May 2020 • Issue 188
The Monthly DJ Newspaper
You Have These Moments... By Mike Walter
I had a moment, at the beginning of April, that I’ll never forget. I’d been dealing with postponements pretty much nonstop for three weeks. I’m used to talking to excited brides. But these calls and emails were the exact opposite. Upset brides. Disappointed brides. Crying brides. We all dealt with it. Indeed we’re all still dealing with it. So you know. Anyway, the moment came one morning when I opened an email from
a friend of mine who’d simply written, “Thought you’d like this.” His email contained a link to a video of Nora Jones singing the Guns n Roses’ song “Patience.” I love Nora Jones. I think her voice portrays raw emotion more than most singers could ever hope to. So as she began that under-appreciated ballad: “Shed a tear ‘cause I’m missing you. I’m still alright to smile...” I just lost it. Sitting there at my dining room table, I cried like a baby. All the bottled up emotion from three weeks of putting on a brave
The DJNTV Insider Edition face and trying to be the positive voice in an ever-rising sea of misery caught up to me. And I let it out in one long flood of tears. A similar thing happened a week or two later. It was mid-afternoon, and I was working at that very same dining room table (which has become my work desk while we shelter in place). It was time for a break, so I clicked on Facebook to see what was up. I can’t say I was down in the dumps at the time, but the day’s tasks (more postponements, painfully few new leads) had me a little drained. Facebook notified that Frank Garcia was live-streaming. I like Frank a lot. He’s Mike Walter Continued On Page 3
In This Issue:
Page 1: Mike Walter Page 2: Mitch Taylor Page 4: Alan Berg Page 5: Rob Ferre Page 6: Ron Ruth Page 7: Keith KoKoruz Page 8: Thomas Heath Page 10: Brian Kelm Page 11: Harvey Mackay
Page 12: Chris Hintz Page 13: Michael Lenstra Page 14: John C. Maxwell Page 15: Larry Widget Page 15: Different Spin Page 17: Jeffrey Gitomer Page 18: Ken Coleman Page 19: Music Charts
Time
By Mitch Taylor RIGHT NOW...time is our biggest asset and liability all in one. The Coronavirus Pandemic has given us all the opportunity to hit PAUSE with the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. Do you spend your time, or do you invest your time? Time is fleeting, they say. One of my favorite quotes on the subject of time comes from Delmore Schwarz, “Time is the school in which we learn, Time is the fire in which we burn.” Let’s look at the first half of that quote. What are you LEARNING at this time? This is a GREAT time to learn a new skill. There are a TON of videos on YouTube on how to do live streaming for DJs, and my fellow Michigander Logan Smith released one of the best. Check it out here: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Xe6yPZmAxy4
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 2 Now, let’s examine the second half of management, and sage sales advice. Another great way to save time is to authat quote. Do you have a spouse? Children? Family or loved ones? Most people, tomate as much of your tasks as possible. including my wife, work during the day I have an auto-responder that is careand have the weekends off. For many en- fully worded NOT to appear as an auto-retrepreneurs, they don’t have the 9 to 5 sponder that is sent out the morning after an punch in punch out the situation. So what’s event. I’ve had people respond back, saya busy person like you to do? The answer: ing, “My gosh…get some sleep! Can’t believe you took the time to write that at that prioritize. Just as financial advisors tell you always time of day!” Of course, I didn’t write it to pay yourself first (savings accounts, in- that early in the morning, but they thought I vestments, and the like), you NEED to pri- did. The task of touching base with her still oritize the PEOPLE in your life before the was achieved albeit automated and saved THINGS. me time and allowed me some shuteye. I’ve invested A LOT of time this year Here’s a copy of that email for you to use away from my family to improve my busi- if you wish. ness and provide for my family… a strugIt was a pleasure working with you this gle as a person that I’m sure you are all too past weekend. Working with people such familiar with as well. Sometimes we make as yourself who truly have their client’s sacrifices for the greater good but the key is best interests at heart makes my job easier. to make the most of the time that you have Thank you for all that you do and if I can with the people in your life who are most ever help you build your business, please important to you. My wife and I still take a let me know. I’ll be sure to pass along your yearly vacation together alone. Our family name to future clients looking for your sertakes one yearly vacation together as well. vices. Finally, take time out for YOU. Yes, Pay yourself your family time first. Put it on the schedule, and don’t move it for any- YOU. YOU need time to recharge your thing. batteries and stay focused on being the best Now, regarding learning and burning you possibly can be for your business AND your time, there have been several books, your family. It’s one of the best time investseminars, and courses written and taken ments you can personally make. Mitch Taylor is an 18 year veteran of on time management. Some are worth your TIME while others are not. Some of the mobile disc jockey industry, starting the best time management tips I have ever out on the cruise ships of Carnival Cruise received is in Chapter 1 of the highly ac- Lines. He is a member of the American Disc claimed book The Ultimate Sales Machine Jockey Association. Mitch owns and operby Chet Holmes. In the book, Chet talks ates Taylored Entertainment in the Upper about how best to prioritize our time, how Peninsula of Michigan and can be reached to decide which tasks to complete first, how at 906.786.6967 or via email at mitchtaymany tasks you should take on in a day (an- lor@discjockeynews.com. swer: 5). It’s a great read on business, time
