Cheap Mobile Disco Public Liability Insurance from £75

August 30th, 2009

Mobile Disco Public Liability Insurance from DJ Associates

Are you a Mobile DJ Looking for cheap public liability insurance for your mobile disco?, then look no further!, from just £75.00 per person (From £49 for Students and Under 21’s), per year you can enjoy the benefits of belonging to one of the UK’s most popular Mobile DJ associations which includes a dedicated & personalised £10m pli insurance policy backed by one of the UK’s biggest insurance underwriters, and dedicated to the professional entertainer.

DJ Associates administrator and founder Daniel Bilham, described the newly launched DJ@ as being a ‘Revolution’, whilst Chairman Jim Boylan, went on to describe the full benefits of DJ Associates membership, which goes way beyond just offering mobile dj’s more affordable public liability insurance, the full range of membership benefits include:-

* Full, £10 million Mobile Disco Public Liability insurance personalised to each individual member, which also covers the dry hire of Sound and Lighting Equipment to clients.

* Membership card, which can also include other professional memberships held by the individual, such as Equity, FSB, Pro-Dub etc

* Pli Validator, allow your website visitors or a venue to check your Public Liability insurance status and view your certificate in real time.

* Additional £10 million pli cover for Mobile DJ’s who also ‘dry hire’ Audio and Visual equipment to venues and the general public

* £250,000 legal defence costs, against action arising from legal disputes within consumer law

* Legal Advice, and representation for and on behalf of the association membership

* An exclusive, Lifetime discount from Mix Mash, a retailer of professional video media for the VJ

“The pli which we offer isn’t just an ordinary repackaged public insurance policy” says Dan. “This is a policy tailored exactly to our members’ needs and throughout, we have constantly advised our insurers that we want a policy for the Mobile DJ, so thats exactly what the policy covers, right out of the box. In addition we have negotiated the same £10m liability cover to extend to A/V and Disco equipment hired out by the registered member to the general public, and we believe that we are unique in extending this cover to our members as part of their policy and at no extra charge. In addition, our policy does also include the use of conventional fog machines, and most other popular Dj stage effects, provided they are not explosive or pyrotechnic in nature”.

DJ@ also include a futher £250,000 cover to members, to legally represent them should they encounter any legal action brought against them by a client, such as an unfounded complaint made against them under consumer trading laws.

The use of a membership card ensures that only registered members are able to use that membership number and are entitled to our pli cover, which before was always an issue with sending photocopies of certificates into venues with no way of knowing who may use, copy or access it in the future. “In the days of insurance fraud, and indentity theft, our members expressed this as a concern, and we have now addressed it” continues Dan, “The card also allows a member to professionally indentify themselves to clients, agencies and venues alike”.

Chairman Jim Boylan, also went on to discuss DJ associates newest feature – the DJ Associates Pli validator. “We noticed that one of the main players involved in website Pli validation had disappeared and nothing was immediately available to replace it. Several of our members also requested that we personalised our pli certificates to include the members’ name on the actual policy, rather than rely on the blanket cover certificates offered by various other entities, some of which were being refused acceptance in some quarters for various reasons.

Once again, we listened to our members and worked tirelessly with our insurers and webmaster and the “PLI Validator” was introduced, which now allows our members to place a small discrete logo on their website, which when clicked by the visitor shows a copy of their pli certficate, complete with the name of policy holder and confirms that they are a member of DJ Associates and that the certificate is current and valid. We expect this to find many uses, one of which is to enable a venue to check the pli & membership status of business in real time, and also print out the personalised certificate on site , and in the event of a dispute or any doubt this can be done on the actual night from the venue, requiring only a connection to the internet. This also negates the need for a DJ to photocopy and post a hard copy certificate prior to the function. Although we are flattered that many have since copied the validator, we are proud that we were the first Association to pioneer it, and as a direct result of listening to our members.”

DJ Associates is not the new kid on the block, indeed it has been around for a few years, but as a free, non profit organisation. “We are still keen to remain non profit making” says Dan, the original DJ@ Founder. “However we have begun charging subscription fees in order to offer our members further benefits, in fact, benefits which we would not even be in a position to negotiate unless we had some financial backing from our membership, and without which we simply wouldn’t be taken seriously if we approached corporate entities for partnership. The result is what you read today, the ability to offer one, if not THE most competitive public liability insurance policies around, aimed exclusively at the mobile dj industry, and with many benefits simply not seen from dedicated policies costing twice or three times the price”. We’ve set the benchmark with a policy this comprehensive for just £75.00, but this is a fast moving industry which we are proud to be representing and we can’t take our eye off the ball, and so we hope to be bringing more benchmark deals and benefits to our members very soon.

Back in 2006 and on an earlier blog entry, I asked whether any association would come forward “with Balls”. Maybe 2009 has finally produced one.

Note from Blog Owner:- I personally like the DJ@ purely because it doesn’t use its members’ fees to attend expensive exhibitions and high profile P.R excercises both in the UK and overseas, and instead seems to uphold its policy of concentrating its membership fees back into the association in the form of benefits to its membership.

For more information on joining DJ Associates, and obtaining membership entitlements plus £10m Public Liability Cover from just £75.00 a year, please visit their website at http://www.djassociates.org

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Promoting your Mobile Disco using a website

August 30th, 2009

Do you need a website?. Well that depends entirely on how you wish to market your business and whether your competitors have an online presence, it also depends on the type of clients you hope to attract. Let me ask you a straight question – Do you want to increase business for a minimum outlay?.

Most people now have some form of access to the internet, whether at home, at work or through their school or university. For many, searching for a service or product using Google is now much the prefered alternative to opening a phone directory, or scanning the Yellow Pages. With the increase in Broadband technology and the rapid fall in prices then this trend is very likely to continue and grow, with more and more people of all ages having some form of regular internet use. Do you want to miss out on this potential and growth?

Many small business owners and CEOs think nothing of spending hundreds or even thousands of pounds on conventional advertising such as that in Yellow Pages and similar directories, and yet are still missing out on the earning potential of having a website presence. For some this is simply through not having the relevant skills or feeling that they have no webdesign capabilities to even begin to build their own site. However with many webhosts now offering WYSIWYG web creation tools and web builder packages, anybody who is capable of booting a computer now has the possibility of creating a basic website to promote their business.

