Are we too generic, or do we sell our differences?

[rth_discos]

Saw a couple of comments on the Xmas Parties/Weddings thread that highlights an issue I have with the typical marketing of DJs:

It's horses for courses really. If that's what the people want let them have it all day long I say. There are DJs out there saying a wedding should be X Y or Z but really the wedding should be whatever the customer wants. Is it cheesy? Is it even tacky? Who cares? Why should it even matter if that's what they WANT ? It's not what I would've wanted at my wedding - I can't stand all that schmaltz personally. Vive la difference!

I have seen DJs do the ‘Mr & Mrs game’ at EVERY wedding. Personally I think it only works maybe 30% of the time, and again if you were to get a B&G up who hated it, complaints will happen.

I see many DJ websites promoting their large collection of music and their wide range of events they cover, essentially suggesting they can 'adapt' to any requirement. In fact, many DJs seem to suggest you're only a good DJ if you can adapt to any musical style.

Why, as DJs are we so afraid to be confident about what our specialisms are, and therefore, who our ideal client is?

When I search for DJs in a local area, I should be seeing a rock/metal specialist, a cheese specialist, a 'night club style' specialist, and all other types of DJs.

Some DJs, who are amazing in their specialisms, don't seem to promote their specialism, for fear of putting off 'other' clients.

So with respect to things like the Love Story and Mr and Mrs, surely it's better if DJs promote that that their style, so that every client books them because of what they do. In theory, a DJ who specialises in the Love Story, should avoid attracting a bride who doesn't want the Love Story. And if you don't do the Love Story, it's because you likely appeal to a type of client that wouldn't want that at their wedding.

There's nothing wrong in actively turning away the types of client you don't want. In doing so, you are more likely to attract the type of client you do want.

Are there music styles or presentation styles that you don't do? If so, make it clear on your website that you don't do it!

Hate playing The Agadoo - proudly proclaim it on your website - the client who also hates the Agadoo is way more likely to want to book you, meaning you get more gigs in the style you enjoy!

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Hate playing The Agadoo - proudly proclaim it on your website - the client who also hates the Agadoo is way more likely to want to book you, meaning you get more gigs in the style you enjoy!

There's plenty of tunes I hate, but I'll get over myself and play it if the client wants it or it'll work with their crowd...

I do agree with the prior statement though - I wouldn't go near a lot of genres like RnB or house so I might amend the FAQs on my website to reflect that.

As for being generic - I think the big issue is that guys see what the US folk are doing / go to MBLV etc... then start incorporating it and before long everyone and their dog is doing it.

[ppentertainments]

As for being generic - I think the big issue is that guys see what the US folk are doing / go to MBLV etc... then start incorporating it and before long everyone and their dog is doing it.

Totally agree - would be nice to see someone from the UK demonstrating something unique rather than just copying what they have learned from the US - especially as 99% just doesn't work at most UK weddings.

[rth_discos]

There's plenty of tunes I hate, but I'll get over myself and play it if the client wants it or it'll work with their crowd...

I do agree with the prior statement though - I wouldn't go near a lot of genres like RnB or house so I might amend the FAQs on my website to reflect that.

Of course, there's a difference between simply refusing to play a song, and advertising your preferences.

I advertise myself as a non-cheesy DJ. Typically, I don't play action songs. I tell clients this on the phone, yet I still get lots of bookings where the Macarena for example is one of the requested songs. Turns out that they didn't want a cheesy DJ playing action songs all night, but that one song brings back childhood memories etc.

I happily play it - but despite saying I don't play songs like the Macarena, they still book me, because the bigger picture fits what they are looking for.

This stuff shouldn't be hidden away on an FAQ page - you should be proudly shouting about your preferred style on your home page!

The most successful businesses and people are often those who are polarising. Marmite do a great job of playing up to this!

I think the big issue is that guys see what the US folk are doing / go to MBLV etc... then start incorporating it and before long everyone and their dog is doing it.

What is MBLV?

I think there's a perception that lots of DJs are doing the same thing, but the reality is that there are still very few DJs offering a proper full day's service with 'Master of Ceremonies' included for example. That alone is still a specialism, and it surprises me when venues say they've never seen a DJ do anything like that before!

The only thing that many DJs are doing the same of, is being a 'generic DJ' with 50,000 songs and covering every music style and function...

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Of course, there's a difference between simply refusing to play a song, and advertising your preferences.

I advertise myself as a non-cheesy DJ. Typically, I don't play action songs. I tell clients this on the phone, yet I still get lots of bookings where the Macarena for example is one of the requested songs. Turns out that they didn't want a cheesy DJ playing action songs all night, but that one song brings back childhood memories etc.

I happily play it - but despite saying I don't play songs like the Macarena, they still book me, because the bigger picture fits what they are looking for.

This stuff shouldn't be hidden away on an FAQ page - you should be proudly shouting about your preferred style on your home page!

The most successful businesses and people are often those who are polarising. Marmite do a great job of playing up to this!

95% of my bookings are weddings so you do need to be a jack of all trades and you do need to play a lot of stuff that you would rather not - I love my indie stuff but if I touted myself as an indie DJ then it would be counter productive to the success of the business and I'd quickly get bored with the types of gig I picked up.


You don't need to be a fire juggler or deep gamelan throat house DJ to be unique - my USP is that I'm a wedding specialist and that I offer an exceptional, high end, trusted service - there's actually very small amount of operators in the grand scheme of things who can a. truthfully say that and b. sell that to the public.

[Imagine]

I dare you to put this one on Facebook Gavin

Yes, I believe a lot of DJ's ARE too generic (myself to an extent included although I do tend to shout about exceptional customer service etc.). It's the same old same old....a lot of DJs are eager to get any gig whether it's the right fit for them or not. How often do you see questions like 'Help....just landed an 80s night an no idea what to play' on the book of Faces? Personally (although again I don't really mention this on my site), I try and steer away from too much of the modern chart stuff.