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 3 Mike Walter Continued From Page 1 from my hometown of Queens, so we speak the same language (or I should say we “tawk the same tawk”), and he loves classic dance, so when he spins, I like to listen. I clicked on his stream and within minutes I was smiling ear to ear. Frank is not only a great mixer but his love of music is apparent to the viewer. He claps. He dances. He sings. Frank’s like me. We came up in this industry before the frowning, brooding DJ was considered cool. You’ll never see a photo of either one of us avoiding eye contact with the lens, staring off into the great unknown as if contemplating the universe. We’d rather show our love of music and our careers by smiling. And if some consider that “cheesy” well, I don’t want to speak for Frank, but you can consider me guilty as charged. Anyway, I watched Frank’s video for a while, and my mood lifted. I even kept him on while I took the dogs for a walk and then cooked dinner. I was feeling good. Now you may be wondering how these are similar experiences. In the first, a song turned me into a blubbering mess. In the second, music lifted me up. The similarity isn’t the emotion; it’s the change. It’s the power of music to invoke that change. I believe music can do that faster and more powerfully than any other art form. I’ve been in arenas with 50,000 other people, almost all strangers, singing the same song back to an artist who wrote it. That spiritual union is one I’ve never felt watching a movie, staring at a painting or reading a book. Music, as Madonna once sang, makes the people come together. And what the people need, as the Doobies Brothers told us, is a way to make them smile. Their answer, of course, listen to the music! That’s why I, and every other DJ I know, is suffering through this time. We all went to effect change. We are so used to hitting play on the right song and seeing a room lift up. We are so used to cheering up the masses with our talents. And I’m not downplaying the power of the livestream (besides Mr. Garcia I’ve rocked out to Jason Jani and Chris Hintz and Chuck Gookins and many others), but we all want to stop the streams and just be live. In a packed room with a bitchy wedding planner telling us what to do and ten minutes before cake cutting wondering how we can peak this set right before we have to snap it off. We all miss that (well, maybe not the bitchy wedding
planner), and we can’t wait to get back. And we will get back. Of that I’m sure. And when we do, celebrations will be better than ever. In our solitude, we’ve all been reminded of how much we treasure the presence of loved ones. We’ve all had the chance to reassess our priorities, and I think most of us will spend less time on our phones after this and more time interacting with those around us. At the table, that means engaging and hopefully, stimulating conversation. And once the meal is over, that’ll mean dancing. And of course, that’s where we come in. We have to lift people up. We have to find those perfect songs that will fill
our dance floors and help people escape. That’s always been our most important task, and when we are allowed to go back to work, it most certainly will be again. Till then, stay safe and healthy, and sane. Mike Walter is the owner of Elite Entertainment of New Jersey and a nationally recognized expert in the area of multisystem company development and staff training. You can contact Mike at mikewalter@discjockeynews.com.
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 4
You Can’t See The Skies Clearing With Your Head In The Sand By Alan Berg
I was interviewed the other day by a reporter for NPR (National Public Radio) and she asked me what the closest parallel to the Coronavirus crisis would be, from my over 25 years around the wedding and events industry. I thought about all of the other crises that I’ve seen come and go, from financial crises to the 9/11 tragedy, and I couldn’t think of anything that comes close to this. For me, the biggest challenge is the uncertainty of the end. With a natural disaster (hurricane, tornado, earthquakes, floods, etc.) it’s easier to see when it’s over, and you can start recovering. Sure, some take longer than others, but you can definitely feel when you’re in the recovery phase. Also, most natural disasters are localized. The results could be devastating for the people directly affected, but other areas can only empathize with what they see on TV. The invisible enemy One of the biggest challenges of getting through this crisis is that it’s an invisible enemy. Unless you or someone that’s close to you is physically ill, everything feels normal, which unfortunately lulls too many people into a false sense of “this could never happen to me.” We’re learning new terms such as “social-distancing” and trying to figure out what that really means. We’re being told to stay home, but we’re allowed to go out for food, gas, supplies, etc. Which stores are open, and which are closed? It’s a very confusing time, for sure. Will the wedding industry survive? The short answer is, Yes. The industry will survive. Individual businesses are
positioned differently as to how well they will make it through. We’re an industry of small businesses, however, most of the businesses in the US are considered small businesses. According to data from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs, there were 5.6 million employer firms in the United States in 2016: Firms with fewer than 500 workers accounted for 99.7 percent of those businesses. Firms with fewer than 100 workers accounted for 98.2 percent. Firms with fewer than 20 workers made up 89.0 percent. I can say, with confidence, that other than venues/caterers, most of the wedding industry is made up of companies with 20 or less workers, certainly full-time workers. According to the Federal Reserve, 40% of Americans don’t have $400 in the bank for emergency expenses. Going without income for weeks, or months is going to be devastating. And it’s not like those people can just go and get another job, when most businesses are required to be closed. But there are some things you can still be doing, to make more productive use of your time now. If you didn’t see, I recently did a free webinar to give some positive vibes “10 Proactive Things You Can Do No To Lean-In” – the recording and all of the resources are at www.AlanBerg.com/Resources What can you do now while you’re working from home? If you haven’t already done so, get in touch with all of your already-booked customers for April through September… yes, September. People do business with people, and they’ll remember you being proactive. According to The Knot Worldwide, a survey of their affected couples showed that only 4% were looking to cancel their weddings. 