Normally, when you think of the work that you do, playing is the last thing that comes to mind. Yet it is so imperative that you find some way of making your work fun. In this installment, I’m going to talk about why working is so much better when you play, especially if you’re working around others.
Now chances are, if you have a job that puts you around a lot of people at any given time, you’ve got to look at act professionally. But there are times when the routine of doing your job with excellence can actually cause you to get stuck in a rut. Human beings really don’t like change all that much – we often go for the same type of things. Don’t believe me? When you go to your favorite restaurant, there’s usually a dish that you prefer to order over anything else. When you go to a movie theater or a church, you typically have a certain place where you’d like to sit. We don’t naturally go for something different, because familiarity brings with it a sense of comfort. In a way, it feels a little bit like home. That’s natural. But it also can breed stagnation. When you’re not pushed or challenged to try something different, your work can actually suffer and become less and less productive.
So changing things up a bit will help inject a little bit of life into what you do, and one of the easiest ways of changing things up is to find a way to play every day in your work. If you’re in a situation like a church volunteer or a DJ (both of which I do), you’re going to be around people, so not only are you playing, but you’re getting others to play with you. And you’d be surprised what people will do if you just ask.
First things first, though. You have to get over yourself. You have to set aside whatever notion you have about how you’ll appear to others so that you can really break loose. Many people we know on a professional level (or at least in a working environment) don’t ever truly let us into their world unless they start playing. It’s at that point their full personality comes out. I used to work with a woman that I thought was all professionalism, no goofing off at all, until one day before a meeting started, she was joking around with another one of our colleagues. I got to see a side of someone I hadn’t seen before, and I was actually interested in getting to know her better. I figured, if she can have fun at this job, I want to learn how (by the way, the job was telephone customer service).
Last year I helped teach the 4 basics of the CM Smile/Permanent Impact approach at my church with most of our service team members, and the following Sunday, one of our parking lot crew members began helping the ushers seat people in the auditorium, but she did it like she was parking cars. She had her bright yellow vest on with the flashlight wands, waving people in and down the rows. She had a ball with it, and it put smiles on the faces of many in attendance. To this day, people still remember that.
In the church office, I and the rest of the staff make it habit of celebrating people’s birthdays by getting everyone together to play a prank on that person. We covered one person’s entire workstation with aluminum foil, including her keyboard, mouse, chair, design manuals, even her jar of peanut butter; another person was doused with silly string by the whole office staff; another person was given her own beach-in-the-office – we had filled small disposable Styrofoam bowls with sand and spread them across every square inch of floor in her cubicle. For my birthday, they had contemplated coming into the bathroom while I was in the stall and singing “Happy Birthday” while I was finishing up . . . the timing didn’t work out, but I thought it would have been funny if they’d have been able to pull it off.
As a DJ, I find that playing is absolutely essential to doing a great job. Typically, people don’t hire a DJ unless they want to have a party of some kind, so I take that attitude with me into every show I do. I’ve never spoken to a client that said, “We really don’t want anyone to have a good time.” Can you imagine? So I and the other DJs I work with are all trained to practice the art of playing. We get out on the dance floor with the crowd, teaching the Cupid Shuffle and the Cha-Cha Slide. We build rapport with the guests as we take requests, joking with them and letting them know that we’re there to have as much fun as they are. We hold dance contests for people and give them chances to win prizes that really aren’t worth much of anything. We do whatever we can to go beyond the ordinary, because the ordinary is boring. Honestly, how many times have you been to a party and seen the DJ NEVER get out from behind the booth? And how boring is that?
When it comes down to it, the whole CM Smile/Permanent Impact approach can be summed up if you get this one aspect down really well. If you’re playing, chances are likely that you’ll already have arrived with a good attitude. If you’re playing, chances are likely that you’re there, in the moment. If you’re playing, chances are likely that you’re looking to make someone’s day a little bit more special. I can’t over-emphasize the importance of being able to loosen up, have some fun, laugh, and get others to join you.
I used to work as a professional improv comedian, and one of the games that we did in our improv show I introduced as an icebreaker game at Complete Music. It’s called Dance Craze. I ask for 3 or 4 volunteers, who come out and sit in chairs I have waiting on the dance floor. I then reveal that they’ll be competing in a dance contest against each other, but they won’t be dancing any traditional dance moves that have been given before. Instead, I go to the crowd and take suggestions, then give those suggestions to the contestants, who have to come up with a brand new dance, on the spot, based on that suggestion. For instance, I’ll ask for some sort of household appliance, and someone will shout “toaster”. I’ll give that to the next contestant, start the music, and that person will created a danced called “The Toaster.” It’s amazing to see what some people can come up with, and I get the audience involved by having them vote by applause for who they think created the best dance. And often, I’ll try and incorporate that winning dance move later in the evening. To be honest, there have been some times that I’ve seen people start doing those winning moves on their own.
I read an article by a computer technician who worked at a software firm, and he wrote that they have a motto in their office: “If someone looks like they’re having a bad day, throw something at them.” Lighten up, folks. Life is too short to take every little task that we do and bury our noses in it, grinding down until our souls are left on the wayside. We have to find ways to have a little fun every now and then. If we don’t we’ll lose the joy of our work and career, and if you’re already doing what you love, then you’ll get even MORE out of your efforts.
Be more, do more, expect more. Play more.
Zach W. Lorton
Professional DJ and Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music and Video
St. Louis, MO
Friday, February 26, 2010
Make Their Day - The Details Hold it All
“Go ahead. Make my day.”
Most people that don’t pay attention to pop culture will tell you that Clint Eastwood spoke that line in the movie Dirty Harry, but they would be wrong. The line was actually spoken in the 1983 film Sudden Impact, a detail that wouldn’t seem significant to most people. But to a trivia hound, this detail is gold. It’s a detail like this that allowed someone to win $250,000 instead of just $100,000 on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, and I can guarantee that a little detail like that is important to the guy who won.
So when it comes to dealing with people in a working environment, the best way to making someone’s day comes down to the details. In fact, I think the old adage “the devil is in the details” is somewhat of a misnomer; the truth is that if you ignore the details, the devil shows up anyway.
MAKE A NAME.
One of the easiest ways to make somebody’s day is to remember their name and address them by it. When you meet someone for the first time, ask for their name, then repeat it back to them, then use it again immediately . . . to start. Something like this:
“Hi, I’m Zach. You are . . .?”
“I’m George.”
(while shaking hands) “George?”
“Yeah.”
“George, pleased to meet you. Where are you from, George?”
And so forth. If you can get yourself to say their name at least 3 times within the first 60 seconds of conversation, hearing yourself saying that name in your own voice will help to better imprint that name on your brain, especially when you’re looking directly at that person’s face. Then later, when you see them again, greet them with their name. I can’t tell you how impressed someone will be when you do that. They think that you took the time to remember their name, when all you really did was take a few seconds to self-imprint their name along with their face onto your memory.
This technique works great when you’re in the business of greeting people, working as an usher or salesperson, or just trying to make a new friend. In the DJ field, it also helps to remember someone’s name for when you’re speaking on the mic. People have this innately comfortable feeling that comes over them when they hear their own name spoken by someone else, so often I’ll mention someone by name over the microphone, especially if I see them doing something unique on the dance floor. It’s a great way to get people involved. You also seem like more of a friend than a detached DJ when you do this, and it lets people know that you’re approachable.
MAKE IT PERSONAL.
Sometimes you’ll be working with people that have a lot of wants and/or needs, a lot of details – write them all down. You’ll be much more likely to remember them that way, especially when you take the time to go back and revisit your notes at some point. One thing I do as a DJ is make a pre-event call, which is the time that I get the most information from my client about their event. No matter how minute or unimportant an item seems, if it could be something I could use later on, I’ll write it down. It takes more work than just trying to remember what you need to know, but you can use those points later, bringing them up to your client to let them know that you’ve been keeping that little detail in mind, and it has helped shape the way you serve them. Most people.
As a DJ, I’ve seen this take many shapes. I had a bride & groom that were triathletes, and they wanted something that sounded big and sportslike for their grand entrance at the wedding reception. So I downloaded a copy of “Bugler’s Dream”, which has widely become known as the fanfare for the Olympic Games. They loved it, and so did their friends and family. I also recently did a wedding reception for a couple where I was asked by many people if I had been hired because I looked like the groom. I hadn’t been, but when the wedding party arrived and I met the groom, we all had a laugh because we looked VERY much alike. Big guys, shaved heads, and facial hair. We even had the same color vests on with our tuxedos, which only led to more confusion throughout the evening, but I decided to have some fun with it, and made mention of it several times over the microphone. When you pay attention to a detail, sometimes you’ll touch on something very personal and important to your client, and they’ll love you for it.
MAKE TIME.
Murphy sucks. His law states that if it can go wrong, it will. For that reason, you really need to plan ahead for any issues that could go wrong. There’s nothing worse than being rushed for something when you’ve promised someone you’ll be doing something by a certain time. Running behind schedule is a sign of unprofessionalism -- or at least a lack of professionalism -- no matter how great you are at the task at hand, so you need to plan ahead. I always tell my DJ clients, especially if it’s a big event like a wedding or anniversary party, that I’m going to need about 45 minutes to one hour of their time on the pre-call. And usually, I use ALL that time to get all the details I need, sometimes more. When you invest a little bit of time on the front end, then when it comes time to actually provide the product or service for your client, you’re spending less time backing up and retooling your procedure. Anticipate and plan for problems ahead of time and you’ll have a greater chance of success.
MAKE IT WORK.
Sometimes you’re faced with a problem mid-stream, and you have to alter your course. Other times your client will ask you to provide something that you might not be able to do. In a case like this, it’s often the best thing to use some powers of negotiation – find out something that will create a win-win situation, even if it’s not exactly what your client wants. If you can be resilient, you’ll win more people over, and they will wonder why they didn’t hire you sooner.
MAKE AN EFFORT.
Sometimes you have to go out of your way to help someone, do something you normally wouldn’t do. I’ve seen church greeters actually help people out of their cars and into the building when all they really have to do is open the door, smile, wave, and offer a handshake. I’ve seen servers in restaurants bring out a drink refill without asking, instead of waiting until a glass was empty. I’ve seen mechanics offer a discount because they had surplus parts that they wouldn’t be able to get rid of anyway. I’ve seen DJs find out special songs for guests at a wedding reception that weren’t even family, making them feel like someone actually cared if they were there or not. I’ve seen all sorts of people in all sorts of positions go out of their way, doing something they weren’t required to do, in order to make someone’s experience that much better. When you give a rip, you’ll give someone else a reason to remember you.
Remember, all this takes work. Honest, true, plain ol’ work. You can’t expect to coast through ANYTHING and be a success. You have to get your hands dirty, make the phone calls, pound the pavement, plan a strategy, get your head in gear so that you can be the best at what you do. Make the decision to work for what you want, and always look for ways to improve. If you think you’re as good now as you’re going to get, you’ll prove yourself right. Take control of your work by taking pride in what you do.
Ultimately, it’s the little thing, the tiniest detail, that makes or breaks you. Don’t ever settle for glossing over the details when you have the opportunity to make a lasting impression. Trust me . . . this stuff works.
Zach W. Lorton
Professional DJ and Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music and Video
St. Louis, MO
Most people that don’t pay attention to pop culture will tell you that Clint Eastwood spoke that line in the movie Dirty Harry, but they would be wrong. The line was actually spoken in the 1983 film Sudden Impact, a detail that wouldn’t seem significant to most people. But to a trivia hound, this detail is gold. It’s a detail like this that allowed someone to win $250,000 instead of just $100,000 on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, and I can guarantee that a little detail like that is important to the guy who won.
So when it comes to dealing with people in a working environment, the best way to making someone’s day comes down to the details. In fact, I think the old adage “the devil is in the details” is somewhat of a misnomer; the truth is that if you ignore the details, the devil shows up anyway.
MAKE A NAME.
One of the easiest ways to make somebody’s day is to remember their name and address them by it. When you meet someone for the first time, ask for their name, then repeat it back to them, then use it again immediately . . . to start. Something like this:
“Hi, I’m Zach. You are . . .?”
“I’m George.”
(while shaking hands) “George?”
“Yeah.”
“George, pleased to meet you. Where are you from, George?”
