Who Can Start A Mobile DJ Business?

Over the years of talking with hopeful young entrepreneurs, I have been asked one question many, many times. Does it take a special kind of person to start this business? That has been asked regarding every business imaginable: lawn care, retail, restaurants, etc. And you better believe I have been asked if it takes a special kind of person to become a professional mobile DJ. The answer, of course, is no.

You really do not have to be this kind of person, or that kind of person, to get into the mobile entertainment industry. Sure, you see DJs that have wild, outgoing personalities and a cheesy voice on the microphone. But you don’t have to have those qualities to succeed in this industry. I am a firm believer that anybody can learn the skills they need to do well. And that is definitely true in the DJ business.

So what sort of qualities should you have or obtain before you start this business adventure? You might want to learn to be more outgoing. If you’re very shy, that’s okay. A little practice goes a long way. It’s like being thrown into a lake and told to swim. When you get behind the microphone at an event you are DJing, you will just have to learn to swim! And I promise you can do it. Once you have talked on the microphone a few times, you will start to get used to it and feel at ease.

You should also have an entrepreneurial spirit. Some people are born with this attitude. They want to do things their way and strike out on their own. Other people are content to sit at a desk pushing buttons for 40 hours per week. Even if you aren’t very entrepreneurial, you can become that way. If you want to free up your time, make better money, and have more fun with your career, you will naturally develop an entrepreneur’s mindset. You will begin looking for opportunity around every corner.

Slowly but surely, you will become the right kind of person for this business. If you have even thought about being a mobile DJ, you can be successful with a little bit of determination. I hope the clears up the question – anybody can become a DJ.



Starting a Mobile DJ Business From Scratch

You have probably seen a mobile DJ before at some point. Maybe you were at a wedding or a fraternity party, and there was a fun-loving guy or girl picking the tunes and blasting them through big speakers. How does that business work? What goes into such a fun business? This article will show you the simple elements of a small DJ business.

First, you must realize that it is a people business. The DJ makes the entire company. He or she will be the face of the business, and will make the sale with new clients. Learn to talk to people about your business and let them know about your DJ services. Even if you are standing in line at the grocery store, you can be promoting your services and potentially winning a new client.

Equipment is another big part of the DJ business. A sound mixer, speakers, microphones, cables, CD players, iPods, laptop computers, etc. Those are some of the pieces of equipment a DJ uses to perform his job. You can learn a lot about equipment, but knowing the basics is enough to get started. Look through a music website and get an idea of what the equipment looks like, what it does, and what it costs.

Lights could fall under equipment, but I like to consider them separately. Not all DJs have a light show. A lot of weddings will not require any lights, so the DJ doesn’t bring any along. But parties and school dances will enjoy having a great light show to set the mood. Lights can include can lights with colored gels, lasers, and various other lighting effects. The possibilities are endless, and I encourage you to look around at your options.

Finally, the music is the big key to your DJ business. You should have an extensive music library and knowledge of music from all eras – not just new songs! Oldies and hits from 15 years ago are often very popular, and you should be familiar with them all. Building a music library will be a constant process in your business, but you must keep up to date and always add new songs.

Those are the basic components of a simple DJ business. The subtle complexities come into play when you consider marketing your services, working with customers, and building customer loyalty. Those are the topics of a later article.



How To Start A Mobile DJ Business

I have a friend who is a professional DJ in his spare time. He makes great money doing it, and I have often asked him about his business. It turns out, the mobile entertainment industry is much like any other industry. You have customers who want your service, pay for it, and you deliver it. This article will lay out the fundamentals of starting your own mobile DJ business.

Get your equipment together. I cannot cover all the specific equipment choices you need to make. This article is too short for that detailed conversation. But make sure you have a decent sound mixer, great sounding speakers, and enough power to play the music loudly. Some events are larger than others, so you will need power to cover a small or large event accordingly. Lights are also another consideration. Get together a basic light package, including at least four can lights with colored gels. These will be enough to light up a small dance floor and set the party mood for everyone.