61% were looking to reschedule for 2020 and 15% for 2021. Not every call or email is going to mean a cancellation, so don’t be afraid to reach out. Be confident and have a plan Rather than calling or emailing and asking “what do you guys want to do?”, reach out and say “Let’s get you rescheduled so you can let all of your guests know, and so you can get your choice of dates while so many other couples are postponing and rescheduling. Create the sense of urgency, because it’s real! The
prime fall dates are already booked, so it’s time to get creative. Articles and webinars from The Knot, WeddingWire and others are recommending to couples to consider a weekday wedding if they want to choose a 2020 date. And don’t be afraid to ask for an additional deposit/retainer when moving the date. You’re deferring the revenue you would have had for the coming months until later. And, as I always say “If you don’t ask, the answer is always, No!” Are you doing virtual meetings and tours? With the technologies we have today, giving virtual tours of your venue, or having virtual meetings is easier than ever. My resources page has some info for you. If you’re a venue and you’re not yet doing virtual tours, check out the special 50% off package from VisitingMedia for TrueTour™ , and incredible immersive-media solution that can have you doing virtual tours, with 360º views, 3D modeling and terrific tracking tools (I’m on their advisory board and asked if they could make a special for you during this troubled time): https://visitingmedia.com/march2020-incentivized-pricing/ The food tastes the same on Monday! Remind your couples that no one ever looks at someone’s wedding photo and asks what day of the week it was. Their guests will understand that these are unusual circumstances and choosing a weekday to reschedule will give them all of the beautiful results they want… and most importantly, the same team. If a couple reschedules from a Saturday in April to a Monday or Thursday (or Tuesday or Wednesday) in October, there’s a really good chance all of their wedding pros will be available. However, if they are able to find a Saturday, or for some a Friday or Sunday, there’s a good chance that some of their original wedding pros are already booked. Even if you’re not the venue, reach out early so you can help guide your couples to a reschedule date that works for you, too. New leads are still coming in I was at The Knot on September 11, 2001. That, too, was an unprecedented event. The traffic on TheKnot.com dropped, as you would imagine. What was surprising, at the time, was that by 2 days after, traffic was back to what it had been the day before the tragedy. Wedding Alan Berg Continued On Page 9
Top of Mind Awareness By Rob Ferre
The phone isn’t ringing like it used to. Inquiries are scarce. The only emails that are coming in are postponements or cancelations. I know, what a great positive way to start things off, but this is a reality for some. We are in a troubling time, so what is the one thing we can control? I would say it’s our image, our brand, and what we put out into the universe. Who knows when things will get back to normal, but normal is relative. We are currently living in our new normal, and we have to adjust. I believe what was our normal a year at this time may never return, so we have to adjust to a new way of life. We also need to adhere to new guidelines and adapt to make ourselves stand out. Things are easing up, and life is returning to where we can start interacting publicly and get back to work, but it’s not what we are used to. So here’s the good news you are still needed. You still have value. People want what you have to offer, but do they know it yet? All this I have been putting out in the universe that I am still working but working differently. I am letting my network know I am still for hire but not in the traditional way. I want my network to think of me first when they want the entertainment and services I offer. Let’s now get specific about what you can start doing to put your services into the world—first social media. Specifi-
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 5
cally, Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin. I know Facebook and Instagram are where most of us play, but there are a lot of opportunities to be had in the world of Linkedin. On Facebook, I see your streams. On Instagram, I am seeing you going live and promoting your next live streaming event. This is excellent and now showcases your abilities as a DJ. Never before have I seen this type of online activity in my life. I am constantly impressed with the talent in the
DJ community. But now that we’ve been doing it for a month, you must find new ways to stream and capture the attention of your audience. So now DJs are using music videos in their streams, DJ streaming events with multiple DJs, and even streaming game shows. So your fans and clients can now see how great you really plus you are getting in some performance time. Now Linkedin, you can’t quite go live unless you are authorized, but you can show videos and pictures of what you are doing. I am sharing how I am doing socially distanced dance parties. I am showing pictures and videos of my virtual studio. I am even showing the online charity opportunities I am taking part in with Win-Win Entertainment. Don’t be afraid to show off a little bit because we need to get the word out. To be top of mind, not only involves showcasing or promoting what you do, but it involves creativity. If you are the first one to do something that no one else is doing, you will have more eyeballs. So now you need to stand out. Luckily
