How To Throw An Event For Dummies

We’ve all been there. Throwing our first event, thinking we’ve got it down. The night of the event happens, the DJs are pissed at us and holy crap it’s because there is no gear to play on. Yet you thought all DJs provide their own gear and that the club would take care of sound and the event would pretty much promote itself. Even if it’s not your first rodeo you might want to follow this one because I’ve added a few pro-tips to help make your event more likely to success.

1.

Brand it.

Pick a theme, genre, demographic. Know what you want to do so you can figure out how you’re going to market this event and to who.

PRO-TIP:
DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Look at other cities / countries with a simular theme and event style. See how they are marketing their work.

2. Secure a venue and date

I’d say do one before the other but it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes you’ve got to dig around and see what dates are available where, first.

PRO-TIP:
Check out what other events are happening around that date. Better off putting on an event that isn’t competing with another night on the same day, or the same type of event the following day at the same venue.

3. Secure your artist / DJ line up.

Know what DJs you want to book and start confirming them, what their requested fees are, or make offers NOW.

PRO-TIP:
Find out all equipment requirements during the conformation stage. This is also a great time to set up your set times.

4. Promote your event

You’ve got all the details set in stone, now it’s time to put out the word. Flyers, facebook event pages and or videos.

PRO-TIP:
Give yourself PLENTY of time to do this. Events that are marketed farther in advance have better chances of doing well. Especially when there is a push for ticket sales.

If you REALLY want to go above and beyond find a local space (facebook page or forum) that shares dates of events and ensure other promoters in your area are made aware of your upcoming show. Working together as a community is a great way to help everyone win. Understanding this might not always be possible, it’s at least nice to try and consider other events in your area.

Other great articles and vlogs:

• The Key to a Good Night and Festival Out
• 2018 Canadian Festival List & How To Set Yourself Apart In DJ Applications: According to Festival Promoters
• Pro Tips For DJs During The Off Season
• Building Better DJ Habits You Can Actually Stick To In The New Year
• 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Planning for the New Year
• Studio Gear Tips For Artist With A Small Budget
• 2018 Festival Application DJ Check List
• 5 Habits of The Happiest DJs

 

Pro Tips For DJs During The Off Season

Right in the beginning of the year many DJs complain that there really aren’t enough DJ gigs coming in. It’s right after Christmas and New Years, Festival season is far away and the high time for weddings is months away. In this video I talk about some tricks and tips to preparing for the high season while you’ve got the down time now.

1. Make Playlist for EVERY occasion.
Whether it’s an art show, store opening or headlining an event. Make sure you’ve got a variety of playlists ready to go.

2. Organize, pre-pack and plan.
Think of anything that can go wrong or that you might need and pack it. Maybe it’s a couple of back up usbs, headphones, ear plugs and a power bar. Add in a few converters and headphone adapters.

3. Update your equipment and test your equipment.
Ensure your cords are sending sound both left and right, link cables are in good working condition and any updates have not only been done, but you’ve tested.

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Planning for the New Year

Before planning for the new year, I like to reevaluate the previous year. I do this because it gets me to question just how efficient I am being with my time, money and energy. It’s not an easy task mind you, because it’s one where we must be TRULY honest with ourselves and it’s easy to make excuses. If however you can be direct in finding those answers, the benefits will far outweigh the slight discomfort. Moving forward you can really start to change the behaviours that are not working. I find it best to write these answers down starting with the question:

1. What did you set out to accomplish this year?

2. Why or why didn’t you achieve these goals?

3. How can you do differently moving forward?

 

More awesome ADVICE 4 DJS

• Studio Gear Tips For Artist With A Small Budget
• 2018 Festival Application DJ Check List
• 5 Habits of The Happiest DJs
• 3 Red-flags For DJs That Means It Is Time To Lean Into Change
• 6 Ways to Gain Trust and Decode The Needs of Promoters
• 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid at DJ Gigs for both Beginners and Advance Artists
• How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs

Studio Gear Tips For Artist With A Small Budget

Is a tight budget stopping you from building your producer studio? Here is the thing, you can have all the best studio gear in the world but it won’t make you the best producer. We have a simple solution for your tight budget, so you can focus your energy in sound design and getting into that creative mindset.