After word of mouth, my website accounts for nearly all of the new business which my own business gets. Given a price versus revenue comparison, it is the most competitive form of advertising which I have ever used, and the one which yields the most success when it comes to new business leads!.

Remember that the more professional your website looks, the greater chance of impressing potential clients, and of getting an enquiry. For this reason, employing the services of a webdesigner may be a prefered alternative. But for now, let’s talk about how you can build your website with only limited knowledge. Your options are popular software such as Microsoft FrontPage, or other software such as x-site pro. Many internet users have found great success in designing their own websites. Some webhosts now include free website building tools in their hosting packages. Whichever option you decide to choose, when building your website and promoting its existance, there are a few points to consider, and we will discuss those below.

Always avoid free hosting. These are webhosts who allow you to upload your own site for free onto their server. However in return they often add Advertising banners and pop ups onto your website, and these can prove very annoying to internet users, look cheap and tacky and do not portray a professional, business image. You may have a very professional looking website, however if you use free hosting then you do so at your peril and when masses of pop ups great your visitors, then they’ll often close their browsers or surf away without bothering to read any further. Professional webhosting without any form of banners is available for as little as the price of a coffee per month! – far cheaper than any form of newspaper advertising, so don’t skimp when it comes to reliable hosting.

Buy a domain name. This promotes your unique company identity, and it is also a good idea to use your company name, as your domain name. Domains ending in .co.uk are often cheaper than .com and will also boost your search engine rankings in geographical area based searches such as google UK. This may be useful to businesses only serving clients in their country, or those with overseas offices.

Remember to try and incorporate a relevant keyword describing your business service or product(s) within the domain page name. So for example, if you had a business called Acme Widgets and you had a product called Mighty Widget – then you could name the page name extension as mighty-widget.html so the url to that page would look like http://www.your-domain-name.com/mighty-widget.html

We will get to other keyword use later.

The most effective websites are the ones which load fast and offer a clean, smooth appearance free of useless information and which are largely uncluttered. Make sure that your name and description of your business appears on each page, and that if your site has more than one page that they are all linked together using an HTML Menu. Do not be tempted to use flash or other fancy image type menus, because search engines will not be able to index the site easily. If you do decide to use a flash based website then make sure that there is an HTML alternative, complete with HTML menus.

Keep the site simple. Remember that you have to make the site appealing to search engine spiders as well as human visitors in order to get your website onto the search engines. After all, it is pointless having a good, professional looking site, if nobody can find it!. Avoid the use of fancy flash based websites and splash pages, although they may add an initial wow factor to the first impression, they are often difficult for some search engines to spider and index, plus they may take forever to load on a slow connection. Very few visitors will wait 30 seconds or more for pages to load, or install special viewers so avoid going over the top with these types of presentation!

Keywords are the words that people use to enter into search engines in order to find a site. Consider which keywords people will be using to find your website. Don’t just concentrate on the obvious and most popular words which describe your business, since these will be difficult to rank highly for, due to the competition!.

Instead, look for other niche search terms and phrases too. Your website should contain as many keywords as possible on each page. Don’t be tempted to just add loads of raw keywords in meaningless strings onto your page, since search engines are wise to this practice of cheating and will penalise your site, plus it looks messy to your human visitors too!. It is far more effective to incorporate these keywords into text paragraphs and try and vary their frequency, so for example if you were a company suppling widgets in London, you could try the following:-

————————-[snip]—————————————

Widget and Sons, a family company suppling widgets in London, we are retailers of the popular Mighty widget range

And then later in the page…

For the best price on mail order widgets and sole distribution of the mighty widget contact our sales department

—————————–[/snip]——————————–

By doing this, and varying the phrases whilst keeping them keyword rich, you are effectively giving Google something to work with. Hopefully, by adding as many keyword strings as possible your site will (hopefully) appear for several different search terms such as ‘Widgets’ or ‘Mail order widgets + london’ or ‘Mighty Widget’

A Picture paints a thousand words, so don’t forget to add pictures to your website!. But keep the, fairly small so that the site loads quickly. Often 640 x 480 resolution is ideal, or use thumbnail software to load a gallery of clickable smaller images neatly onto a webpage. Remember if you use images that clients like to see happy smiling staff! and a structured, well organised company, so make sure that you don’t accidentally capture your warehouse man reading the paper, or that rubbish in the corner of the office!.

Unless your business is technical or technology based then avoid long descriptions about specifications of products and what machinery you use!. Comparing equipment is only of interest to others in the same industry as you and rarely of concern or top priority clients just looking to buy and end product or obtain service. Besides they can see just how good and how neat and tidy your business looks from your pictures!.

Always display clearly your contact information, and this should include a telephone number. Avoid Hotmail and other free web email addresses such as MSN or Yahoo because this doesn’t look professional and can also be blocked by your recipients spam filter. If you have registered a domain name for your site you will be able to set up email based on this, and cutomise it to your own requirements, for example:- sales@widget.com or enquiries@widget.com . Offering an enquiry form on your website is also a good idea, since it will prevent your email address being copied from your site to be used for Spam (Unsolicited Emails), and ensure that you have all of the relevant information from the client to be able to quote accurately.

Getting your site onto the search engines is the hardest part of the excercise, and this may take between 3 and 12 months to get a decent rank. The more you promote your site the easier it is, and the more successful the results. Simply submitting your site URL to Google’s Submit a Site page is not the most effective way of listing your site and neither is it the quickest. The most effective way of getting your site visited by Search Engines is to add your link to Existing websites of a similar theme and subject and the many online directories which already have a search engine presence.

Another very effective way of boosting search engine presence and getting your website onto search engines quicker is to swap links with other sites. Why not build a simple links page or invest in a topsites script on your website and use this to return links?. Remember that it is only polite internet etiquette to link back to websites which link to you, so it is often expected that you will have a link already in place on your own website, when you contact another webmaster and ask to add your link to his /her site!.

There are many other features which you can build into your website, such as e-commerce features including shopping carts and credit card processing facilities, if your company offers products by mail order. However adding these usually requires some detailed knowledge of website building and other skills in website code and is therefore outside of the scope of this article.

Hopefully, this website article, has given you some information on getting your business a web presence on a budget!.

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DJ Associates Tackles the Digital DJ License Head On

August 30th, 2009

Back in November 2005, two months after the PPL launched the Digital DJ Licence; the DJ Associates Disc Jockey Association was established.

