6 Qualities To Look For When Hiring A Great DJ

When it comes to events, there’s nothing sadder than an empty dance floor. Good DJs are key for driving excellent events. They set the mood and bring a party to life by getting people moving and grooving. That said, a sub-par DJ can really throw a wet blanket on a party—and no one wants that. So how do you find a top-notch DJ and avoid a sad, soggy event?

Whether you’re looking to add DJs to your crew for the first time or you’re looking to expand your DJ pool, there are specific traits and skills that all good DJs will possess.

#1 They’re organized

A well-organized DJ is vital in an era where you can carry your entire music library on your laptop. If the party begins to lag, a good DJ can improvise to keep the energy rolling—but improvisation is difficult if they can’t quickly find the pop hit they need within their library. The best DJs will sort their music library meticulously, ensuring that every genre, tempo, and mood is readily accessible at their fingertips.

Bonus points if they use modern software tools to organize their inventory and music libraries.

#2 They can read the room

All the organization in the world won’t help a DJ who can’t read a room. If you hire a DJ who doesn’t notice an energy lull, the event will likely stall out early and the event will likely elicit sub-par reviews. After all, there’s nothing more awkward than a DJ jamming out on his own, surrounded by a room of sitting, silent party-goers.

But reading the room goes beyond simply observing the crowd’s energy level. A skilled DJ intuitively senses subtle cues such as body language, facial expressions, and vocal reactions to gauge the audience’s reaction, then adapt their song selection and mixing style accordingly.

#3 They set the mood and pace of an event

Experienced DJs understand that no two events are exactly alike. They adapt their approach based on the venue size, acoustics, and layout, as well as the demographics and preferences of the crowd itself—chances are a retirement party won’t be thrilled to hear today’s top 50 pop hits, but they might be interested in ’70s and ’80s throwbacks.

Once a good DJ sees a slowing in energy, it’s either time to shift towards more melodic songs or ramp it up with some crowd favorites (“I Gotta Feeling” or “Uptown Funk” never fail to perk a lagging crowd up). Experienced DJs will understand the ebbs and flows that come with specific events (think weddings and birthdays) and can work to keep the energy flowing in a natural way. They’ll also notice when the event is winding down and people are trickling out, and will make sure the party ends with some crowd-favorite wind-downs like “Mr. Brightside.”

#4 They bring a unique flare

DJing is an art form, and a good DJ will put a unique spin on any event they work. That means creative song transitions, live remixing, vocal effects, or a charismatic mic presence tailored to the event and the crowd. It also means staying on top of the latest DJ trends and incorporating things like “text to request” into their performances.

From their personality to their individual methods for amping up a crowd, you want your DJs to be memorable—in a good way.

#5 They’re professional

The inverse is also true: If a DJ’s uniqueness overpowers their professionalism, it’s time to seek a different DJ, as an unprofessional DJ can easily ruin an event. Of course, you don’t need someone to show up dressed to the nines for every event. But your DJ needs to be able to fit the event they are hired to do—so no shorts or foul language at a wedding, and no tuxedo at a kid’s birthday party. Seek a chameleon who can change their appearance, demeanor, and playlists to fit any event they are assigned to and everyone will be happy.

#6 They come prepared

Accidents and equipment failures happen. There’s nothing more disappointing than having a big energy build up to…silence. (If you don’t believe me, search “DJ fails” on YouTube.) A good DJ will have equipment backups and fallback plans in case something goes wrong, so the party doesn’t grind to a halt due to a simple technical malfunction. Once you’ve found the perfect DJ(s) for your company, you can keep them in the loop with Goodshuffle Pro’s Unlimited Read-Only subscription. With this subscription, you’ll be able to create profiles for each of your DJs with limited account access, so they can access the information they need (such as Tasks, Project Fulfillment, and Project Files) and none of the information they don’t need (like Sales, Billing, and Contracts). This will keep your entire team on the same page, without compromising any sensitive information about your event company.

 

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