I was the first in my market to socially distanced block parties, which I call the Doorstep DJ. There have been others who have followed and done it in their own markets. Now I am collaborating with another DJ in my market, DJ Brady Mac has retrofitted a school bus with speakers and audio components to be the “Beat Bus.” We now collaborate on community events. He runs the audio, and I run the entertainment. It is great because it showcases what we do. He is now primed to sell events with the Beat Bus, and we can do events in the future. We are not at this alone, and there are plenty that are willing to collaborate and share their success with you. Another DJ in my community, Cooper Brown, who has a lighting company, wanted to say thanks to the hospital community. Recently he took up-lights, spotlights, and a projector to a hospital and lit up the front at night. He used the projector with motion graphics to say thank you along with other messages. What a wonderful opportunity to serve the community and be the go-to guy when people want someone to light their event. People will be saying; I want to work with the guy who did that lighting thing for the hospital. It’s one of those ideas I wish I thought of, but Cooper did it and will be the guy going forward. The last thing you can do is to work with your local news outlet. Reach out to news stations or newspapers and let them know what you are doing. I have done exactly that. I had a news station cover one of the block parties, and on another channel, I was able to make an appearance on their afternoon lifestyle show. I can use these news stories and promotional pieces to help bring awareness to my audience. Is it working? Why yes, I am getting some bookings and inquiries for future events when restrictions are lifted. You can connect with him at RobFerre@discjockeynews.com.
Five Star Reviews Aren’t Enough
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 6
By Ron Ruth
Did you know that Pixar Studios--the folks that brought you “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars,” and “Finding Nemo”---has won 16 Academy Awards? Even so, they don’t rest on their laurels. Every team member in the Pixar organization, from the receptionist to the president, is encouraged to take four hours of class every single week on company time. Pixar feels that everybody has unlimited potential, and the more you exercise your brain, the better you will be at whatever position you hold. And, as Randy Nelson, the Dean of Pixar University has said: “I believe that if you give people four hours of training on something of their choice, they will be more productive creatively.” Pixar, as a business, knows that each Academy Award win comes with a commitment to be even more diligent in learning how to improve at their craft--especially if they want to win even more Oscars. Becoming complacent only gives their competition a greater edge at the box office and on the red carpet. All too often in the wedding industry, I hear wedding professionals say--- “Ron, I get 5-star reviews from every one of my customers. I have awards from The Knot or WeddingWire.” The challenge for you is that there are a gazillion other wedding professionals (Really! I counted.) who are also able to boast of 5-star reviews. As awesome as you are, and you are awesome, you have the potential to be even more awesome. So how often do you exercise your brain? What would you do differently today? What specialized training would you commit to right now if the Acade-
my Award folks were to create a special
category for wedding businesses that makes it possible for you to win an Oscar for the Delivery Of Best Customer Experience? I’m about to share seven words with you that are going to change your entire life. Get ready to write these down. To be different, you must think differently. To differentiate yourself from the gazillion (Remember. I counted) other wedding professionals, to stand out in a very crowded marketplace, immerse Ron Ruth Continued On Page 7
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Have You Reached Your Tipping Point? By Keith KoKoruz
As I write this, today is day 43 of our stay at home order, and as I read my Facebook newsfeed, some of my friends are hitting their tipping point. Three weeks ago, they all still agreed that staying home was the safe and responsible thing to do. Some of my FB friends are now finding themselves demanding answers, questioning if their rights are being violated, etc. A lot of them want the world to reopen regardless of the ramifications and want to take things on as they happen. I understand that everyone is afraid and unsure of their future. I am right there with all of you. I also happen to live in Chicago, which has been the home to one of the greatest NBA teams of all time. ESPN is running the 10 episode documentary “The Last Dance,” where a film crew followed the Bulls for what turned out to be their last NBA Championship season in 1998. The timing of both of these things happening could not have come at a better time. I have always loved the Bulls and even worked for them for three years as a part of their entertainment department and had the Chicago Luvabulls as a client for ten years. I worked after the Jordan era, but this documentary has reminded me of Michael Jordan’s insatiable desire to win and to be the best. In 1990 after the Bulls lost to the Pistons for the second time in the playoffs, Michael and the rest of the team hit their tipping point. They had established themselves as a playoff team, and Michael was considered one of the best players in the NBA, but Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had championship rings, and Michael didn’t. The Pistons were known as the most physical team in the NBA and were even called the Bad Boys. While most teams took the summer off to vacation, the Bulls chose to spend it in the gym and, more specifically, in the weight room. Michael Jordan put on 10