 

Studio gear on a budget:
Focusrite – https://www.focusrite.com
KRK – http://www.krksys.com/
M-Audio – http://www.m-audio.com/

More Great Articles:

• 2018 Festival Application DJ Check List
• 5 Habits of The Happiest DJs
• 3 Red-flags For DJs That Means It Is Time To Lean Into Change
• 6 Ways to Gain Trust and Decode The Needs of Promoters
• 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid at DJ Gigs for both Beginners and Advance Artists
• How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs
• How to Become a More Confident DJ
• Video Tutorials on Beat Matching, Mixing and Eqing
• 3 Steps to Become the DJ You Want to Be
• How To Be A Happier DJ

5 Habits of The Happiest DJs

Have you ever wondered what the happiest of DJs are doing differently from the rest? You see some artists successful however… miserable. Meanwhile others really seem to have it together. In my personal search for happiness, while also trying to find that work-life balance that fits a family, I really had to dig deep on a personal level. So I sought out the research while checking out what some of the happiest artists are doing. What I found across the board was that:

1. They are optimist about their future

 

What holds you back from sharing that new DJ mix or pursuing the music production world? It seems the common theme here is, ourselves. When you feel the possibilities are almost limitless there is nothing stoping you. Self-doubt however ( a learned habit) really seems to the the #1 thing people allow to stop them from taking action, even when they seem to be pointing the finger at everyone else.

2. Can and do savour the present moment

 

When we become present, something really amazing happens. We aren’t dwelling on the mistake we made in our last track transition nor are we worried about whether or not we’ll have a great review on our mobile DJ facebook page. We are able to appreciate the fact that right here and now we are getting to make money doing the thing we love, that we are present with our  crowd experiencing the music we love and enjoy.

3. are deeply COMMITTED to their life ambitions and goals

 

It means that even when you’re not rolling in the money and are spending countless hours working on a new track, you are fully invested in the bigger picture. You work hard at the things that you find tedious so that you can continue on with your passion in the long run.

4. show STRENGTH & cope well while face challenges

 

Understanding that one bad situation with a promoter is a learning experience and doing differently moving forward, is huge. It’s adjusting to a situation where maybe things weren’t probably set up in advance but you’re making the best of a situation and keeping a professional manner about yourself. It’s being a supportive DJ and producer when those around you need that strength.

5. devote time to family & friends

 

Last but definitely not least, making time for those we care about. I know both for my family and myself, being able to be present and spend quality time together not only builds stronger bonds and intimacy but it keeps us grounded. Even when we absolutely LOVE the work we do, we thrive on connections outside of business, too.

Did we miss anything on this list? Share your thoughts on facebook. What habit really stood out to you?

More great Articles and vlogs here:

• 3 Red-flags For DJs That Means It Is Time To Lean Into Change
• 6 Ways to Gain Trust and Decode The Needs of Promoters
• 3 Common Mistakes To Avoid at DJ Gigs for both Beginners and Advance Artists
• How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs
• How to Become a More Confident DJ
• Video Tutorials on Beat Matching, Mixing and Eqing
• 3 Steps to Become the DJ You Want to Be

 

How to STOP Missing Out On Paying DJ Gigs

It blows my mind the amount of times artists miss out on opportunities to make money. Not because there is something wrong with their talents or even something out of line with their style of music. As you’ll soon see for some of the silliest reasons disc jockeys around the world are missing out on quality, paying gigs. There may even be a few you didn’t think of yourself. I know number 3 surprised me the first few times. Let us start with something obvious but often missed.

1. You are simply not reliable

You have a business opportunity and you pass it by. Not because you can’t do it, but because you don’t make it a priority. A potential new client sets up a meeting with you and you never show or come too late and forget to bring that DJ mix you promised.

2. You are too slow to reply

I’m sure you’ve heard that saying that the early bird gets the worm. If you respond quickly, execute on what you SAY you’re going to do; you’re already a head of the game. You’re showing that you are both reliable AND you are eager to work with them. But if you take your time, watch out because someone else WILL rise to the occasion and scoop up that gig.

3. You’re not charging enough

If you think putting your price too high seems pretentious, imagine what charging too little looks like. Why is charging a fair price important? Imagine purchasing discount clothing and you get tired of it before even wearing it. When your not invest you won’t feel bad about throwing them items away or forgetting that you ever own it. In the DJ world, sadly you become easily replaceable with too low of a price. Why? You won’t be the only one offering too low. If you can add value to your service, you’re talking a whole other game that I get into here. 

Need some help to figure out how much to charge, check out the DJ fee calculator here.

