I’s to dot and T’s you have to cross. That’s menial work that is on your end. Don’t kill the sale with minutia.

Sure, there may be certain things that need explaining, but you do it in an understanding way, not one that sabotages the very relationship you are trying to cultivate. For example, I inform our couples when discussing their timeline that we’re only strict on two times. #1 our performance time starts upon guest arrival, whatever time is listed on the event invitation, and then I go into explaining the reasons for that as it relates to the success of their event. #2 We want dinner to go on time for them, and explain that since they have spent a lot of money on food that happening just how it should is important to us also. This is a dealbreaker for us internally if someone wants us to start after guest arrival, however the reasons why are positioned in a way as to be to the client’s benefit.

It’s not stated negatively to the client at the onset.

By keeping these two communication reminders in mind, you’re sure to at

least TRY not to damage a relationship and may even make a few more sales.

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.

Take A Moment To Bring The Positive

By Brian S. Redd

Today, I attended a funeral for one of my local DJ pals. As I was thinking back on our relationship, both personal and professional, it was always about helping one other.

T h i s month, in honor of my friend, I’d like to challenge every one of you to help someone, or at the very least, don’t hate.

On social media, for example, it’s really easy to be hateful towards others.

I see it a lot in my news feed, where a DJ shares a picture of a mobile set up they’ve worked hard to put together, only to get blasted with negativity.

I saw one the other day that looked pretty nice. Sure, there were a few little tweaks that could have been done here and there, but they were on the right track. Most of the comments I saw only pointed out what people didn’t like about it. So, I thought I’d be different by telling the poster what I saw and liked.

That didn’t cost me anything other than a few minutes of my time, and I just might have made somebody’s day a little better.

What if you were to see a picture or a video of a DJ set up that has some obvious problems? Do you ignore the issues and tell them that you like it anyway? No, that’s not being helpful at all.

I believe this is where constructive criticism can come into play.

Most of you already know this, but the difference between constructive criticism and negative feedback can all be in our delivery. Saying something like “Your cables are a mess” is technically constructive, but we are working within the medium of cold text, where the tone and actual intent of your comment is vague, at best.

Here’s something I learned when I was in management: Two positives for every negative.

“Hey, that’s a great set up! I like what you’ve done with your lighting here. Have you thought about your cable management options? They can do a lot for your set up’s appearance.

Here’s a video I found on YouTube that you may find helpful.”

Yeah, I know that’s going to take you a few minutes longer to type out, let alone locate a video tutorial link to copy/paste. Simply pointing out a messy cable situation would be a lot easier. However, the few minutes spent on composing a thoughtful reply could make a big difference for someone.

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Think Before You Facebook

By Keith ‘KC’ KoKoruz

Betty White hosted Saturday Night Live a few years ago because a post on Facebook suggesting that she should host went viral and there was a ton of interest shown, emails sent, etc.

She hosted SNL, and I remember in her monologue she said that she never even k n e w w h a t Facebook was until she was asked to host. Then she looked into the camera and jokingly said, “I now know what Facebook is, it’s a waste of time.”

To a degree, she is right. In the business world, Facebook is a giant waste of time unless you are using it correctly.

Let’s be honest; Facebook can be perceived by some to simply be one huge social media tool for bragging. “Look at the incredible vacation we are on.”

“Look at the amazing dinner I cooked for my family.” “Look at my incredible kids.” “Look at my new car.” The reality is with 2.13 billion monthly active users on Facebook, it all starts to become noise at some point. What’s worse is that too many people are posting things that no one cares about. We are however somewhat addicted to wanting people to like, share, and comment on our posts.

On my personal page, I choose to discuss politics and current topics in

the media. People who disagree with my view on a current topic or political post will private message me saying, “You know that some people are judging you on your comments and that can’t be good for business.” They are indeed right. What they fail to understand however is that the people who agree with my viewpoint are private messaging me saying, “I can’t believe how stupid that (disagreeing) person is that is commenting on your post.” You will lose some business and gain some business based on who you are personally on social media if you choose to discuss things that people have an opinion about. You need to be careful about what you put on your personal page.

There is no separation between your personal views on something and your professional business image. You need to be aware of what you are posting personally. We all know from President Trump’s tweets that what you post will affect how people view you and will also help them to decide if they will do business with you. Kylie Jenner shared her opinion about Snapchat’s recent redesign in one tweet, and it caused a 1.3 billion dollar dip in Snapchat’s value.

If you are using social media for business, I have one question you should ask yourself, “Will anyone find what you are posting to be interesting, entertaining, or educational?” If you can’t answer that question with a crystal clear answer, you should re-think your post and perhaps what you are posting in general.

If you spend all of your time on social media bragging about how awesome you and your company are; people will tune you out. The number one thing that people like to talk about more than anything else in life is themselves. You need to be careful about this. Your job as a social

Disc Jockey News • May 2018 • Page 5

media marketer is to brand yourself as an authority in your field without looking like all you do is brag. Your social media should be about you, but it should also be about the industry and clientele that you serve. If you are a DJ, talk about music, talk about how amazing the staff was at a certain venue, talk about tips and trends that you see in the industry, share things about the wedding industry, etc. Don’t just talk about you and your company specials.

You need to talk about your business on your business page and then share the post on your personal page. A lot of people don’t do this because the Facebook algorithm is friendlier to personal pages than it is to business pages. The only problem is that if you don’t do everything possible to push your business page, it will never become popular with your fan base which is the whole reason to have one. You need to build the “engagement” on your business page to gain interest from your industry or by potential clients. Facebook will judge your page’s popularity on the engagement that it gets. The more engagement that your page gets, the longer it will put your posts into your fans newsfeeds as well as other Facebook user’s newsfeeds, and that is how posts go viral. If you look at viral posts, they all come from business/ fan pages.

One of the biggest mistakes that I currently see in the social media world specifically as it pertains to DJs is the use of the Facebook live video tool. If you are going to choose to go live, you need to have an idea of what you are going to talk about. Too many DJs are rambling about nothing or posting videos of themselves djing at parties. Sometimes less is indeed more, and this is coming from a guy with a big mouth and a very strong

opinion on most things.

You need to decide if you can be interesting or entertaining. If you aren’t, your friends on your personal page aren’t going to watch regularly and what’s worse is that some will judge you based on your video. If you are broadcasting to your business page, you had better be prepared, so you don’t look unprofessional to your business audience. Organize your thoughts onto a piece of paper and stay focused. Say hello to the people tuning in and address their comments when you are finished making your point in the broadcast. Mike Walter is a big fan of this.

There has always been a joke going throughout our industry that DJs are A.D.D. / A.D.H.D. and if you watch some DJs on FB live you can tell who is definitely in need of Adderall. I can’t believe the Cubs just scored another home run. Get my point? The reason that people on TV make it look so easy is that they have done it for years and have failed miserably and then used those failures to succeed. They also rehearse.