Although there are many other DJ Associations, one striking feature that sets the Dj Associates apart from the others is that it vows to invest back all revenue raised from membership into representing its members’ interests . The DJA was also the first to stand up and raise awareness within the industry about the new Digital DJ License (pro-dub) and the first DJ Association to ask its members if they wished to lobby against it’s introduction.

With the support of the DJ’s United Mobile Dj Community (http://www.dj-forum.co.uk), the association has a simple code of ethics that members are expected to adopt in promoting good business practice, in turn, raising the standard that helps improve the public perception of the industry and consequently improves the DJs own business market.

When a member applies on-line to join DJ Associates, he or she will be required to fill in the usual application details and submit Public Liability Insurance document info as well as Portable Appliance Test info. That done, the applicant can also list areas of cover which are promoted on the member map for direct client contact and promote their business services.

But the DJ Associates does not stop at portraying a professional image for the industry, and protecting the interests of its clients, the DJ-A also believes in representing it’s members’ interests and leading from the front, and with the introduction of the Digital DJ licence (Pro-Dub)  and the proposed change in copyright laws threatening the very future of DJ’s, it is perfectly placed at voicing the views of its members and lobbying for a change to the fair use copyright laws enjoyed by DJ’s and consumers in other jurisdictions.

Dan Bilham, founder of DJ Associates believes that the present Licence is unfair, an opinion shared by hundreds of other DJ’s from all over the world on personal blogs, and also those who took part in a BBC Feedback forum recently.

A recent, public DJ@ poll found that 95% of all DJ’s who voted, were against the Digital Dj Licence in its present form.

The introduction of the Digital Dj licence means that DJ’s will essentially be paying additional royalties many times over purely for the right to convert their original purchased CD’s and Vinyl into an easier to manage and catalog digital format. Dan believes that it is only common sense that a DJ should be able to make one back up of his or her original material since CD’s and Vinyl are often difficult or impossible to insure.

DJ Associates does not believe that Digital DJ’s should be penalised just because they excercise the right of freedom of choice and embrace digital technology in order to use a laptop or pc to store or play music, whilst Dj’s using conventional CD’s do not require any form of licence for private functions.

“We are not condoning or encouraging piracy”, states Dan, “All we ask is that DJ’s are able to make one back up copy of their legally owned and purchased material, and play it back using a digital means without penalty or prejudice if they choose to do so without having to pay an annual fee for the duration”.

Whilst there are other groups working with the PPL and MCPS in rolling out this licence, they are largely involved in negotiating it’s cost and terms, rather than flat out fighting against it’s introduction. DJ Associates believes that it is acting in the majority interest of DJ’s, by opposing this licence, but it needs your help and support to add weight to its cause.

If you wish to add your support against the introduction of the Digital Dj Licence, and would like the benefits of being part of an association which puts the interests of the DJ first, then DJ Associates would like to invite you onboard.

“Getting on to the entertainment ladder is hard enough”, Concludes Dan, “But the DJ@ is here to help in whatever way it can.”

To add your support, or to find out more, please visit the DJA website at

http://www.djassociates.org

* Since this article was originally written back in 2006, the Digital DJ License has been introduced and is known as the Pro-Dub license.

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Booking a Mobile Disco

August 30th, 2009

This article is intended to give anybody looking to book a mobile disco, some ideas of what questions to ask, and what areas to look for, when choosing a Mobile Dj for their Wedding. Although written to advise a client looking to book a Mobile Disco for a Wedding Reception, the various points made within, may also be suitable for many other family functions where the services of a Mobile Disco may also be employed.

 One of the first things you should look for when choosing a Mobile Disco, is the information which is given in the Brochure / Website. Has the Dj taken time to provide pictures of his / her roadshow, have they written in detail about the services that they provide and taken the time to publicise how long they have been in business, what music they play, and any testimonials or professional affiliations they have. What are your first impressions of the DJ and the business they run?. Even at this early stage you should trust your instincts.

 Another area, you should look for is the availability of information, does the DJ clearly advertise their contact information. DJ’s who conduct business purely through a hotmail or yahoo address, or those who choose only give a throw away mobile phone number as a sole point of contact, should perhaps be avoided.

 The next is to contact the Mobile Disco by email or phone, to assess their suitability for your fuction. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions which you feel are important to you, and it is often a good idea to either email these, or have them written down when you make the call. The DJ is a service provider, and will have allowed plenty of time to address any questions or concerns which their clients may have. Look for descrepencies in areas where the information provided by the Dj doesn’t quite match up with that given on the website!.

 When considering booking a Mobile Disco, you should expect the DJ to play a mixed music selection suitable for all of the age groups attending. At most Wedding Receptions, with family present this usually means a wide and varied evening of music suitable for young and old tastes alike. Avoid booking any DJ who seems only interested in playing one type of music, or who will play music which may be unsuitable for the age groups in attendance. Ensure that the DJ has a comprehensive music collection, and seems knowledgable and confident on all eras of music. Again, any Dj who askes you to describe what Motown or 70’s music sounds like, is not really experienced enough and should perhaps be best avoided for this type of function.

 If required, your DJ should be able to incorporate a playlist, containing your favourite requests into the evening disco. However don’t make this list too long or specialised, since a lot of DJ’s work by “reading” the dancefloor reaction and ensuring continuity of music depending on which types of music the audience are responiding to. Since all people and audiences are different, and all individuals have different musical tastes, it is impossible to create a playlist of music before the actual function with a guarantee that running order will work with your guests.

 Most DJ’s like to also invite and include the requests of the Wedding Guests too, as well as those requested in advance by the Bride and Groom. Remember, when booking a DJ, you are also paying for his / her experience as an enertainer, so please be prepared to allow a little flexibility and continuity in your personal music choices, and any request list which you may choose to provide your DJ with.

 At most Weddings it is often a custom for the Bride and Groom to choose the first dance, and this signals the start of the actual Evening Function. At some Weddings the Bride and Groom may also choose a second track too, and this can be used to invite other guests onto the dancefloor to join the happy couple, or for the Bride and her Father to share a dance. Occasionally a third track for another key family member could also be incorporate as well, if required. Remember to ensure that this information and any request list is sent to the DJ, well ahead of the actual function date.