4. You rely on them for things that are your job

Unless you’re the IKEA of DJs you wouldn’t expect the newly weds to set up your equipment at a wedding you’re djing at. Or maybe you are a club DJ would you expect the bar manager to be responsibility for your evenings playlist? Extreme? I’ve have more than a few DJs playing after me asking me to help them figure out how to set up their Virtual DJ at a live gig.

5. You do the bare minimum

You are either uninterested or don’t think do go above and beyond for your clients and or fans. It’s unfortunate because even the smallest of things can make a HUGE difference for those in support. For example you may consider doing a sound check before a dinner rush in a lounge to ensure you will not interrupt the dinner service. As a wedding DJ and master of ceremonies getting to know the wedding party before making introductions is a biggie. And if you are a DJ booked on a line up with many other artists, promoters and even fans tend to take note when you simply show up, play and then leave the event.

Think about the time you had exceptional customer service. People remember the employee that went above and beyond. The person noting even the smallest of details. Even with artists, people remember the talent that came up and spoke to them after the show or asked about their day. Fans remember the artist that took the time to support the other DJs that came on before their set.

Now I’m not saying put on a phony smile and make nice with people kissing babies and shaking hands. At the end of the day you’re going to do what works best for your brand. I think it’s worth consider your experience as a fan of other artists and what sort of treatment meant the most to you. Think about how you can implement it in your industry and then DO IT.

Enjoy this article? There is a hell of a lot more where that came from.

• How to Become a More Confident DJ
• Video Tutorials on Beat Matching, Mixing and Eqing
• 3 Steps to Become the DJ You Want to Be
• How To Be A Happier DJ
• Why You Should Keep Doing The Thing People Are Making Fun of You For
• The REAL Reason DJs Dislike Branding And How To Get Past The Marketing Myths
• How To STOP Being a Procrastinator DJ Starting Now
• Everything You Need To Know About Electronic Press-Kits
• How To Find Your Good Vibe DJ Tribe
• The Fixed DJ Mindset That Is Holding You Back And How To Break Free
• 4 Things Success Entrepreneurs Have In Common
• How To Record A Mixtape In Less Than A Week

Why You Should Keep Doing The Thing People Are Making Fun of You For

I may not be the next Mark Zuckerberg but there is an important message to note. Facebook, Amazon and Paypal were considered ‘crazy’ ideas back in the day. And look who is laughing all the way to the bank about it. It may not be far from your own story.  I explain more in this video here with a few personal examples.

Enjoy this video? Maybe you have ideas on subjects you’d like to hear next. Send me a facebook message here. Or you can always Tweet at me here.

The REAL Reason DJs Dislike Branding And How To Get Past The Marketing Myths

If you’re like I was, you probably cringe at the word “marketing.” It sounds so damn corporate. But what I if told you it doesn’t have to be? That it’s not about saying, “buy my latest record” or “listen to my newest mixtape.” Promoting your brand can be authentic, it can bring value to others and even make you feel good about what you’re doing. But there is just one thing you have to do first. Get out of the mindset that marketing is a bad word so that you can take control with ease and STOP making excuses. Yes, I said it. Excuses about why you aren’t putting the effort into marketing. Let’s start with something easy.

1. The myth about marketing

Here is the good news. Marketing your brand doesn’t mean spamming people. Here is the bad news. It still takes effort on your end. Which should actually be good news to you because you can stop feeling like paying for likes is enough to get you a dj gig. It’s NOT. Stop telling yourself this is what people do, just to justify not trying. We are the rule not the exception and if  you focus on the exception of your perception you will feed into those beliefs.

2. You have more time then you think

It takes 5 minutes to check out a few local promoters, show your support and DM them on Instagram. Heck, you can do this while pooping. I’m not saying you should tell them to book you, (nor run your marketing from the bathroom) but start off by getting on their radar. People notice when you’ve just subscribed to their pages, commented on their recent content and show up to some of their events. It’s about focusing on the effort not the outcome. Keeping it small but in motion.

Pro tip: Take inventory of your time. How are you spending it and how can you spend it better? Are you on facebook too much? Read this article about what a social media detox could do for you.

3. You can create marketing content by doing what you love

Yes that’s right. You’re making radio a mix? Film it. Put it on your youtube channel. Boom, you’ve just created content for your video medium and guess what? It took 20 extra minutes of your life to set up a camera, record, upload it and write in a description and tags. You can get savvy and super creative with this. Think of producers that literally make tutorial videos out of music they are producing. Imagine gaining the kind of traction that gets these companies paying YOU to review their swag? Which leads me to number four.

