1. They have experience
Your DJ should be active in the music community. You should avoid self proclaimed “DJs” who really just bought a mixer. If you can google your DJs’s name and only have their Facebook account pop up, that’s probably not a good sign. A great DJ will most likely posting their mixes and any songs they produced somewhere (SoundCloud is a popular site).
2. They don’t just play music.
The DJ should PERFORM. Of course, that does not mean that the DJ is going to take the focus away from you and your event. The DJ should be enhancing the event. You did not pay for someone to stand in the back of the room and play a few songs. You hired a (hopefully) professional DJ to provide stellar live entertainment. They are the ones getting people on the dance floor, right? People are definitely not going to get their groove on unless the jams are flowing.
3. There’s an open line of communication
Your DJ should always respond to your messages or calls within a timely manner. No one should stress over their music playlist because a week has past and the DJ still hasn’t responded. Your DJ should also be accommodating and listen to your requests. The two of you should be able to work together and come up with a killer song list and figure out all of the announcements and special details for your event with ease.
4. They fuel the positive vibes
The majority of DJing is all about the energy. DJs should always be friendly and energetic. They should be radiating with the kind of energy you want at your event.
5. They set up and are ready early
The last thing you should worry about is when the DJ is going to arrive. A good DJ will have confirmed and reconfirmed the time they need to be at the venue to start playing. They should then be there early to set up and be prepared for when your party starts. They should also have a clean set up. All of the equipment wires should be taped down and/or concealed so that they are not noticeable.
6. They dress appropriately
Especially if they are at a formal event. Wearing baggy clothing to a wedding reception would be completely unprofessional and a huge no-no. Your DJ should match your event. If your event is formal, the your DJ should be wearing a nice button down shirt or business casual type of dress.
7. They don’t use illegally downloaded music
True pros will do everything they can to avoid a lawsuit. Stealing music could cost them everything. It is frowned upon when your average Joes download the hottest n3ew track, so it is a thousand times worse when a DJ does it. Some DJs will engage in this illegal activity to keep their costs low, but it’s never a good idea to support sketchy business.
8. They are highly recommended by your friends (and strangers)
No one would give you the number for a bad DJ if they really cared about you. Look at reviews on multiple websites to ensure that you’re hiring a good DJ/DJ agency. Sites like Yelp enable customers to provide honest feedback about a place or service. The owners cannot remove negative comments either. Be sure to look at the good/bad ratio. If you do happen to come across a bad review, judge it.
9. They’re proud of what they do, but their super ego never comes out
A good DJ should always talk about their style work, and even equipment with pride. Being a DJ is not an easy thing to do if you want to be good. They should be animated when you ask them about their music and what they use. If his or her face doesn’t light up when they are talking to you about their job, then you should probably look for another DJ. This could mean that they do not have a lot of experience or might be using low quality equipment. You and your event deserve to a crisp sound coming out of the DJ’s speakers, not static and crackles.
10. They help plan your event
Creating a list of songs and mixing them together is only half of the job. Quality DJs will also MC your event. That means they will make any announcements you may have, direct games, etc. Since there’s a lot of things that the DJ will be doing, it makes sense for the DJ to create a timeline with you for your event. There’s nothing worse than a DJ not knowing when to do something and you’re nowhere to be found because you are lost in all the action. Good DJs will be prepared so you can just enjoy your event without worrying about anything else.
Amber Cavazos