http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/08/the-sophisticates.html
There is a LOT of wisdom in there for DJs...and everyone else.
There is a LOT of wisdom in there for DJs...and everyone else.
Seth does it again....The sophisticates....food for thought
- Thread starter soundinmotiondj
- Start date
No.
The advice is to present yourself in a way that amplifies the profession as a whole. The advice is that "acting like" a professional might be more important than actually being good at what you do...but that whenever presented with a choice, you should both act like a professional AND be good at the thing.
Presenting yourself as the "brilliant artist" but behaving in a way that is well outside the accepted societal norms for business settings may not be the best strategy for gaining the trust of your clients and other professionals you work with.
It may not be the best strategy but it sure has worked for me. Acting "professional" but not being good at what you do will only make you out to be a fool. People see through the bull**** facade. I would rather have 10 guys/girls that are the best at what they do then someone who can act a part but has no skils.
The comparison isn't between "no skills with packaging" and "awesome skills and sloppy." The comparison is between two people who are "good enough (or better)"....one who "plays" the part of the professional and one who "plays" the part of the outsider.
I am not the best DJ in my area (I actually don't know how you'd measure such a thing...but I will assert that on any reasonable scale, I would not be in the top 10%)....BUT I can do the job. I can perform at a wedding reception. I can perform at a club (well...for certain genres). But more importantly, when I meet clients or venue owners I LOOK like I can do the job.
I wear business attire to meet clients. I have written contracts that are speel checked
. I do not use emoticons in my "professional" communication . I do not dress like a club rat, or like someone half my age, or like someone who thinks they are way too cool for all this. I treat other vendors with respect, and try to offer compromises that respect everyone's role & time & effort. (All examples of other DJs actual behavior I have seen in 2013.) Presentation does matter. Given a choice, I try to invest "evenly" in all my skills and my presentation across the board. 1% better across the board is typically "worth more" than a 10% improvement in just one area...IME.
At my day job, I will take someone who is "average" in ability, but who can communicate well and who works well with others over a "rock star" anyday. YMMV.
Keep in mind it is ADVICE.
What you do with it is entirely up to you.
Aint no harm in offering a point of view.
What you do with it is entirely up to you.
Aint no harm in offering a point of view.