Their performances are also produced.

They also are directed. They also have a camera person running the camera. A team and a ton of experience make it look easy. Gary Vaynerchuk is the king of social media, and if you look at his “rawness”, you will see that a lot of it is edited and he is prepared to discuss his topic. His gift is that he makes it look so easy.

Think about the point you want to get across and the reason before you make your next post on social media or you may find yourself apologizing or worse losing clients.

KC can be reached at KC@discjockeynews.com.

PAGE 6 • Disc Jockey News • May 2018

Stop Doubting and Start Doing!

By Ron Ruth

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” - Unkown There’s no doubt that you’ve experienced self-doubt at some point in your life. Think back to your first day in a new school or college (will I fit in?), the time you went on a blind date (will he or she like me?), your first day on the job (have I bitten off more than I can chew?) or when you found out that you were expecting your first child (am I really ready to be a parent?). These and other milestones in your life probably created at least a moment of uncertainty where you came face to face with the unknown.

The unknown can be a very scary place.

It can make the most confident among us shiver at the thought of not knowing what lies ahead.

As most readers of my articles or blogs know, my wife and I are huge Disney geeks, and we go to Walt Disney World in Florida every year for our vacation. If you’ve ever been there, you know that there a number of iconic rides that you just have to experience.

One of those is Space Mountain.

Space Mountain is a roller coaster ride. Now, something most people don’t know about me is that I have a tremendous fear of heights and roller coasters typically take a rider way up

before it drops down, only to go way up, again. Not my cup of tea. But on one of our earliest trips back in the 90’s, I told my wife, Debbie, that if I was going to claim to be a true Disney Geek, I had to ride Space Mountain at least once.

As we approached the space ship shaped cars to get on I was both excited and terrified. But, I wasn’t about to chicken out after coming this far. I got in the little single seat car and pulled down the safety bar. Debbie was seated behind me.

At the beginning of the ride, the cars are moved to a tunnel with flashing lights and a laser-like sound that acts as a countdown for the ride to begin. Then I was catapulted around a sharp turn before the ride reached the first climb to what seemed like to me to be one thousand feet into the sky before gravity took over and sent me flying down and up and all around.

It’s only like a 2-minute ride, but for me, it lasted an eternity.

When we came to an end, a cast member pried my hands loose from the safety bar and helped me out of the car. Debbie asked me how I did. “Great!”, I said. “I just kept my eyes closed through the whole ride.” It wasn’t until that moment that she told me that Space Mountain is a dark ride and you can’t see anything even with your eyes open. Although Debbie laughed at me throughout the rest of our vacation and has repeated the story countless times to others, I got over my fear and was more confident to ride Space Mountain, again. Today I make it a point to enjoy

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that iconic ride every time we visit, and I’ll be just fine as long as they never turn on the lights.

It could be that your first experience working with a paying client as a wedding professional and business owner was a lot my first experience on Space Mountain. That singular moment was the very reason you started your business, and you entered into it with excitement, and yet, there was no escaping a feeling of fear that maybe you weren’t ready or that something could go wrong. The event most likely had a few ups and downs and twists and turns, and yet you survived making you more confident to do it again.

Yours is a great story of survival, but it’s one that can be easily forgotten and replaced with self-doubt, espe-

cially in moments when you consider pursuing new ideas.

It’s never pleasant to feel self-doubt because that emotion brings you face to face with the fear of--- let me apologize in advance for dropping the “F” bomb on you---failure! But if you’re a true creative, you should know that failures are going to happen. You’re human. Failures, however, should be worn as a badge of courage. It says that playing it safe is not an option and that you’re not afraid to put yourself out there to give your ideas an opportunity to succeed.

When Thomas Edison was asked the many failures, he encountered while inventing the light bulb he said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Every attempt you make at bringing your next great idea to life sets the service you provide on the path to becoming an iconic experience that people can’t wait to enjoy.

The real danger though for creative individuals like you and me---is becoming overly confident with our past achievements and, instead of exercising our imaginative spirit, advancing our ideas, we settle on what we know to be safe, placing the benefit of practical over the value of possible. If we allow that to happen, we’re ignoring the vast universe of new and exciting ideas that are just hanging out in our imagination waiting to be discovered. When we play it safe, we’re more likely to settle on the status quo.

In 1984 Steve Jobs and Apple introduced the first Macintosh computer to the world. Imagine what our lives Brian Redd Continued From Page 4 positive things to say about a post, or picture, or video that turns up in your feed.

When this type of post pops up, think about the effect your negative feedback may have. Then, ask yourself if it is that important to let everyone know how you feel. Sometimes, resisting the temptation to say anything at all is ultimately the kindest thing we can do.

I hope some of you will consider tak-

would be like today if jobs had been so fearful that he could never duplicate the success of the Mac that he stopped there and never spearheaded another innovation? Would we still be enjoying all of the wonderful technological advancements from digital music to smartphones that evolved from the creation of the first Mac? Steve Jobs was an optimistic visionary. He not only had an unwavering passion for what he did, but Jobs also was a great leader and the champion of Apple’s “purpose”---the driving force to think differently as a computer maker and change the way in which consumers thought of, purchased and used computing devices. It was Job’s commitment to that purpose, to think different, that saved Apple from extinction in 1997.

The first Mac was, by today’s standards… an ugly box. Fortunately for all of us, Jobs didn’t think inside or outside of that box, he only thought about what he could do with the box. And, if you look at the Mac’s of today, you’ll see how beautiful it turned out. Whether you use an Apple product of not, there’s no denying that millions of people find the experience of using Apple products to be iconic and they’ll stand in line for hours, sometimes days, to get their hands on the latest new product rollout.

To be different, you must set aside any doubt or fears you have and start doing. Think differently about how you want your business offerings to be perceived differently than all others. To think differently, you have to be courageous and have faith that inspiration will reveal itself in your purpose to serve others. Trust your instincts and respect the value of perseverance when things don’t go exactly as planned. To be iconic, you must never fear failure.

But when you do fail, wear your badge of courage proudly.

In the words of Dale Carnegie, “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage.

If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

You were born with the exclusively human ability to dream, imagine and create. Don’t waste those amazing attributes and ignore an opportunity to do something extraordinary for your business and your clients because of a fear of failure. Take a leap. Stop doubting and start doing.

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

ing on this challenge. Who knows? You might even make a new friend along the way. So, help somebody, don’t hate and we’ll see you next month.

Practice Kindness, and 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 • May 2018 • Page 7

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In my frequent travels, I find myself in need of transportation. I wonder why I’ll go on my phone and order an Uber or Lyft, instead of choosing a cab when there are often cabs right at the airport or hotel?