Your music is vital. Develop a large music library with songs from all time periods and genres. Make sure you study the music, learn how to move from song to song, and how to set a certain mood on the dance floor. At a wedding, you may need to include slow dances for the bride and groom, and also some fast-paced dancing for the wedding party. You might even need to include the Chicken Dance! Learn your music and grow your library constantly.

Now you have the goods, but you need some clients to offer your services to. Finding clients is difficult if you don’t know how to do it. Here are a few tips. Talk about your business everywhere. Tell your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc. Tell everybody about your DJ business. Eventually, somebody will pass the word along to a friend that needs a DJ. People are always getting married, and they need music for the reception. Create a nice looking business card to pass out. Also have a decent website put together to showcase your business for potential clients. It’s all about promoting your business in any way possible.

I hope this article has convinced you that the DJ business is not very complicated. Like many business startups, it will take a little hard work and determination. But the payoff is incredible. My friend loves his DJ company. I know you will, too.



Creating Mobile DJ Business Cards That Work

If you want to make money as a mobile DJ, sooner or later you will need to create business cards. That's a fact of life and you cannot avoid it. But there is one thing you want to avoid at all costs - creating bland cards that get zero attention, zero clients, and zero profits. This article will show you exactly what you need to create a successful business card for your mobile DJ venture.

Have you done a Google search for "cool business cards?" If so, you have probably seen lots of highly creative cards printed on everything from paper to metal to popsicle sticks. There are some pretty wacky and outgoing cards out there. But do you need that kind of a card for your business? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say NO. Keep it simple or you will most likely end up with a failure of a biz card. The only exception to the rule is if your design is very tailored to your image and business. For instance, if you can print your contact info on a "biz card CD," that could be effective. Those are the CD's that are shaped like business cards. But in most cases, you will only succeed in wasting your money on a fancy looking piece of trash. Instead, print up a normal paper card to give to potential clients.

Now that the material is handled, what about the design? Only include necessary graphics and photos. You can over-do a business card really quickly with too many pictures and random graphical elements. You want to make sure the card is easily readable, simple to understand, but still attractive to the eye. You can spice up your card with a logo, if you have one. Or you can add a simple, but related, picture from your business - such as a turntable or record.

What information should you include? You must have your name, website, and phone number on the card. That's it. Any other information might be too much information. Include an email address if you want to, but a website address is just as effective (people can find your email address there). Don't be tempted to include rates or package prices on the card. Doing so will prevent you from working out creative pricing options and package deals. That's where you make the real money, anyway.

Here's one last hot tip - make sure you have empty space on the card. Use that space to jot down a personal note for potential clients. If you discuss an upcoming event with somebody, leave a note on the back of your card when you give it to them. "Great talking about your daughter's wedding. Congratulations!" That really stands out to clients. They will be glad you took the time to leave a message for them. And they will also remember who you are and what you talked about.

Follow those steps and you will have an effective marketing tool and an attractive business card.



What Do I Need To Start A DJ Business?

I have talked with a lot of would-be DJ’s over the years. What is the most common question I hear from them? “What do I need to start a DJ business?” That makes sense, because most people think a DJ has tons of equipment, knowledge, and other stuff. But the truth is that you really don’t need much to get started. Almost anybody can start a DJ business for under $1000 and a little bit of time. Here’s what you need to know:

Let’s start with equipment. This is what people tend to believe is most important in the DJ business. Not true. DJ’s have a wide variety of equipment options, and you will rarely see 2 guys/gals running the same setup. Basically, you will need speakers, a power source, and a sound source. Lights are optional, so we won’t even cover that here. Your speakers might include their own power, or you might need a separate power amp. Your sound source can be a CD player, iPod, laptop, or even a true dual deck player like many DJ’s are using these days. Equipment-wise, that’s about it.

The real kicker is music. You have to develop a large music library that covers all genres, eras, etc. If you DJ a high school prom, you have to own the appropriate music for those kids. If you DJ a 50 year reunion, you will need a very different playlist for that event. Get the idea? You need it all. Sure, you could try to limit yourself to events where the music fits your personal tastes, but you want to make money. Cutting out certain kinds of music means cutting your pay drastically. So own it all and play it all. Grow your library constantly!