4. Helping others IS promotion of your brand, too

Do you like to help people? Does it make you feel good? Awesome! You’re able to market your brand this way too. When you give people something of value, you’re giving them a reason to come back to your brand’s pages. You’re someone they are going to think of when they need a DJ or knows someone that might need one.

Having trouble getting started? Read this article on how to STOP procrastinating STARTING now. 

5. Start being patient, now

Get it out of your head that people are overnight successes. Those are 10, 20 even 30 years in the making and you don’t know the full story about how someone got where they are. Heck you don’t know what crap they went thru to get there. How many failures they had to make, just to get that ‘big break.’ I know for me I’ve been a DJ for over a decade, I’ve had my ups and down and loads of experience. But when I rebranded 3 years ago, people that never knew me before the changeover were shocked that I already had a bit of a following seemingly, ‘overnight.’ I didn’t. And there is a lot about the new image that put me at square one. So don’t judge a brand by its facebook fanpage and then give up before anything really had a chance to happen.

6. Less really is more

If you have 10,000 facebook friends but rarely anyone comments, likes or shares your content; let alone comes to your shows, it doesn’t mean much. But if you have 100 fans and 70% of them show up at your events, share your mixes and stay in touch, you’ve hit the jackpot! It’s always better to find your niche rather than try to make EVERYONE happy. So stop worrying about the numbers and start executing on the things you can control.

All you can do is focus on yourself. If you focus on others but you don’t dive into their story or you allow it to prevent you from ever working any harder, well… that’s on you. Not them. It’s not our responsibility to change others. All we can do is be the change we want to see in this world. And don’t feel bad if after reading this you STILL don’t want to market yourself. Not every DJ wants to tour the world or get their music out there. Some just want to play music and chill with friends and that’s totally cool too. Just try to remember there are those that want more and that is okay too. That doesn’t make all marketing, bad marketing. So if anything please remember to encourage your friends and their dreams. You never know who might be the next big act and you don’t ever want to be the person that motivated them by saying they couldn’t do it.

Do you think you may have a fixed mindset? Do you need a psychological adjustment so you can let go of what you can’t control and start taking action today? Read this article here.

5 Questions To Ask Yourself When Being Offered “Exposure” Payments

No this is NOT an article about justifying taking gigs for exposure, because guess what? Clearly it does not pay the bills and YOU my friend, deserve to be paid! Yes, every artist at some point will be asked to free-jay an event. But when it feels like it’s the majority of your offers, naturally one might wonder what that is all about. While clearly an influx of inexpensive deejays can affect the economy there are some tell tail signs within your brand that maybe attracting the wrong clientele. Here are some important questions to ask yourself.

1. What does your brand image say about you?

 

 

Does your website, logo and description look & sound professional? Do you personally value your craft and invest in your brand?

Unsure? An outside (professional) opinion will help clear this up. Try asking 2-3 friends or business professionals that can objectively look at your business. But remember you must be open to the constructive criticism. Someone from the outside will notice issues like missing links, spelling errors and even points of improvement.

2. What does your business approach look like?

 

 

When people ask you for a quote or to play an event, are you gaining details or shooting off a price before you know what you’re getting yourself into? Maybe you struggle at asking for your worth and hold off asking for a wage until the gig has been complete.

Tips: Do not assume payment! Always confirm details and a wages a head of time. You might be surprised to learn that in many cases there are 1 or 2 artists on a line up that have been paid while others that did not require the payment therefore never offered one.

3. What types of events do you typically play?

 

Dive bars can be fun, but if you perform for a club owner notorious for not playing their artists, you may end up on the potential free-jays watchers list. Where the assumption might be that you play for free. If however you are playing for bigger events (charging your worth) there may be an assumption of payment as those clients expect they’ll be paying top dollar.

4. What is your reputation?

 

 

Are you known for getting back to clients right away with a great record for being on time? How about equipment, does it fail often or even worst… unprofessional behaviour? If you think “word of mouth” is bad, check out the infamous video of Hippie Sabotage. The social media world does not allow for this type of behaviour to go unnoticed anymore. While everyone loves to have a good time, it’s important to respect the patrons and staff! Really, why the heck wouldn’t you?!

5. Are You Consistent?

 

 

Are you consistently giving it your all at each event or do you let your mood negatively affect your performance?  Everyone has off days, but it is still important to set the stresses of life aside so you can focus on your delivery each time. You may find this is actually a fantastic way to calm and cope with life’s craziness, by diving into your work!