For me, it’s the convenience—and certainty—of knowing that I have a ride and when it will arrive. It’s also the convenience of having the charge go right to my credit or debit card, without having to make that physical transaction.

HOW DID THEY DO IT? What have they done to make Uber and Lyft my preference for ground transportation? They disrupted established players (taxis, limos, and car services) by making it easier to do business with them and by providing information and transparency. Being able to watch the car icon moving along the map towards me doesn’t get the car there sooner, but it makes me feel better because I can see the process. In one click, I can call or message the driver. Whether I ever use that feature isn’t important; the fact that I can is the bigger benefit. Years ago, when toll-free phone numbers were expensive, a large consumer products company put one on their packaging, with wording that encouraged their customers to call, toll-free with questions. They didn’t get many calls, but the perception of the company went up noticeably.

CAN YOU BE THE DISRUPTER? How can you disrupt the status quo in your industry? I saw a videographer’s website that had a queue of the weddings being edited. It showed each couple exactly where they were on the list, and they could watch their name move up.

The photographer used to get numerous emails and calls from couples asking the status of their video. Since implementing the queue, those calls and emails had almost completely gone away. It has benefitted both the customers and the business.

I CAN’T DO THAT! (OR CAN YOU?) I’ve met many floral designers who tell me they can’t make a proposal on the spot; they need to research and get back to the customer. Not being able to give a price in the appointment, in my opinion, is costing them sales. I’ve also met floral designers who have invested in technology to be able to create a proposal right now. Others have told me that they’ve been in their business long enough that they can make an estimate on the spot.

While they might occasionally be off, sometimes it’s in their favor, sometimes in the customer’s favor. It averages out over time but makes them more sales because of the immediacy.

WHAT WAS ONCE CUTTINGEDGE BECOMES THE NORM Toll-free numbers were only for big businesses, willing to invest in them.

Then the price came down, and we all had them. Credit card processing used to involve expensive technology. Now, anyone with a smartphone can process a credit card, anywhere. Live chat was only for businesses with large staffs.

Now, you can live chat on your smart-

By Alan Berg

phone from wherever you are. Someone who’s out of the office as much as I am used to relying on voicemail.

Now, when you call my office phone, my cell phone rings as well. I’m about to start using a service that will allow customers to text my main office landline. I’ll be able to see and respond, to those texts on my phone or desktop.

EASIER TO SELL IS EASIER TO BUY What can you do to make it easier and more convenient to do business with you? Having a better website experience will get more inquiries. Giving them more choices on how to connect with you will get more inquiries. Responding better and faster will convert inquiries to appointments. Giving fewer but better options will make it easier to sell and buy. You can have dozens of options, just don’t show them all to the customer. You don’t want to hear, “You’ve given us so much to think about, we need to go home and process everything. We’ll get back to you.”

HOW MANY CHOICES IS TOO MANY? While it may seem like you’re being a better resource by having a multitude of choices, it can work against you. I once did sales training for a venue that had 12 different chicken dishes on their menu. I asked why they had so many choices. They said when customers requested new ones, or their chefs invented new ones, they added them to the list; but, none ever came off.

I asked how many of the 12 options actually get chosen, and it was 2 or 3. The others just clouded the decision-making process. Showing all options to the customer, before they’ve reserved their date, delayed closing the sale. I suggested removing the nine or 10 that don’t get chosen, and making the others the same price. Sell them “chicken,” and let them choose which after they’ve reserved their date.

I’ve suggested to many wedding businesses, especially smaller ones who only do one wedding on a day, to only offer one package on their most popular dates.

If you get multiple inquiries for those dates, but can only sell one, why offer your lower package? That ends up costing you profit. One of my venue clients only offers the “Chef’s Tasting Menu”— where the client knows how many appetizer and entrée choices but the chef decides on the menu. DJs or photographers may only offer an all-inclusive package for Saturday nights in high-season. Many venues have “revenue minimums” for certain dates, so why not you?

DON’T JUST LOOK AT OUR INDUSTRY Pay attention. See what other businesses are doing to make your customer journey easier. Can it be adapted to your business? Starbucks gets us to pay more for coffee than McDonald’s, yet people line up every day. I’ve used Uber in at least seven countries, all of which have taxis. What are your competitors doing to make it easier to do business with them? Can you disrupt the way business is done—before someone else does it to you?

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

Disc Jockey News • May 2018 • Page 9

The Photobooth Section Should You Tie “The Knot” For Your Photo Booth Business?

By Chris Politylo

The Knot claims to be one of the most well-known wedding planning sites, used by millions of brides and grooms to ease the stress of planning a wedding. The site offers gift registry tracking, guest list and menu planning guides, space to store ideas for dresses and centerpieces and, of course, a guide to finding the perfect vendors.

The Knot promises its users to help them find the best local vendors for their wedding by posting reviews from former clients and access to the vendors themselves to ask questions and get more information. Sounds like the perfect avenue to connect with a huge potential photo booth market, right? Well, maybe not, according to many disgruntled photo booth owners.

The claims of “millions” of couples may be technically accurate but certainly includes those casual browsers who are simply price checking/shopping, planning for a wedding in the very-distant future, or searching for competitor’s pricing. The Knot also requires vendors to communicate with potential clients through their messaging system rather than providing a direct email address or phone number to either party. While this may not seem like a big deal, it can hamper your ability to reach your client effectively or promptly if he or she does not access her Knot account on a regular basis.

The lowest –priced, basic advertising account is free and offers potential clients your business details and contact information, allows you to post one wedding album for clients to check out your work, and give access to networking and education events. The Standard and Featured plans have varied prices, depending on your market, but offer many more advantages such as better placement on the site, unlimited photo and album storage, the capability to respond to reviews, and the advice of a Personal Strategy specialist. However, each of these plans requires a full year commitment, so if you are not satisfied with the service or the feedback, you are stuck with a monthly fee anyway.

Purchasing one of the more expensive packages will, of course, generate more leads than the free service, so you may be able to recoup your investment with diligent monitoring of the site and consistent communication with both potential clients and the customer service reps with

The Knot. To solve the problem of the requirement to use the system’s messaging service, it might be beneficial to request contact information directly from a potential client upon the first contact. This will give you a head start in communication and also give the client the message that you are serious about following up on leads and providing a quality service for his or her wedding.

Overall, photo booth owners don’t have anything good to say about advertising on The Knot. Complaints of pushy salespeople, long contracts, high prices, with low results abound.

There are, however, those that have had success with the platform.