And so forth. If you can get yourself to say their name at least 3 times within the first 60 seconds of conversation, hearing yourself saying that name in your own voice will help to better imprint that name on your brain, especially when you’re looking directly at that person’s face. Then later, when you see them again, greet them with their name. I can’t tell you how impressed someone will be when you do that. They think that you took the time to remember their name, when all you really did was take a few seconds to self-imprint their name along with their face onto your memory.
This technique works great when you’re in the business of greeting people, working as an usher or salesperson, or just trying to make a new friend. In the DJ field, it also helps to remember someone’s name for when you’re speaking on the mic. People have this innately comfortable feeling that comes over them when they hear their own name spoken by someone else, so often I’ll mention someone by name over the microphone, especially if I see them doing something unique on the dance floor. It’s a great way to get people involved. You also seem like more of a friend than a detached DJ when you do this, and it lets people know that you’re approachable.
MAKE IT PERSONAL.
Sometimes you’ll be working with people that have a lot of wants and/or needs, a lot of details – write them all down. You’ll be much more likely to remember them that way, especially when you take the time to go back and revisit your notes at some point. One thing I do as a DJ is make a pre-event call, which is the time that I get the most information from my client about their event. No matter how minute or unimportant an item seems, if it could be something I could use later on, I’ll write it down. It takes more work than just trying to remember what you need to know, but you can use those points later, bringing them up to your client to let them know that you’ve been keeping that little detail in mind, and it has helped shape the way you serve them. Most people.
As a DJ, I’ve seen this take many shapes. I had a bride & groom that were triathletes, and they wanted something that sounded big and sportslike for their grand entrance at the wedding reception. So I downloaded a copy of “Bugler’s Dream”, which has widely become known as the fanfare for the Olympic Games. They loved it, and so did their friends and family. I also recently did a wedding reception for a couple where I was asked by many people if I had been hired because I looked like the groom. I hadn’t been, but when the wedding party arrived and I met the groom, we all had a laugh because we looked VERY much alike. Big guys, shaved heads, and facial hair. We even had the same color vests on with our tuxedos, which only led to more confusion throughout the evening, but I decided to have some fun with it, and made mention of it several times over the microphone. When you pay attention to a detail, sometimes you’ll touch on something very personal and important to your client, and they’ll love you for it.
MAKE TIME.
Murphy sucks. His law states that if it can go wrong, it will. For that reason, you really need to plan ahead for any issues that could go wrong. There’s nothing worse than being rushed for something when you’ve promised someone you’ll be doing something by a certain time. Running behind schedule is a sign of unprofessionalism -- or at least a lack of professionalism -- no matter how great you are at the task at hand, so you need to plan ahead. I always tell my DJ clients, especially if it’s a big event like a wedding or anniversary party, that I’m going to need about 45 minutes to one hour of their time on the pre-call. And usually, I use ALL that time to get all the details I need, sometimes more. When you invest a little bit of time on the front end, then when it comes time to actually provide the product or service for your client, you’re spending less time backing up and retooling your procedure. Anticipate and plan for problems ahead of time and you’ll have a greater chance of success.
MAKE IT WORK.
Sometimes you’re faced with a problem mid-stream, and you have to alter your course. Other times your client will ask you to provide something that you might not be able to do. In a case like this, it’s often the best thing to use some powers of negotiation – find out something that will create a win-win situation, even if it’s not exactly what your client wants. If you can be resilient, you’ll win more people over, and they will wonder why they didn’t hire you sooner.
MAKE AN EFFORT.
Sometimes you have to go out of your way to help someone, do something you normally wouldn’t do. I’ve seen church greeters actually help people out of their cars and into the building when all they really have to do is open the door, smile, wave, and offer a handshake. I’ve seen servers in restaurants bring out a drink refill without asking, instead of waiting until a glass was empty. I’ve seen mechanics offer a discount because they had surplus parts that they wouldn’t be able to get rid of anyway. I’ve seen DJs find out special songs for guests at a wedding reception that weren’t even family, making them feel like someone actually cared if they were there or not. I’ve seen all sorts of people in all sorts of positions go out of their way, doing something they weren’t required to do, in order to make someone’s experience that much better. When you give a rip, you’ll give someone else a reason to remember you.
Remember, all this takes work. Honest, true, plain ol’ work. You can’t expect to coast through ANYTHING and be a success. You have to get your hands dirty, make the phone calls, pound the pavement, plan a strategy, get your head in gear so that you can be the best at what you do. Make the decision to work for what you want, and always look for ways to improve. If you think you’re as good now as you’re going to get, you’ll prove yourself right. Take control of your work by taking pride in what you do.
Ultimately, it’s the little thing, the tiniest detail, that makes or breaks you. Don’t ever settle for glossing over the details when you have the opportunity to make a lasting impression. Trust me . . . this stuff works.
Zach W. Lorton
Professional DJ and Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music and Video
St. Louis, MO
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Be There - Not Just for Warm Bodies Anymore
When you show up for work, are you ready for it? Are you the kind of person that arrives just seconds before your shift starts, punches the clock, and then spends the next 15 minutes getting your coffee ready? Or do you come in ready to tackle what you have in store for you? Well, if you’re the kind of person that doesn’t really like your job, then I can understand why you’d take your time getting started. But what if you forgot all about how much your job sucks and decided, just for one day, to become completely engrossed in it? You might be surprised how much you can actually get out of a job you can’t stand, and even how fulfilling that job can be.
Out of the 4 parts of the CM Smile philosophy, I can’t think of a simpler instruction than Be There. When you break it down, Be There means so much more than just showing up physically. I remember the scene in the movie Clerks where Dante and Randall are talking about whether their jobs are important, and Randall equates their tasks to pushing buttons as though a monkey could be trained to do the same thing. It’s sad to say that yes, monkeys probably could be trained to do some of our jobs better than many humans currently do them. But what sets us apart from our primate counterpoints is the mental capacity to see beyond the task itself and actually engage.
As a DJ, I can’t tell you how important this concept of Be There is to the success of your event. I have heard more horror stories than I should have from people that have hired DJ companies only to have their DJs simply not show up. I can’t understand why anyone would hire a DJ that wouldn’t have a backup plan. I’ve even been called at the last minute to handle a show that someone booked us for because the DJ they’d chosen (a friend of the family, imagine that) suffered a burned-out amplifier the night before and couldn’t do the party. So I got to work a laid-back pool party at someone’s home that included overtime, a tip, and a little extra travel pay simply because one guy couldn’t take the time to practice this concept. By the way, thanks, guy . . . whoever you are.
So here are a few items that fall under the Be There heading that you can take with you.
BE PRESENT.
Obviously, the first part of the Be There concept is to show up. Physically be there. Prepare ahead of time to make sure you’ve got enough time for the commute and for whatever other surprises that might throw you off, including inclement weather, irregular traffic patterns, long lines at the drive-thru, et cetera. This is especially true if you’re volunteering your time or serving at your local church or synagogue. Make the arrangements necessary to be in the place you say you will be when you say you will be there; in other words, honor the commitment you’ve made because someone else is counting on you.
BE EARLY.
Make the effort to get to your destination BEFORE you’re required to be there. I’ve never known anyone to show up 15 minutes early and have someone respond negatively. Come to think of it, actually, I have run into that, but the person in question is also one of the worst facility managers I’ve ever met. This woman all but yelled at the father of the bride because he showed up early to the reception hall. But I digress . . . when you arrive early, you have the advantage of being able to make last-minutes changes if necessary, double-check your paperwork and your music, and perhaps even make an unscheduled stop on the way if you’ve forgotten something important, like a special CD for background music (me). Or the tie for your tuxedo (me). Or your tuxedo (Bernard). Or the large CD wallet you unknowingly dropped in a shopping center parking lot (me). You have some wiggle room when you plan to arrive early.
BE ORGANIZED.
One of the things I take with me to every show I do – EVERY SHOW – is a 6-page partly planner that I created on a spreadsheet document. This is a quick-reference cheat sheet that I put together several years ago and have been using ever since, continually updating it to allow for new songs that hit big and older songs that lose popularity. You see, I spend a lot of time on the pre-call with my client making sure I have all the important information down, and then I email my client to have them double-check my notes so that I don’t accidentally miss anything. Then I transfer all that information to my party planner. It contains lists of songs that do a great job of getting people on the dance floor more often than most other songs, divided by category: hip-hop/rap/dance, classic rock, modern rock, country, oldies, icebreakers. Slow songs get their own category, regardless of genre. Those categories take up 5 pages, and I enter my client’s music request in with the stock songs I keep in the planner. The 6th page is personal information about my clients, including names of people in the wedding party, parents of the bride and groom, who’s giving the toasts, who’s giving the blessing over the meal, what songs should be played for the formal dances, and any other special requests or family traditions I need to be aware of. When I’ve got all that in one place that I can access at a moment’s notice, it makes those unexpected moments (like the father of the bride in the bathroom when it’s time for the Father-Daughter dance, even though I told him not to go anywhere) seem a lot less threatening.
BE FOCUSED.
I know it’s easy to space off from time to time, but it’s important to remain in the moment whenever you’re working with other people. As a DJ, this means you need to be aware not only of what’s happening now, but what will be happening in the next 15-20 minutes. Sometimes I’ll do a wedding reception where the cake cutting, toasts, formal dances, and bouquet & garter tosses will all happen one right after the other, so I need to always keep an eye on what’s next. During open dancing, I’ll make a note of the song that’s playing and whether people are dancing to it, but I’ll also think about the songs I just played prior (were they of the same genre?) as well as the songs I’m about to play (are any of the client’s requests in there?) and how much time I have left in the evening (can I fit in “You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Shout”, and “Yeah!” before the facility cuts the power?). If I’m not paying attention to the clock, or to my requests, then I can really lose where I am in the scope of the evening.
BE ENGAGED.
Sometimes I’ll be so organized that I won’t want to be flexible, but remaining engaged with the people at my party helps me to not only observe them, but to work with them, to play with them. If I see that a particular song that I’m unsure about floods the dance floor, I might alter the next few songs to follow it up with another of the same genre. I remember the first time I played John Denver’s live version of “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”, I was amazed at the response I got from the crowd, so I decided to change my next couple songs to cater to the crowd’s apparent appreciation for classic country. Had I not been paying attention, I could have missed a great opportunity. It also helps me when I get out on the dance floor with people, call them out if they’re busting some great moves, encourage people to form lines for The Stroll, or really anything that they can respond to. If they know that I’m willing to put myself out there with them, then they’ll go right along with whatever I’m trying to do.
BE AVAILABLE.
This goes beyond simply being engaged by letting people know they can come up to you. One thing I do at every event is go table to table during dinner and take requests for dancing. I let people know I’m specifically looking for dance songs, so if they ask if I can play “Paradise City” by Guns n’ Roses, I very tactfully tell them no unless they can get 9 other people to dance to it with them. If they balk, I’ll tell them again that I’m looking for songs people can dance to, and if they can’t think of anything then and there, they can come up to my table anytime during the evening and let me know. I also tell my clients when I’m on the pre-call with them that if anything isn’t going the way they’d like, I won’t be offended if they come up to me and tell me so. My job is to serve them and help the whole group have fun, but if something I’m doing is making them feel uncomfortable, I’d rather they let me know so I can change course. Once they know that I’m approachable, they usually feel very comfortable.
BE SPONTANEOUS.
Sometimes that idea that comes into the back of your head that you know the crowd you’re working with will love can get eaten up by the monster that reminds you that you might embarrass yourself. Fight the monster. If you’ve been organized, focused, engaged, and available, then spontaneity can be your best friend. You’ve already established a foundation for your work, so now you can relax and have a little fun with it. Dance with the grandmother or the six-year old niece of the groom. Invite one of the guests to come behind your table and be the Guest DJ for a song. Hand the mic to someone during a boisterous sing-along and watch what happens (hint: this works best if it sounds like the person can actually sing). Sometimes the best moments happen with no forethought or pre-planning . . . sometimes they just happen.
When it comes down to it, the Be There concept doesn’t work unless you’re there in every capacity – physically, mentally, emotionally. Invest yourself in your work, and you’ll see some amazing returns. And good news for 2010, especially in light of the paychecks you've probably been receiving this year . . . these kind of returns can’t be taxed.
