DJCaptainMorgan.Com

There are tons of choices in the phone book for DJ. There are even more on the internet. How do you pick a good DJ out of this pool of unknown? Think about it. There is no bar exam to call yourself a DJ. Anybody with an IPOD can technicall call themself a DJ.

Consider that the fact that a typical wedding reception can cost anywhere from $5,000 - $50,000. Months of planning goes into this single day event. The entire family is present along with all of your friends. Then when the action is to begin you find out that you hire the wrong DJ company. Too late! Guess what people will remember from that event. Yep! Thats right, the DJ was awful!

If you have an event that you have spent hard earned money on you want the entertainment to be on point. The DJ entertainment is the focus of you event. So all the time an effort planning and putting together the event is now in the hands of this person. Make sure that you are getting the experienced guy in the company and not bait and switched to the NEW GUY! All DJs are not created equal, even within the same company.

Dont gamble look for experience first, then look for reasonable rates.

Rule #1 --> Always check references for a DJ you plan on hiring for your special event. Ask them to provide you with 3 recent clients phone numbers, then call them. You want a person with experience in the type of event that you are having. Ask them a few questions. Here are a few examples.

• Was the DJ on time?
• Was there a clear contract?
• How would you rate this dj on his performance 1-10
• Did he make all the announcments and coordinate all of your events.
• Was the DJ FUN?
• Did the DJ take requests?
• What type of event did this DJ do for you? Was it a wedding reception?
• Could you understand the DJ on the microphone?
• Was there anything you didnt like about this DJ?
• Was the DJ Dress appropriate for the event?
• Did the DJ Company respond to your communications promptly by phone, or email?
• Did the DJ meet with the bride and groom in advance of the event? If not why not?
• Did anybody meet with the bride and groom in advance of the event? If so who was it?
• Were the planning forms provided and were they easy to understand?
• Was the equipment used professional grade or was it an IPOD hooked to some home speakers?

If they cant or give you some excuse that should be a red flag. Maybe they havent performed 3 events in the recently or they are not sure what their clients would say about them.  We would be glad to put you in touch with any of our recent clients on our list. Our clients have already stated that they would not mind speaking to a future client on our follow up feedback forms mailed out after every event. You should hear what they have to say! Many many rave reviews over the years!

# 2 Does price indicate a good DJ? NO! definately not. You can pay $1200 for a dj and still get am amature. Truth is that there are more bad DJs than good ones. They are out there in the clubs and in the yellow pages. There is no way to tell based on price that your entertainer will be able to handle all of the details of your event flawlessly. We have heard numerous horror stories from brides, parents, and friends of DJs showing up late, botching announcments, I have personally witnessed a high end wedding at a well known indianapolis hotel where everything was perfect...except the DJ. At the front table stood a teen ager with 2 realistic tape decks and a box of cassette tapes (true story). Appearantly each tape had a prerecorded 3 song "set" on it. (yikes!)  The birdal party announcement was stumble through in a nervous and hesitant voice. This was a well known Indianapolis based DJ service in the yellow pages.

On the other end if you price shop you can find some djs that are cheaper than others. You have got to ask questions here. Why they so cheap? What kind of equipment are they going to bring. Pro equipment cost money to purchase and maintain. If they bring a feable sound system to your hall will your guest even be able to hear the music and announcments. We have had to cover events at the last minute due to cancellations by these low end operators. About once a year I get a call on the week of the event frantic because the DJ cant make it or that their vehicle broke down. Beware of too low of a price. As with anything else you tend to get what you pay for. Just because you are on a budget does not mean you cant get a good DJ. ApolloDJService.com offers all pro DJs coupled with correct sized sound system for your hall. So you get the same DJ personalities at an intimate reception as you would a 1000+ capacity event.

# 3 Can you get ahold of the DJ Service easily? This is an indicator of a professional company or a fly-by-night operation. If you constantly have to leave a voice mail, this could be a red flag if you do not get a prompt call back. Do you get a live person on the phone? Do you get quick responses to emails? You are looking for an open line of communication. You want a DJ Company that can work with you on your event, and is available to answer questions and listen to comments. Nothing will make a nervous bride more nervous than not having a phone call returned until 3 days later after leaving a voicemail on a machine.  

#4 Does "PLATINUM" DJ mean I am getting a good DJ? Well, maybe...There are alot of adjectives used to describe dj experience. In some wedding guides they term a platinum dj as a DJ with 10 or more years experience. The listings on a DJ Company website might even list them as platinum DJs, but you might still get a rooky that he is training. Truth is there is no standard definition here. Anybody can say they have XX years experience. Anybody can use the term platinum. 
 

#5 Meet with the DJ! The best way to get a good DJ is to communicate with them, meet with them, read their emails. You should be able to get feel for their personality and get a sense that they KNOW how to do your event. Request a meeting before signing anything. Meet with your 3 favorite choices. Then decide. Professionalism will be readily noticable. Did the DJ confirm the appoinment? Did he show up late? Did he have refernces or a brag book with him? Did he give you an idea of how he operates or what to expect? Do you feel comforable handing the event over to this person? Satisfy yourself and your due diligence will pay off! The elite DJs in indianapolis will be courteous, on time, have references, answer your questions, and do everything they can to make your events a success!

#6 Go with a Recomended DJ! Your friends and family know a good DJ. If they were impressed and talk up the company, find out who they went withand the name of the DJ that handled the event. Word of mouth has been a powerful advertising method for us over the years. Every event we do seems to lead us to another event or 2. That is perpetual motion at its finest.

Hopefully this helps you plan your next event and get a good entertainer to go with it. We would be glad to meet with you and share some of our memories (references) with you. Our phone line is always available to you as well as email for those quick questions. We promise to always return your calls and emails promptly. We provide free calander availability checks and free instant price quotes at ApolloDJService.com. 

Sincerly 
Will Silvers
Event Specialist
317-486-8686
www.ApolloDJService.com     
www.DJCaptainMorgan.com