Joe Spinello, the owner of Family Ties Photo Booth, had this to say about “The Knot”: “When we first started our photo booth business a little over a year ago we knew we had to get our name out there. With so many marketing and advertising mediums to choose from it would be very easy to get lost or go broke. Although Google Ad words were driving traffic to our website, it was expensive, and we were not converting those clicks into sales. We needed to have some solid leads as it would take awhile to build our business. We were first approached by The Knot after doing a large bridal show. While The Knot was expensive for our new business but after some discussions with the folks at The Knot, we decided to give them a try. They also had an in-person “lunch and learn” business meeting with other vendors and a webinar that we also participated in. During our first year, we have booked 5 out of 30 leads from The Knot. It has more than paid for itself! For us, The Knot has proven to be a very valuable marketing tool.”

Samantha Willis, the owner of Party Pros Detroit, offered this about “The Knot”: “The Knot is a great way to reach many couples with their paid plans. Be prepared to invest $300-$600 per month to get a good exposure on the Knot. The key to a successful knot campaign is quick communication. Knotees expect responses within minutes, not hours, definitely not days. Keep in mind, they can press one button to reach out to you and will likely reach out to several vendors. The vendors that respond instantly will likely be the vendors they continue to engage.

If someone asks for information through the Knot app, we start a conversation, instead of just throwing all

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of our information at them – which brides tell me is overwhelming. By engaging in conversations, and using the information, you can find about the couple on their Knot page; it’s getting easier to make connections with couples faster!”

As with all advertising platforms, there are both advantages and disadvantages; both good and bad reviews;

and both positive and negative outcomes. In the end, your success on a site such as The Knot will depend on your local market, your ability to invest a proper amount of money and time, and, more often than not, pure luck.

You can contact Chris at chris@ photoboothtraining.com.

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PAGE 10 • Disc Jockey News • May 2018

Dealing With Emergencies

By Joe Bunn

If you have been in the DJ business for a long time, like I have, you have had to deal with varying emergencies/ disasters. If you are new to the business, trust me, your day is coming. The best thing you can do is to prepare yourself in advance so that the day is not completely ruined. Read on, and I’ll tell you a few key things that you need to be doing to make sure you’re ready when the poop hits the fan.

Let’s first start out by talking about gear or equipment failure/malfunctions. Listen, it is technology; things are bound to happen! Did you happen to see my post on DJ Idea Sharing a couple of months ago? My music was playing just fine, but the Serato screen was freezing up every other second. Talk about nerve racking. Guess what it was? My LED light bar behind me was flashing, and every time it flashed on that new Apple Touch Bar, it was locking up the screen, on the beat no less! I didn’t figure it out until the next day when I was reading through the comments, and someone was like, “Watch the video, it’s freezing every time the light hits it!” I disabled the Touch Bar and boom; it was fixed. Ugh, it was a nightmare all night long though as I was sure I was about

to crash.

But what if I had? I had the trusty old-school iPod hooked up to the fourth channel on my Pioneer DDJ-SX2 controller, cued up to the “Peace up, A-town down” line of Usher’s “Yeah” which we all know works still as if it is brand new. If the computer crashed, I would be ready in a matter of one second. I also had an iPad that I use for my schedule, ceremony music, and secondary backup loaded up with the Top 400 party songs of all time, and all of their “special moments” songs-introduction song, first dance, parent dances, cake cutting song, etc. Worst case scenario I could run the iPod on one channel and the iPad on the other on the controller. Would the beat mixing be good? Nope! But I’m betting that most people wouldn’t even notice, and I could still rock that party. Let’s take it a step further, what if some genius dumped a massive glass of wine all over the controller? Well for one, I have another smaller Roland DJ202 in my van that I could use and a line mixer that I use for ceremonies, but honestly, I could plug the iPad into one speaker back and the iPod into the other. Hey, at least, I would have music still running! I could also use my Shure SM-58 hard-wired into the other channel on the back of the speaker and still be able to MC. Pretty?

Nope! But again, there wouldn’t be any dead air, and the party goes on.

How about your transportation? For those of you driving older vans that you got on Craig’s List, I hear ya. I was right there with ya driving an older Tahoe for a while before I got the Bunn Benz Mercedes Metris. It was pretty scary

most Saturdays loading that ol’ girl up and hitting the road for a show. What if you break down? Blow a tire? Well first things first, ALWAYS leave extra early for gigs, especially folks with questionable vehicles. Secondly, whatever AAA costs a year is worth it 100 times over!

Get that today! As I was thinking about this article, I remembered a story about one of my DJs going down to South Carolina years ago. On the way there, he dropped his transmission. He called AAA, and they got a tow truck to him pretty quickly. Even better, they hooked up his Dodge Durango to the tow truck, he got in the cab, and they took him, his DJ gear, and his broken-down SUV to the venue! Now that’s the way to show up in style: rolling up to the country club in a tow truck! But at the end of the day, he was set up and ready to rock way before the guests arrived because he had given himself extra time just in case of an emergency.

Finally, let’s talk about another inevitable, your DJ calls you and can’t make it to a show. Ugh. Been there, done that, and it’s the worst. The great thing about owning a multi-op DJ company is that I always leave a couple of DJs open on busy weekends to handle such an emergency. I even take several weekends off throughout the year. If you are a single operator, that’s not a huge issue, but you do need to have a great network of DJs that actually like and respect you and are in your area. If you get sick, your wife goes into premature labor, or you blow out your back loading gear (yes, all of these have happened to me), then you need to have someone that you can

call to take over your gig. Go ahead and store about every DJ in your town on your phone right now. Eventually, you are going to need them. Stuff happens.

The great thing about using something like DJ Event Planner is that everything music and planning wise is stored online. For example, one Saturday I was in the movies with my kids. I tell my DJs NEVER to call me on the weekends unless something is wrong. I saw one of my DJs’ numbers come up and I knew it was bad. He had hurt his back badly and was not going to make the gig. I pulled up the other available DJs on DJEP, called the closest one and told him to get dressed for a wedding and head to X venue. The best part? He was able to log in before he left and pulled the bride’s schedule and all of her requests and special songs.

He was there and set up before guests arrived. He explained quickly to the bride what happened when he went out to line up the bridal party, and then went on to rock the show and get a killer review!

The moral of the story is just like on TV’s “Big Brother,” expect the unexpected. Always be prepared and ready in case of the worst-case scenario. Stay calm and focus on fixing the issue and you’ll be just fine. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that none of these things ever happen to you!

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: Finding The Future Floor Fillers

Disc Jockey News • May 2018 • Page 11

By Michael J. Lenstra

WALKING DOWN MEMORY LANE One of the things I’ve been enjoying lately is old American Top 40 radio shows. Old episodes get rebroadcast on some area radio stations, and it’s great fun when r i d i n g around to relive some of those songs from the past and the little bits of trivia and factoids Casey Kasem gives out. Since trivia is one of the other aspects of my company, it’s relaxing and beneficial.

On a recent trip out of town, I was listening and reminiscing when this particular show from 1973 got into the Top 10. At number 10 was “Playground in My Mind” by Clint Holmes, number 9 was “Little Willy” by Sweet, and number 8 was “Hocus Pocus” by Focus.