Zach W. Lorton
Professional Disc Jockey and Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music DJ Service
St. Louis, MO
Out of the 4 parts of the CM Smile philosophy, I can’t think of a simpler instruction than Be There. When you break it down, Be There means so much more than just showing up physically. I remember the scene in the movie Clerks where Dante and Randall are talking about whether their jobs are important, and Randall equates their tasks to pushing buttons as though a monkey could be trained to do the same thing. It’s sad to say that yes, monkeys probably could be trained to do some of our jobs better than many humans currently do them. But what sets us apart from our primate counterpoints is the mental capacity to see beyond the task itself and actually engage.
As a DJ, I can’t tell you how important this concept of Be There is to the success of your event. I have heard more horror stories than I should have from people that have hired DJ companies only to have their DJs simply not show up. I can’t understand why anyone would hire a DJ that wouldn’t have a backup plan. I’ve even been called at the last minute to handle a show that someone booked us for because the DJ they’d chosen (a friend of the family, imagine that) suffered a burned-out amplifier the night before and couldn’t do the party. So I got to work a laid-back pool party at someone’s home that included overtime, a tip, and a little extra travel pay simply because one guy couldn’t take the time to practice this concept. By the way, thanks, guy . . . whoever you are.
So here are a few items that fall under the Be There heading that you can take with you.
BE PRESENT.
Obviously, the first part of the Be There concept is to show up. Physically be there. Prepare ahead of time to make sure you’ve got enough time for the commute and for whatever other surprises that might throw you off, including inclement weather, irregular traffic patterns, long lines at the drive-thru, et cetera. This is especially true if you’re volunteering your time or serving at your local church or synagogue. Make the arrangements necessary to be in the place you say you will be when you say you will be there; in other words, honor the commitment you’ve made because someone else is counting on you.
BE EARLY.
Make the effort to get to your destination BEFORE you’re required to be there. I’ve never known anyone to show up 15 minutes early and have someone respond negatively. Come to think of it, actually, I have run into that, but the person in question is also one of the worst facility managers I’ve ever met. This woman all but yelled at the father of the bride because he showed up early to the reception hall. But I digress . . . when you arrive early, you have the advantage of being able to make last-minutes changes if necessary, double-check your paperwork and your music, and perhaps even make an unscheduled stop on the way if you’ve forgotten something important, like a special CD for background music (me). Or the tie for your tuxedo (me). Or your tuxedo (Bernard). Or the large CD wallet you unknowingly dropped in a shopping center parking lot (me). You have some wiggle room when you plan to arrive early.
BE ORGANIZED.
One of the things I take with me to every show I do – EVERY SHOW – is a 6-page partly planner that I created on a spreadsheet document. This is a quick-reference cheat sheet that I put together several years ago and have been using ever since, continually updating it to allow for new songs that hit big and older songs that lose popularity. You see, I spend a lot of time on the pre-call with my client making sure I have all the important information down, and then I email my client to have them double-check my notes so that I don’t accidentally miss anything. Then I transfer all that information to my party planner. It contains lists of songs that do a great job of getting people on the dance floor more often than most other songs, divided by category: hip-hop/rap/dance, classic rock, modern rock, country, oldies, icebreakers. Slow songs get their own category, regardless of genre. Those categories take up 5 pages, and I enter my client’s music request in with the stock songs I keep in the planner. The 6th page is personal information about my clients, including names of people in the wedding party, parents of the bride and groom, who’s giving the toasts, who’s giving the blessing over the meal, what songs should be played for the formal dances, and any other special requests or family traditions I need to be aware of. When I’ve got all that in one place that I can access at a moment’s notice, it makes those unexpected moments (like the father of the bride in the bathroom when it’s time for the Father-Daughter dance, even though I told him not to go anywhere) seem a lot less threatening.
BE FOCUSED.
I know it’s easy to space off from time to time, but it’s important to remain in the moment whenever you’re working with other people. As a DJ, this means you need to be aware not only of what’s happening now, but what will be happening in the next 15-20 minutes. Sometimes I’ll do a wedding reception where the cake cutting, toasts, formal dances, and bouquet & garter tosses will all happen one right after the other, so I need to always keep an eye on what’s next. During open dancing, I’ll make a note of the song that’s playing and whether people are dancing to it, but I’ll also think about the songs I just played prior (were they of the same genre?) as well as the songs I’m about to play (are any of the client’s requests in there?) and how much time I have left in the evening (can I fit in “You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Shout”, and “Yeah!” before the facility cuts the power?). If I’m not paying attention to the clock, or to my requests, then I can really lose where I am in the scope of the evening.
BE ENGAGED.
Sometimes I’ll be so organized that I won’t want to be flexible, but remaining engaged with the people at my party helps me to not only observe them, but to work with them, to play with them. If I see that a particular song that I’m unsure about floods the dance floor, I might alter the next few songs to follow it up with another of the same genre. I remember the first time I played John Denver’s live version of “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”, I was amazed at the response I got from the crowd, so I decided to change my next couple songs to cater to the crowd’s apparent appreciation for classic country. Had I not been paying attention, I could have missed a great opportunity. It also helps me when I get out on the dance floor with people, call them out if they’re busting some great moves, encourage people to form lines for The Stroll, or really anything that they can respond to. If they know that I’m willing to put myself out there with them, then they’ll go right along with whatever I’m trying to do.
BE AVAILABLE.
This goes beyond simply being engaged by letting people know they can come up to you. One thing I do at every event is go table to table during dinner and take requests for dancing. I let people know I’m specifically looking for dance songs, so if they ask if I can play “Paradise City” by Guns n’ Roses, I very tactfully tell them no unless they can get 9 other people to dance to it with them. If they balk, I’ll tell them again that I’m looking for songs people can dance to, and if they can’t think of anything then and there, they can come up to my table anytime during the evening and let me know. I also tell my clients when I’m on the pre-call with them that if anything isn’t going the way they’d like, I won’t be offended if they come up to me and tell me so. My job is to serve them and help the whole group have fun, but if something I’m doing is making them feel uncomfortable, I’d rather they let me know so I can change course. Once they know that I’m approachable, they usually feel very comfortable.
BE SPONTANEOUS.
Sometimes that idea that comes into the back of your head that you know the crowd you’re working with will love can get eaten up by the monster that reminds you that you might embarrass yourself. Fight the monster. If you’ve been organized, focused, engaged, and available, then spontaneity can be your best friend. You’ve already established a foundation for your work, so now you can relax and have a little fun with it. Dance with the grandmother or the six-year old niece of the groom. Invite one of the guests to come behind your table and be the Guest DJ for a song. Hand the mic to someone during a boisterous sing-along and watch what happens (hint: this works best if it sounds like the person can actually sing). Sometimes the best moments happen with no forethought or pre-planning . . . sometimes they just happen.
When it comes down to it, the Be There concept doesn’t work unless you’re there in every capacity – physically, mentally, emotionally. Invest yourself in your work, and you’ll see some amazing returns. And good news for 2010, especially in light of the paychecks you've probably been receiving this year . . . these kind of returns can’t be taxed.
Zach W. Lorton
Professional Disc Jockey and Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music DJ Service
St. Louis, MO
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Choose Your Attitude - It Starts Before the Start
Last week I posted a blog entry wherein I talked about my church's worship team's performance and how our approach to our service that day was set by our choosing to come in ready to work, ready to be in a good mood, and able to push through any issues we might have. Then today and yesterday, I saw two more examples of that in motion.The first was on Saturday, when I woke up at 6:10 a.m. to prepare to work at a Bridal Show for my DJ job. I was assigned the task of picking up the sound system from the office, which meant I had to leave by 6:45 in order to get to the office, load the system in my car, and make it to the bridal show in enough time to set up before the show started. I hadn't had the need to wake up at 6 a.m. for ANY job in over 10 years, so it wasn't my first choice of things to be doing. But during the 40-minute drive to the Complete Music office, I thought about the wedding show I'd worked the week before on a Thursday night. I'd had to leave my full-time job early in order to get to the Bridal Show, and I wasn't happy about that, plus I hadn't gotten a ton of sleep the night before, I'd worked all day, and I was hungry. So while I was working the wedding show, I was doing my best to put on a happy, professional face in an attempt to push through the mental shallowness in which I was wallowing. But instead, I felt sluggish, slightly unprepared, and even shown up a bit because Joe Fingerhut, one of my colleagues working the show with me, was being his normal, energetic, fun-loving self. I couldn't get over the fact that we BOTH should have been on point that whole time, but I just wasn't there.
So while I was thinking about the previous bridal show, I decided that I was going to make a decision to be in a good mood (partially because the other 2 people I was working with aren't known for having the reputation of being the fun-loving, energetic, outgoing personalities that I am). So I set my mind towards being on my best presentation and turned up the my music on my mp3 player, and when I got to the banquet center to unload, I was charged and ready to go. I felt like there was nothing I couldn't tackle, and I was ready to take on any challenge that would come my way.
And you know what? It made a world of difference from my mere existence at the previous bridal show. I joked with possible clients, I asked question after question of them to get them to tell me what they wanted instead of merely telling them what we could do for them, I even used a fake magic trick (fake because it's not magic, but it'll make you laugh) with some clients. I helped lead some of the guests in rounds of our Happy People, Cupid Shuffle, and Remedial Disco icebreakers. But I think the best part came when I broke convention and decided to use the Dance Craze icebreaker, where I asked for 3 volunteers to make up brand new dance moves that the rest of the crowd around our table then voted for. We gave a gift coupon to the winner, and everyone that was watching had a great time watching it happen.
And oh, yeah, out of our goal of 6 bookings to generate that day, 3 people booked with me. I just had plain old fun while I was working. And it all started with a decision . . .
Fast forward to this morning. It was apparent that the rest of the band members had taken the time to listen to the live recording of last Sunday's worship service and it seemed all of them came in with a renewed attitude of "whatever it takes to make this work". Everyone was prepared, everyone was feeling great, and everyone seemed to be more flexible than they usually were, including myself. We also had a dramatic sketch that was going to take place near the end of the message, so we were really pumped about the possibility that someone might take something solid away from that. All over the place, our service team members were energized (BTW, I'd had NO CAFFEINE either today or yesterday). And again, it all started with a decision . . .
I'm talking about the decision where you CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE.
One of the four points of the Fish/CM Smile/Permanent Impact approach, Choosing Your Attitude is the starting point to having a great day. It's no mistake that in the last 2 days, I witnessed deliberate actions designed to prep for greatness, both on my own part and on the parts of the people around me. And it felt so great to be involved in both a bridal show and a church service -- two completely separate events in idea and scope -- that ended up being successful because I and others had decided, before we'd even arrived onsite, to be positive. Positive in our thinking, positive in our approach to our work, positive in regards to the challenges ahead of us, and positive in what we expected the outcome to be. We chose to have a positive attitude long before we were in the moment.
I think that's the key that many people miss out on. Many times we go through our regular lives, our boring work day, when we realize in the middle of it all that we're not doing as well as we know we can, and we change mid-stream. While that can be effective, we can be MORE effective by making the decision to be in that sweet spot, that positive place the moment we wake up, get in the shower, eat our breakfast, jump in the car, or punch the clock. When you walk into a situation prepared, you'll spend less time backtracking to try and regain your bearings, and you'll be a more effective person in EVERYTHING you do.
So tomorrow, try this. Make the decision before you walk out the door in the morning, not just to DO something positive, but to BE something positive. Start before the start, and you'll see your whole day falling in line.
I triple dog dare ya.
Zach W. Lorton
Professional Disc Jockey and Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music DJ Service
St. Louis, MO
Friday, January 22, 2010
Assigned Intimacy (a.k.a. REALLY Knowing Your Job)
This one isn't so much for the public as it is for our DJs. I hope you find it motivating, or at least interesting.
I don't make a habit of airing dirty laundry, mine or anyone else's, in a blog. But recently, I was given a recording of our worship team's Sunday morning set in order for us in the band to critique ourselves (I help lead worship at one of my church's campuses in O'Fallon, IL).
My immediate reaction to hearing the recording was to sit down and list off every single thing I heard that was wrong and share it with our team coordinator. That was the arrogant, perfectionist side of me that wants to encourage everyone to hold to the same standards that I hold myself. But when I sat down to write the email, I somehow couldn't bring myself to put on he headphones and do the critique. Instead, got a bit of a revelation, or at least a cerebral smack upside the head. Some of the text of that email follows . . .
"The phrase goes that we're our own worst critics, but I have a feeling no one else ever wants a guy like me to be a critic of their work. I say that because listening to those recordings were both exciting and depressing -- I was excited for what I heard that clicked, but depressed for the glaring things that just sounded . . . well, just really damn bad . . . stuff that, if we could erase from the recording as though they'd never existed, we would.
