New Year - New Focus
The focus of the Disc Jockey industry is changing, are you?
Once upon a time DJs were viewed as the cheap, non important clowns of entertainment who showed up (sometimes) for a party with loud music, silly games, flashing lights and a “Cheesy” DJ.
Our reputation and credibility with clients, vendors and the media was less then favorable. There was no organization, no standards and certainly no ethics amongst our group. It was a “free-for-all” with back stabbing and undercutting as a business plan.
Over the last ten years a new message began to get out and spread among the industry. Associations, (local and national) conventions, seminars, DJ Chat sites, CDs & DVDs began teaching us how to be better and how to earn a livable wage by being better. We started working together instead of fighting one another and many of us formed friendships with other DJs.
The biggest change over all started within the last two years. DJ Associations are beginning to realize that their organization really doesn’t mean anything to potential clients, Wedding Vendors or the general public if they just “collect a check” and have a “good Ol’ boys” mentality with out substance, regulations and REAL requirements to be a part of the group.
Groups like the W.E.D. (Wedding Entertainment Directors) have formed to try and set apart the real quality entertainers from the wanna-be’s and the less then desirable “Button Pushers”
Associations are beginning to tighten up their requirements and demand that their membership step up to the next level and become a “legal” business and offer higher quality professional service to their clients.
The Midwest Association of Professional Disc Jockeys in the summer/fall of 2007 added to their requirements of membership that every DJ Company must be “registered” or “Trademarked” in the state they are located.
This “registration” is a Legal requirement of four out of the five states that the Association had chapters and membership in. It is in the states laws in order to be a “legal” business you have to be registered with the secretary of state.
In the fifth state they do not require a sole proprietor business to “register” but recommend a “trademark” which offers the same basic rights and protection for a company as the registration offers.
They now require all DJs to properly file tax statements and declare their income from the DJ business and not become “white collar criminals” by avoiding state & federal tax regulations.
They are looking into running back ground checks on DJs to ensure that Sexual Offenders, Child Predators or other dangerous Criminals are not a part of the group who could possibly cause embarrassment or legal troubles for its membership.
Taking little steps like this will help strengthen the DJ industry for those of us who wish to be the best DJ we can be and make the kind of money it requires to operate a successful and profitable business. This will also help legitimatize our profession in the eyes of those looking to hire entertainment and by our fellow wedding vendors.
The DJ industry as a whole has a long way to go before we reach the goals needed but we have certainly come a long way from the days of “monkeys with a boombox”.
What are the laws in your state? Do you/are you following those laws.
Are you trying to be a Legitimate, Professional Entertainer or just another Illegal “Button Pusher?”
The DJ Industry is changing.
Clients are demanding more from us.
The Music industry is monitoring us.
Government is waking up.
Are you ready for the change?
Jeff Richards: Party Time Productions