BPM 2017

[Nakatomi]

Its about 3-4 all day workshops in one, combined with the fact that a lot of the key figures in the industry are there, so you can also chat and get to know them as they all have a wealth of knowledge and are willing to share it for free (largely without egos)! Not many industries are like that.

For me though, its a couple of days away from the kids with some of my best friends and a lot of fun.
There are also some amazing ideas that you will pick up, but often its the same stuff repeated from other workshops/conversations.

I've realised too that my attitude has changed a lot in the last few years. The first time I looked at the ProMobile conference, my thinking was something along the lines of "ooooo get you lot.. networking breakfast?!". Now, I'm hungry for improvements

[DJWilson]

"ooooo get you lot.. networking breakfast?!". Now, I'm hungry for improvements

Pun intended?

[yourdj]

"ooooo get you lot.. networking breakfast?!". Now, I'm hungry for improvements

There is that fear of it being cliquey, and I guess sit is for anyone not in a group of people that know each other well, or of a different kind of mind set (i.e. 'we know everything already' brigade), but its a very welcoming (albeit perhaps a little intimidating at first) group of people. I have lost count of the haters who have turned coat; joined in and never looked back.

I don't understand certain character traits in this industry and its the cocky chavvy idiots that let it down unfortunately. I was wearing a NADJ jumper in the after party and these two guys were shouting at me 'oh look another NADJ wxnker' which I thought was very rude. Why anyone would book a DJ with a personality like that for a wedding I have no idea? I know which side of the fence I want to sit thats for sure and its for being a decent person and investing in self improvement with the interest of making more money, but also providing a better service. Obviously you don't need to go for a conference for that, but I like it and I always come out with some fresh ideas.

[djdj]

Yesterday morning (Monday 23rd October) it was announced that after 11 successful shows this year’s BPM | PRO will be the last. In its place organisers Marked Events plan to launch four new shows focused on different areas of the entertainment technology industry. This will include GIG, The Professional Entertainer Show, which will replace BPM | PRO in the mobile DJ calendar as a must-attend event for seeing the latest gear, learning new ideas and networking with industry peers.

BPM started life as a DJ-focussed event back in 2007, but grew into a full-scale entertainment technology show, putting millions of pounds back into the industry and keeping visitors coming back year on year. Always developing with the markets of its exhibitors in mind, BPM | PRO has incorporated everything from high-end audio/lighting to award-nominated FX Stages.

But in light of countless industry factors and the current economic climate, organisers Marked Events now feel that the time is right to end on a high and refocus their efforts on four new shows, each aimed at differing sectors of the BPM | PRO audience.

Commenting on this new direction, Marked Events CEO Mark Walsh said, “BPM | PRO was successful, and has remained successful until the end, but I felt that our momentum was starting to drop. As we all know, times have changed; the way we market, the routes to market, and our sales channels have all gone through significant transformations over the last decade. I knew that if we continued along the same path it would be near impossible to maintain the high standards that our exhibitors and visitors have come to expect. Rather than trying to mould BPM | PRO into something it’s not, I wanted to re-group and re-focus our offerings.”

The result of this rethink comes in the form of four new shows, launching throughout 2018 and 2019, each focused on a different sector of BPM | PRO’s former market:

GIG - The Professional Entertainer Show – Genting Arena, NEC, Birmingham
An Event for DJs, Singers, Performers, Bands and More.
October 21st & 22nd 2018

WORSHIP Technology Show – Manchester
A Trade Show for Specifiers, Installers and Users of Sound, Lighting and Audio Visual Equipment in Places of Worship.
November 6th & 7th 2018

CLUB + BAR Technology Show – London
A Trade Show For Specifiers, Installers and Users of Sound and Lighting Equipment in Clubs and Bars.
Spring 2019

LIVE Production Show
A Trade Show for Specifiers, Installers and Users of Sound and Lighting Equipment for Stages, Tours and Festivals.
Launching Spring 2019

“This is a bold move, but one I firmly believe in,” explained Mark. “The shows will be affordable and highly focussed to the needs of the audience. By delivering a targeted visitor experience at a tangible cost we can build worthwhile events for the future.”

BPM | PRO has a been a big part of the mobile DJ industry for more than a decade, and it will be sorely missed and fondly remembered. But this move is a positive one, which will result in a new show – GIG – focused solely on the needs of gigging mobile DJs and performers. Pro Mobile will be heavily involved in the new show and we look forward to seeing you there!


www.visitbpm.co.uk

[Excalibur]

Thank you Dave for putting flesh on the bones of this revelation by The Old Git in post #68, and others previous to that.

[Nakatomi]

Yeah there's the fear of it being cliquey, plus the self doubts involved in getting in front of other DJs in a workshop... But I know if I don't do something I won't progress. I'm doing alright & get excellent reviews but I know there's still a way to go.

Funny you should say that about people's attitudes towards NADJ & any outfit out to get djs to improve their own lot Toby. I see it a lot & being on the committee of a local association it really frustrates me. What none of those people seem to realise is, nobody is saying anybody is guaranteed to succeed or that only one way is the right way to go - but hey look why not try this & see what happens? Open your mind! . But no. We get "you group of stupid djs trying to dictate how we do everything. :CENSORED1: YOU!". Fine if that's how they want it. Let them be stuck in their ways. I know I'm less strong in some areas & I'm keen to do something about it.

Things I've learned at the BPM seminars are always quite simple to implement. This stuff isn't exactly rocket science but it's not always immediately obvious.

[Imagine]

Yeah there's the fear of it being cliquey, plus the self doubts involved in getting in front of other DJs in a workshop... But I know if I don't do something I won't progress. I'm doing alright & get excellent reviews but I know there's still a way to go.