“Playground in My Mind” I remembered once I heard it, “Hocus Pocus” I had no recollection of at all, but number 9, “Little Willy,” I have played more times than I can count. Not as much in maybe the last ten years but in the late 1990s through much of the first decade of this century, it was as much a part of my playlist as the “YMCA” and “Electric Boogie.”

It got me to thinking, though: What makes a song a dance floor favorite long after its chart life is over? It’s certainly not the magnitude of the hit. If you compare the annual DJ Intelligence Top 200 chart, which many mobile DJs rely on to gauge what is currently trending, especially at weddings, and Billboard’s top songs of all times, they certainly differ.

For example, in 1967 “To Sir With Love” by Lulu was one of the year’s

longest-running number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, spending five weeks at that position. That same year Van Morrison had a hit that just made it to the Top 10, “Brown Eyed Girl.” In 1969 “Dizzy” by Tommy Roe and “In the Year 2525” by Zager and Evans also hit number one on the Billboard pop chart and stayed there for several weeks.

During that same time period, Neil Diamond had his biggest hit to date—”Sweet Caroline.” It peaked at number 4. In 1981 Journey had a hit song—”Don’t Stop Believin’”—that reached number 9. The big hits of that year though were “Endless Love”

by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross (nine weeks) and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical,” which spent ten weeks at the top spot over the final weeks of 1981 and the beginning of 1982.

Which of those aforementioned songs, though, are you more likely to play at your next event?

WHAT MAKES A HIT What is it about “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Sweet Caroline,” and “Don’t Stop Believin’” that make them dance floor favorites as many as 50 years later, while other chart-topping songs are nearly forgotten?

“Pop charts and party music are really apples and oranges,” says author Chris Feldman (The Billboard Book of Number 2 Singles). “The pop charts cover everybody, whether they buy music, stream music, watch online, or listen to the radio. So you get the ballads, the teen pop, the novelties, the rockers, all mixed in. People at dances are there to party so that party songs would have a leg up,” he says. “There probably isn’t any more of a correlation between what you might listen to while working at your desk and what you want to dance to than there is between what people buy for groceries to eat at home and what

they order when they eat out.”

And what makes a song become labeled one of those party songs?

“They often have a singalong quality,” Chris explains. “They can be slow, like ‘Hey Jude’ or ‘Piano Man,’ or ‘Sweet Caroline,’ with the ‘na-na-na’

or ‘la-la-la’ or ‘bop-bop-bop,’ respectively, or things like ‘Shout’ or ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ or ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ or ‘Paradise By The Dashboard Light.’ Most dances I’ve been to, people aren’t just dancing to those songs—they’re singing along with them,” he says. “If you get a good upbeat song with a la la la or na na na in the chorus, I’d guess it will have a long shelf life. People want to be involved in their music, and songs like that involve you. It’s kind of like karaoke, except you don’t have to be by yourself in front of a crowd. You can blend in and still sing your heart out.”

Sing-alongs and involvement. That analogy then explains the popularity of tunes like “Friends in Low Places” and line dances.

ONE PROGRAMMER, TWO FORMATS Steve Hemmer has been in radio for 20+ years and is currently the program director for an oldies station in Platteville, Wisconsin. For much of that time, he has been a mobile DJ as well. How

does programming a radio station and programming music for someone’s wedding differ?

“What we like to listen to and sing along with in our car and what we’ll dance to can differ,” says Steve.

“What makes a song last for a mobile DJ is mass appeal, positive energy, and the memories that it evokes in people which helps them to let their hair down and relax. On the radio, when transitioning from one style of music to the other, we don’t have to worry about what’s happening on the dance floor but still have to consider mass appeal.”

PREDICTING THE FUTURE Guessing what songs that are being played or streamed on stations today will be popular dance floor hits in 10 years is certainly unpredictable. But, given the criteria from Chris and Steve; I would think that “Handclap” by Fitz and the Tantrum, “Shut up and Dance” by Walk the Moon, and— a sleeper I always like to play (at my weddings at least)—”Dear Future Husband” by Meghan Trainor may fit the mode.

The way I see it, keeping up with the trends, including the retro ones, finding the tunes that will fill our dance floor and yet differentiate our music programming from every other DJ is just another one of the challenges that we as mobile DJs undertake.

What songs do you see still packing the dance floor in 10 or 15 years?

Until next month, ~ Michael ~ Michael J. Lenstra is a 20-plusyear 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 • May 2018

Wash Your Mouth Clean Of These Career-Killing Phrases

By Harvey Mackay

How many of you remember your mom or dad washing your mouth out with soap when you said a bad word and got caught lying? I don’t know if it’s still a common practice, but many people of my generation remember the awful taste this left in their mouths and dutifully passed this teaching opportunity to their children.

My dad always told me, “Think before you speak.” Easier said than done. However, over the years you learn NOT to use certain words that you know will invite a negative reaction or worse.

Words matter. They can uplift or they can knock down. They can unite or divide. They can paint a masterpiece idea or rust an ironclad agreement. Use your words wisely.

You can be bright and cheerful on the inside, but your words and behavior can sabotage your best efforts. I have compiled a list of phrases that you should banish from your workplace vocabulary.

•“It’s impossible.” Any variation of “I can’t do that” will generally mark you as someone who doesn’t want to work hard or take on a new challenge.

Unless you’re being asked to violate the laws of physics (or your state), make an honest effort to do what’s asked of you.

•“That’s not my job.” Teamwork is essential to any organization’s success. Don’t hide behind your job description to get out of assignments you don’t want. Too many people take their job descriptions so literally, often ignoring the “and other duties as necessary.” If you’re too busy, or the task is outside your field of expertise, say so. If not, do your best to accommodate requests and follow instructions whether they’re officially part of your job or not.

•“I’ll try.” Too often this can be seen as an alibi. You’ll make some effort, but you’re not really committed to success. Replace “try” with “will” to motivate yourself – and to inspire other people’s confidence in you.

Learn from the wisdom of Yoda, the Star Wars Jedi master: “Do or do not.

There is no try.” They don’t pay off on effort; they pay off on results.

•“It’s not fair.” You don’t want to get a reputation as a whiner. Complaining about every injustice or slight at work will alienate the people you want to get along with. Focus on doing your job to the best of your ability whatever happens.

•“Who comes up with this stuff?”

Yes, we’ve all thought it. And there are times when it is a completely legitimate question. But I will guarantee you, the minute that sentiment is uttered aloud; the boss who proposed the idea will appear around a corner and wonder who is unwilling to give it a go.

•“That’s bizarre/stupid/unreasonable.” Don’t be offensive and demean a co-worker. This shows you are not a team player. Ask for details to see if you have misunderstood what is

being proposed. If you don’t like their idea, explain why politely. It always helps to have a workable solution in your back pocket too.