pounds of nothing but muscle mass. He was not going to get pushed around again by Detroit or anyone else for that matter. In 1991 the Chicago Bulls swept the Pistons in 4 games. They then went on to win their first of 6 NBA Championships. The reason that I point this out is that the Chicago Bulls chose to use their downtime to do what they needed to do to become the NBA C h a m pionship team that w o u l d eventually become a dynasty. C o Vi d has now forced us to stop working, and while our industry’s future is unknown, we have this time to become a better version of ourselves. In the past 43 days, I have watched more webinars, videos, listened to more podcasts, and have been on more Zoom calls than I have been in the past four years. I am using my time to become the NBA Championship version of myself. I hope that all of you are doing Ron Ruth Continued from Page 6 yourself in ongoing training that will elevate the 5-star customer experience you deliver now to Academy Awardwinning caliber. That’s where the real “WOW!” resides. That’s the experience your customers will pay more to enjoy. That’s the experience your customers will return to enjoy again and again and again. That’s the experience that your customers will rave about to everyone they know who will also rush to your door to enjoy that same Academy Award-winning caliber “WOW!” level experience for themselves. That’s also the experience that will make your competition irrelevant and that your couples will pay a premium to enjoy. And as a bonus, elevating the 5-star experience you deliver to Academy Award-winning caliber will also remove the need for you to ever compete
the same. If you aren’t, it’s not too late. There is more information available today than there was just 30 days ago. You have more time now to go through your hard drive and organize your crates. You can reorganize your gear. You can take a hard look at your website and marketing tools. During my recent online Marquee Show Day of Education, we had DJ QBert on late night with a question and answer session. He admitted that one of the biggest mistakes that he made was thinking he was the best and didn’t need to practice, and it cost him his DMC Championship. He now practices 2-3 hours per day. That is one of the reasons that he is a worldrenown DJ. Use this time to get better. Stay Safe KC can be reached at keithkokoruz@ discjockeynews.com
on price again. Just like the creative minds at Pixar, you have unlimited potential, and the more you exercise your brain through ongoing training, the better you will be at filling the gap between delivering a 5-star customer experience and one worthy of winning an Academy Award. I look forward to seeing your business on the red carpet. To learn more about “How To Speak Fluent ‘WOW!:’ The Language Of HighSpending, Loyal Raving Customers.”--the customers you want to attract most to your business, please visit my website at http://RonRuth.com or email me at RonRuth@DiscJockeyNews.com
Become A Co-Creator By Thomas Heath
Way back in 2016 (we were so young back then), I attended my very first industry conference. It was the Wedding MBA Convention in Las Vegas. That turned out to be one of the most transformative investments for my business. I met many amazing people and learned a lot. The biggest lesson that I learned was not how to mix two songs or how to create the most amazing Instagram post. It was that couples are looking for more. Wedding MBA is a convention that brings people from all aspects of the wedding industry together. Planners, caterers, DJs, photographers, venues, and more are all there to learn and to teach. It was an overall sense that there could be so much more to what we do. It was at that moment that the CoCreator concept was born. So the question you might have is, “what exactly are you going on about?” Rightly so. It is a pretty nebulous concept. A Co-Creator is many things, and so much more than you might think. First and foremost, a Co-Creator is a partner in the creative and planning process. You will need to be an integral part of each step in the process. A Co-Creator works WITH, not FOR their clients. You will be walking with them through all of the decisions that you will be involved in executing. Second, a Co-Creator is a confidant. Since you will be asking lots of questions during your planning meetings, you will get to know a lot about them. A lot of the information you get will be rather typical, but sometimes you will learn some interesting stuff. Oh, the stories I could tell. Because of this, you will inherently WANT the best for them and their event. A confidant fights for the vi-
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sion they have. Third, a Co-Creator is a qualified expert in all aspects of their occupation. If you are a DJ/Master of Ceremonies, which I assume most reading this are, the entertainment will be your primary focus. But that means a lot more than just “the music.” If you think back to a play or other stage performance, there are many elements involved. Staging, flow, focus, lighting, and audio support are just a few of the factors for consideration. You need to be sure to temper your expertise. You are an expert IN events, but you are not
the expert for THEIR particular event. Their vision must still take center stage. Fourth, a Co-Creator is not just a “yes man or yes woman” during the planning process. It is no longer your job to blindly agree with every idea that comes out. One of the benefits of building a relationship is that you can speak freely. It is ultimately our goal to attempt to make all of their dreams a reality inside of the scope of what we can do. For instance, during the discovery process, imagine that your couple suggests havThomas Heath Continued On Page 13