 When choosing a Mobile Disco, don’t just base your requirements and expectations on price alone. At many Wedding Receptions, large amounts of money have usually already been spent on the venue, the venue decor, flowers, food, and of course the Wedding Cake and other services such as a photographer, and some may think nothing of spending hundreds on extras such as a chocolate fountain whilst skimping on the entertainment!. Whilst these areas are important, many clients do make the mistake of booking a cheaper disco as a way of saving money and are then disappointed with the results.

 Realistically, it is false economy to just book the Mobile Dj who comes in with the lowest quote. Don’t forget that the evenings entertainment, will play a big role in the success of any Wedding Reception, and an inexperienced DJ, or one who doesn’t turn up at all, may ruin an otherwise pefect day. Equally a Dj who plays too loudly or who plays unsuitable music may chase away your guests early and ruin the enjoyment of those who do remain until the end. When bookng a DJ, you are paying for the difference between a jukebox in the corner and a professional entertainer, and the latter will of course expect a professional fee for their services.

 A Good Dj will be able to create a positive atmosphere and have the experience to make the function work. Remember that it is the Dj’s experience you are paying for, and not just the flashing lights.

 When booking a Mobile Disco also ask them if they have public liability insurance. This is important, should any accidents occur between the Disco Equipment and your guests, which is at the liability of the DJ you have the reassurance that they are covered. Just as importantly, a lot of venues and hotels will not allow a Mobile Disco to enter their premises unless this certificate can be produced. Therefore it is in your own interests to make sure that the DJ who you book, has this minimum requirement, otherwise you may see your disco being refused entry and be unable to carry out his obligations, leaving you without a dj, on the evening of your function. In the UK, Mobile DJ’s are also required at some venues to produce PAT (Electrcal Safety) certificates and so, if you live in the UK or other countries which require this, then make sure that your mobile disco has the level of requirements expected by your hotel or Wedding venue.

 Most DJ’s will dress accordingly depending on the formality of the event, at Wedding Receptions the usual dress for a function would be a Tux or a suit. If you have any special requirements for attire, such as black tie or if the function has a theme or fancy dress, then any DJ worth their reputation will dress suitably for the function or theme if instructed.

 This is YOUR function and YOUR special day, so any mobile disco should be flexible as to the arrangements and your music requirements, so it is important to discuss these requirements prior to making a confirmed booking. Most DJ’s structure their fee according to how many hours they work, so give some serious considerations to the timescale of the event. Remember that the Evening Function and its start time is reliant not only on other earlier activites such as the ceremony and the wedding breakfast running to schedule, but also the arrival of any guests for the Evening function who may be running late. So don’t book your disco to start too early in order to allow for some inevitable over running and late arriving guests.

 When considering the finishing time for your disco, also consider how long most of the guests have been in attendance, will they have the energy to dance until 1AM, if they have been at the ceremony since 1PM?. Do you have a function with a lot of young children or elderly relations who may leave the venue early? have any relatives travelled a long distance to be there, and who may too need to leave early in order to return home?. All these are important considerations which decide whether your Wedding Disco finishes at Midnight or runs on well into the early hours!, and again the duration of the function will reflect in your DJ’s fee.

 Also remember to mention to the DJ any special requirements. Do you want the use of the Microphone and P,A system for the speeches?, Do you want background music during any meal or buffet breaks?, is the DJ sharing the reception with a band?. Is the Dj expected to set up in a marquee?, is there limited space at the venue or limited access to set up?

 Above all, always trust your insticts when contacting Mobile Discos, consider how much interest the DJ showed in your function, did they ask any questions?, did they appear professional and courteous?, how long did it take them to respond to your enquiry?, did they answer your questions in detail?.

 Remember that how long a Mobile Disco has been in business is an important factor, if in doubt you should always remember to ask the DJ if they can provide references from clients who have booked them for similar events. Please remember that is not always practical to see a Mobile DJ working, especially if that DJ only provides mobile discos for weddings, and of course in this situation it would not be ethical or professional for a working Dj to invite potential clients to other peoples private functions for viewing purposes

 When you choose your Disco and book the event, then expect to pay a small deposit in order to secure the date of the function. It’s also very important that your booking details and terms are sent to you in writing, and that you have some form of contract with the DJ.

 I hope that this article has proved useful in giving some basic information on what questions to ask, what to look out for, and the various areas of planning which should be considered when booking a mobile disco for your event

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Do DJ Associations serve a purpose?

August 30th, 2009

The last DJ association which got my yearly subscription was the now defunct CADJ (Central Association of DJ’s) in 1993, back then your £35 a year got you an annual membership and public liability insurance, however when it came to representation it served very little. I attended several meetings which were usually held on a Sunday Lunchtime in a Stoke-On-Trent pub. After a few meetings, I wondered exactly what the purpose of the CADJ actually was. The meetings usually consisted of DJ’s turning up with their wives and kids, and the kids running riot – not that different from the Wedding Receptions which we ourselves attend.

 

There was a friendly atmosphere, but other than the fact that it was publicised as a CADJ meeting, it could have simply been a lunchtime social pint down at the local pub.

 

I ceased my membership, when it was apparent that the CADJ were not going to pave the way for any ground breaking new business tips, and that I was not going to learn anything new from being a member. Other than the reduced priced Public Liability Insurance there was no other advantage to being a member. I had seen enough to convince me that the CADJ was just a Youth Club for DJ’s to meet up and have a pint.

 

Nowadays, my prejudices are just the same as they were back then. Purely because I have yet to see anything to convince me otherwise. I am not a member of any association, purely because I can’t see what my £££ is going to get me!. Many of todays associations seem to be great at organising Bar-B-Q’s and demonstrations from Members’ Roadshows but when it comes to something a little bit more challenging they are no were to be found.

 

Sadly, I still see DJ Associations as being a form of Jolly Boys Club. Lots of back slapping, and congratulating of each other at Committee level, and very little, if any, interest shown in it’s members. Certainly I have yet to see any DJ Association stick it’s neck on the line for the rights of just one of it’s members, and I have yet to hear any stories of associations going that extra mile for a DJ in trouble or needing support.

 

With new legislation changing the way in which Dj’s do business, and the changes in the Entertainment laws, where is the input and consultation with the associations on behalf of their members, there are no stories in the Music Media or cached on google.