Funny you should say that about people's attitudes towards NADJ & any outfit out to get djs to improve their own lot Toby. I see it a lot & being on the committee of a local association it really frustrates me. What none of those people seem to realise is, nobody is saying anybody is guaranteed to succeed or that only one way is the right way to go - but hey look why not try this & see what happens? Open your mind! . But no. We get "you group of stupid djs trying to dictate how we do everything. :CENSORED1: YOU!". Fine if that's how they want it. Let them be stuck in their ways. I know I'm less strong in some areas & I'm keen to do something about it.

Things I've learned at the BPM seminars are always quite simple to implement. This stuff isn't exactly rocket science but it's not always immediately obvious.

I had the same fears as you initially. Having also wasted a lot of time and money a certain mentoring program (which didn't do me much good at all unless I was prepared to go the cheesy American route), I was reluctant for a LONG time to get involved in this sort of thing again myself.

That said, I went to Gavin's In Demand Recipe at the start of this year (I'll admit - very sceptically) and actually turned a big corner. I'm still working on implementing some of it (I've got one particular website which struggles for traffic so I'm concentrating on that at the moment)....and it's starting to yield results. As you say, a lot of it is obvious stuff that you just tend to forget/overlook.

I've also started to mix with those that have been on these things and seen the results they're getting. And if they can get it....why can't I?

A lot of them are doing nothing different to me on the night (in fact compared to a lot of them, I probably go out with more gear for less money). I'm nearly where I planned to be when I first came back into this game 6 years ago....there's just a little polishing needed now and I'll be a very happy bunny.

Where I lack is the sales and marketing side of things. I'm not a salesman by trade and never have been, probably because I personally turn off when somebody tries to sell something to me - it's a subconscious thing....and THAT is probably my single biggest failing. Gavin gave me a big nudge up on that score earlier in the year, and hopefully the ProMobile conference will add to that.

And when you consider the entire conference of something like 10 workshops, accommodation and food is less than a night's work....what's to lose?

[Nakatomi]

I had the same fears as you initially. Having also wasted a lot of time and money a certain mentoring program (which didn't do me much good at all unless I was prepared to go the cheesy American route), I was reluctant for a LONG time to get involved in this sort of thing again myself.

That said, I went to Gavin's In Demand Recipe at the start of this year (I'll admit - very sceptically) and actually turned a big corner. I'm still working on implementing some of it (I've got one particular website which struggles for traffic so I'm concentrating on that at the moment)....and it's starting to yield results. As you say, a lot of it is obvious stuff that you just tend to forget/overlook.

I've also started to mix with those that have been on these things and seen the results they're getting. And if they can get it....why can't I?

A lot of them are doing nothing different to me on the night (in fact compared to a lot of them, I probably go out with more gear for less money). I'm nearly where I planned to be when I first came back into this game 6 years ago....there's just a little polishing needed now and I'll be a very happy bunny.

Where I lack is the sales and marketing side of things. I'm not a salesman by trade and never have been, probably because I personally turn off when somebody tries to sell something to me - it's a subconscious thing....and THAT is probably my single biggest failing. Gavin gave me a big nudge up on that score earlier in the year, and hopefully the ProMobile conference will add to that.

And when you consider the entire conference of something like 10 workshops, accommodation and food is less than a night's work....what's to lose?

I've already noticed one big thing you do differently to a lot of people on social media posts. It's onboard with me now, but I'm not changing what I currently do where I am for the time being. As for the mentoring guy - I know somebody who was on that scheme til recently & he's still having to fall back on a Friday night residency where they take a break for bingo & does a lot of walk-in gigs at what I wouldn't call an awful lot of money - living the dream or what? Though we have to remember too that it's up to individuals to act on mentoring & advice they get or nothing will ever change

Somebody at a local meeting said I was good at selling a while back. I asked whatever had given them that impression & they went quiet suddenly. Maybe it's true - I AM good at closing a deal, when a deal eventually arrives in my lap that is. The trick is getting them to come to you, as ever!

I've taken other steps to improve my confidence & skills - I'm a bit of a whizz with DMX & QLC+ and have given (very good, I'm told) presentations in front of other DJs. It's not really as scary as you first think but once you've learned that you can apply things to other areas too. I'm not saying I'm now ready to tackle an all day wedding with nothing but a mic & note cards to hide behind but it's a start

[Imagine]

I've already noticed one big thing you do differently to a lot of people on social media posts.

Just one small tool in the armoury

It has varied results and it's not the be all and end all. One post can be seen by 20-30 people, and yet the one I did about the fundraiser and horse racing night a couple of weeks ago went to over 1000 (there's no logic). I'm expecting next Monday's to have the same reach

[yourdj]

WORSHIP Technology Show – Manchester
A Trade Show for Specifiers, Installers and Users of Sound, Lighting and Audio Visual Equipment in Places of Worship.
November 6th & 7th 2018

WOW! bet the after party of this one will be a hoot.

Things I've learned at the BPM seminars are always quite simple to implement. This stuff isn't exactly rocket science but it's not always immediately obvious.

I've also started to mix with those that have been on these things and seen the results they're getting. And if they can get it....why can't I?

Being one of the first people to go to these modern workshops (and also implement my own in 2009) I for one have come on leaps and bounds and I am possibly one of the top earning DJ's in my area? The people that present on Pormobile or at BPM are just normal and tend to be very positive, friendly & open people. Gary Evans for example is probably one of the nicest people I have ever known and it really showed in his seminar thing!! There is a close relationship between that and their £1000+ average event fees, which they continue to get on a regular basis. Not a big fan of the American presenting things and never have been, especially as i think we have carved our own sort of shared 'UK' working ethos now. I don't know the quote, but its something like 'successful people hang about with successful people'.