NADJ

[djdj]

Following the meeting in West Yorkshire last month, it appears that NADJ is not getting supported enough to warrant Branch meetings.
While I am the first to admit that I have not been as involved as I could have been, i think it would be a shame to loose the branch altogether.

I know the guys in South Yorkshire are having the same problems.

So the Question is What do people want from these meetings and is anyone else interested in taking the branch forward.

[yourdj]

Following the meeting in West Yorkshire last month, it appears that NADJ is not getting supported enough to warrant Branch meetings.
While I am the first to admit that I have not been as involved as I could have been, i think it would be a shame to loose the branch altogether.

I know the guys in South Yorkshire are having the same problems.

So the Question is What do people want from these meetings and is anyone else interested in taking the branch forward.

The numbers that turn up to these meetings is pitiful. The best one I think is the London one, but they have a very professional captive membership (being london). Tony Winyard does put a lot of effort in too. We are in South Central and it is always the same people.

Goes to show that:

- the industry is largely hobbyists and don't take it seriously?
- its badly advertised or lacking content?
- or people just don't want to attend meetings?

There are thousands of working mobile DJ's in the South central region and non of them attend (as you don't have to be a NADJ member). Lots of it is fear of interacting with other DJ's as traditionally meetings like that have attracted ego warriors, so that may have something to do with it? I went to the AGM some years back (in Wales) and i met the biggest idiot I have ever seen. God knows what he is like behind the decks?

Having said that, Its all changed these days, especially with the PM conference and chit chatting online etc.
I run a DJ group called the HDA and getting people to meetings even with such a tight nit group is hard, so I understand the challenges

http://dj-alliance.co.uk

[funkymook]

The numbers that turn up to these meetings is pitiful.
We are in South Central and it is always the same people (90% in my group the HDA)
Goes to show that the industry is largely hobbyists.

There are thousands of working mobile DJ's in the South central region and non of them attend (as you don't have to be a NADJ member). Lots of it is fear of interacting with other DJ's as traditionally meetings like that have attracted ego warriors, so that may have something to do with it? Its all changed these days, especially with the PM conference and chit chatting online etc.

Or perhaps it’s something as simple as they don’t know about the meetings?

There must be thousands of mobile DJs who aren’t on forums or FB groups, how are NADJ, SEDA etc spreading the word amongst them?

[Andy P]

I keep meaning to sign up but then posts like this come along...

[Excalibur]

I was at the meeting with Dave, and I think there are two main factors.
1) Apathy / Workload. The West Yorkshire branch couldn't muster the necessary ten members to vote in a new team at the AGM. Didn't really matter, as nobody was standing for election. Being elected would add to their workload, and in most cases, that means they can't give it the time and effort it requires. Sad but true.

2) Economics. Many folk join to get PLI from a reliable and reputable source, and.other benefits are a bonus. If you can get it for less than half that elsewhere...............

Don't ask me for solutions, I don't think there are many viable ones.

[Andy P]

The package looks fine, PLI, exclusive job board and if you want it an accreditation scheme.

But yes PLI is available for £20 in places, some DJs may get jobs from other similar companies and for the good accreditation you need to be locally registered with trading standards which is probably a better accreditation in itself.

I'd much prefer a type of membership that just gives me access to jobs

[DJColsie]

As regards the meetings, my guesstimate would be that 60-90% of DJs are part time or hold another job (either full or part time) and the meetings I have seen are at least an hours drive away. The thought of getting in from your daytime job, eating changing travelling attend the meeting then the reverse is not very attractive.

[Andy P]

Is it possibly time to move with technology and move to web or net meetings

[rth_discos]

Having never been to a meeting, my question is, what reason is there for me to attend? What are the benefits to me in attending?

I fear it would just be "networking" and chatting to other DJs, with no real benefit to me.

If I can learn something, then it would be tempting.

[DJ Jules]

I've been an NADJ member for 3yrs now and the key benefits for me are Insurance, listing on their website (though they messed that up recently) and the free Promobile mag.

I would love to network more, but I just don't have time to get to the meetings (NADJ or otherwise) on the evenings (being a part timer and all).

I would also echo others comments about having bumped into some of the biggest I have ever met at other networking events. However, this doesn't put me off them, as it's useful to know which of the local bods to avoid when it comes to passing on work

Julian