Stop Reading Reviews: Hire That DJ!

By DJ Ross Efaw

I recently read an article on the web, titled something like “Don’t Hire That DJ: How To Avoid Unreliable DJs and Sleazy Salesmen”... something along those lines.  Now, I am DJ and a sales manager for Sound In Motion, so I sell lots of other DJ’s to clients for their weddings.  Up until that point, I confess that I had never read a single article about hiring wedding DJs, and I have been fairly successful without doing so- I know, I’m a savant.  So despite the uninviting title of the article, I thought I would check it out, if nothing else by career obligation.

Turns out it was a pretty informative read.  I mean they do cover all the necessary things to ask, and of course a few things that are not (you really don’t need to bother former clients for recommendations- that’s what Yelp is for).  But the thing that stuck out to me most was how defensive the tone of the article was.  As if all wedding DJs are out to rob you, and every dollar in your wedding budget, and then tie your shoelaces together under the table!  Or even worse, we may not show up at all if a better, higher paying gig comes along!!  In that case we just take your money and flee to Australia to fund our endless surfing safaris...Muwhaha!

But let me tell you honestly, that simply isn’t true.  We are not used car salesmen, or surfing conmen- and we do sincerely care about your wedding.  Yes, we have a lot of events to think about every week, of every month- but we still care.  
Now, I’m not saying all DJ’s are saints, there are a lot of bad performers out there for any number of reasons.  But we are all normal (mostly) human beings with lives, feelings, emotions and creative aspirations.  For me, the best weddings are when I’m allowed to inject a little bit of my personality into the event.  I like to have fun, show shades of human emotion, be reactive, anticipatory, and improvise!  I’m not trying to earn my wage, or a tip, or a good referral.  I’m out there trying to maximize the experience for everyone involved- including myself.  Once that energy is allowed to resonate and synergize with everyone, there is nothing in the evening that can stop us from having a great time!

So don’t be too afraid to trust your DJ.  If you have a good feeling about your DJ, then hire him or her!  Otherwise someone else will, and you might be stuck with a DJ you are really unsure about...  Don’t let things like interviews, testimonials, and demos block you from hiring someone you really feel good talking to.  Yes, you should ask the right questions, and you should do a little research.  But wedding DJ’s are unique entertainers.  Once they’re booked- they’re gone, and they’ll never be yours.  And like the young star-crossed lovers of Romeo and Juliet you may always wonder “What if?...”

There is one concept that article made a point to remember when selecting a DJ that I completely agree with: Listen to your gut.