•“You should have …” Avoid anything that sounds like you’re searching for blame or scapegoats instead of solutions. Try to join forces instead.

Ask what happened so you can figure out what to do next. And keep in mind, many great ideas have sprung up from mistakes on the first go-round. (We prefer to call that “research.”)

•“That’s the way we’ve always done it.” When anything’s been done the same way over a long period of time, sometimes it’s a good sign it’s being done the wrong way. So, what am

I saying? Think big, think bold, think creative, think stretch, think quantum leaps. Always think becoming a differentiator, think vision, think speed, think customize, think focus, think flexible.

Sometimes it’s risky not to take a risk.

•“This may be a dumb question, but …” Don’t diminish your point before you’ve even made it. What is really dumb is to proceed when you don’t understand what you are supposed to do or what outcome you are seeking.

I have always thought that some of the best communication advice ever offered came from Thumper, the young bunny in the Disney movie “Bambi:” “If you can’t say something’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” It’s so much easier

to have said nothing than to have to try to walk back a thoughtless statement.

As President Calvin Coolidge said, “I have never been hurt by anything I didn’t say.”

Mackay’s Moral: Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can come back to haunt you.

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.

Disc Jockey News • May 2018 • Page 13

Marketing Privacy: Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should

By Justin Miller, Profit 911 Consulting With all the recent Facebook privacy issues, the passing of GDPR in the EU, and seemingly another hack or breach of a major company each day; what effect does it have on your DJ business and your ability to market to your customers? While this article is not intended as legal advice, I will offer you some good rules of thumb and best practices when it comes to staying compliant. Also, note I will refer specifically to how it should be done in the USA at present.

Laws and marketing regulations differ widely internationally.

Historically when it comes to privacy and marketing in the United States, there is no such thing. For all realistic purposes, you could pretty much market to anyone as long as you were not in violation of terms of services for whatever platform you happened to be using. You can, and still are able to, purchase mailing lists of just about any segment of people you want. You can even purchase email lists, whether or not you should is something to discuss here but the point is that you can. We have to ability to even mass text message now.

If you are not going to read this entire article, then here is one point to remember: Always err on the side of caution. Here is a list of what you can do and what you should do right now. This changes all the time, so please use this

as a starting point and not a static plan.

Email: Only email people who have opted in explicitly to receive an email from you. Further, only email them things relevant to what they asked for information on. Set the expectation for email frequency and content type early on and stick to it. You also must have an easy way for them to opt out of future email.

Phone: Beware the do not call list.

You can certainly call people who requested info and gave you their number (and I suggest you do). I would NOT call leads you have phone numbers for if they did not ask to be called. This includes “social media calls” such as calling via Facebook messenger.

SMS: Just because you have a prospects phone number does NOT mean they gave you permission to text them.

Again, the test here is did they agree to receive SMS messages from you and did you give them a clear way to opt out. It is very tempting to overuse text message promotions as the open rate is through the roof, but it can also lead to trouble. SMS messages are a personal form of communication and not welcomed from businesses unless asked for.

Third Party Lists: What do you do with all those bridal show lists, David’s Bridal lists, and lists from your fellow vendors? Physical mail (no rules against dropping postcards in the mail) or nothing. The bottom line is that the leads did NOT give YOU permission to contact them. I have heard a million ways that DJs and other business owners attempt to convince themselves it is ok to use other forms of contact with these lists.

Even if the lead consents to third party offers, the offer must originate from

the person they gave permission to. In the bridal show example, that means the show producer could send an email on your behalf but you cannot on your own. I am aware it is common practice to email these lists, but it is wrong. You get to decide if that matters to you.

Facebook Custom Audiences: Face-

book allows you to upload a custom audience from phone numbers or emails you have collected. With Facebook currently under fire, let me make it very clear the current stance on this. You must have opt-in marketing permission for contacts you upload. While it is commonplace again to upload third-party lists to Facebook, it is in fact against their terms of service and will likely start to get more attention from them in the future.

So how do we get around this? There is no way to “get around” the laws and terms of service. You either follow the rules, or you do not. That being said, I suggest you start getting opt-in permission from your leads whenever and wherever they interact with you. On all

our quote forms, contracts, etc. there is a disclaimer that allows us permission to email, call, text, etc. and explicitly makes them agree to it. We have documentation of where every contact came from and how they granted us permission.

What’s the chance of getting in trouble? Pretty low. More likely is that you will experience email deliverability issues due to spam complaints. You may even get cell phone carrier complaints and SMS deliverability problems. The real issue I see is that you are attempting to start a sales relationship with fraud. Build your business on integrity. Follow the rules, even if it is commonplace for the competition not to.

That being said, if you ever do get into real regulatory problems be prepared to lose everything. The legal penalties are massive.

Get a system in place right now to manage your contacts, permissions, interests, and every other detail. This is just one small benefit of how I help business owners. We do this by getting marketing automation systems in place in their companies. This is not a commercial as I don’t care what system you use, but for the sake of your business get something in place that tracks all this stuff. Keep your records in order and follow the rules. If you want help, reach out.

You can reach Justin at: justinmiller@discjockeynews.com. For more DJ business tools, tactics, and training from Justin visit http://www.profit911. biz/just4djs