Lastly, you will need some business savvy. That’s the part that scares most people out of getting started. They think the business must be complicated or everyone would be doing it, right? Not at all true. This business is simple. All you really need is a drive to be successful. You have to want success. Do you want that kind of freedom and satisfaction out of your job? If so, then you are halfway there. The rest can be learned on the battlefield.

Be confident, be prepared, and you will find that the DJ business is really not difficult. If you cover your equipment, music, and you really want to be a DJ, you are already off to a great start.



Tips For Choosing Your DJ Amplifier

A mobile DJ has a pretty easy job: play music, have fun, and make sure everybody else is having fun, too. After that you can just pick up your check from the client. Well sometimes the toughest part of a business has nothing to do with the job itself. Choosing equipment for your mobile DJ business can be the tough part. Here are a few tips for choosing the perfect power amp for your setup.

First, know your speakers. How much power can they handle? What's the RMS rating? RMS ratings tell you how much power your speakers can handle on average, and you should match it to the RMS rating of your amp. If your speakers can handle 300 watts RMS, you should get an amp that is close to that power level.

Can you get an amp that is more powerful than your speakers? Sure you can. But be careful! If you crank up the volume on your amp, you are likely to blow your speakers. It is a good idea to get an amp that is slightly over-powered, though. Why? Because then your amp never has to work very hard. Here's an example:

Let's say your amp puts out 500 watts RMS, and your speakers only handle 300 watts. Your amp will never need to be turned up very loud to power your speakers. It will always be operating in a comfortable range. That's an ideal situation, because you won't risk blowing you amp during an important event.

A final tip about amplifiers is to read some reviews. Other DJs and club owners have probably reviewed every amp available these days. Search the web and read some of these reviews before you settle on a specific piece of equipment. If a power amp has a notorious problem, it will be reflected in the reviews.



Marketing Your Mobile DJ Business With Zero Budget

You have a mobile DJ business but no budget for advertising? That's no problem. Most DJs don't put aside hundreds and thousands of dollars for advertising costs. They rely on word of mouth marketing. But there are some ways to stimulate even more word of mouth, and they come at an easy price - Free.

Are you using social media to market your DJ services? If not, you are behind the times! Hop on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and other sites right away. Sign up, create your profile, and join the conversation that's happening on these sites. Don't blast people with in-your-face marketing messages. That's not the point of these websites. Instead, chat it up with people in your city. Treat it like a big cocktail party on the Internet. Make sure you include links to your DJ website on all your profiles. Also, be sure to mention what you are working on. For instance, "Hey I'm DJing a wedding today. Wish me luck!" Or even better, "Congrats to Karen and John on their wedding! I'll be DJing the reception tonight."

Once you have spread the word on a few websites, you can move on to other methods. My favorite and most successful method is paying referral commissions. What does that mean? Well, let's say Fred has hired you to DJ his daughters birthday bash. After a successful gig, Fred recommended your services to his neighbor, Bill. When Bill hires you for his high school reunion, you can give Fred a commission - maybe just $25.

Why would you do that? Can you even afford to pay people for this? Of course you can. You aren't paying anybody to spread the word until they have brought you a paying client. Then you just take a bit of the new profits, and give your referrer a nice commission.

This kind of system will encourage your clients to become a sales army for your business. It's extremely powerful, and you will really see results if you start using this method. I hope this little tip will boost your DJ business income. You can thank me with a nice commission - just kidding!



How to Choose the Perfect Mobile DJ Equipment

If you have ever thought about starting a mobile DJ business, you may have hit the "equipment roadblock" along the way. Don't worry! I can help.

Lots of people think about starting a DJ business and get frustrated thumbing through equipment catalogs and descriptions. The prices can be extremely high, and there are always the little extra bits and pieces you need to fill out your gear. Cables, microphones, lights, extension cords, etc. It's a bit overwhelming.

Stop. For just a moment, think about the basic, bare bones necessities that a DJ needs to have. A sound source (CD player or iPod), speakers, and music. That's it.