 

The Pro-Dub Licence has now been introduced, this is a licence which is meeting with stiff opposition from the Majority of Digital DJ’s. What are the associations doing to address this?, what action are they taking?. Surely they can’t be backing and embracing a piece of legislation which so many of their members have already expressed some level of concern about?.

 

Bar-B-Q’s and Social events are a bonus, but I would want so much more from an association, I would certainly want it leading by example and actively opposing or challenging laws and legislations which could threaten the future of the industry. Months after the legislation was announced, I have still yet to see a press release from the associations giving their stance on the changes and polling or leading it’s members on a course of action. True I am not a member of any association so I would not be a party to any members only information, but I know plenty of DJ’s who are members of the various assoications, and the collective silence has been deafening.

 

If I wanted social nights, I would join the British Legion Club, If I wanted to view another Members’ Roadshow I would go to a pub where they were playing and have a pint. But sadly there are far more pressing changes which need addressing, and our industry needs defending.

 

Will the future see an Association with balls? 

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What should I charge for a Mobile Disco?

August 30th, 2009

Most D.J’s tend to be Self Employed and working for themselves therefore they set their own fee for the entire function rather than pay themselves on an hourly basis. The the best way of finding out how much D.J’s charge in your local area, is to phone a local D.J and ask how much it would cost you to book a disco

The best way to start out is to charge the average for your area. This way you are not to expensive, and not too cheap either. To work out the average you need to contact 4 local D.J’s with an enquiry for a typical event, say a Wedding Reception, at a local hotel for 7pm to 12.00 finish. Write down the four quotes, and then do a basic bit of Maths.

 Quotes from your local competition are £140, £190, £145 and £160

 Add these Together:- £140 + £190 + £145 + £160 = £635

 Divide this total by 4 (or the number of quotes you got) = £158.75

 Round up to the nearest full £10 figure, so £158.75 round up to £160

 Charge your own clients £160, which would be an average fee.

You may think that D.J’s get paid well  but when you take into account that their fee also has to pay for C.d’s, Advertising, Vehicle Cost’s and Fuel, and the purchasing and maintaining of their Sound and Lighting Equipment means that only a small percentage of the fee charged is actually profit for the D.J. Obviously if you can get booked 2 or 3 times a week, rather than once a month then you will make more money.

Many D.J’s have to start out by undercutting other D.J’s locally in order to win business. There are some points about this which you may like to consider. First of all, being the cheapest isn’t always the best move especially for those with little experience. Clients may be suspicious of any new disco on the block, providing a service for below the going rate, they may feel that by being the cheapest that you aren’t good at the job. Of course this is the direct opposite of what you intended it to do.

 If you are confident about the service you provide then why undersell your abilities? or Underprice yourself. Always charge the going rate, or average fee for the area. You may have to work twice as hard on promoting your business and spend more on advertising, but being the cheapest is not really a viable option.

You also need to keep accounts. If your Disco is run alongside other self employment or a full time Job, then you’ll probably have to pay tax on every penny of profit you make. So don’t forget to factor in these costs as well, and any accountants fee’s!.

In the beginning you may choose to work for a D.J as an assistant or roadie, in order to learn the business. You may find that the pay is very poor – sometimes you may have to offer to help out for nothing in order to gain experience, although you’ll probably find that most D.J’s will pay you a small amount to help out, or cover your expenses Remember, although the pay is poor, as a “Roadie” you will be gaining the valuable experience of how to run a Disco, which is something that can’t be taught in any college or attending a DJ course, which may cost YOU!.

Regular Booking Charges

 Regular Bookings are a good way to win regular work, and a good P.R excercise at the same time. Pubs and Function Rooms may expect a discount in return for a diary full of bookings, or a full block of bookings over the Xmas period. Depending on the amount of work given you can negotiate a discount. An fair idea would be 20% if the booking was on a weekly basis, or 10% to 15% if it was just a short run of bookings. Don’t forget that if you have a residency you may be able to leave all or part of your gear set up all of the time, making the Job easier for you.

 

Charity Events

 You will probably be approached by numerous charities every year, each wanting to obtain your services cheaply or for nothing. Every year I do one Free function for a nominated charity, and then a small discount to any registered charity event, booked during the rest of the year.

 Charity events can be a good community P.R excercise. If you decide to help a charity out on price, then also negotiate advertising in return for your services. Perhaps a free ad in their newsletter, or a sponsor announcement in the local press

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Choosing Wedding Music

August 30th, 2009

Music can help to create the right atmosphere and set the mood during the wedding ceremony and during the wedding celebrations. Deciding which music should be played at you wedding is one of the most important decisions you need to make when planning your special day.

 An important factor in choosing your music is the setting for your wedding ceremony. If your ceremony will be in a church or synagogue, you will probably be required to stay within the guidelines set by the Church or synagogue.

 There are two aspects of wedding music that need to be addressed when planning your big day. First, you may wish to select certain music or arrange for professional soloists or musicians to play during the actual wedding ceremony. But at the wedding reception, it’s pretty much anything goes when it comes to selecting wedding music, provided it’s tasteful. Everyone’s requirements are different so don’t be afraid to discuss any special requirements with whoever you’re hiring.

 Start planning your wedding music early. Good talent gets booked fast and you don’t want to end up having to select the brand new DJ with only a few weddings under his belt or something even worse. Booking your music a full year in advance is advisable but at a minimum, you should know who will be showing up and what he or she will be playing at least six months prior to the wedding date.

 For most weddings, selecting the music for the wedding ceremony isn’t that complicated because most often, it’s controlled by the person in charge at the location where the ceremony will take place. When you’re researching your wedding ceremony options, be sure to inquire about any guidelines with respect to wedding ceremony music as these could possibly impact your decision. If the ceremony is being held outdoors, check for electrical hook-ups or book live musicians.

 Wedding music during the ceremony is basically secondary to the ceremony itself so the music is really meant to sort of ‘fill in the gaps’ during the non-speaking periods such as while guests are being seated, during the procession, and while lighting the unity candles. Of course, it’s your wedding and it can be custom-designed.

 The music that’s played at the reception, however, is going to mean the difference between a successful reception and one that’s ho-hum. And this is where things can start to get complicated. When you begin searching for wedding reception music, you’ll realize rather quickly that you have a lot of options. You can book a live band, or a DJ that’ll play pre-recorded music, or you can buy that CD full of top wedding songs and have someone act as the DJ.