But then there's the in-between bits, the parts between the standards of excellence being reached and the depths of despair being visited, those places that fall somewhere around Good, or Could Be Better, or Almost There, or Let's Rearrange This Part. I don't know that we're ever going to give a flawless performance, but these in-between parts give me hope that we can improve. The just plain bad stuff, I think, really shines as an example of what should be just plain unacceptable, but the other stuff we can work on, and the thought of working on it as a band gives me some hope. And maybe we do a perfect job during soundcheck and have a couple brain farts during service -- I'm okay with that if it means we're consistently getting better. What I'm not okay with is us - any of us - phoning it in, doing a half-assed job, refusing to change our practice methods in order to improve, or thinking we can nail something we haven't even spent time with. I don't know, it's almost like there needs to be an intimacy between song and musician, especially with worship songs. Just like in the way we spend time with God to know Him better, or the way I spend time with my wife so that we can be more in sync with each other, it's imperative that a musician has some sort of communion with the song they play.
I hope and pray that our current musicians, at both campuses, grab onto this concept and begin taking it to heart, because if we don't, we're always going to be a church where the music is good and the worship just kind of happens, instead of a church where the music is always excellent and the conception of worship begins with each individual's personal practice time. In other words, Sunday morning worship starts on Sunday evening."
Now, you wouldn't know it from that email, but Sunday's service at our O'Fallon Campus was outstanding. We had a great time of worship that actually began as people were arriving to set up (our O'Fallon Campus is in a temporary location, so it's a church-in-the-box setup), and I think that mindset early on was what helped people to understand why we were there. All the musicians seemed to be in a good mood, the video screens were actually completely up by the time I'd arrived (something I usually help out with), and every service team member was clicking on all cylinders. We were able to get sound check going a few minutes early, and the musicians jammed for about 5 minutes before we checked levels and began our pre-service rehearsal. Then once we started, we were all in a great mood -- we laughed, we made jokes, and we worked through the problem areas we had quickly and with a good deal of focus. It was, by far, the most fun I've ever had during soundcheck.
And when service began and we started to worship, you could just feel that every person that walked through the doors knew and expected the same thing. Sometimes you have days like that, and I know for a fact it began well before anyone arrived to begin setting up. But that's where my frustration came in. Even though there were some errors in our performance, there were some remarkably solid spots, areas where we were as tight as we've ever been, and those great points made the errors look that much more glaring. It's true that people don't get motivated to change anything unless they get frustrated, and I've been in a cyclical state of frustration ever since coming on staff at this church over 3 years ago.
And once again, I equate the necessary tools to what we at Complete Music call the CM Smile philosophy:
- Be There
- Choose Your Attitude
- Make Their Day
- Play
I might go into these four concepts at a later time, but for right now, the concept that was brought to my attention through my email rambling was this:
Assigned Intimacy.
One of my above paragraphs said it succinctly:
All in all, it takes time. You can't expect to jump into a pool and swim a record-breaking 100-meter time without putting in the time and effort beforehand to practice. So it is with being a great DJ and presenting great customer service -- it requires your time with the information your clients have given you. In fact, no matter what we do, if we don't spend ample time with the task we've been given, and if we don't seek to find others in the same field that can inspire and challenge us to constantly reach for excellence, we'll never reach our full potential. Even worse, we'll become stagnant. That's a recipe for calamity.
Assigned Intimacy. It's where you focus your energy into the area of your gift instead of just walking in it blindly. It's where we all need to be. Own it.
Zach W. Lorton
Professional Disc Jockey & Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music DJ Service
St. Louis, MO
I don't make a habit of airing dirty laundry, mine or anyone else's, in a blog. But recently, I was given a recording of our worship team's Sunday morning set in order for us in the band to critique ourselves (I help lead worship at one of my church's campuses in O'Fallon, IL).
My immediate reaction to hearing the recording was to sit down and list off every single thing I heard that was wrong and share it with our team coordinator. That was the arrogant, perfectionist side of me that wants to encourage everyone to hold to the same standards that I hold myself. But when I sat down to write the email, I somehow couldn't bring myself to put on he headphones and do the critique. Instead, got a bit of a revelation, or at least a cerebral smack upside the head. Some of the text of that email follows . . .
"The phrase goes that we're our own worst critics, but I have a feeling no one else ever wants a guy like me to be a critic of their work. I say that because listening to those recordings were both exciting and depressing -- I was excited for what I heard that clicked, but depressed for the glaring things that just sounded . . . well, just really damn bad . . . stuff that, if we could erase from the recording as though they'd never existed, we would.
But then there's the in-between bits, the parts between the standards of excellence being reached and the depths of despair being visited, those places that fall somewhere around Good, or Could Be Better, or Almost There, or Let's Rearrange This Part. I don't know that we're ever going to give a flawless performance, but these in-between parts give me hope that we can improve. The just plain bad stuff, I think, really shines as an example of what should be just plain unacceptable, but the other stuff we can work on, and the thought of working on it as a band gives me some hope. And maybe we do a perfect job during soundcheck and have a couple brain farts during service -- I'm okay with that if it means we're consistently getting better. What I'm not okay with is us - any of us - phoning it in, doing a half-assed job, refusing to change our practice methods in order to improve, or thinking we can nail something we haven't even spent time with. I don't know, it's almost like there needs to be an intimacy between song and musician, especially with worship songs. Just like in the way we spend time with God to know Him better, or the way I spend time with my wife so that we can be more in sync with each other, it's imperative that a musician has some sort of communion with the song they play.
I hope and pray that our current musicians, at both campuses, grab onto this concept and begin taking it to heart, because if we don't, we're always going to be a church where the music is good and the worship just kind of happens, instead of a church where the music is always excellent and the conception of worship begins with each individual's personal practice time. In other words, Sunday morning worship starts on Sunday evening."
Now, you wouldn't know it from that email, but Sunday's service at our O'Fallon Campus was outstanding. We had a great time of worship that actually began as people were arriving to set up (our O'Fallon Campus is in a temporary location, so it's a church-in-the-box setup), and I think that mindset early on was what helped people to understand why we were there. All the musicians seemed to be in a good mood, the video screens were actually completely up by the time I'd arrived (something I usually help out with), and every service team member was clicking on all cylinders. We were able to get sound check going a few minutes early, and the musicians jammed for about 5 minutes before we checked levels and began our pre-service rehearsal. Then once we started, we were all in a great mood -- we laughed, we made jokes, and we worked through the problem areas we had quickly and with a good deal of focus. It was, by far, the most fun I've ever had during soundcheck.
And when service began and we started to worship, you could just feel that every person that walked through the doors knew and expected the same thing. Sometimes you have days like that, and I know for a fact it began well before anyone arrived to begin setting up. But that's where my frustration came in. Even though there were some errors in our performance, there were some remarkably solid spots, areas where we were as tight as we've ever been, and those great points made the errors look that much more glaring. It's true that people don't get motivated to change anything unless they get frustrated, and I've been in a cyclical state of frustration ever since coming on staff at this church over 3 years ago.
And once again, I equate the necessary tools to what we at Complete Music call the CM Smile philosophy:
- Be There
- Choose Your Attitude
- Make Their Day
- Play
I might go into these four concepts at a later time, but for right now, the concept that was brought to my attention through my email rambling was this:
Assigned Intimacy.
One of my above paragraphs said it succinctly:
"I don't know, it's almost like there needs to be an intimacy between song and musician, especially with worship songs. Just like in the way we spend time with God to know Him better, or the way I spend time with my wife so that we can be more in sync with each other, it's imperative that a musician has some sort of communion with the song they play."I was speaking about musicians, but this concept could apply to anyone with a job that needs to be done. The more closely associated you are with the task you've been given, the better your productivity will be. It's one of those natural laws -- if you want to learn to be a stock broker, you study the stock market and hang out with other brokers. If you want to excel in a sport, you practice that sport as much as you can, and you work with other athletes that challenge you in your sport. As a DJ, it means that you read over the planning sheet your client has taken the time to fill out and become familiar with what they've put down well BEFORE you contact your client for the pre-call. You take the time to read between the lines and find out about the little details of your client's personality, the type of crowd they expect, the type of music they prefer, even where they went to school or what they do for a living. It's memorizing the list of songs that they don't want played, and of course, not playing them. To use another cliche, the devil is in the details, and KNOWING those details better than anything can help you craft your event so that your client feels like you're treating them with a high level of respect and attention.
All in all, it takes time. You can't expect to jump into a pool and swim a record-breaking 100-meter time without putting in the time and effort beforehand to practice. So it is with being a great DJ and presenting great customer service -- it requires your time with the information your clients have given you. In fact, no matter what we do, if we don't spend ample time with the task we've been given, and if we don't seek to find others in the same field that can inspire and challenge us to constantly reach for excellence, we'll never reach our full potential. Even worse, we'll become stagnant. That's a recipe for calamity.
Assigned Intimacy. It's where you focus your energy into the area of your gift instead of just walking in it blindly. It's where we all need to be. Own it.
Zach W. Lorton
Professional Disc Jockey & Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music DJ Service
St. Louis, MO
Monday, January 11, 2010
Why Make it Fun?
So here's the deal. If you want people to remember your event, it needs to be fun. Otherwise, why else would people decide to attend? But many times throughout the year, I hear this statement from a client:
"I don't want anything cheesy at my wedding."
I've discovered that the word "cheesy" is an extremely subjective term; it can mean different things to different people. Often, this comment is made by brides or grooms that have been to their fair share of weddings between the time they got engaged and their own wedding date, and they've probably seen a lot of sub-standard DJs doing a lot of the same things, either with a complete lack of creativity, or perhaps in an unprofessional manner. Naturally, that kind of approach can make anything look cheesy. But one other thing I've found remains true:
People like cheese.
As much as I hate to admit it -- as an artist and an entertainer -- a little bit of cheese can help in certain situations. How many wedding receptions have you been to where the DJ played the Cha-Cha Slide and no one danced because it was "too cheesy"? I'm gonna save you the effort of thinking of a time and just let you know right now, the answer is none. If anything, when a substandard DJ plays an audience participation or icebreaker song, it gets MORE people on the dance floor than were there before. That's the power of that kind of song; it makes even the most inept DJ look like he knows what he's doing.
Given that, the term "cheesy" actually means "overdone with inexperience".
One dance I use religiously at my shows is called the Snowball Dance. The premise is this: I start with a group of people (i.e., the wedding party, table captains, etc.) on the dance floor, and I explain to them that I'm going to play a song they can start dancing to. At any time during the song, when I get on the microphone and say the word "snowball", everyone on the dance floor has to run out, grab someone that's not dancing, and bring them back to the dance floor with them. I do this 2 or 3 times during the first song.
Now on paper, yeah, this does sound kind of cheesy. On the other hand, look at the dance floor 3 minutes and 30 seconds into the song. It's packed. And I don't just mean there are 20 people on the floor, I mean PACKED. Honestly, everytime I do this, 80%-90% of the crowd has made their way to the dance floor, even if only for that one song. And I'm not lying when I say that nearly 100% of the time, the Snowball Dance works flawlessly. The opening of the dance floor (once all the formalities are done, that is) is traditionally the most difficult time to get people up and dancing because no one wants to be the first person out there. The Snowball Dance takes the pressure off of your guests and makes it EASY for them to get up and dance. And once they're out on the dance floor, it's much easier for them to stay out there. Those that don't want to dance usually end up going to sit down, grab a drink, or whatever once that first song is over. Either way, there's no pressure; your DJ is EmCee-ing the action. That's what he's supposed to do.
The Snowball Dance starts the open dancing portion on a high note, bringing people into the "fun" aspect of the evening in a big way. Regardless of how cheesy it sounds when I explain it, once you see it in motion there's no denying its ability to transform a formal event into an event full of life, energy, and fun in less than 4 minutes.
And then there are the people that won't dance. One thing I've learned in my experience both as a DJ and a professional improv comedian is that even if people don't want to participate, they still like to be entertained. So I'll bring out little games and dance contests throughout the evening that will use a very small number of volunteers, but they create a spectacle for the rest of the crowd to enjoy. Nothing swings the energy up in a room like getting a crowd to laugh and cheer along with everyone else, so I'll make it easy for everyone to have some fun, evening if dancing isn't on their agenda.
