Finding a good DJ can be confusing, frustrating, and irritating all at the same time. I'd like to offer some tips on what to look for.. Unfortunately, the web allows any fruitcake with a website to look like an established pro. they say they have experience? How do you verify it?
Pricing:
To a certain extent, DJ's charge what they know they're worth. A guy charging you $250 to DJ for you is charging that because he knows he's not worth any more than that. Don't expect much from that guy. You definitely get what you pay for. On the flip side, beware of the DJ's who are ultra-expensive.. Most of these guys are great salesmen, and rely on the fact that there will always be customers with more money than brains. I know almost all of these guys, as we belong to the same trade associations, and I can tell you, it's all hype... My pricing is based on market averages, and the reputation I have gained over the last 11 years as a DJ here in Atlanta. I'm not a super polished salesman like some of the characters around here. I'll never try to guilt you into a higher price, make you feel stupid, or even scare you into spending more. This is how most of the expensive guys do it.
Music:
Almost every professional DJ has access to the same music, because we all subscribe to one of a few monthly music subscriptions for professionals. Only those who work for radio stations, or who own an established Entertainment company have the ability to subscribe. We pay a lot for this service... why? because there are music licensing issues, copyright issues, and other things a professional DJ must account for. An extremely cheap DJ is most likely not purchasing his music. he's either stealing it via online file sharing sites, purchasing illegal hard drives full of music online, or copying other people's media. What does this mean to you, and why should you care?
A professional will always have the songs you want. They'll have a high quality copy of it, it won't skip, or glitch, or have audio watermarks in the middle of it. most of us are legitimate businessmen. We pay taxes, we're licensed, we support our industry, and we contribute to the economy. Someone DJing "under the table" is neither going to be able to offer you the quality, reliability, or peace of mind you deserve. It costs a lot to run your own business properly, which is why there's so many hobbyists out there. They can't cut it as a full time DJ, so they have to do it the lazy way.
Insurance:
I'll bet that 90% of those who call themselves a professional DJ don't have liability insurance. Why should you care? .... Well, there are several reasons...
DJ's set up a lot of heavy equipment which needs to be properly secured and installed. Most hobbyists haven't taken classes on proper safety, and have no idea how to safely and properly present equipment. I can site several examples of people being injured by falling lights, speakers tipping over, or someone getting shocked by improperly grounded power, or even damage to a venue. Let's say I'm DJing in your back yard, and one of your guests gets a bit rowdy and stands on a speaker cabinet, causing it to tip over and break someone's collar bone. let's assume it's the DJ's fault for not properly securing his equipment. let's now say that the guest doesn't have health insurance... who's going to pay the $4000 medical bill? If the DJ isn't insured, it's most likely going to end up being you. Let's say the DJ drags a cabinet across the floor and gouges the hard wood flooring? Damages to the facility are the responsibility of the person who rented it. Are you going to pay for it?
Even if you still don't care about insurance, use it as a guide for determining that someone is in fact a professional. If they can't furnish proof of liability insurance, they're not a pro, and should be avoided at all cost.
Lastly, should that DJ do something so horrible that you need to sue him for damages, you know he's insured for that and that you might actually have a chance of recovering your loss.
Equipment:
Most professionals have substantial investments in their equipment. Our main system costs over $35,000.00. Most cheapo DJ's will have crummy equipment. It's a fact. low quality downloaded music coupled with consumer grade equipment equals horrible sound. I've taken sound courses, and know the proper way to operate my gear so that it sounds perfect. I know how loud to be, how soft to be, and more importantly, how to operate a microphone properly. My mics cost over $800 each. They're the same mics touring artists use. This makes a huge difference.
Reliability:
Ask any professional Dj you speak to about cancellations. Espescially this year with gas being so expensive, and the economy being so bad, many of the hobbyist DJ's who didn't charge enough are saying "screw it" and cancelling at the last minute because they're not making any money on the job. I have had 5 last minute calls this year because a DJ backed out at the last minute. A professional will honor your contract no matter what.
I recently had to pass up an $1,800.00 homecoming dance because I had already booked a $600 13th birthday party. I honor my contracts. I'll never back out at the last minute, or send another DJ in my place. In 11 years, I have never missed an event.
You also can feel comfortable that based on my well documented longevity in the business, I will still be in business when you event rolls around. Many people think becoming a DJ is a great idea to make some extra cash after you get laid off or lose your job, they book events, then get a job again, and no longer care to honor their contracts with their clients... What do they care? It's not their livelyhood.. they were just dabbling in being a DJ, and you're left with no DJ for your event.
Photos and Meetings:
If a DJ will not show you recent photos from recent events, be suspicious. I take pictures at every event I do so that you can see that A:) I'm actually a professional DJ, and B:) I'm not lying about my equipment. One of the biggest tip offs to a crummy DJ is their presentation. If they've got wires and stuff all over the table in plain view, avoid them. A professional doesn't need a table at all. Our equipment is self contained, and we bring everything we need to perform. We almost always hide all of our equipment behind a professional looking facade. If the DJ has a messy presentation, just imagine how the rest of the event will be.
Finally... Always ask to meet your DJ, and get a guarantee that that person will be your DJ. One of the biggest tricks of these people booking events is to not actually be a DJ at all... they just get you to call them, book it, then call around until they find a kid that will do the event for $100. They're called booking agents. Avoid them! Several Local companies claiming to be entertainment companies are actually booking agencies... If you're suspicious, e-mail me, and I'll confirm or deny whether or not I know them and if they're an agency or not. If they won't let you meet your DJ, that's a red flag.. that means they don't even know who it will be. Let's face it... you want a presentable person for your event. You don't want some dumpy unshaven kid with bad breath showing up to your event. Appearance is huge. You also want to meet your DJ to be sure they can even speak on a mic. So many clients complain about how the last DJ they hired mumbled on the microphone, and how no one could understand them. You want someone with public speaking skills. It's a must.
Hopefully this helps you understand the business a little better, and helps you weed out the phonies from the rest of the pack.
Happy Hunting!