PAGE 14 • Disc Jockey News • May 2018

Top 50 Charts for May 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 CAMILA CABELLO Never Be The Same 3 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L. 4 DRAKE God’s Plan 5 THE WEEKND & KENDRICK LAMAR Pray For Me 6 BRUNO MARS & CARDI B Finesse 7 DUA LIPA New Rules 8 IMAGINE DRAGONS Whatever It Takes 9 MAROON 5 Wait 10 G-EAZY & HALSEY Him & I 11 BAZZI Mine 12 MARSHMELLO & ANNE-MARIE Friends 13 SHAWN MENDES In My Blood 14 MEGHAN TRAINOR No Excuses 15 LAUV I Like Me Better 16 KENDRICK LAMAR & SZA All The Stars 17 DEMI LOVATO Tell Me You Love Me 18 POST MALONE Psycho f/Ty Dolla $ign 19 DUA LIPA IDGAF 20 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Say Something f/C Stapleton 21 TAYLOR SWIFT Delicate 22 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER Want You Back 23 NIALL HORAN On The Loose 24 HALSEY Alone f/Big Sean, Stefflon Don 25 CALVIN HARRIS & DUA LIPA One Kiss 26 CHARLIE PUTH Done For Me f/Kehlani 27 ALICE MERTON No Roots 28 FOSTER THE PEOPLE Sit Next To Me 29 ARIANA GRANDE No Tears Left To Cry 30 LOGIC & MARSHMELLO Everyday 31 KENT JONES Merengue 32 KHALID X NORMANI Love Lies 33 THE CHAINSMOKERS Everybody Hates Me 34 MIGOS Stir Fry 35 WHY DON’T WE Trust Fund Baby 36 AJR Sober Up f/Rivers Cuomo 37 DRAKE Nice For What 38 G-EAZY Sober f/Charlie Puth 39 RUDIMENTAL These Days f/Glyne, Macklemore 40 ZAYN Let Me 41 IN REAL LIFE Tattoo (How ‘Bout You) 42 ARLISSA W/JONAS BLUE Hearts Ain’t Gonna Lie 43 BULOW Not A Love Song 44 SAM SMITH Pray f/Logic 45 ECHOSMITH Over My Head 46 LIVVIA Catch A Body f/Quavo 47 BIG BOI All Night 48 LIL DICKY Freaky Friday f/Chris Brown 49 EMINEM Nowhere Fast f/Kehlani 50 LOGAN HENDERSON Bite My Tongue Urban 1 BLOCBOY JB Look Alive f/Drake 2 DRAKE God’s Plan 3 RICH THE KID New Freezer f/Kendrick Lamar 4 MIGOS Stir Fry 5 DRAKE Nice For What 6 DJ KHALED Top Off f/Jay Z, Future & B 7 JAY ROCK/KENDRICK/FUTURE King’s Dead 8 ELLA MAI Boo’d Up 9 SZA Broken Clocks 10 RAE SREMMURD Powerglide 11 BALL GREEZY Nice & Slow 12 MIGOS Walk It Talk It f/Drake 13 TANK When We 14 DANIEL CAESAR Get You f/ Kali Uchis 15 POST MALONE Psycho f/Ty Dolla $ign 16 H.E.R. Focus

17 CHRIS BROWN Tempo 18 LIL DICKY Freaky Friday f/Chris Brown 19 JHENE AIKO Sativa f/Rae Sremmurd 20 JADEN SMITH Icon 21 BRUNO MARS & CARDI B Finesse 22 2 CHAINZ Proud f/YG & Offset 23 CARDI B Be Careful 24 CARDI B Bartier Cardi f/21 Savage 25 SAWEETIE Icy Grl 26 NICKI MINAJ Chun-Li 27 KENT JONES Merengue 28 PLIES Rock 29 GUCCI MANE Solitaire f/Migos & Lil Yachty 30 TORY LANEZ B.I.D (Bust it Down) 31 OFFSET & METRO BOOMIN Ric Flair Drip 32 BIG K.R.I.T. 1999 f/Lloyd 33 LIL UZI VERT Sauce It Up 34 KEKE PALMER Bossy 35 MONEYBAGG YO Bigg Facts 36 RICH THE KID Plug Walk 37 A.CHAL Love N Hennessy 38 DANILEIGH All I Know 39 KENDRICK LAMAR & SZA All The Stars 40 XXXTENTACION Sad! 41 A$AP ROCKY/GUCCI MANE Cocky f/London On Da Track 42 ERIC BELLINGER G.O.A.T. f/Wale 43 THE WEEKND & KENDRICK LAMAR Pray For Me 44 CARDI B Drip f/Migos 45 ROY WOODS Monday To Monday 46 HOODCELEBRITYY Walking Trophy 47 MIGUEL Come Through And Chill 48 KING COMBS & CHRIS BROWN Love You Better 49 BLOCBOY JB Shoot 50 HOODRICH PABLO JUAN We Don’t Luv Em Adult Contempory 1 ED SHEERAN Perfect 2 P!NK What About Us 3 PORTUGAL. THE MAN Feel It Still 4 SHAWN MENDES There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me...

5 CAMILA CABELLO Havana f/Young Thug 6 MAX Lights Down Low f/Gnash 7 IMAGINE DRAGONS Thunder 8 BON JOVI When We Were Us 9 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L. 10 CALUM SCOTT You Are The Reason 11 CHARLIE PUTH How Long 12 HALL & OATES Philly Forget Me Not w/Train 13 ZEDD/MAREN MORRIS/GREY The Middle 14 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Say Something f/C Stapleton 15 P!NK Beautiful Trauma 16 DUA LIPA New Rules 17 TAYLOR SWIFT Delicate 18 IMAGINE DRAGONS Whatever It Takes 19 LUIS FONSI & DADDY YANKEE Despacito f/Justin Bieber 20 LESLIE COURS MATHER We Should Try Again 21 HALSEY Bad At Love 22 FOSTER THE PEOPLE Sit Next To Me 23 DEMI LOVATO Sorry Not Sorry 24 KEALA SETTLE This Is Me 25 MEGHAN TRAINOR No Excuses 26 THOMAS RHETT Die A Happy Man 27 KELLY CLARKSON I Don’t Think About You 28 BRUNO MARS & CARDI B Finesse 29 MAROON 5 Wait 30 LOGIC 1-800-273-8255 f/A.Cara/Khalid 31 THE VILLAINS Love Is 32 SAM SMITH Pray f/Logic 33 ANDRA DAY Rise Up

34 ALESSIA CARA How Far I’ll Go 35 KAZ BIELINSKI Tell Me True 36 ARIANA GRANDE Dangerous Woman 37 JOHN SPLITHOFF Sing To You 38 KELLY CLARKSON It’s Quiet Uptown 39 DAYA Hide Away 40 MACKLEMORE Good Old Days f/Kesha 41 NIALL HORAN Too Much To Ask 42 SHAWN MENDES In My Blood 43 ARIANA GRANDE & JOHN LEGEND Beauty And The Beast 44 CAMILA CABELLO Never Be The Same 45 LADY ANTEBELLUM Bartender 46 LIAM PAYNE Strip That Down f/Quavo 47 ARIANA GRANDE Side To Side f/Nicki Minaj 48 HAILEE STEINFELD & GREY Starving f/Zedd 49 WALK THE MOON One Foot 50 THE CHAINSMOKERS Don’t Let Me Down f/Daya Country 1 JASON ALDEAN You Make It Easy 2 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L. 3 BRETT ELDREDGE The Long Way 4 KANE BROWN Heaven 5 LUKE BRYAN Most People Are Good 6 DARIUS RUCKER For The First Time 7 HIGH VALLEY She’s With Me 8 JORDAN DAVIS Singles You Up 9 LUKE COMBS One Number Away 10 DIERKS BENTLEY Woman, Amen 11 BLAKE SHELTON I Lived It 12 DAVID LEE MURPHY Everything’s Gonna Be Alright 13 MORGAN WALLEN Up Down f/Florida Georgia Line 14 JAKE OWEN I Was Jack (You Were Diane) 15 BRANTLEY GILBERT The Ones That Like Me 16 KENNY CHESNEY Get Along 17 CHRIS LANE Take Back Home Girl f/T. Kelly 18 MICHAEL RAY Get To You 19 MORGAN EVANS Kiss Somebody 20 DAN + SHAY Tequila 21 LINDSAY ELL Criminal 22 KEITH URBAN Coming Home f/Julia Michaels 23 LADY ANTEBELLUM Heart Break 24 DYLAN SCOTT Hooked 25 JON PARDI She Ain’t In It 26 CHASE RICE Three Chords & The Truth 27 JUSTIN MOORE Kinda Don’t Care 28 BRETT YOUNG Mercy 29 LAUREN ALAINA Doin’ Fine 30 CARRIE UNDERWOOD Cry Pretty 31 COLE SWINDELL Break Up In The End 32 CHRIS JANSON Drunk Girl 33 CARLY PEARCE Hide The Wine 34 ASHLEY MCBRYDE A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega 35 BROTHERS OSBORNE Shoot Me Straight 36 SUGARLAND Babe f/Taylor Swift 37 THOMAS RHETT Life Changes 38 LANCO Born To Love You 39 KIP MOORE Last Shot 40 MAREN MORRIS Rich 41 TRENT HARMON You Got ‘Em All 42 CHRIS YOUNG Hangin’ On 43 OLD DOMINION Hotel Key 44 KELSEA BALLERINI I Hate Love Songs 45 JIMMIE ALLEN Best Shot 46 MITCHELL TENPENNY Drunk Me 47 DUSTIN LYNCH I’d Be Jealous Too 48 RUSSELL DICKERSON Blue Tacoma 49 JERROD NIEMANN I Got This 50 LOCASH Don’t Get Better Than That