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 9 planning charged ahead. I’m no longer an employee at The Knot, so I can’t see the traffic, but I’m sure it’s been down. What I do know from my Zoom calls and consulting with wedding pros, like you, is that there are still new leads coming in. Are they down? Yes, but I’m already hearing that they’re starting to ramp back up, as I’m sure the traffic to The Knot, WeddingWire and others will, as well. (at home, the boss isn’t looking over their shoulder to see that they’re sneaking a peek at your website or social media!) Is now a time to be selling? Follow up on any leads you’ve gotten recently, and any new leads that come in. People who are planning their weddings and events later this year and next year will be hunkered down, and they may be doing their research at this time. In the secret shopping that we do, most companies don’t follow up on their leads more than once (if they even reply once). Companies that try multiple times, multiple ways have the best shot of converting leads. In my book “Why Don’t They Call Me?”, I lay out a 5-step process for following up. I’ve gotten lots of positive feedback from people who have started following up this way and are seeing much better response. Reach out and don’t touch someone Reach out to any couples with whom you had meetings/calls/conversations and ask how they’re doing. Be empathetic and don’t be salesy. Once they reply, ask if they’re moving ahead with their planning, or if they’ve put it on hold. If they’re moving ahead, gently let them know that there are a lot of couples who are postponing their weddings from this year to next, which means prime dates, and some not-so-prime dates will be filling up. Let them know that when they’re ready to have a conversation, you’re there for them. Between Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangouts and more, there are lots of ways to connect with your customers without being face to face. I’m actually hoping that this will show many of you that you don’t need to meet face to face, even after social-distancing is lifted. Keep Networking! Your phone still works. Your Email works. Skype, Zoom, FaceTime and Google Hangouts work. When you make these calls, don’t let it fall into a pity party. Yes, we’re all losing business now, but now is the time to surround yourself with positive voices. Let your friends vent, but be sure to bring it back around to what you can do now to be better What should you NOT do? Don’t put your head in the sand. Yes,
it’s bad for everyone. If you don’t have an emergency fund, it’s going to be a rough few weeks. For some, the stimulus package will provide some temporary relief. I’ve also heard that banks and other companies will be making concessions, understanding that if you’re not working, you’re not bringing in income (deferral of mortgage payments, rent, loan payments, etc.). Now is not the time to panic, that leads to bad decision-making. If you’re feeling stressed (and who isn’t) you may want to seek professional help from a therapist, meditation app or possibly your local clergy. Don’t create your own recession Don’t pull back on your advertising and marketing. Playing catch-up is hard, especially in weddings. In the last recession, the companies that leaned in and kept their advertising and marketing ef-
forts in place, or even increased them, came out of it the best. In times like these I find it best to lean in to the crisis. Companies that do tend to come out faster, and stronger. An unfortunate reality is that some companies may not survive, and the ones that do will pick up the slack. Give yourself the best chance for survival by leaning-in. A year from now we’ll all be looking forward, helping couples have amazing wedding celebrations. If you have your head in the sand, you won’t be able to see that the skies are clearing! Alan Berg has been called “North America’s Leading Expert and Speaker on the Business of Weddings and Events”. Find out more about his speaking, website reviews, consulting, books, DVDs and audio presentations at http://www.AlanBerg. com - email or call Alan, 732.422.6362
H-E-L-P, Don’t Sell By Brian Kelm
The thing that customers and prospective customers need more than ever is HE-L-P! They need to know and feel your authenticity, care, and empathy while they navigate the current situation of uncertainty. What does H-E-L-P look like? It’s anything you can do to be of service no matter how big or small without any motivation or thought of money or selling whatsoever. This is the time to do what you are trained to do as a professional and be there for the people, families, and companies you serve. This ample opportunity to take advantage of how well you know your customers in order to develop the type of relationship they never knew was possible! Step up for them, be the humble driving force, and exhibit your best self as a result! A huge choice exists for all of us right now. How much of a resource will they perceive us to be? By our actions, there is an open canvas to create for them! Now is the perfect time to firm up how customer-centric you are. Now is the perfect time to show off how selfless you are. Now is the perfect time to deepen your relationship with customers and prospective customers. Lean in to what skills you can develop and truly be of service! Take so many actions now that when we emerge on the other side of this global situation, you
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are elated with all that you learned and achieved for your customers. If you commit to H-E-L-Ping your customers, they will receive no less than these five things from you: 1. Empathy – You relate first-hand to what they are feeling and going through. 2. Leadership – Take the reigns and be the guide in your customers’ overall outcome. 3. Character – They perceive who you truly are and get to see it on display. 4. Expertise – Unleash all your skills and talents. Be resourceful. 5. Value – What are you doing for
THEM? Take this opportunity to transform into the professional your customers can’t live without. Rise to the occasion now more than ever before. It’s your opportunity and choice to do all you can for them. Always think, “Do it for them,” and take relentless action! Brian Kelm, CWEP, CGWP, WED Guild is a 25+ year wedding entertainment and planning professional that has been all over the United States. Based in Wisconsin. Serving Anywhere. He can be reached at briankelm@discjockeynews. com
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Make Decisions That Make A Difference By Harvey Mackay
