Mobile DJ Tips: How a Solid Plan Makes Every Event Gig Easier

A “mobile DJ” is a DJ who isn't tied to any club and brings their own gear to the events they play. They turn up at just about any event you might need them for: weddings, birthday parties, conferences…

“Mobile DJ” may be an unfamiliar term in Vietnam, but it describes something close to home that you have probably come across many times. If you want to become a mobile DJ, this article from djtechtools.com will help you make every gig as successful as it can be.

At these gigs, a mobile DJ works with new clients at different venues week after week. Every client has their own personality and requirements, even for the same type of event. Those requirements also call for specific equipment, because every venue is different. The better prepared you are, the more you can focus on DJing, MCing and hosting without anything going wrong.

I play four nights a week – why would I need a special plan?

If you play in clubs, most of the preparation only has to be done once, and sometimes it is mostly a matter of getting in the right headspace. Your job is to negotiate your fee and find the tracks that fit. Then, on the night, you run the room and deliver the vibe you want. Each night may be a little different, but on the whole, once you get used to it, the work repeats itself every week and you don't need any notes at all.

Event gigs are not that simple. Some only need something low-key and relaxed, while others want you to work the crowd – grabbing the mic and hyping people up even when there are only two people on the dance floor.

You will be dealing with events that you only play once, week after week, so trying to remember every client's requests is a bad idea and will stress you out when you are focused on giving them the best possible service. To avoid that, you need an organised plan that you send to your clients, along with how you can help them create a truly “magical journey”.

A note on equipment: there is such a huge range of gear today that you face countless options for each individual venue.

Usually, though, the PA and lighting systems shouldn't be overly complicated. With these systems, a little finesse in how you position them goes a long way.

The forms a mobile DJ needs

As mobile DJs, we need a couple of simple forms:

• A song request form
• A timeline of everything that has to happen at each point in the event

The second form is one you adapt to each situation. You'll want a flexible plan that reflects the variety of events you play. For example, for a party at a hotel restaurant, you should make one plan of your cues for the front desk and a separate one for the waiting staff. Get to know what each person can do so you can work together to make the event a success.

The song request form

If you are a professional, you can research your clients before booking a gig – and giving them a well-thought-out, creative plan is the right thing to do. I recommend giving clients a song request form so they know what will be played and what fits. It is also a great way to show them how organised you are and how seriously you take your preparation.

Here is what a song request form should include:

• The top must-play songs. “Must” means the songs your client really wants to hear. Explain this and ask them to list their favourite songs. I also usually suggest that clients note whether they want to dance to a particular song at the party. But their list should be limited to 10 songs – you don't want each of them handing you an endless list, do you?
• A rating scale for music genres. A key point is which genres your client likes. List some popular genres such as pop, rock, country and so on. For example, give them a form where they rate each genre from 1 to 5, and mark an X if they don't want that genre at the event at all.
• The do-not-play list: I've had clients tell me that other DJs didn't even look at their “do-not-play list”. Don't be that DJ.
• If you can only play an event where your strengths lie in songs, artists or genres the client doesn't want to hear, I strongly recommend broadening your musical knowledge before you take the gig.
• Other requests: I tell clients they can also give me a list of songs they would like to have. These may not all get played at the event, but they help you understand the client's taste in music.

Songs that should never be played at a wedding

The event plan

An event plan needs to be a bit more specific. You can have general, basic plans for parties and events, but you will want to build a proper plan for each of them. Here are a few examples:

• Weddings need the introductions, the first dance, the cake cutting and so on.
• School proms need the seniors' dance, the prom judges, King & Queen and so on.

The point of this plan is to build a timeline you can refer to throughout the event. It is also a plan you can attach to your contract and review in more detail once you know the event's schedule.

It would be really awkward to interrupt your client during the event to find out what happens next – just as it would be for them to interrupt you to ask. The last thing you want to hear is “Hey! Are you ready for X, Y, Z?”

Here are the basics this plan should include:

• Anything that needs a track: any item in the timeline that calls for a specific track you want to add as an option. The first dance, the intro song, the dances at a birthday party and so on.
• Ceremonies of any kind of event: rituals and formalities are often the most important key to an event's success. Speeches, prayers and so on – these are what you need to put on the list so you know which steps will happen. For example, in Malaysia most people are Muslim, so there are set prayer times, such as at dusk.
• Important announcements: some things are just announcements, but you may be the one who has to make them. Simple examples are announcing that the dinner buffet is ready or introducing a fireworks display just outside the stage. You don't need to list everything, but adding a few options and letting your client know what they can add to the event is not a bad idea.
• How do you share the plan with your client?
• A long time ago, I used to send clients a completely blank plan for them to fill in themselves, but they were incredibly slow to send it back to me.

Not having the key music for someone's event felt like being stuck, so putting that experience behind me became my top priority.

These days, I usually set up a Google Drive folder for me and the client. That way we can discuss and edit the plan together, and we usually find we're on the same page in our preparation. I'm sure there are plenty of other ways to share and edit a plan, but Google Drive works really well for me.

Improve your plan to fit the way you work

The plan I use gets better every year. I often change both the information and the layout to keep everything neat and professional.

Remember: be a mobile DJ who prepares well and has great organisational skills. The better organised you are, the easier it is to earn the trust of your next clients for your gigs.

Source: Raver.vn