What do Wedding Vendors think of DJs?
For my last seminar at the Northern Wedding Vendor Conference in Oct. of 2006 I did a lot of research speaking with non DJ wedding vendors and asked them some hard hitting questions about what they thought of DJs and the DJ industry as a whole. Here is a little of the feedback that I received.
I sent out by e-mail and snail mail a questionnaire along with speaking to the vendors at the locations I was about to perform at (before my event started) asking them what they thought about DJs. To my surprise it was a response that really said a lot about our industry and those who partake in it.
When asked about “Professional” DJs the simple response was a big NO! They did not see many they would call a “Professional” DJ. Every now and then a photographer or a hotel banquet manager said that they have only worked with one or two that they would consider a “Professional”
So I then asked them what their definition of a “Professional” DJ was.
Their idea of a “Professional DJ” was one who…
Showed up hours (not minutes or show up late) ahead of time to set up and prepare.
Would meet with them or speak on the phone prior to the event day.
Was smiling, very friendly and more then willing to work closely with them.
Made all the guests feel warm, welcomed and involved.
Dressed in a manner of a professional business person.
Their equipment was clean, well kept and not obnoxious or intruding.
Followed the rules of loading/unloading the location site had.
Their talent and skills as an Emcee and Entertainer was excellent.
Had a copy of a schedule of events for all the vendors.
This list was quite extensive but exactly what all DJs should always do as part of their business. Each vendor had particular ideas in accordance to their own business to have the DJ help them in the best way. Example:
Location Site: Set Up early.
Caterer: Announce when the meal is ready to go.
Photographer: Schedule of “special moments” to take pictures.
Videographer: Additional lighting for “special dances.”
Bar Tender: Announce last call.
Wait staff: Allow them to clear before starting the dance.
Each person involved in the reception has a need to be filled by the DJ but most vendors said they couldn’t find many DJs to assist them with their needs so that they could also provide the best service possible to the client.
Many of the replies I received had complaints about DJs and the things that went wrong at the event because of them.
At one event I did the two Bar tenders said that they didn’t need a clock because they knew exactly what time it was when the DJ performed certain songs or “special moments”. They claimed that we are all the exact same.
Because I had taken time to plan a schedule with the client who wanted all their “special moments” finished before 9:00 p.m. (the bartenders said they knew it was 10:00 p.m. when the DJ started the Dollar Dance) we had finished all the things the Bar Tenders used as a clock long before other DJs first begin.
The biggest complaint I received from EVERY vendor was the LOUD music. They all wanted to know why DJs all play the music so loud it hurts and people leave. I tried to give them a short version of how the music is loud because of the room size, transfer of sound waves, people need to feel and hear the beat….etc… but then I assured them that tonight they won’t have that problem and the people will be dancing and having fun.
I use the BOSE P.A.S. L1 B1 system. At the end of the night they all said that it was great being able to hold a conversation without screaming over the music and the people did get up and dance.
I then explained to them that the music was actually at or about the same decibel level as any other DJ but the new BOSE system is an all new way of hearing music without the ear bleeding, head pounding effect the standard sound system has.
To say the least other Wedding Vendors did not have a good perception of who we are or what we do because of the multitudes of less then desirable DJs out there giving us all a black eye.
If this is how the other Wedding Vendors see us, then this must be how the majority of the general public must view us.
This is part of the reason why so many DJs complain that they can’t charge more for events.
Not because of the other bad DJs out there, it’s because maybe they are one of those bad DJs!
Jeff Richards: Party Time Productions