Over on Reddit, people are sharing their stories of wedding disasters. Here are all the comments that involve DJs:
Weddings Reddit - Wedding Disasters (DJ Highlights)
- Thread starter cinepro
- Start date
this is why i believe dj's should have to pass some sort of test and be licensed...like doctors and lawyers... most of the people listed above are morons pretending to be dj's
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Also sounds like some of the clients were expecting something for nothing. Kind of hard to judge when you don't know any more of the story.
In 75% to 90% of these cases when I read a bad review or story (when they are legit grievances), the customers are to blame for their poor decision in choosing these DJs just as much as the DJ is to blame for being a poor quality DJ.
Don't hire real cheap DJs, and you as a consumer will minimize the chances of the DJ providing poor quality service, or being a no show all together.
How much concern for "good" service (or even showing up on time OR AT ALL) will any "DJ" have if they are only being paid $200 to $325 to do a wedding reception, or $100 to $250 to show up to do a birthday party for example?
If we DJs actually did something as important as doctors or lawyers............we would be.
No matter what ive done my entire life... be it a bag boy at a grocery store....a painter... a construction worker...a puppeteer...or a dj.... ive always taken GREAT pride in being the best i can be.... sure its not science...or law... but if its your art...or your chosen profession....it IS important...
if its not important to you... then maybe thats why you seem to struggle with giving it a high worth
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About 8 years ago now, there was a guy running around the Baltimore area throwing ads up on Craigslist and some other local sites attracting couples with a $250 wedding DJ package. He also had a cheap 1 page website he had thrown up for them to look at. He would quote $250 for 4 to 5 hours, and set up an appointment with the couple.
He would meet with them, and get them to pay a low $75 deposit. Months later, he would disappear. He was using a cheap email account, and when the customers tried to call him, his phone was dis connected. Apparently, he had a cheap pay as you go throw away phone number. The customers also had no physical address for the DJ. Nothing was listed on the "agreement" either.
He duped over a dozen couples out of their deposit money in the area. ...I got calls from at least 4 of them that year.
Out of the 4 that called me...3 Declined to book me because my price was too high for them. 1 of them did book me, and that couple was so thankful they did. They said they had an awesome time at their wedding, and the parents even tipped me extra as they knew what happened. Also, I believe I got another gig out of that wedding too.
...I should do a video warning brides about "If it's too good to be true...probably is" and give a few pointers and warning signs for DJs they should steer clear of hiring.
...A DJ willing to only book a wedding with a $75 deposit these days is certainly a sign!
I noticed this story above:
"The DJ took the money and ran (went out of business and didn't bother letting me know, so we played iPhone music on a little speaker all night) "
At what point did they realize the DJ was not showing up. Did they not think they should have a final conversation with the DJ before the wedding at least a few days beforehand? They surely could have had time to try to secure another DJ for their wedding if they had been somewhat organized planning their event.
...Also, the DJ they hired was likely either a scam artist, or a cheap DJ as well (or well they were both )
He would meet with them, and get them to pay a low $75 deposit. Months later, he would disappear. He was using a cheap email account, and when the customers tried to call him, his phone was dis connected. Apparently, he had a cheap pay as you go throw away phone number. The customers also had no physical address for the DJ. Nothing was listed on the "agreement" either.
He duped over a dozen couples out of their deposit money in the area. ...I got calls from at least 4 of them that year.
Out of the 4 that called me...3 Declined to book me because my price was too high for them. 1 of them did book me, and that couple was so thankful they did. They said they had an awesome time at their wedding, and the parents even tipped me extra as they knew what happened. Also, I believe I got another gig out of that wedding too.
...I should do a video warning brides about "If it's too good to be true...probably is" and give a few pointers and warning signs for DJs they should steer clear of hiring.
...A DJ willing to only book a wedding with a $75 deposit these days is certainly a sign!
I noticed this story above:
"The DJ took the money and ran (went out of business and didn't bother letting me know, so we played iPhone music on a little speaker all night) "
At what point did they realize the DJ was not showing up. Did they not think they should have a final conversation with the DJ before the wedding at least a few days beforehand? They surely could have had time to try to secure another DJ for their wedding if they had been somewhat organized planning their event.
...Also, the DJ they hired was likely either a scam artist, or a cheap DJ as well (or well they were both )
We hashed this over years ago here and he one thing we discovered is getting DJ's to agree is akin to herding cats
My son is 9 years old, and just did his first gig on Sunday. He made the client sign AN AGREEMENT which I am dead serious, he typed up himself. He even refered to the customer as his "client" ...I guess he watches what I do much more than I thought!
Some DJs who are adults today still operate on VERBAL AGREEMENTS.
My son charged $40 for a 2 hour 10 year old birthday party, and he was given a $40 tip. ...I was his Roadie, and helped him set up. He even put together a photo montage by himself on virtual DJ...did stuff I don't even do! I was impressed.
My son was even adamant about showing up 1 hour prior to start time. Some DJs have a habit of showing up 15 minutes before start time (or late all together) and throwing everything together because their lives are so chaotic and disorderly, and they have a terrible sense of punctuality
...because there are no lousy doctors or incompetent lawyers out there? Barbers need to be licensed, but people still get bad haircuts from time to time.
People who underpay for DJ are demonstrating that they don't value the service. Those are the people who won't bother with any kind of confirmation and when the bottom-feeder is a no show, they wonder why they're music-less.
That may be true in some cases but there's many who underpay because they don't know or can't see the difference.
For many years I bough cheap shoes simply because I couldn't see (or feel) the difference. I would blindly buy 3 or 4 a year and wear them without thinking of it at all until someone convinced me to buy good shoes. I now but a pair or two and don't have sore feet. That's product to service I know but it's the same theory
You're missing the real story in most of those scenarios - and that is where in 4 out of 5 cases the customer arrived at their own solution to the problem.
This is a reality that every DJ needs to internalize if you want to be successful in meeting people's expectations.
Chris, I agree with everything you said 100% , but I feel you might be missing what Rick is saying, he isnt saying its not important for him to give it his all, or that he doesnt take pride in being a DJ/Photog, what he is saying is that in the grand scheme in life, we , DJ's are not that important in 2018 . We are just one piece in the overall event puzzle, and some events and go on without us.
My step son is getting married in a weeks time I think, and for the longet time, I was going to DJ it, but the plans for the wedding have change and I feel its no longer important for them or me to DJ their wedding, its really not needed. Instead, I am going to use my expensive prosumer camera I thought I needed to film their wedding instead , that in the long run will be more important.
Keep in mind, there are also those who, now more than ever, believe in the value of a great dj at their wedding... not a dj in general, or a good dj... but a great dj. Find those people, and you'll never even think about the one's that don't prioritize the dj.
Of course there are Taso , and my post was not implying that was not that the case, I surely hope you did not come to the conclusion that is what I was saying. Those same people that value a great DJ are the same ones that more than likely see the value in spending money for higher cost goods or services that are of value.
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