 It’s important that you both agree on the type of wedding music you want played at your reception. There are ‘traditional’ songs that almost always are played at certain points during the reception such as the father/daughter dance, the cake cutting, the dollar dance and so on. And then there is all the music in between. Do you want jazz, country, R&B, new age, Italian, Latin, Jewish-inspired, or a little bit of everything? That’s an important decision to make because the musicians you select have to be able to deliver what you want or you won’t be happy.

 Your specific choice of music should be discussed with the musicians or DJ well before the event and they should be able to provide you with some ideas. Try to book experienced professionals for your wedding music. Always ask for and check references. Even contact the Better Business Bureau. If booking live talent, arrange to hear a live performance before booking. Scrutinise the contract before signing to make sure all parties agree on the number of hours music will be provided and that everything that has been agreed to is in writing. Find out the cancellation and refund policy, too.

Your wedding day will be one of the most treasured memories of your life. Selecting the right wedding music can take a lot of time and effort, so start planning early.

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Choosing a Mobile Disco

August 30th, 2009

Hiring music entertainment can arguably be the most important booking made for your wedding. A Mobile Disco can make or break the evenings entertainment, and a bad DJ or one who fails to turn out, can ruin an otherwise perfect day. What you pay for is what you get is a good rule of thumb. However, I would like to educate the consumer, future brides and grooms, of how to hire a DJ and things to consider. The following are all important factors to consider when hiring a disc jockey BEFORE you sign the contract.

 1. Who would be the DJ for your occasion? Many DJ companies are a multi-system operation. Be sure to have in writing of who your DJ will be at your event. By booking through an agency it is unlikely that the Mobile Disco who attends will be the person you spoke to on the phone.

 2. How many years experience does your DJ have with your type of function? Anyone can pretend to be a DJ. If you are having a formal event, does your DJ know how to organise a wedding reception or a grand entrance? or how about the Wedding Arch for the Bride and Grooms departure at the end of the Evening. The DJ should perform the type of show that you want!

 3. Does the DJ get everyone involved dancing or do they just play music? You have to ask yourself if you want a DJ that will get everyone dancing? For example, will the DJ involve guests by playing and conducting motivational dances like YMCA, Grease Hi-Ho Silver Lining, Cha Cha Slide or just play back to back music.

 4. Will the DJ be dressed appropriately? Formal means tuxedo or dress. Semi-formal means dress pants, shirt & tie or slacks and blouse. Casual means polo shirt or company shirt. Be sure the DJ is dressed appropriately during set-up and takedown of equipment. Some guests do arrive early and stay late.

 5. What is the DJ’s fee? How much is overtime?  Will there be an extra charge for lighting, what does the lighting include? How much is travel to your location? Are you ONLY paying for the time the DJ performs?

 6. Does the DJ include a contract? Be sure to have all details of your function in writing. The DJ must know the date, place, and time! You must know each other’s names and phone numbers including the DAY of the occasion.

 7. Is the DJ company professional? This may sound silly, but does the DJ have insurance? Accidents do happen. Some venues will not allow the DJ to work in them unless they have a minimum of public liability insurance (PLI). It’s better to be prepared and ask the question before you book oterwise worst case sceanario is that the DJ will arrive at your Wedding, be unable to produce the insurance documents and be refused entry. Also, is the DJ a member of a national DJ association like DJ Associates or SEDA?.

 8. What kind of equipment does the DJ use? Typically, if a DJ is using a brand of equipment you can buy at your local retail store, then that’s what you will get. Excellent brand names include: JBL, Community, Denon, Gemini, QSC, Crown, etc. Always, and I mean always, ask if the DJ has back-up equipment WITH them for your function. Also, be sure the DJ brings the right amount of sound for the number of guests expected.

 9. What music do you play? How many music selections will the DJ have WITH them? Be sure your DJ takes requests before and during your function. Also, give them a guideline of what you want played. However, this is what the DJ is paid to do. Don’t limit the DJ by saying you want all of one kind of music or a list of 100 songs they must play. The best scenario is to play any type of music that gets people dancing and having fun. By the way, it should be understood the DJ does not play any offensive music.

 10. Above all don’t expect your DJ to be a mind reader, or carry a lot of specialised music. If there is any special requirements, make sure that you point them out BEFORE the function

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Microphone Technique

August 30th, 2009

Microphone Technique

Although it sounds strange to you, to hear your own voice over the P.A, in fact it doesn’t sound any different to the audience than if you were talking to them in normal conversation.
The trick here is to be Yourself, if you haven’t got the skill to project a warm friendly personality at the functions where ice breaking is required then being an entertainer isn’t for you. The trick is to find a balance, most people would simply hire the gear – saving around 50% of a D.J’s booking fee and throw a NOW Cd on – if human input and personality wasn’t important to them. At some functions, if they pay for an entertainer and get a human jukebox who doesn’t own a mic and just sits there playing music then they occasionally feel cheated!.

I can’t stress the “BE YOURSELF”, advice enough, don’t put on a Smashy and Nicey hot rockin’ voice – that sounds false and doesn’t fool anybody. If you are lucky enough to have a D.J training you, or are a young person helping an older mentor D.J then DON’T be tempted to become a clone of him or her. Adopt your own mic style (not a false voice), use your own tag lines but don’t rely on the same cliche’s 20 or 30 times a night – this becomes boring and predictable.

Don’t rely on “that was”, “This is” introductions all night. At some functions going out with a Radio Mic and creating banter with your audience is a great way to break the ice at the beginning of difficult, non formal functions – and a good way of enouraging them onto the dancefloor early on. You can relax the mic work and the frquency of them – once the dancefloor is filling.

Of course there are always going to be functions where you need more mic work than the last, and other functions where it is going to be little mic use, but the key is to develop a style and strength and confidence in your mic working ability and not to rely on non stop music alone to do the work for you.

Just be yourself, and talk normally into the microphone. The thing to work on is to speak confidentally and clearly and try to pace yourself. Speaking too fast will make what you are saying sound garbled, speaking too slow will make you sound like you are addressing a bunch of village idiots smile.gif . Pretty soon, with a little time and practice you’ll develop your own individual skill and style and that is the most important aspect, don’t try to copy anybody else or put on a different voice, it will sound false and make learning and maintaining the technique a lot more difficult.