T. Boone Pickens, the late famed oil prospector, and corporate raider, said in commencement remarks at George Washington University: “Be willing to make decisions. That’s the most important quality in a good leader. Don’t fall victim to what I call the ‘ready-aim-aimaim-aim syndrome.’ -You must be willing to fire.” It’s common knowledge that most people simply do not like to make tough decisions. That’s why the frustrated executive replaced the “In” and “Out” trays on his desk with one labeled “Stalled.” We are at a critical point for many businesses right now; decisions made today affect the future survival of every operation. The pandemic has stalled all kinds of decisions that would have been five-minute conversations just weeks ago. And so many decisions were made for us by government orders. Can’t overrule those. So how best to approach these pressing issues that are within our control that need immediate action? Sigmund Freud and his niece once discussed how difficult it was for some people to make a decision. He said, “I’ll tell you what I tell them. I ask them to toss a coin.” His niece said, “I can’t believe it. You, a man of science, guided by senseless chance!” Freud answered: “I did not say you should follow blindly what the coin tells you. What I want you to do is to note what the coin indicates. Then look into your own reactions. Ask yourself: Am I pleased? Am I disappointed? That will help you to recognize how you really feel about the matter, deep down inside. With that as a basis, you’ll then be ready
to make up your mind and come to the right decision.” We grow by making decisions and assuming responsibility for them. You’re not going to be right all the time. In fact, President Harry Truman said, “Whenever I make a bum decision, I just go out and make another.” One of his predecessors, President Theodore Roosevelt, had a little different take: “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
Sitting on a decision too long just creates a new problem. Not making a decision is doing nothing. Counselor and researcher Trudi Griffin says there are simple ways to make the decision process less intimidating, such as “identifying the worst case scenario, making a spreadsheet, and following your gut instinct.” In addition, she recommends considering whether the decision will be permanent. “Most decisions are reversible, so you can take comfort in knowing that if you hate your decision, you can always Harvey Mackay Continued On Page 16
Value Your Time By Chris Hintz
Focus. Finish. Find. As DJs, we are constantly on the lookout for our next investment, making sure that what we spend our money on is going to yield a positive return. What about your time? Focus It has often been said to maintain balance in both work and life. Both aspects of life require focus. Wherever you are and whoever your with, spend that time focusing on what matters in your present environment. When we’re at work, the relationships and conversations need and deserve your full attention. The time is best spent focusing on the tasks at hand. Leadership requires a focused commitment to get productivity from your team. Likewise, when you are at home, truly be at home. Do your best to surgically separate your time and attention accordingly. When at home surrounded by the people who love you no matter what your profit and loss statement looks like. When you’re focused on what’s in front of you, and you’re willing to be intentional about your time, you will see dividends on both your personal and financial reports. Finish. Think about the last project you wanted to complete but never got done. Why didn’t you complete it? How did it make you feel? Frustrated? Angry? We often bite off more than we can chew, somehow thinking we’re immortal. This unreal expectation of ourselves sets the scene for inevitable failure. Think of your brain as the engine of your favorite dream car. Does the car respond best when it’s redlining for hours? How do you respond when your mind is taxed as heavily as your favorite Gran Tourismo game? For small doses, it can be incredibly gratifying stretching the limits of our faculties in the same manner as cruising down Le Man at 220 + MPH. Still, eventually something can and oftentimes will fail. Finish what you start, start what you in-
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 12 Sports are another way for us to find pastend to finish. sions, not just in our industry. That same Find Most entertainers in the industry are striv- competitive spirit that exists in wanting to ing to better themselves at every opportunity. be the best yields gratification and can be a Workshops, training, Toastmasters, master- powerful source of physical and mental well mind groups are just some of the things we being. The best thing about finding other things can do to enhance our craft and sharpen our to excite you? The number of people you skills. Doing so allows us to network with peo- will meet outside your traditional networks, ple in our industry, and we tend to congregate and maybe a dog sitter for a weekend where around people whom we have similar align- you have three weddings back to back to back. ments in any walk of life. Focus on the things that matter. When you FIND something outside of Finish every project that you’ve focused your profession that creates the same fire as on. your career, pursue it thoroughly. Find other ways to create passion in your There are many DJs who practice the culinary arts and create something just as deli- life. Chris Hintz can be reached at chrishintz@ cious, whether their mixing beats or beating discjockeynews.com. eggs for brunch on Sunday mornings. Chris Hintz Continued On Page `12
Where Does The Road Go? By Michael J. Lenstra