Two of my friends from church recently hired Complete Music for their wedding reception in October, and they told me up front that they wanted me for their DJ. From what he tells me, the conversation went like this:
"Do you know who would be a great DJ but a little expensive?"
"Yeah."
"And do you know who would be cheaper, but wouldn't be that great?"
"Yeah, I don't want him. Let's get Zach."
I'm not making this up. They'd heard so many good things about me as a DJ that they knew they wanted someone that could make their reception fun. (And to be fair, they found that Complete Music was actually more reasonably priced than they'd first thought, especially when they compared CM with other St. Louis area DJ companies.) And in an area like the Metro East, where there are literally hundreds of fly-by-night, single-system, independently owned DJ companies that charge a fraction of what Complete Music charges, they still decided their money was better spent making sure they got the kind of DJ that would make their event memorable and fun for everyone who attended. And you know what the sad thing is? Dozens of other people in the church have opted NOT to hire me and Complete Music in the past because they were worried that it would be too expensive. In fact, one of my other friends said they wished they had hired me after their son's wedding reception.
So while my two friends may be the first people from my area of Alton, IL to hire Complete Music, I guarantee that after their reception, they won't be the last.
Zach W. Lorton
Disc Jockey & Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music DJ Service
St. Louis, MO
"I don't want anything cheesy at my wedding."
I've discovered that the word "cheesy" is an extremely subjective term; it can mean different things to different people. Often, this comment is made by brides or grooms that have been to their fair share of weddings between the time they got engaged and their own wedding date, and they've probably seen a lot of sub-standard DJs doing a lot of the same things, either with a complete lack of creativity, or perhaps in an unprofessional manner. Naturally, that kind of approach can make anything look cheesy. But one other thing I've found remains true:
People like cheese.
As much as I hate to admit it -- as an artist and an entertainer -- a little bit of cheese can help in certain situations. How many wedding receptions have you been to where the DJ played the Cha-Cha Slide and no one danced because it was "too cheesy"? I'm gonna save you the effort of thinking of a time and just let you know right now, the answer is none. If anything, when a substandard DJ plays an audience participation or icebreaker song, it gets MORE people on the dance floor than were there before. That's the power of that kind of song; it makes even the most inept DJ look like he knows what he's doing.
Given that, the term "cheesy" actually means "overdone with inexperience".
One dance I use religiously at my shows is called the Snowball Dance. The premise is this: I start with a group of people (i.e., the wedding party, table captains, etc.) on the dance floor, and I explain to them that I'm going to play a song they can start dancing to. At any time during the song, when I get on the microphone and say the word "snowball", everyone on the dance floor has to run out, grab someone that's not dancing, and bring them back to the dance floor with them. I do this 2 or 3 times during the first song.
Now on paper, yeah, this does sound kind of cheesy. On the other hand, look at the dance floor 3 minutes and 30 seconds into the song. It's packed. And I don't just mean there are 20 people on the floor, I mean PACKED. Honestly, everytime I do this, 80%-90% of the crowd has made their way to the dance floor, even if only for that one song. And I'm not lying when I say that nearly 100% of the time, the Snowball Dance works flawlessly. The opening of the dance floor (once all the formalities are done, that is) is traditionally the most difficult time to get people up and dancing because no one wants to be the first person out there. The Snowball Dance takes the pressure off of your guests and makes it EASY for them to get up and dance. And once they're out on the dance floor, it's much easier for them to stay out there. Those that don't want to dance usually end up going to sit down, grab a drink, or whatever once that first song is over. Either way, there's no pressure; your DJ is EmCee-ing the action. That's what he's supposed to do.
The Snowball Dance starts the open dancing portion on a high note, bringing people into the "fun" aspect of the evening in a big way. Regardless of how cheesy it sounds when I explain it, once you see it in motion there's no denying its ability to transform a formal event into an event full of life, energy, and fun in less than 4 minutes.
And then there are the people that won't dance. One thing I've learned in my experience both as a DJ and a professional improv comedian is that even if people don't want to participate, they still like to be entertained. So I'll bring out little games and dance contests throughout the evening that will use a very small number of volunteers, but they create a spectacle for the rest of the crowd to enjoy. Nothing swings the energy up in a room like getting a crowd to laugh and cheer along with everyone else, so I'll make it easy for everyone to have some fun, evening if dancing isn't on their agenda.
Two of my friends from church recently hired Complete Music for their wedding reception in October, and they told me up front that they wanted me for their DJ. From what he tells me, the conversation went like this:
"Do you know who would be a great DJ but a little expensive?"
"Yeah."
"And do you know who would be cheaper, but wouldn't be that great?"
"Yeah, I don't want him. Let's get Zach."
I'm not making this up. They'd heard so many good things about me as a DJ that they knew they wanted someone that could make their reception fun. (And to be fair, they found that Complete Music was actually more reasonably priced than they'd first thought, especially when they compared CM with other St. Louis area DJ companies.) And in an area like the Metro East, where there are literally hundreds of fly-by-night, single-system, independently owned DJ companies that charge a fraction of what Complete Music charges, they still decided their money was better spent making sure they got the kind of DJ that would make their event memorable and fun for everyone who attended. And you know what the sad thing is? Dozens of other people in the church have opted NOT to hire me and Complete Music in the past because they were worried that it would be too expensive. In fact, one of my other friends said they wished they had hired me after their son's wedding reception.
So while my two friends may be the first people from my area of Alton, IL to hire Complete Music, I guarantee that after their reception, they won't be the last.
Zach W. Lorton
Disc Jockey & Master of Ceremonies
Complete Music DJ Service
St. Louis, MO
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Worthy of My time
So, I'll admit it. I've been a little down and cranky lately, which is highly unusual for me during the holiday season since it is one of my favorite times of the year.
Between the daunting task of getting ready for the 2010 bridal show season (we have 17 days worth of bridal shows in January alone), searching for businesses that are not only willing but able to throw a holiday party this season (and then convincing them to use us), and being chronically sick (nothing major, just majorly annoying) I just haven't been able to shake this undercurrent of frustration.
And, though I love the bridal show season and have a blast doing the shows, the prospect of the five of us sitting around putting together a couple thousand bridal show packets stirs my stomach much more than my soul.
I made the comment to a friend of mine this past weekend that this job, well this industry as a whole, is a lot like running on a treadmill. You're never really done with anything and it is an ongoing battle to keep clients, employees, and vendors caught up and to make sure every event is a success. The majority of the time that's what I love about this job the most... I love the constant challenge and the struggle to stay ahead of the curve at every turn. My mother would tell you it's because I'm a know-it-all who loves to be right.
I think it takes one to know one, but she may have a point.
Between the daunting task of getting ready for the 2010 bridal show season (we have 17 days worth of bridal shows in January alone), searching for businesses that are not only willing but able to throw a holiday party this season (and then convincing them to use us), and being chronically sick (nothing major, just majorly annoying) I just haven't been able to shake this undercurrent of frustration.
And, though I love the bridal show season and have a blast doing the shows, the prospect of the five of us sitting around putting together a couple thousand bridal show packets stirs my stomach much more than my soul.
I made the comment to a friend of mine this past weekend that this job, well this industry as a whole, is a lot like running on a treadmill. You're never really done with anything and it is an ongoing battle to keep clients, employees, and vendors caught up and to make sure every event is a success. The majority of the time that's what I love about this job the most... I love the constant challenge and the struggle to stay ahead of the curve at every turn. My mother would tell you it's because I'm a know-it-all who loves to be right.
I think it takes one to know one, but she may have a point.
In the end, no matter what sort of mental state I'm in, nothing makes me feel better than reading client reviews and getting phone calls, e-mails, etc. from past clients and vendors thanking us for a job well-done. One of the projects I helped with this morning that I don't normally have anything to do with was updating our reference lists.
I've always said that our past clients are our best salespeople, but today they were my greatest motivator. That reminder of how much what we do matters to our clients and our ability to make all the frustrations in life disappear for a few hours... to help them just enjoy getting married, having a birthday, getting together with classmates from years gone by... that is a job that is worthy of my time, and those smiling faces, great reviews, and happy times are why I get out of bed every morning to do what we do.
We always give folks the option to opt out of being a part of our reference list, and some of the best reviews I read today were from people who wanted simply to thank us but not be included on that list. I wish you could read them.
Here is what was included:
Even though your company has several customers and events going on at once, we felt like we were the only customer you had from the day we called for information through the actual event. Top-notch customer service and professionalism.
Jason and Liz Troske
I am so glad we decided to have a professional do our video. It was exactly what I wanted. He caught all the special moments. I loved that he paid attention to all the little details.
Kathy Gress (MOB)
Our family and friends are still commenting on how perfect the DJ fit in for our family’s style of fun, and how extra special he made our reception. Thanks!
Brian and Anna Limbaugh
I’ve only had it 3 days and have watched it 10+ times! The DVD is perfect. I only wish we could have had our videographer longer. Everything was wonderful. Great job!
Ryan and Valerie Sharpe
Our DJ was great! We had so many people come up to us to let us know they had such a great time. He was helpful and upbeat! He sure kept the crowd entertained!
Tom and Cara Parchomski
I was very iffy on having the wedding videotaped and I would be heartbroken if I hadn’t. I’ve never seen a wedding video of that quality. We have had nothing but rave reviews from everyone that has seen it. Really like the highlight reel. It is a nice option so you can show someone the video quickly.
Our DJ was great! He helped prepare our wedding party for our entrances. He even helped me bustle my dress! He went above and beyond the call of duty. More professional, more prepared, better music, and better display. We had an amazing reception thanks to him.
Vance and Kelly Bailey
The day I received my first video we watched it like 5 times…and I cried every time. Thank you for such a wonderful job.
Jeremy and Kristin Lawrence
I guess you could say we "made their day"; but they, in turn, made mine. Heck, I'm so chipper I'm almost excited about putting together bridal show packets... no, really!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Can Your Dad Do That? (Video vs Photo)
Okay, so I am struggling with a title for this blog. In case I have a flash of brilliance and change it, you should know that as of right now the working title is "Video vs. Photo."
The reason I consider it a working title is that it simply doesn't make sense. I mean, these are two VERY different products at work here... very different services indeed. The reason I even bring it up is I want to share with you a statement that was made to me this afternoon and the question I asked in response that still remains unanswered. Here's how the conversation went:
Client: I put the deposit in the mail to you yesterday to book the DJ.
Me: AWESOME! Do you still have questions about the video services we talked about.
Client: She's already booked a really expensive photographer, so we decided that we will just have my dad or a relative videotape everything. He really likes doing that stuff anyway.
Me: Ah......... do you mind if I ask you a question I've always wanted to ask but I was always afraid it would come off as rude?
Client: Of course not. You guys have been awesome to work with so far.
Me: Well, I was wondering, did you ever consider booking us to create a professional wedding video for you and have an amateur take care of the photography?
Client: No.
Me: Why not?
Client: Well... I have no idea...
I'm sure I'm a little biased here (and I freely admit that), and I wouldn't let an amateur photographer anywhere near my wedding album, but the question remains. Why one and not the other?
I have a few theories, but most of them rely on human nature and tradition. Nothing that I can come up with has any basis in what is actually best for the client. Let's face it, when it comes right down to it, the only two ways to capture a whirlwind of a day (if you've never been in a bride or groom's shoes before, trust me on this one... it's nuts) are photos and video. That's it. And one of those two doesn't even include sound.
Photography and videography (yes I know my industry totally made that word up... and Firefox is underlining it in red to remind me) are very different mediums in which memories are stored. One captures still images that are brief glimpses, snapshots if you will, of the events of the day. The other shows the actions, interactions, and reactions complete with sound and movement.
When done well they are artistic, creative, and emotional. We rely, instinctively, on professional photographers with our most precious moments, the special events that often are major turning points in our lives (I'd say weddings count), not because we don't all own a camera (there are a few laying around my house, one for every type of outing), but because we know that we, personally, could never do the job that a professional can. In addition to having the proper training to understand lighting, framing, and all sorts of other things not worth going into here (cuz, I'm guessing, you probably don't care), when you find a great photographer you know that they see these moments in time they are capturing as art, and you decide as a consumer you like the kind of art they produce.