Disc Jockey News • May 2018 • Page 15

Breaking News…There Is No Magic pill!

By Brian Kelm

Shortcuts in life never pay off for the long-run! There are several reasons why it took some of the world’s most successful achievers years of trial and error and going back to the drawing board to become an “overnight success.”

Are you willing, hungry, and dedicated to knowing everything there is about your craft as a disc jockey and entertainment professional? It is a lifetime commitment to working dayin and day-out on your skills, development, and becoming the most talented performer you can become!

There is NO magic pill to becoming great at mixing music, beat mixing, scratching, reading a crowd, become a great Master of Ceremonies, actor, presenter, and talented professional. You got to have the drive, passion, and hunger to hang in there. You need to take daily risks, and not be afraid to create your own game and do your own thing in your own way!

The beautiful part of being in an ar-

tistic industry like ours is that what we do can ONLY be done by doing; TAKING CONSISTENT ACTION, PRACTICING, AND REHEARSING. Yes, you can watch YouTube videos to get started, but this will not do the work for you. You only get better at anything in life – BY DOING! Conditioning your mental and physical muscles over and over again so when you are on-stage, your best performance and talent comes out!

None of this journey is possible unless you believe in and stand up for yourself. You need to be able to smile when progress is being made and hang in there when you failed miserably. Do not be a follower! Stand up for this industry and work your butt off every day; getting a little better all the time.

You have your own voice and are allowed to voice it, not be silenced or afraid to share.

Your genetic make-up is an asset and needs to be embraced, not minimized.

There is no right or wrong way to do anything so don’t be influenced by those who say there is because that’s completely not true. Once you find a way that works for you, stick with it by making it your own and make big things happen with your individuality.

All great achievers the world has ever known created their own space from scratch where nothing is off limits. They

brought something to the world that cuses and blame are as good as gone.

Stop watching what others are doing was impossible and made it possible.

In many instances, they impact how we cause that won’t make you better. You have to be willing to do the work, or this may not be the business for you.

If you are unwilling to put in 10,000 hours (thank you Malcolm Gladwell), then raising your game to ‘Expert’ or ‘World Class’ status may not be for you.

There is no magic pill or cliff notes version to becoming a proficient and talented entertainment professional!

This goes way beyond watching some videos and being interested. This business is about consistent action, long days, passion, and commitment for a very long time.

Remember these three words every step of your journey – PAY THE PRICE! Brian Kelm, CWEP, CGWP, WED Guild is a 25+ year wedding entercommunicate and live life today! tainment and planning professional Get dirty with honing your skills, be- that has been all over the United States. come a sponge, learn everything you can Based in Wisconsin. Serving Anywhere. and become a student of this industry. He can be reached at briankelm@discYou have to want it badly, get obsessed, jockeynews.com and let nothing stand in your way! Ex-

The Pleasure Of Working With You (The DJ)

By Dave Ternier

This isn’t exactly playing “hard to get.” The delicate balance, if you can find it, is that setting up specific guidelines for working with you, can lead to an increased desire on the part of prospective clients to hire your services.

You’re sending a message that people need to do certain things to have the pleasure of working with you.

One of my policies is that I won’t share my price with a prospective client until I know they’ve got all of the information they need to properly make the right decision for themselves (which isn’t always to hire me). If I was to provide price first and allow a prospective client to make up their mind before they had enough information of what my service is about, then I’ve just done them a great disservice. The most effective way for me to provide them with that information is to meet them in person.

Face to face is my greatest method of communication.

I know many DJs insist on a meeting (consultation) ahead of sharing their price if they get the chance. I don’t leave that to chance. I require a face to face meeting with prospective clients before I’ll take them on.

Hiring my services is more work for wedding couples then if they would have simply hired the average DJ from down the street. That would, in fact, be far easier for them. I’m not looking for couples who want it easy.

The request, to have them to follow the path you’ve found to work best for you and your clients, needs to be carefully framed of course. This article isn’t about how to do that, but I will briefly provide an example from an interaction.

The following is from an email I sent off to a prospect. We had spoken once on the phone already, this was her reply, with mine following it. Will I let this prospect go if they aren’t available to meet me by one of the two methods I’ve suggested? Absolutely.

“Hi, Dave, I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you! Unfortunately, my fiancee and I are both back in Winnipeg for the school year, is there any way to tell me about your rates and services via email??

Thanks so much, BRIDE” My reply to her: “Hey BRIDE, Thanks so much for getting back to me. Really appreciate it! We do need to meet, even if it’s just on Skype. As odd as it sounds, I won’t actually consider taking on clients until we’ve had a chance to meet. :) Just part of what I do.

Would you be available any evening to Skype? Another option would also be that I’ll be in Winnipeg on Saturday, September 21st for a wedding that I’m working with. I’ll be staying overnight in the city and could meet with you the Sunday morning before I leave. I’m awaiting confirmation on one other possible appointment that morning, but would that work for you?

Let me know, thanks, BRIDE! :-)” This isn’t exactly playing “hard to get.” The delicate balance, if you can find it, is that setting up specific guidelines for working with you, can lead to an increased desire on the part of prospective clients to hire your services.

You’re sending a message that people need to do certain things to have the pleasure of working with you. ~ 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.

PAGE 16 • Disc Jockey News • May 2018