If  being a comedian is not you, then avoid the jokes unless you are good at this sort of thing , forced comedy can sound false and you may find yourself laughing alone, after all the Client has booked a Mobile Disco and not a stand up comedian!. One of the best pieces of advice I was given my the D.J who trained me, was to “Stick at doing what you are good at and have been booked for, and if in any doubt then leave it out”.

Spontaneous one liners are another matter, if something amusing happens, then share it – use the mic to get requests, make a fuss over other people celebrating birthdays / anniversaries – people like to have their 30 seconds of glory and hearing their name mentioned, over the mic smile.gif

My advice to newbies, is not to be frightened of the mic or avoid using one – its your closest and most useful ally, at all functions. Don’t talk all over the track, learn to pace yourself over the outro of the previous track and any intro of the next track – don’t gabble – talk clearly into the microphone as if you were talking to a friend. With time you should be able to familiarise yourself with how themore popular tracks end and finish, this way you can talk upto the vocal, similar to how they do on the radio – stopping your banter at the moment the vocal on the next track starts. Don’t rush to perfect this or gabble to do so, it all comes with time and practice. Keep it simple to start off with.
 
Start with the easy stuff first, just introducing tracks, and buffet announcements. Once you’ve built up a bit of confidence, you’ll move on from the ‘That was….. this is….’ routine. Try and include your audience, invite requests, make them feel welcome. Even if you are having a difficult gig don’t take it out on the audience and try and look like you are enjoying yourself, even if it’s not going to plan. Don’t worry about making mistakes on the Mic, we all do from time to time, but don’t draw attention to it, or dwell on it it’ll just make it worse – besides making mistakes shows that you are human and not a pre-programmed jukebox
 
Keep key information on the gig, such as the Bride & Grooms’ names, Best Man Name etc on a piece of paper on the mixer, so that you can casually glance down if you have a sudden memory blank, but don’t write your links down as a speech, otherwise it will sound like you are reading from a script and less natural.
Remember that once the dancefloor is full, you can ease off the mic a little, but keep doing the requests and don’t forget that it exists. Learn to find the balance, too much talking can bore the pants of your audience, too little mic work can make people think that you aren’t earning your keep!. There are functions where you have a full Dancefloor and it would be obtrusive to chat all over the music when people want to dance, equally there are more formal functions where there isn’t the room or inclination to dance, and so a bit of light hearted banter to break the ice and the empathsis on the entertainment side of being a DJ is required rather than just continuous music
 
All of this will take some time, don’t expect to develop a mic technique overnight just take it one gig at a time.

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Legislation is Killing the Mobile DJ

August 30th, 2009

(This Blog Entry was Originally Posted on 30th November 2005, the Digital DJ License is now launched and upon us. It is now called the Pro-Dub license)

Did legislation kill off the DJ, or was it Video Killed the Radio Star?

Either way Buggles didn’t see this one coming, although perhaps George Orwell did

First it was the Textile Industry, Then it was the Manufacturing Industry, Then Rover and the Car Industry got sold out, now the hammer has fallen and the cross hairs are aimed at the Mobile Disco industry.

Over Dramatised?, Perhaps! but ignore the dire predictions of the title above at your peril.

When I started out as a DJ in 1988, I was a 15 year old learning the business, legislation was just something which affected large companies and corporations who employed staff to deal with the European paperwork mountain. The DJ’s sole worry was about entertaining his or her audience and whether the latest Bros track was going to hit no 1. PAT testing was largely unheard of, but strangely the papers were not filled with stories of members of the public being electrocuted, Public Liability insurance only applied to Window Cleaners and Bricklayers, but the papers were not filled with stories of Mobile DJ’s Speakers cracking open heads when the toppled onto the crowd below.

Now the DJ is not only an entertainer and reluctant manager of a business, he is also expected to be an accountant, a Health and Safety Executive and, it seems, a previously untapped cash cow who is now being milked for every penny that he or she earns. Nowadays the legislation deems that we have to have Public Liability Insurance, Pat Test certificates and be able to spend our free time not entertaining people, but instead writing risk assessments and dealing with record companies. It’s not political correctness that we have to fear folks, it’s the dark spectre of legislation which steals up on you like some industrial disease.

But the latest travesty to hit the Entertainment Industry, Ladies

and Gentleman may I present to you………

The Digital DJ Licence

In a world which has gone completely mad, and a country which already forces it’s mortals to pay twice for the same thing, the powers that be at PPL have put their collective heads together and decided to get a piece of the action. Somebody somewhere woke up one morning and thought ‘Hey, how can we make DJ’s pay ongoing annual fees for the material which they have already legally bought’ and decided that in order to create some additional revenue it would charge DJ’s £200 a year purely for the right to convert one type of media (which they have already bought) to another type of media purely for easier archive and playback purposes.

Yes, fellow Dj’s the age old rumour that you can back up your original CD’s to MP3 format for use on a Hard Drive or Digital based player legally in the UK is FALSE! . Doing so is illegal and likely to risk prosecution despite it being perfectly legal and acceptable in many other European Countries, and America  either under Fair Use conditions in local copyright acts or the Home Recording Act of 1992 (U.S.A). So in other words, UK based DJ’s are being singled out, penalised and getting the raw deal once again.

The Digital DJ Licence costs you £200 and this gives you the right to back up original CD’s to MP3 or other digital format for storage and playback on Hard Drive format (upto a maxium of 20,000 tracks) for use on a PC or Laptop, however like anything else there are conditions and several flaws.

I have a Digital DJ Licence so surely I am now fully covered

False!.

The first and perhaps most largest flaw in the Digital DJ Licence is the fact that the PPL licence is only half the story!. In order to remain fully legal you also need permission to convert the tracks from the MCPS as well.

The Digital DJ licence only covers the PPL side of the law. As well as buying the Digital DJ Licence you will need to contact the MCPS and obtain a licence from them or risk prosecution. Since the MCPS (at the time of writing) do not have a blanket licence similar to the Digital DJ licence in place nor are they part of this Digital DJ licence, then this is likely to work out very expensive and time consuming once you contact the MCPS and also the individual record labels of all of the artists whose material you are converting in order to obtain permission. Assuming they DO give you permission!.

If the MCPS or Record Label decline permission to convert any or all requested tracks and you have already bought the Digital Dj Licence then sadly, you have bought yourself a white elephant.

What Additional rights and facilities does the Digital DJ Licence Offer?