Video, however, is something our dads do on family trips, right? They hold a little camera (or, when I was a kid a giant one) while you hop on the Dumbo ride at Disney World, or ride your bike without training wheels for the first time, or go visit grandma's house for the umpteenth time. Video is, in our minds, raw and basic because we cannot seem to connect ourselves, somehow, to the notion that video is not always raw and basic, but often television and cinema and art. It is interactive and web-based, it is YouTube and Hulu and can be any of these things at any given moment.
Your wedding video does not have to look homemade simply because it is video of you taking your first steps into marriage. These first steps can be better. They can be art. They can be original. They can be more than just a record of the events. They can poignantly redeliver the emotion of the day over and over again for the rest of your life, just as your professional photos will...
But only if the person on the other side of the camera knows what he/she is doing. Only if that editor is artistic and well-trained and can balance the nuances of sound, light, and framing captured that day into something that is more. Otherwise, your wedding video will be just another home movie. Something someone brings to me 20-30 years from now to have converted into the newest video format before it dies out completely... something found in an attic and never watched.
A great video, like a great photo album, is something you pull out and want to see. Something you show to friends and to family. Something you pull off the shelf not just when your anniversary rolls around, but when you want to laugh at your boss doing a rather inebriated, double-time version of the electric slide (yes, Dan, I'm talking about you).
Your vows, your toasts, the way your wedding party looks walking down the aisle (brides, you'll miss that completely), all of it fades to resemble an impressionist painting rather than a portrait and video is the only thing that can ever put it back into focus because the one thing that remains raw, even in professional video, is the reality and the exacting way in which it is all recorded for all time.
Can your dad do that?
Actually, I think my working title has just been replaced.
The reason I consider it a working title is that it simply doesn't make sense. I mean, these are two VERY different products at work here... very different services indeed. The reason I even bring it up is I want to share with you a statement that was made to me this afternoon and the question I asked in response that still remains unanswered. Here's how the conversation went:
Client: I put the deposit in the mail to you yesterday to book the DJ.
Me: AWESOME! Do you still have questions about the video services we talked about.
Client: She's already booked a really expensive photographer, so we decided that we will just have my dad or a relative videotape everything. He really likes doing that stuff anyway.
Me: Ah......... do you mind if I ask you a question I've always wanted to ask but I was always afraid it would come off as rude?
Client: Of course not. You guys have been awesome to work with so far.
Me: Well, I was wondering, did you ever consider booking us to create a professional wedding video for you and have an amateur take care of the photography?
Client: No.
Me: Why not?
Client: Well... I have no idea...
I'm sure I'm a little biased here (and I freely admit that), and I wouldn't let an amateur photographer anywhere near my wedding album, but the question remains. Why one and not the other?
I have a few theories, but most of them rely on human nature and tradition. Nothing that I can come up with has any basis in what is actually best for the client. Let's face it, when it comes right down to it, the only two ways to capture a whirlwind of a day (if you've never been in a bride or groom's shoes before, trust me on this one... it's nuts) are photos and video. That's it. And one of those two doesn't even include sound.
Photography and videography (yes I know my industry totally made that word up... and Firefox is underlining it in red to remind me) are very different mediums in which memories are stored. One captures still images that are brief glimpses, snapshots if you will, of the events of the day. The other shows the actions, interactions, and reactions complete with sound and movement.
When done well they are artistic, creative, and emotional. We rely, instinctively, on professional photographers with our most precious moments, the special events that often are major turning points in our lives (I'd say weddings count), not because we don't all own a camera (there are a few laying around my house, one for every type of outing), but because we know that we, personally, could never do the job that a professional can. In addition to having the proper training to understand lighting, framing, and all sorts of other things not worth going into here (cuz, I'm guessing, you probably don't care), when you find a great photographer you know that they see these moments in time they are capturing as art, and you decide as a consumer you like the kind of art they produce.
Video, however, is something our dads do on family trips, right? They hold a little camera (or, when I was a kid a giant one) while you hop on the Dumbo ride at Disney World, or ride your bike without training wheels for the first time, or go visit grandma's house for the umpteenth time. Video is, in our minds, raw and basic because we cannot seem to connect ourselves, somehow, to the notion that video is not always raw and basic, but often television and cinema and art. It is interactive and web-based, it is YouTube and Hulu and can be any of these things at any given moment.
Your wedding video does not have to look homemade simply because it is video of you taking your first steps into marriage. These first steps can be better. They can be art. They can be original. They can be more than just a record of the events. They can poignantly redeliver the emotion of the day over and over again for the rest of your life, just as your professional photos will...
But only if the person on the other side of the camera knows what he/she is doing. Only if that editor is artistic and well-trained and can balance the nuances of sound, light, and framing captured that day into something that is more. Otherwise, your wedding video will be just another home movie. Something someone brings to me 20-30 years from now to have converted into the newest video format before it dies out completely... something found in an attic and never watched.
A great video, like a great photo album, is something you pull out and want to see. Something you show to friends and to family. Something you pull off the shelf not just when your anniversary rolls around, but when you want to laugh at your boss doing a rather inebriated, double-time version of the electric slide (yes, Dan, I'm talking about you).
Your vows, your toasts, the way your wedding party looks walking down the aisle (brides, you'll miss that completely), all of it fades to resemble an impressionist painting rather than a portrait and video is the only thing that can ever put it back into focus because the one thing that remains raw, even in professional video, is the reality and the exacting way in which it is all recorded for all time.
Can your dad do that?
Actually, I think my working title has just been replaced.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The Holidays are Upon Us... ALREADY!?!?!
Yes, it's true... they'll be here before you know it. We're 5 weeks from Thanksgiving TODAY, which means that Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, and all that other frivolity cannot be far behind. Hold onto your waistlines!!!
Ironically, as I was typing this, I left the "r" out of Christmas and Firefox didn't know if I mean Christmas or masochist. Truth be told, some years I wonder.
The holidays are a lot of work, but they can be a lot of fun. The wonderful thing about the holidays is that they are what you make of them
Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday because what it stands for. As I look back on the years of my life (forgive me, I'm about to turn 30 and I'm feeling suddenly nostalgic), I know that during even the most challenging of years there was much for which to be thankful.
New Years Eve is #2 on my list. To me, it represents a fresh start... new goals, new attitudes, new challenges... I even like the colder weather that usually comes hand-in-hand with January 1. I find it energizing and inspiring. This year I'm looking forward to taking my first New Year's Eve off since I joined the workforce when I was a teenager. (I am, of course, leaving out those child labor years that came with having parents that owned their own business... even they didn't work on New Year's Eve.)
As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself hoping everyone gives the holidays their best effort. It has been a rough year for many people, both as individuals and as businesses. Now, more than any time in my life, I hope that we look honestly at all we do have, the friends, family, and associates that accompany us through our lives, our strength of will and work ethic, and our ability to overcome all that life throws at us.
So, throw a fun get-together with family, friends, and co-workers, adopt a family in need, go see a show, spend time with your family - okay, to deal with some of my family I need an open bar, but it's usually worth it in the end - and in general thank those around you for all they do; whether they lend you a hand at the office or just make you laugh when you really need it.
Whatever you do, don't do less. Don't believe what they tell you... less isn't more. Less is less:
Less – adjective, a compar. of little with least as superl.
For businesses (since that's normally what's on my brain), the best example I can give is the company holiday party. Nothing else comes close when it comes to improving company morale, camaraderie, and productivity than the office holiday party. I watch the news and I see companies getting picked on left and right for showing any sign of success, but imagine how that looks to their employees. In a world where employees wonder what's going to happen next, how their business will weather the storm and if their job and therefore their family are secure, showing them that everything is just fine is a MAJOR morale booster.
I'm not saying you have to hire Complete Music to DJ it (though you should, we're totally awesome), and I'm not saying you have to throw it at The Ritz (if you can, though, more power to you... that place is amazing) but do SOMETHING this year. A day off with pay, a fruit basket, a membership to the Jelly of the Month Club... on their own, these are cop-outs, short cuts, and lazy leadership.
From the CEO to the janitor, everyone in your business stresses in a bad economy. It takes a toll on everyone both at the work and at home and forces everyone to work harder and pull together.
For the managers and owners out there, SHOW them that you appreciate their hard work, prove to them that things are going to be okay, and lead them into a successful new year. There are so many obstacles to running a business that every year you stay open is reason to celebrate. (Trust me, I know what it takes to run CM&V... and we make a living throw parties, for cryin' out loud!)
For the employees and spouses, go collect your thank you. Enjoy yourselves; you've earned it.
Oh, and happy Chrismahanukkwanzika to all, and to all a prosperous New Year!!!!
Ironically, as I was typing this, I left the "r" out of Christmas and Firefox didn't know if I mean Christmas or masochist. Truth be told, some years I wonder.
The holidays are a lot of work, but they can be a lot of fun. The wonderful thing about the holidays is that they are what you make of them
Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday because what it stands for. As I look back on the years of my life (forgive me, I'm about to turn 30 and I'm feeling suddenly nostalgic), I know that during even the most challenging of years there was much for which to be thankful.
New Years Eve is #2 on my list. To me, it represents a fresh start... new goals, new attitudes, new challenges... I even like the colder weather that usually comes hand-in-hand with January 1. I find it energizing and inspiring. This year I'm looking forward to taking my first New Year's Eve off since I joined the workforce when I was a teenager. (I am, of course, leaving out those child labor years that came with having parents that owned their own business... even they didn't work on New Year's Eve.)
As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself hoping everyone gives the holidays their best effort. It has been a rough year for many people, both as individuals and as businesses. Now, more than any time in my life, I hope that we look honestly at all we do have, the friends, family, and associates that accompany us through our lives, our strength of will and work ethic, and our ability to overcome all that life throws at us.
So, throw a fun get-together with family, friends, and co-workers, adopt a family in need, go see a show, spend time with your family - okay, to deal with some of my family I need an open bar, but it's usually worth it in the end - and in general thank those around you for all they do; whether they lend you a hand at the office or just make you laugh when you really need it.
Whatever you do, don't do less. Don't believe what they tell you... less isn't more. Less is less:
Less – adjective, a compar. of little with least as superl.
| 1. | smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.; not so large, great, or much. |
| 2. | lower in consideration, rank, or importance |
For businesses (since that's normally what's on my brain), the best example I can give is the company holiday party. Nothing else comes close when it comes to improving company morale, camaraderie, and productivity than the office holiday party. I watch the news and I see companies getting picked on left and right for showing any sign of success, but imagine how that looks to their employees. In a world where employees wonder what's going to happen next, how their business will weather the storm and if their job and therefore their family are secure, showing them that everything is just fine is a MAJOR morale booster.
I'm not saying you have to hire Complete Music to DJ it (though you should, we're totally awesome), and I'm not saying you have to throw it at The Ritz (if you can, though, more power to you... that place is amazing) but do SOMETHING this year. A day off with pay, a fruit basket, a membership to the Jelly of the Month Club... on their own, these are cop-outs, short cuts, and lazy leadership.
From the CEO to the janitor, everyone in your business stresses in a bad economy. It takes a toll on everyone both at the work and at home and forces everyone to work harder and pull together.
For the managers and owners out there, SHOW them that you appreciate their hard work, prove to them that things are going to be okay, and lead them into a successful new year. There are so many obstacles to running a business that every year you stay open is reason to celebrate. (Trust me, I know what it takes to run CM&V... and we make a living throw parties, for cryin' out loud!)
For the employees and spouses, go collect your thank you. Enjoy yourselves; you've earned it.
Oh, and happy Chrismahanukkwanzika to all, and to all a prosperous New Year!!!!
- In case you didn't get my Jelly of the Month Club reference, take a look! It's inappropriate and contains profanity, so send the children (or your boss) out of the room. It is quite funny, though. :-)
- ALSO!!! If you're looking for a fun and unique, my friends over at the Clarion Brass are putting on a FANTASTIC Christmas concert at the beautiful Sheldon Concert Hall December 8th and 9th. Check it out! http://clarionbrass.org/events/
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Professional Courtesy: Should You Tip Your DJ?
Whenever you hear the word "professionalism", what comes to mind? Is it the execution of a task done with the highest regard to quality? Is it looking sharp and slick, even if you have to fudge a few small details? Perhaps a name or face pops into your head as an example of what you consider the epitome of professionalism, and that visage springs up anytime you hear the term.