Keep in mind:

Being offer “exposure gigs” doesn’t necessarily mean you are not giving value to your clients or that word around town is you are a free-jay. However taking a second look at how you are running your business may help you find where you can improve your image, business practices and offered services. Need extra help with this? On Sunday July.31 in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the Strange Things Emporium (B-914 Corydon Ave) we will be doing a FREE WORKSHOP, touching on the common mistakes and easy fixes in branding. This will  include charging your worth and getting it! Please contact me if you are interested in signing up as seating is limited! 

 

Eight Helpful Articles For DJs:

• 5 Questions To Ask Before You Add One More Affiliate!
• 7 Ways To Deal With Haters
• How To Get Paid For A DJ Gig
• Winnipeg DJs – What To Know, What To Ask
• If You Think DJ Gigs Define You As An Artist, Read This!
• Quit The DJ Career or Dump The Relationship?
• The Trouble DJs Face When Trying To Gain A Following
• 6 Warning Signs That You Might Be A Jaded DJ

How To Get Paid For A DJ Gig

It’s a simple process yet people tend to skip right over to step 4 and wonder why step 5 rarely happens. What’s the definition of crazy? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Yet there is clearly a reason why people are scared to ASK for that payment and I have a theory where that steps from (but I’ll leave that for another article.) Let’s start with the 5 easy steps to ensure you get paid.

1. Get the details!

 

Great! Someone has asked you to play a dj gig. You don’t know the date, the time slot or if they even have a working bathroom… what not to do? Accept the gig, yet. Why? Well in order for you to ask for a wage it’s pretty important to ask for the details FIRST rather than come off desperate for the job. Be grateful, of course. Thank them for the consideration, but make sure you know what you’re getting into FIRST!

2. Ask for or make an offer.

 

If they haven’t offered you a fee they may be awaiting your charge. Heck, you could even go as far to ask, “What sort of budget are you working with?” Or go the bold route and simple state, “This gig sounds right up my alley. I typically charge $ amount per hour. All I request is the industry standard turntables which you’ve mentioned will be supplied and of course a trusty dj monitor. If this works for you, I’d love to confirm the gig and send over my press-kit for any promotional needs.” Easy, right?

3. Confirm the details.

It may seem over kill by now but sometimes the best way to ensure your payment is to have a paper trail, one that is CLEAR! If the promoter has said YES to the fee, this is typically when a client might received an email (from you) with your press-kit (if they do not already have it.) The email would be confirming details with the invoice attached! How professional, right? It says a lot about the service you provide and how serious you take your craft. This also gives them the opportunity to CONFIRM all of the details. Maybe there is a specific time you need to be there for set up and backdoor to use. Be in the know, far before the show!

4. Confirm Booking / Play Gig!

 

You got the go ahead from the coordinator confirmed, so feel free to tell your friends! It’s 100% good, no wondering, stressing or feeling taken advantage of. You can rock out that DJ gig knowing you’ve done your best to ensure the right equipment will be there and that payment will be in hand.

5. Get Paid.

 

In your details you would have confirm how much, when and who is paying you to ENSURE you get paid. Whether by cheque, e-transfer or cash!

TIP 1: If you make the mistake of forgetting to confirm details don’t assume you’re not getting paid. Simply ask, “Whom will I collect my fee from?” Unless you’ve been told other wise, typically a promoter shouldn’t be putting you on a flyer or event page and then having you play just to say, “Sorry there is no payment…”

TIP 2: If you’ve made your message clear ahead of time and you are struggling to get a response but a flyer has gone up on your name, a quick post on the event page should get you a fast reply.

Example
“Hey there, I notice my name on the flyer but I am awaiting important details and haven’t heard back from anyone. Please contact me so we can work things out a.s.a.p. Cheers!” 

It’s calm, it’s professional but it says, “You don’t get to put my name out there BEFORE confirming these details.” This seems to work well since many people have not transferred over to facebook messenger as of late. Personally I’ve had this happen to me a couple of times and usually it’s just a miscommunication between the designer and organizers but you need to make sure to nip it in the bud, just in case you need to back out of the show. DJs tend to look like the unprofessional ones when it’s a back out day of, even when it’s the promoters bad. Protect yourself and stay on top of things!

And PLEASE let me know if these techniques have been working for you or any you might add to the list! One last exciting and easy tip: Secure your payments in advance using AGNT!

Need an agent? Look no further than AGNT the application for both djs and promoters on the look out for artists. Fill out your profile for free here and get booking gigs TODAY.