Sure, there are lots of little things to fill in the gaps, but that's basically it. Decide on a sound source first. Will you be running CDs or MP3 files? If you want to start simple, just use your laptop and Apple iTunes to get started. If you want to go a little further, look at a dual CD deck. Any music store with a pro audio section will have several to choose from.

Next, your speakers need to be "pro" quality. Don't settle for home audio speakers or anything like that. Get a decent set of professional speakers with at least 12" drivers. These will run about $300 or more for a pair. Plus, you need to have power to the speakers. Active speakers will be self-powered, but they cost more. Passive speakers will cost less, but require an additional power amplifier to work. An appropriate power amp for your speakers may cost $250 or more.

To connect the sound source and the speakers, you may need a mixer. This depends, so don't rush out and buy one just yet. If you purchased a dual CD deck, it may have the proper outputs to connect directly to a power amp. If not, you will want to run from the deck into a DJ mixer. If you decided to use a laptop or mp3 player, you will most likely need a DJ mixer. The mixer can cost $60 or more for a decent starter piece.

Finding good deals? That's easy. Ebay is your friend. Look for reputable brand names on eBay. There are lots of cheap imitation brands that will let you down, so don't settle for the cheapest gear you find. Craigslist can also help you out. To get the most out of your investment, try purchasing only the basic necessities at first. Then when you begin to make more profits, re-invest the money to buy more gear and upgrade your old stuff. That's a powerful way to grow your equipment to truly professional level.



Do’s and Don’ts While DJing a Wedding

If you work in the mobile DJ business, there is a pretty good chance you will DJ a wedding. Actually, you will probably work at a ton of weddings and makes some great money doing it. But weddings are a different kind of gig, and they require a different set of rules for DJs. This article will cover a couple do’s and a couple don’ts you should know about.

First, let’s look at the don’ts. Never show up at a wedding without your playlist prepared. You should be playing songs that the bride and groom enjoy. If you don’t know what music the like, ask them first. Showing up without this basic information is a death trap.

Don’t let your clients walk all over you. At wedding, many people drink to excess and want to dance all night. If you aren’t being paid to work the extra hours, you shouldn’t be working. Talk with the bride and groom in advance about your fees for extra hours at the event. Decide on something fair, and stick to your guns!

Do ask the happy couple what you’re responsibilities are for the event. If you are supposed to announce the bride and groom, announce the special dances, etc… you might want to know.

Finally, do thank the family for asking you to DJ the event. Be a gracious entertainer, and ask them for a testimonial or referrals. If you did a good job, they will be happy to tell their friends. Or you can get a short video clip of them praising your performance.

Remember that a wedding is a very special day that only happens once (supposedly). You are part of that special day, and it is your job to perform well. Be professional, and refer back to these tips if you need to.



Customer Testimonials For Your Mobile DJ Business

If you are starting or already run a mobile DJ business, you should know the importance of client testimonials. This article will cover getting testimonials, and what to do with them once you have them.

First, a testimonial is like a vote of confidence from a customer. They enjoyed your product or service, so they sing your praise. When you capture that testimonial and show it to potential new clients, you have a powerful marketing tool. Why is it so powerful? What makes testimonials so special? People trust other people’s opinions. When they hear that 50 people have been happy with your DJ services, they feel comfortable hiring you because they think you will do a great job.

How do you get your clients to give you these testimonials? It’s easy – ask them. That’s it. If you are finishing up an event, approach your client and ask them how you performed. If they seem happy with you, ask if they wouldn’t mind jotting their thoughts down in your notebook. Then later you can type up the testimonial for print or other use. Alternatively, you can get video testimonials. This is also very simple. If a client liked your services, get them to say nice things about you in a brief video. This is especially easy at weddings where clients may have had a few drinks and feel loose for the camera!

What do you do with these testimonials? Put them on all your marketing materials. Print them in brochures, business card, flyers, and other places. Also be sure to put them on your website. I like to have testimonials sprinkled throughout the website, but also a separate page for them as well. Video testimonials are especially effective on your website. Upload them to YouTube and then embed the video on your page.

Now you are on your way to a powerful marketing strategy for your mobile DJ business. I hope this article has showed you just how important testimonials are to your success.