What many people don't realize is that professionalism is truly embodied within a person who has been trained in their particular craft, and who continues to do their job with a high level of accuracy, care for detail, and proper attention to and regard for his or her client. It also means that person is willing to look for ways to improve, and will accept suggestions, feedback, and even unsolicited advice from people who may not even be in that person's profession. When it comes to choosing a DJ, it would seem obvious that you would want someone that has made being a DJ a profession, even if not their full-time job (roughly 96.89% of all DJs are part-time). Yet way too often, we at Complete Music hear stories of people who opted to go for a DJ that was a family member, or a friend of a friend, or someone who was known by someone else, and they usually chose that person because they were offered a very low price (say, $300 or less). And most of the time, those stories end up with the DJ being at worst, disastrous, but at the very least, unprofessional.
So the old adage goes, "you get what you pay for", which in the entertainment world is extremely true. And that's what DJs are -- entertainers. We may not write or record the music we play (although I've been asked more than once to play "Hava Nagila" faster . . . go figure), and we may not always craft the exact order of events at your event, but your DJ is the entertainment because HE MAKES YOUR EVENT HAPPEN. So if you hire a DJ who doesn't, won't or can't make it happen, you're likely to wind up with an event that won't be all that it could be.
When you get ready to book a DJ for your event, there are a few questions to keep in mind:
1. Do I want the event to be a success?
2. Do I want my guests to have fun?
3. Do I want people to talk about the event positively after it's all over?
4. How important is this event to me and/or my guests?
5. Is there a possibility I might book this DJ for something in the future?
I would assume everyone would answer yes to these questions, and if you're looking for entertainment for a yearly recurring event, like a school dance or a holiday party, you'd say yes to #5 as well. So with that knowledge in mind, it would seem obvious that you would want the most professional entertainer in a DJ that you could get.
So let's say you've got your DJ, and let's say you've booked Complete Music, which means you've chosen a professional entertainer as your DJ. You've planned your event and spoken with your DJ to determine what you want done and how you want things done, and the day is fast approaching. But another question is on the horizon, one that you may not know the answer to:
6. Should I tip my DJ?
A good question, and one that many people don't consider. But why wouldn't you consider tipping your DJ? As a point of argument, let's take a look at a typical wedding reception and the vendors you might deal with . . .
Wedding Planner/Event coordinator
Baker (wedding cake)
Florist
Formalwear dealer
Catering staff/Bartenders
Limousine drivers
Officiates/Ministers
Photographer/Videographer
Beautician
Entertainment (this is where we DJs come in)
That brings us to your entertainer. Again, for the sake of argument, let's assume your entertainer is a DJ. In comparison to the rest of the above listed vendors, your DJ does more for a longer period of time to make sure your event goes off well, with the exception of your Wedding Planner (a service not everyone uses and/or needs) and your Photographer and Videographer (who don't make the event happen, but rather capture on film what does happen). Take a look at it this way . . .
In the early part of the decade a large nationwide survey was taken of brides, grooms, families and guests at wedding receptions. It was reported that 81% of the guests surveyed at the wedding receptions they attended said that they remembered the entertainment at the reception more than they remembered ANYTHING ELSE. Now, that doesn't say whether the entertainment was any good . . . just that 4 out of 5 people remembered it more than anything. Now, with those kinds of odds, it makes sense that the DJ you choose would be a pretty important choice, doesn't it? And in almost every case, the cost of your DJ will be less expensive than the services provided by a photographer, videographer, or wedding planner. Given all those reasons, you really can't afford not to pay for the best DJ you can find.
Which brings us back to the question of tipping. Should you tip your DJ? Is it customary? If you do tip, how do you know how much is considered adequate? All valid questions. I did some research and found some very sound bits of advice on tipping etiquette:
- Don't tip if it's not warranted. Poor service should not rewarded.
- Tip discreetly; don't make a big show of it.
- In many circumstances, if you offer an initial tip - especially a large initial tip - you will receive better service.
- Tip above the norm or customary amount if the service was exceptionally good, or if you've been a burden to the vendor, or if you're a repeat client.
- When in doubt, tip.
In your DJ's case, if they've taken the time to go over all the details of your event with you, including the specific songs you want for specific moments during the ceremony and/or reception, and they've played them all, and if they've checked in with you throughout the event to make sure you're happy, and they ran everything smoothly, and ESPECIALLY if people complimented you on your choice of DJ and let you know how much fun they were having, then the answer is a resounding yes. Also keep in mind that of the total amount the DJ company is charging you, less than half, and in some cases less than 25% of that total goes to the DJ working with you, especially if that DJ works for a company as opposed to running their business out of their home.
Of course, if he sucks, don't tip him. Simple.
Now, there's the question of what's considered a customary amount for a tip. I'd like to tell you 2 stories that I personally experienced recently . . .
I recently handled a wedding reception on a Friday night. This was a booking for me -- the bride had seen me DJing at another event and was impressed with how I handled the crowd, so she kept my business card and called us first thing when her wedding came up. The bride & groom were in their late 40s and were expecting about 110 people at their Friday evening reception. I was informed that both of their families were the type of people that loved to go crazy and have a lot of fun, so she was hoping that I would be able to handle that kind of crowd. Not only was I able to handle the crowd, but I kept the bride and groom abreast of everything that would happen that night, I made sure I had a special song they had asked for that wasn't in our company's catalog (something I'm not required to do), I played all of their requests and as many of the guests' requests that I could, and I even played a few games and spearheaded a dance contest with the crowd. At the end of the evening the bride told me that everyone had an excellent time, that I was the best DJ they'd ever seen, and that she had received nothing but great compliments on me and my performance that evening.
The next evening I did a wedding reception for a different crowd, which was also a booking for me. The bride and groom, both in their mid-20s, had certain requests that I was able to play throughout the night. Larger in size and considerably more varied in personality, the crowd didn't seem to want to dance much, even to the songs they were requesting. In fact, after the first song, which packed the dance floor, everyone left the dance floor. So I continued doing what I could to make it easy for people to enjoy themselves -- I played requests (even if they didn't dance), played Icebreakers (audience participatory dances like the Cupid Shuffle, the Cha-Cha Slide, etc.), and even walked around during open dancing to ask people if there was anything else they'd like to dance to. Eventually, the younger crowd loosened up and began dancing to specific songs they hadn't asked for up until that point, but decided to finally ask me about late in the evening. I kept the dance floor moving as much as I could and made it fun for everyone. At the end of the night, the groom told me that everyone had an excellent time, that I was the best DJ they'd ever seen, and that he had received a large amount of compliments from everyone on my performance.
What was the difference between these two events? Simple. The first clients didn't tip me at all, and in fact DEMANDED a receipt for the payment of the balance, something we don't do because the DJ's wage for each event is contingent upon submitting any balances collected to the office that same evening. The second clients tipped me $70.00 in cash.
Why the disparity? Honestly, I believe it's because people don't think that tipping a DJ is a customary practice, or that it's even acceptable. But in contrast, look at the other services people tip for without thinking twice: limo drivers, servers and bartenders, beauticians, photographers & videographers . . . Let's be honest, the success of your reception doesn't rest on your limo driver. The people that will remember your reception fondly and tell you about how much fun they'll have won't be having fun because your hair or your gown look perfect. The great pictures and active video your photogs and videogs will be able to capture won't happen because your caterers made a great meal. It is your ENTERTAINMENT that will makes or breaks your event, hands down, every time. And 9 times out of 10, if someone leaves a wedding reception early, it's either because they're bored, or because they have another engagement to get to. But honestly, if they're having enough fun, that other engagement can wait . . . and it will.
In the end, it's common sense. If so much success of your event rests on your entertainment, then your DJ should at least be considered for a tip if their level of service warrants it. And here's one more tip on tipping: it is excellent etiquette to always tip in CASH. Including a tip in a final payment to the company via either check or credit card before going to the individual means the company has to claim a percentage off the top as a business expenditure, and if it's a credit card payment, another fee can be taken that goes to the credit card company. The remainder is then taxed before going to the individual.
So to put it all into perspective and find out whether or not you should tip, you need to revisit the first five questions from above . . .
1. Was my event a success?
2. Did my guests have fun?
3. Did people talk positively about the event to me?
4. Did the DJ make me feel like he understood how important this night was to me?
5. If I ever needed to book a DJ again, would I book this one?
And if the answer to these questions is yes, then you need to alter your sixth question to look like this:
6. HOW MUCH should I tip my DJ?
We're here to help. And no matter who you are, we appreciate both your gratitude and your generosity.
Zach W. Lorton
Complete Music DJ Service
What many people don't realize is that professionalism is truly embodied within a person who has been trained in their particular craft, and who continues to do their job with a high level of accuracy, care for detail, and proper attention to and regard for his or her client. It also means that person is willing to look for ways to improve, and will accept suggestions, feedback, and even unsolicited advice from people who may not even be in that person's profession. When it comes to choosing a DJ, it would seem obvious that you would want someone that has made being a DJ a profession, even if not their full-time job (roughly 96.89% of all DJs are part-time). Yet way too often, we at Complete Music hear stories of people who opted to go for a DJ that was a family member, or a friend of a friend, or someone who was known by someone else, and they usually chose that person because they were offered a very low price (say, $300 or less). And most of the time, those stories end up with the DJ being at worst, disastrous, but at the very least, unprofessional.
So the old adage goes, "you get what you pay for", which in the entertainment world is extremely true. And that's what DJs are -- entertainers. We may not write or record the music we play (although I've been asked more than once to play "Hava Nagila" faster . . . go figure), and we may not always craft the exact order of events at your event, but your DJ is the entertainment because HE MAKES YOUR EVENT HAPPEN. So if you hire a DJ who doesn't, won't or can't make it happen, you're likely to wind up with an event that won't be all that it could be.
When you get ready to book a DJ for your event, there are a few questions to keep in mind:
1. Do I want the event to be a success?
2. Do I want my guests to have fun?
3. Do I want people to talk about the event positively after it's all over?
4. How important is this event to me and/or my guests?
5. Is there a possibility I might book this DJ for something in the future?
I would assume everyone would answer yes to these questions, and if you're looking for entertainment for a yearly recurring event, like a school dance or a holiday party, you'd say yes to #5 as well. So with that knowledge in mind, it would seem obvious that you would want the most professional entertainer in a DJ that you could get.
So let's say you've got your DJ, and let's say you've booked Complete Music, which means you've chosen a professional entertainer as your DJ. You've planned your event and spoken with your DJ to determine what you want done and how you want things done, and the day is fast approaching. But another question is on the horizon, one that you may not know the answer to:
6. Should I tip my DJ?
A good question, and one that many people don't consider. But why wouldn't you consider tipping your DJ? As a point of argument, let's take a look at a typical wedding reception and the vendors you might deal with . . .
Wedding Planner/Event coordinator
Baker (wedding cake)
Florist
Formalwear dealer
Catering staff/Bartenders
Limousine drivers
Officiates/Ministers
Photographer/Videographer
Beautician
Entertainment (this is where we DJs come in)
That brings us to your entertainer. Again, for the sake of argument, let's assume your entertainer is a DJ. In comparison to the rest of the above listed vendors, your DJ does more for a longer period of time to make sure your event goes off well, with the exception of your Wedding Planner (a service not everyone uses and/or needs) and your Photographer and Videographer (who don't make the event happen, but rather capture on film what does happen). Take a look at it this way . . .
In the early part of the decade a large nationwide survey was taken of brides, grooms, families and guests at wedding receptions. It was reported that 81% of the guests surveyed at the wedding receptions they attended said that they remembered the entertainment at the reception more than they remembered ANYTHING ELSE. Now, that doesn't say whether the entertainment was any good . . . just that 4 out of 5 people remembered it more than anything. Now, with those kinds of odds, it makes sense that the DJ you choose would be a pretty important choice, doesn't it? And in almost every case, the cost of your DJ will be less expensive than the services provided by a photographer, videographer, or wedding planner. Given all those reasons, you really can't afford not to pay for the best DJ you can find.
Which brings us back to the question of tipping. Should you tip your DJ? Is it customary? If you do tip, how do you know how much is considered adequate? All valid questions. I did some research and found some very sound bits of advice on tipping etiquette:
- Don't tip if it's not warranted. Poor service should not rewarded.
- Tip discreetly; don't make a big show of it.
- In many circumstances, if you offer an initial tip - especially a large initial tip - you will receive better service.
- Tip above the norm or customary amount if the service was exceptionally good, or if you've been a burden to the vendor, or if you're a repeat client.
- When in doubt, tip.
