Let face it here. We are all DJs and since DJing isnt historically a career job, unless you are Deadmau5 or a EDM Producer. Typically we are all local DJs with aspirations of making it big.... a least big in our town...
With the majority of the DJs being younger and inexperiences and the older veteran DJs who been around have different perspective of how to run a DJ business. In my opinion, i think a lot of people do not take this seriously and in result do not grow professionally and also as a DJ. The older DJs have connections and remember how it used to be back in the Vinyl Days and crates, I myslef have never experienced it as I did have to log between CDs... and that was still horrible.
Most of us is on sometime of digital DJ platform either Serato or Traktor, which is the most popular, i recommend Serato because I like the feel of the Record and turntable, or control record and turntable.
Now to the Point. I think DJs get discouraged when people pay them a low rate or a Club stiffs them a fee. Its partly because they feel they can, you took the deal and also the way you do business. I have seen people come with the same set up, the same old speakers and the same tracks. Simply, as a business DJs get complacent and play the same set over and over and nothing really new. As a business they dont have a pool of contacts and just blasting social media posts on Facebook is their way of promoting and didnt make any new connections and meet people.
If this is your business just as a club owner has his business, Djing the the easiest part of the job. All the work behind the scenes is what makes a DJ better or worse, more sucessful than the other. Since this is a business DJs are expected to market, set up a light show, have inventory of lights and also produce.
Also as a business you need employees and the employess need to work, not just freeload off your work. Whereever your real job is that pays you regularly, they expect production and results in sales or productivity, you should too. When you hire people they should market and get jobs because your employer would expect the same too.
I think the biggest problem is we think we can just show up to the party and play a killer set and leave and get paid our full fee. If this what you do, I wont say its wrong but if your calendar is consistently open for gigs, then I guess you should probably reevaluate YOUR BUSINESS and redo the business Model. Dont know what a business model is... SMH... Google it..
As a business, your customers will pay you as much as $2,000 a gig, i have yet to book something that high, but think about it.. how do you get there? Ibet its more than social media blasts and a couple lights and 2 speakers.
In conclusion, the whole point of this blog is to treat your DJ business like a business. this means that if you are booking gigs, hire people to book gigs and help them market your business. You are paying them, hopefully well, they should do more than just show up, help you set up play half the show and leave. I would recommend that you make connections with local businesses for the marketing, build your inventory of lights and sounds and keep growing as a DJ and explore music.
I tell people at the end of the journey, its all about the ride... the money comes and goes but the partys rocked.. they stay with you...
Thanks for reading!
With the majority of the DJs being younger and inexperiences and the older veteran DJs who been around have different perspective of how to run a DJ business. In my opinion, i think a lot of people do not take this seriously and in result do not grow professionally and also as a DJ. The older DJs have connections and remember how it used to be back in the Vinyl Days and crates, I myslef have never experienced it as I did have to log between CDs... and that was still horrible.
Most of us is on sometime of digital DJ platform either Serato or Traktor, which is the most popular, i recommend Serato because I like the feel of the Record and turntable, or control record and turntable.
Now to the Point. I think DJs get discouraged when people pay them a low rate or a Club stiffs them a fee. Its partly because they feel they can, you took the deal and also the way you do business. I have seen people come with the same set up, the same old speakers and the same tracks. Simply, as a business DJs get complacent and play the same set over and over and nothing really new. As a business they dont have a pool of contacts and just blasting social media posts on Facebook is their way of promoting and didnt make any new connections and meet people.
If this is your business just as a club owner has his business, Djing the the easiest part of the job. All the work behind the scenes is what makes a DJ better or worse, more sucessful than the other. Since this is a business DJs are expected to market, set up a light show, have inventory of lights and also produce.
Also as a business you need employees and the employess need to work, not just freeload off your work. Whereever your real job is that pays you regularly, they expect production and results in sales or productivity, you should too. When you hire people they should market and get jobs because your employer would expect the same too.
I think the biggest problem is we think we can just show up to the party and play a killer set and leave and get paid our full fee. If this what you do, I wont say its wrong but if your calendar is consistently open for gigs, then I guess you should probably reevaluate YOUR BUSINESS and redo the business Model. Dont know what a business model is... SMH... Google it..
As a business, your customers will pay you as much as $2,000 a gig, i have yet to book something that high, but think about it.. how do you get there? Ibet its more than social media blasts and a couple lights and 2 speakers.
In conclusion, the whole point of this blog is to treat your DJ business like a business. this means that if you are booking gigs, hire people to book gigs and help them market your business. You are paying them, hopefully well, they should do more than just show up, help you set up play half the show and leave. I would recommend that you make connections with local businesses for the marketing, build your inventory of lights and sounds and keep growing as a DJ and explore music.
I tell people at the end of the journey, its all about the ride... the money comes and goes but the partys rocked.. they stay with you...
Thanks for reading!
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