VirtualDJ - Hey man, can you spare a dollar? (it)

PRO InfinityMember since 2006

Quote :

whatever man the industry failed to provide affordable media. I remember buying 1 cd for $15, you think thats fair??? So you go ahead and spend your money and continue to look down at us djs that simply don\'t have the money to be spending on cds or single tracks. I\'m so sick of hearing these djs that think that their so much better than anyone else cause they spent so much on music and talk people out of gettiing music faster than they did or at a cheaper price. Man let people do what they want, you wanna spend thousands on your music you go right ahead knock yourself out!!!! What a freakin hater

There is a line in the above quote that pretty much sums up one of the biggest problems plaguing the DJ business:

us djs that simply don\'t have the money to be spending

So would it be ok to steal a car so you could drive places? Would it be ok to steal gas for my stolen car simply because I don't have the money to spend?

NO! IT IS ILLEGAL!

Deciding to be a DJ is more than just grabbing your hard drive of ill gotten music and plugging into a high end home audio system. Let's run through a scenario:

First thing we need is a business plan. The business plan is the blueprint for the business. The business plan is words on a paper in black and white detailing everything from market demographics to future expansion opportunities. You need to know if the types of events you plan to do actually exist where you want to do business and if it is possible to get a return on the investment of time and money.

Are you planning on doing school dances? How many schools are there within the potential operating area of the business? How many have dances? How many dances a year? Do any schools already have contracts with other DJ's or are they chosen event by event? How are you going to market to the schools? Websites, business cards, brochures, even advertising on Facebook costs money. Many school dances happen in gyms and larger spaces. That means more PA gear. Kids love flashing lights and videos. That means projectors, screens, possibly intelligent lighting. That also means you will need a source for CLEAN music and videos. All of this costs money, but you can't think of it like that. You are making a decision to INVEST financially with a plan to get a RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT.

Maybe weddings are more your speed. Same rules apply. How many weddings happen in your area annually? How much is spent on a wedding on average in your area? Are you planning on doing wedding related trade shows as a vendor? Similar questions as the previous example.

Let's take another step forward. Let's assume you have done your homework and you have made the initial investment. Now we need to hone the sales skills. You will actually have to sell yourself and your abilities to prospective clients. Do you have a place to do this? Is renting office space an option? What about local coffee shops? Do you have the appropriate wardrobe? If you meet with a school principle, engaged couple, or a company CEO looking like you are a backup posse member from some no name wannabe rap star, you might not get the gig. Do you know how to LISTEN to the NEEDS and WANTS of the prospective client? Do you know how to provide solutions that fill those needs and wants? Have you made a contract? Has your contract been reviewed by a lawyer in the event it is called as evidence that an agreement existed between two parties? Are you legally able to enter into a contract with another party? Here in the US, most states require a person to be 18 to enter into a legal, binding contract. Some states the age is 21.

Let's assume you can sell and move to the next step. Do you have all the proper gear to do the job? Do you have the means to transport the gear to the gig? Do you know how to hook it all up? What if something doesn't work as planned? Do you know how to troubleshoot? Do you have a backup plan in the event of equipment malfunction? What if a light falls or speaker tips over and injures someone? Do you have a proper insurance plan in place? Is the business a type that if sued, you won't lose all your personal possessions?

We will keep right on assuming that you are moving in the right direction. The gear is ready to go and the event starts. Do you have the right mic skills? Do you know what and how to communicate clearly and effectively? Do you have the right music? Are you able to blend the music appropriately for the type of event you are doing? Do you take requests? Do you have a way of organizing those requests to insure they get the proper attention?

After the event is over, there is followup with the client. This will cost more money and more of your time. After doing a great job, keeping contact with that client will help lead to referrals for more gigs, and so on and so forth.

So can a person get into the DJ business with little or no money? Yes. How? Find someone who has been successful with all of the stuff listed above and ask them for a job. The person who is able to put all of the pieces together is going to need help when it comes to expansion. One person can't do 2 gigs at the same time. When a dj business goes from a single sound system to the ability to handle multiple events simultaneously they need RESPONSIBLE people who are passionate about being a DJ. Instead of risking your money on a venture when you lack ALL the other skills needed to succeed, you can get paid to do what you love: play music for people and create a fun atmosphere. At the same time, you can learn about all those other things that go into making a DJ business successful. Then one day, you can take the money you made working for someone else, and invest it, WISELY in a dj business of your own. If you do it the right way, you can maintain a positive business relationship with the person you worked for. They might be booked for a date and they could refer that person to you.

Forum: General Discussion