In your DJ's case, if they've taken the time to go over all the details of your event with you, including the specific songs you want for specific moments during the ceremony and/or reception, and they've played them all, and if they've checked in with you throughout the event to make sure you're happy, and they ran everything smoothly, and ESPECIALLY if people complimented you on your choice of DJ and let you know how much fun they were having, then the answer is a resounding yes. Also keep in mind that of the total amount the DJ company is charging you, less than half, and in some cases less than 25% of that total goes to the DJ working with you, especially if that DJ works for a company as opposed to running their business out of their home.
Of course, if he sucks, don't tip him. Simple.
Now, there's the question of what's considered a customary amount for a tip. I'd like to tell you 2 stories that I personally experienced recently . . .
I recently handled a wedding reception on a Friday night. This was a booking for me -- the bride had seen me DJing at another event and was impressed with how I handled the crowd, so she kept my business card and called us first thing when her wedding came up. The bride & groom were in their late 40s and were expecting about 110 people at their Friday evening reception. I was informed that both of their families were the type of people that loved to go crazy and have a lot of fun, so she was hoping that I would be able to handle that kind of crowd. Not only was I able to handle the crowd, but I kept the bride and groom abreast of everything that would happen that night, I made sure I had a special song they had asked for that wasn't in our company's catalog (something I'm not required to do), I played all of their requests and as many of the guests' requests that I could, and I even played a few games and spearheaded a dance contest with the crowd. At the end of the evening the bride told me that everyone had an excellent time, that I was the best DJ they'd ever seen, and that she had received nothing but great compliments on me and my performance that evening.
The next evening I did a wedding reception for a different crowd, which was also a booking for me. The bride and groom, both in their mid-20s, had certain requests that I was able to play throughout the night. Larger in size and considerably more varied in personality, the crowd didn't seem to want to dance much, even to the songs they were requesting. In fact, after the first song, which packed the dance floor, everyone left the dance floor. So I continued doing what I could to make it easy for people to enjoy themselves -- I played requests (even if they didn't dance), played Icebreakers (audience participatory dances like the Cupid Shuffle, the Cha-Cha Slide, etc.), and even walked around during open dancing to ask people if there was anything else they'd like to dance to. Eventually, the younger crowd loosened up and began dancing to specific songs they hadn't asked for up until that point, but decided to finally ask me about late in the evening. I kept the dance floor moving as much as I could and made it fun for everyone. At the end of the night, the groom told me that everyone had an excellent time, that I was the best DJ they'd ever seen, and that he had received a large amount of compliments from everyone on my performance.
What was the difference between these two events? Simple. The first clients didn't tip me at all, and in fact DEMANDED a receipt for the payment of the balance, something we don't do because the DJ's wage for each event is contingent upon submitting any balances collected to the office that same evening. The second clients tipped me $70.00 in cash.
Why the disparity? Honestly, I believe it's because people don't think that tipping a DJ is a customary practice, or that it's even acceptable. But in contrast, look at the other services people tip for without thinking twice: limo drivers, servers and bartenders, beauticians, photographers & videographers . . . Let's be honest, the success of your reception doesn't rest on your limo driver. The people that will remember your reception fondly and tell you about how much fun they'll have won't be having fun because your hair or your gown look perfect. The great pictures and active video your photogs and videogs will be able to capture won't happen because your caterers made a great meal. It is your ENTERTAINMENT that will makes or breaks your event, hands down, every time. And 9 times out of 10, if someone leaves a wedding reception early, it's either because they're bored, or because they have another engagement to get to. But honestly, if they're having enough fun, that other engagement can wait . . . and it will.
In the end, it's common sense. If so much success of your event rests on your entertainment, then your DJ should at least be considered for a tip if their level of service warrants it. And here's one more tip on tipping: it is excellent etiquette to always tip in CASH. Including a tip in a final payment to the company via either check or credit card before going to the individual means the company has to claim a percentage off the top as a business expenditure, and if it's a credit card payment, another fee can be taken that goes to the credit card company. The remainder is then taxed before going to the individual.
So to put it all into perspective and find out whether or not you should tip, you need to revisit the first five questions from above . . .
1. Was my event a success?
2. Did my guests have fun?
3. Did people talk positively about the event to me?
4. Did the DJ make me feel like he understood how important this night was to me?
5. If I ever needed to book a DJ again, would I book this one?
And if the answer to these questions is yes, then you need to alter your sixth question to look like this:
6. HOW MUCH should I tip my DJ?
We're here to help. And no matter who you are, we appreciate both your gratitude and your generosity.
Zach W. Lorton
Complete Music DJ Service
Monday, September 14, 2009
It's cliche because it's true
I'm not much of a blogger. I'm more of a commenter, really. I hope that the powers that be have entrusted the right guy to provide thoughtful insights, funny commentary, and interesting questions to ponder (their words, not mine) in this space.
Every day SOMETHING happens that makes you go, "hmmmm..." (quick nod to C+C Music Factory on that one). Today, it was a phone call I took around noon. A young lady called in looking for entertainment for a new years eve party she was throwing with a friend. After a couple of questions she could not easily answer she ran them by her friend in the background who seemed quite put off at having to answer anything (as though I could quote a rate without even knowing where the event was or what they needed).
She gave up and handed her friend the phone. I eventually gave up and offered to give her some options to see what she was most interested in since you just kept asking, "Why do you need to know that?" Upon hearing the rate for the first option, the least expensive option, our Signature Show, she hung up. Not a word. Not a thank you, not a never mind, not a go-you-know-where, nuthin'.
I'm sure this is because, in her mind, the rate she'd just heard was outrageous. She's probably a lot like the young man I talked to on Saturday who was looking for a DJ for "$200 or less" for his wedding reception (YIKES!). So, it got me thinking...
You get what you pay for. We've heard it all our lives. So much so, in fact, that we instinctively seem to recoil from it.
"I'm not stupid, I know that!" has probably run through your mind more than once. I know it's run through mine.
But do we really know it? We're all smart enough to grasp the concept, but do we really apply it to our thinking when we're shopping? Do we understand that we don't get great quality stuff at bargain basement prices. The laws of supply and demand dictate that it simply cannot be so. One way or another we end up paying. Either we pay for what we really want, or we pay to have someone fix it, or we pay mentally for our displeasure or some combination of the three (insert trite cliche #2: there's no such thing as a free lunch).
In our line of work, like any other, our competition helps make us good. Often times they charge less than we do, which forces us to make sure our product is better than less expensive DJs and videographers in order to justify our rate. Also, as the largest mobile DJ service and event video service around, we are unable to charge a rate that would be considered commensurate with the services provided because our rates must remain competitive lest we not have enough events on the books to pay the bills and keep everyone working.
I have friends working independently in the industry, both locally and across the country, that do an excellent job. For a product similar to what we produce on a far grander scale, they tend to charge 2-3 times our base rates. That means $1200-1800 for a basic DJ service or $2000-3000 for a wedding video with one manned camera.
In my eyes, it's all about value. Because of our size Complete Music and Video is able to produce a product that is not only heads and shoulders above most competitors, we are able to do so at a rate in-line with "average" DJ and video services.
I'm really proud of the product that we produce. No one has more satisfied clients than our own locally-owned Complete Music and Video. Not because we're the cheapest or the most expensive, but because we do an excellent job of finding out what you want and giving it to you. Simple as that.
Well, maybe not THAT simple. Our DJs and videographers spend hours upon hours in training every year. For instance, did you know that even with our least expensive option, the DJ option we call the Signature Show, the DJ that is assigned to your event:
Cheap stuff breaks, but a great value is a great buy and a purchase of which you can be proud.
Given the price-point of our Signature Show, it would be practically impossible for us to provide that level of training and quality control without the overwhelming support our clients show by booking us and the dedication of a leadership team bent on providing the best entertainment you've ever seen at a private event.
I know that most people don't know what to expect when they're calling around, shopping for "music" for their wedding or other special event, but we hope that you'll find nothing less than the most professional, entertaining, and thoughtful service you will ever deal with in any industry. Anything less than that just won't do.
I just wish the young lady I talked to today had been willing to learn that about us. I fear her 1st annual NYE party may be her last. The groom I talked to over the weekend did stuck around, by the way, and we had a great talk about his wedding day. In fact, I just got off the phone with him. He put down his deposit and reserved us for his wedding next September.
I'm guess he knew a good buy when he saw one. That, or he figured this was one purchase he didn't want to get wrong!
Every day SOMETHING happens that makes you go, "hmmmm..." (quick nod to C+C Music Factory on that one). Today, it was a phone call I took around noon. A young lady called in looking for entertainment for a new years eve party she was throwing with a friend. After a couple of questions she could not easily answer she ran them by her friend in the background who seemed quite put off at having to answer anything (as though I could quote a rate without even knowing where the event was or what they needed).
She gave up and handed her friend the phone. I eventually gave up and offered to give her some options to see what she was most interested in since you just kept asking, "Why do you need to know that?" Upon hearing the rate for the first option, the least expensive option, our Signature Show, she hung up. Not a word. Not a thank you, not a never mind, not a go-you-know-where, nuthin'.
I'm sure this is because, in her mind, the rate she'd just heard was outrageous. She's probably a lot like the young man I talked to on Saturday who was looking for a DJ for "$200 or less" for his wedding reception (YIKES!). So, it got me thinking...
You get what you pay for. We've heard it all our lives. So much so, in fact, that we instinctively seem to recoil from it.
"I'm not stupid, I know that!" has probably run through your mind more than once. I know it's run through mine.
But do we really know it? We're all smart enough to grasp the concept, but do we really apply it to our thinking when we're shopping? Do we understand that we don't get great quality stuff at bargain basement prices. The laws of supply and demand dictate that it simply cannot be so. One way or another we end up paying. Either we pay for what we really want, or we pay to have someone fix it, or we pay mentally for our displeasure or some combination of the three (insert trite cliche #2: there's no such thing as a free lunch).
In our line of work, like any other, our competition helps make us good. Often times they charge less than we do, which forces us to make sure our product is better than less expensive DJs and videographers in order to justify our rate. Also, as the largest mobile DJ service and event video service around, we are unable to charge a rate that would be considered commensurate with the services provided because our rates must remain competitive lest we not have enough events on the books to pay the bills and keep everyone working.
I have friends working independently in the industry, both locally and across the country, that do an excellent job. For a product similar to what we produce on a far grander scale, they tend to charge 2-3 times our base rates. That means $1200-1800 for a basic DJ service or $2000-3000 for a wedding video with one manned camera.
In my eyes, it's all about value. Because of our size Complete Music and Video is able to produce a product that is not only heads and shoulders above most competitors, we are able to do so at a rate in-line with "average" DJ and video services.
I'm really proud of the product that we produce. No one has more satisfied clients than our own locally-owned Complete Music and Video. Not because we're the cheapest or the most expensive, but because we do an excellent job of finding out what you want and giving it to you. Simple as that.
Well, maybe not THAT simple. Our DJs and videographers spend hours upon hours in training every year. For instance, did you know that even with our least expensive option, the DJ option we call the Signature Show, the DJ that is assigned to your event:
- is evaluated at least once per quarter by his/her supervisor on-site at an event?
- attends 12 hours worth of staff meetings each year focused on new developments in the industry for all varieties of events (weddings, mitzvahs, anniversaries, and so on)
- has an annual review with his/her supervisor to discuss performance, goals, and things to work on?
- attends on-going training designed for experienced DJs in our Complete Music University program via classes that are held monthly?
- has an assigned mentor that assists in their ongoing training and supervision?
Cheap stuff breaks, but a great value is a great buy and a purchase of which you can be proud.
Given the price-point of our Signature Show, it would be practically impossible for us to provide that level of training and quality control without the overwhelming support our clients show by booking us and the dedication of a leadership team bent on providing the best entertainment you've ever seen at a private event.
I know that most people don't know what to expect when they're calling around, shopping for "music" for their wedding or other special event, but we hope that you'll find nothing less than the most professional, entertaining, and thoughtful service you will ever deal with in any industry. Anything less than that just won't do.
I just wish the young lady I talked to today had been willing to learn that about us. I fear her 1st annual NYE party may be her last. The groom I talked to over the weekend did stuck around, by the way, and we had a great talk about his wedding day. In fact, I just got off the phone with him. He put down his deposit and reserved us for his wedding next September.
I'm guess he knew a good buy when he saw one. That, or he figured this was one purchase he didn't want to get wrong!
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