Most of us now have the star-lit booth (mine only goes out rarely now as I favour the Liteconsole Elite)...the same is happening with the Equinox Truss ripoff, LED mirror-balls on podiums and the Freedom sticks as well. It's like sheep! To an extent, I wish I'd been one of the lucky few to get a GloBooth for the short period they were around....at least it's "different".

That's actually somewhere I DO standout and has won bookings (even for weddings) - the 16ft of Retro lighting I can roll out if needed. I couldn't make it my USP because I wouldn't get enough bookings from it in a year to make it worth while

I'm in the process of converting my main website to weddings only. Yes, there's still a link for the adult parties and retro stuff, but it's a lot less significant than it used to be and in time will disappear completely once I pad the wedding bits out a little bit more (it's work in progress on a live website....don't want to upset the mighty Gooogle too much).

Whilst I'll still take on the other stuff (I still do the occasional kids party even though I don't advertise them anywhere on my websites), I want to be seen as being a wedding specialist which the happy couple can trust to make sure the entertainment side of their day goes exactly as they want it to.

As for the Shoe Game/Mr & Mrs or whatever you want to call it....I've done it half a dozen times by request. It's not something I sell to customers because I don't really like doing it (I'm not a gameshow host), but if they want it I'll happily do it for them for the sake of 10 minutes of being uncomfortable myself.

[rth_discos]

95% of my bookings are weddings so you do need to be a jack of all trades and you do need to play a lot of stuff that you would rather not - I love my indie stuff but if I touted myself as an indie DJ then it would be counter productive to the success of the business and I'd quickly get bored with the types of gig I picked up.

Just being a 'wedding DJ' is no longer a 'specialism'.

I am aware of a few very successful indie wedding DJs. So if you want to be an indie wedding DJ, there is more than enough work out there.

It's likely that at the moment, you're actively turning off people looking for an indie wedding DJ, because you're not advertising yourself as one...

95% of my bookings are weddings too - yet a large percentage of what I play is very similar week to week, because I keep attracting the same type of bride!

That's actually somewhere I DO standout and has won bookings (even for weddings) - the 16ft of Retro lighting I can roll out if needed. I couldn't make it my USP because I wouldn't get enough bookings from it in a year to make it worth while

Definitely worth creating a separate 'retro disco' website if you haven't done already. In many respects, treat it as a separate company, with its own brand. That way, no one confuses your modern, stylish Wedding DJ work with a retro disco.

As for the Shoe Game/Mr & Mrs or whatever you want to call it....I've done it half a dozen times by request. It's not something I sell to customers because I don't really like doing it (I'm not a gameshow host), but if they want it I'll happily do it for them for the sake of 10 minutes of being uncomfortable myself.

Again, no harm in promoting yourself as the DJ that DOESN'T do 'silly games'. Sometimes what you don't do is more important than what you do do.

I recently won a gig over a high profile competitor, despite this bride having been to a gig of this high profile competitor. She really didn't like the Love Story, so he was not the right DJ for her. Because I don't do the Love Story, she felt more comfortable using me. Doesn't mean high profile competitor isn't a good DJ... it means that we're both attracting the right clients who love our individual styles.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Just being a 'wedding DJ' is no longer a 'specialism'.

I am aware of a few very successful indie wedding DJs. So if you want to be an indie wedding DJ, there is more than enough work out there.

It's likely that at the moment, you're actively turning off people looking for an indie wedding DJ, because you're not advertising yourself as one...

95% of my bookings are weddings too - yet a large percentage of what I play is very similar week to week, because I keep attracting the same type of bride!

It is when well over 90% of "wedding" DJs out there are clearly pub / party DJs who do the odd wedding. Apart from that, I do an excellent, professional job and that's clear to see to clients which again is a USP when stacked up against the scores of half arsed amateur outfits out there.

As for the next part, I don't want to be an indie wedding DJ, I don't want to be an indie DJ period.

I like doing weddings, I like the fact that although there's a core material you need to address, there's a lot of freedom to go off piste and play a wide range of music - the best gig I've done this year was more akin to a house main room set rather than a wedding, I've done Malawain music I've done RnB I've done indie, rock, glam, motown, you name it. Although indie is my main love, I'm a lover of pretty much all music that doesn't involve someone screaming down a mic so I get a kick out of most of the tunes I play even if they're not household listening - if you're a genre specific DJ you're pigeon holing and limiting yourself.

[Imagine]

Definitely worth creating a separate 'retro disco' website if you haven't done already. In many respects, treat it as a separate company, with its own brand. That way, no one confuses your modern, stylish Wedding DJ work with a retro disco.

Already done that. Needs a LOT of work though - I've had one visitor to the site since 28th November, and that was someone 18 hours ago following the link from my signature on here. It's just a matter of making physical time to build the site up like I have with the Imagine site....and even then I'm not sure I have that much energy to do it.

[rth_discos]

Already done that. Needs a LOT of work though.

So you have! Of course, the balance is between how much effort do you put in, and how much of a demand is there for this service.

That's the hardest thing with a niche - it's finding one with enough of an audience.

As for the next part, I don't want to be an indie wedding DJ, I don't want to be an indie DJ period.

That's fine - my point was about the claim that there wouldn't be enough work as an indie wedding DJ - the indie wedding DJs I know suggest that there is more than enough!

The point is though, that as a 'wedding dj', we should be more clear about who our ideal client is, and appeal to them on the website.

Are they confident? Shy? Do they want a loud party, or something more conservative.

Once we start to define who we are, we attract more of the people we want to work with.