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.

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.

                                                                        Chad and Krista Aljets 

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!

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 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.

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/
  

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

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:

• 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?

The thing is, it isn't just the RATE that you're paying because the QUALITY of the good or service you are receiving is just as important as the rate. When you put that together you have the basic equation for determining VALUE. If you are shopping as an educated consumer, what you are really looking for is a getting great value for your dollar, not just the cheapest good or service you can find.

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!