Other than the right to convert your existing original CD collection to a more flexible means of archive and playback, absolutely nothing. You cannot use the digital back up at the same time as your original CD Material, so having two roadshows and using your CD material at one, and Laptop at the other would naturally still be illegal and is not granted under the terms of the Digital DJ Licence.

Personally I believe that making Dj’s pay twice and ongoing for converting material, is simply put, unfair discrimination and an attempt at cashing in on the rights of individuals to choose to use alternate technologies where they are available in their marketplace. Dj’s in other countries are not subject to the same laws and fees, so why should UK DJ’s be charged? – after all, we already pay more than our colleagues in other countries for the original CD’s in the first place, charging us a yearly fee on top of that is just taking the piss.

What would happen if everybody was charged an annual fee to own and play their legally purchased CD’s in addition to the cost of the CD’s in the first place? - there would be a public outcry and rightly so.Why should this stealth tax on Digital Dj’s be treated with kid gloves?

But we are DJ’s and using material commercially therefore we should pay

This is a tired point and one which is flawed. If you are going to use this point, then what you are suggesting is that all DJ’s should be paying a yearly fee to PPL to play music where a fee is paid to the DJ. There can be no half measures or discrimination here. Either all DJ’s who work for a booking fee (ie to make money) irrespective of whether it’s a public or private function should pay the same Digital Licence fee every year whether they use CD, MP3 or a PC as a means of medium. Is a Digital Dj any more commercially desirable than a conventional CD or Vinyl one, do they earn more money?, command higher fees? do they deny the artist royalties?

Let me ask you a question, if a DJ buys a CD from the High Street for £12.99, goes home and converts it to MP3 purely because it is a more flexible and prefered method of playback for him / her, then leaves the CD in a cupboard at home whilst they take their laptop / pc to a gig, how is this adversely affecting the artiste who created the music?, is the artiste any worse off financially because of these actions? do they deserve a higher fee to compensate?.

Also remember that any venue we work in has to have an entertainment licence by law, which is payable to PPL, meaning that for playing music at least the PPL already has had it’s pound of flesh!.

How did this legislation get in and why wasn’t I consulted?

Like most new legislation, rumour has it that this one arrived via the back door too. There was appearently DJ’s and DJ Associations who were consulted as to their opinion on the matter and the licence was rumoured to have been constructed around their feedback and requirements. However exactly who was consulted and which DJ Associations remain a mystery because nobody has come forward.

Recent polls on The DJ’s United Forum show that the majority of DJ’s are not happy with the licence in its current form.

Q) “Should we sit back and accept this attempt to dictate and drive through a back door law without resistance?”

95% voted NO

Another Similar Poll conducted from Members of the DJ Associates Mobile DJ Association also contained similar results

Q) Would you support a decision to postpone the current digital dj license provided by PPL until the problems, issues and ‘flaws’ can be addressed and looked into for resolve?’

The majority replied YES

Q) Other DJ associations such as NADJ, SEDA, MDA, along with other potential dj groups will be looking to form a potential united front to lobby / postpone the PPL digital dj license.
Do you agree to DJ Associates being part of an agreed united lobby?

The majority replied YES

What has this to do with the original title of this article?

The article title was simply ‘Legislation is killing the Mobile DJ Industry’ because I believe that legislation has once again reared it’s ugly head, and like all of the (stronger) industries which have been hit before it, we are all going to suffer as a result. Let’s take for example, the average earnings of the Mobile DJ, which compared to other ‘National Average Wages’ is actually pretty low. Most DJ’s earn well under £15,000 a year, many run a Mobile Disco as a part time hobby one or two nights a fortnight, which may net them as little as £4000 – £8000 a year “pocket money”.

Most Dj’s, even part timers operate legitimately, meaning that they pay Tax, and sometimes National Insurance. They also have to maintain their vehicles, pay high fuel costs to get to gigs and maintain their tools of the trade. Within the last fifteen years the need has arisen to obtain and pay Public Liability fees and annual Pat Tests, some childrens entertainers also have to seek and pay for a Police Check. Now deduct all of this legal legislation from your income, together with increased Car Insurance Premiums for those involved in the Entertainment Industry, and the higher cost (compared to other countries) of obtaining the CD Material in the first place, and tell me whether they can afford to survive if forced to pay what could be well into four figures every year purely to convert what they already own into a more flexible media?.

The Digital DJ Licence from PPL costs £200 a year, but how much for the MCPS copyright fees?, and how much will each individual record company demand?. Unlike Paying tax, these fees are not based on profit, turnover or how busy the DJ is or his expenses or circumstances. £1000 in copyright fees may not be a lot of money if you are Pete Tong, or a DJ working full time and netting £30k+ per year, however it is a lot of money to the DJ working part time, in their first year of business and who has just about scraped £2000 turnover from doing gigs at the local school. How many Dj’s fall into the latter category?, and how many are likely to call it a day as a result?.

Very soon the legitimate, veteran Mobile DJ’s will be forced on the dole or back to working on Burton’s in-shop Radio. It just won’t be worth the effort any more, given that most DJ’s earning average fees will be working 9 months of the year just to pay their copyright fees. The only DJ’s who will remain in business will be the £30 a nighters, working cash in hand for the local pub and working underground to avoid the PPL radar.

So you believe that this is unfair to Digital Dj’s ?

Does a rocking horse have a wooden dick?. Yes of course it is unfair to Mobile Dj’s because it is a piece of legislation which is deliberately targeted at one particular type of DJ and penalises them above all of the others based soley on the format of media which they choose to use. Let’s for example say that DJ’s who still used Vinyl had to pay a yearly fee purely because they found that format more workable over all of the others on offer. This Digital Licence is unfair because it does not allow the Digital Dj to compete on an even keel, with their colleagues who choose to use a different format because their ongoing business costs are higher than those Dj’s who choose to use a different format.

Let’s approach this from another angle and assume that a licence fee was levied on the DJ who choose to use Widget Cd Players whilst DJ’s who used other forms of CD player get off without paying a penny. It’s all about freedom of choice and that should not be penalised.

What can we do about it?

Make your voice heard and stop waiting around for other people to do it for you!. Join an association such as DJ Associates which is opposed to the new laws and actively engaged in researching it’s legality. Also consider joining the debate and lending your support to colleagues through the The DJ’s United – Mobile DJ Forum and Community

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