My sister, who works for the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Reno, Nevada, tells me that this COVID-19 virus, despite what some believe, is not just a severe flu bug. In fact, it’s nothing like anything the medical community has ever seen before. She then explains to me in scientific terms why that is so. Of course I do not fully understand most of that terminology, but given her nearly 30 years of experience in the medical field I defer to her and trust that what she is telling me is true. My cousin, who is a doctor and works at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is one of those embattled and weary health professionals who has taken to social media to plead with anyone who will listen: “Please stay the eff at home.” she writes. “We are witnessing unthinkable losses in the hospital every single day. If you think this is fake news, it is not. If you think this is being dramatized, it is not. If you love anyone, for your safety and theirs, STAY AT (JUST YOUR) HOME!” As hard as this situation is on her, it may be even rougher on her fiancé, who as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, is involved in sedating those just before they are put on a ventilator. He knows full well that statistics tell him approximately 80% of those who have reached this point battling the disease do not survive and he is essentially putting many of them to sleep for the last time. Both of them are also facing the reality that their long-planned wedding, scheduled for August, will more than likely not happen—and that’s something we DJs are hearing all too often. Sometimes firsthand experience strikes closer to home. I have a good friend, Baird. We were last together
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March 15th, the day the governor of Illinois ordered a state shutdown because of the outbreak. Other states would soon follow. We talked on the phone just a couple of days later, then again one week later. That was when he told me he had been sick for about a week. That alarmed me, but he said he called his doctor and they assured him he just had the flu. I checked back a few days later. He was still sick but said he did make it to the doctor’s office and they diagnosed him with bronchitis. I tried checking in a few days later and received no response. When I finally was able to reach his wife, she told me that, yes, he indeed had the coronavirus
all along. For three weeks he was on a ventilator, but he passed away April 24th. As a wedding professional, my work situation has been greatly impacted by the pandemic. Like an estimated 85% of other businesses, our bottom line has suffered greatly – but of course that’s secondary to the loss of life. These are difficult times to be sure, and it’s hard to see where this road will take us. Part of that is because of the confusing messages we are getting. In one week I read more than once that sporting events—in fact, any major events—were more than likely
not going to happen any more this year. It was the same week that we were told that, yes, we indeed should now be wearing a mask when out in public, contrary to what had been said in the preceding weeks. There were guidelines released stating the phases that were needed to go through to re-open the country. Some deciphering those guidelines speculated that a “return to normal” would take anywhere from 12 to 24 months. Just one week later, however, many states were, in essence, beginning to re-open without meeting any of that criteria. The one thing I do know for certain is that, now more than ever, you need to be there for your clients. They are going through just as tough of a time as you are, and now may not be the moment to hold tight to your nonrefundable deposit policy, or be unwilling to help reschedule events. Sometimes being good people takes precedence over being good businesspeople. Dave Ramsey likes to say, “My friend Art Laffer says, ‘No one makes good decisions when they are panicked or when they’re drunk.’” The way I see it, things could be worse. Stay sober. Don’t panic. Remain there for your clients. The one piece of hope I hang on to through all of this is nothing lasts forever. Until next month, Michael Michael J. Lenstra is a self-described Wedding DJ and is celebrating over 25 years in the Mobile DJ industry. He is a full-time DJ/Entertainer, and is owner of Alexxus Entertainment in Dubuque, Iowa.He can be reached at mikelenstra@ discjockeynews.com
Thomas Heath Continued From Page 8 ing Charlie Sheen at their wedding reception. While this may be extremely fun and interesting for them and their guests, budget constraints and “insane Charlie Sheen” might not go as planned. You might suggest an impersonator instead. Fifth, a Co-Creator becomes emotionally invested in each event they help plan. Your performance becomes more than “just another wedding.” Instead, because of the friendship that you’ve built, you care on a deeper level. That friendship will come through in your performance as well. People will ask, “how long have you known
Sid and nancy?” Guests might even assume since you are so in touch with them, that you are a relative. In our next issue, I will dive into the final piece of being a Co-Creator. How being an advocate for each event’s vision can make your job easier and more rewarding. I will also get into the steps involved in starting down this path. For more information, or to set up a free consultation, please visit BrandingYourPlanning.com Thomas Heath is the owner of A+ Entertains of Boyne Falls, Michigan. You can reach Thomas at thomasheath@discjockeynews.com.
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Connecting Is More Skill Than Natural Talent By John C. Maxwell
“When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two-thirds of the time thinking about what they want to hear and one-third thinking about what I want to say.” ~ Attributed to Abraham Lincoln Seldom do we consider ourselves to be boring or out of touch as communicators, yet oftentimes that’s exactly what we are. We may be passionate about our message, but we don’t understand how to craft it in a way that resonates with our audience. As a result, others tune us out, and we have difficulty influencing them. What Makes People Listen? Before passing along information, great communicators make a connection. They have a handful of qualities that garner the interest and attention of their audience. By harnessing these qualities, communicators earn the right to be heard, and their words carry weight. FOUR QUALITIES OF A COMMUNICATOR WHO CONNECTS 1) Relationships-Who You Know After reading about German experiments with uranium in scientific journals, physicist Leó Szilárd became concerned about the possibilities of the Nazis developing an atomic bomb. Alarmed, the American scientist decided to alert President Franklin Roosevelt. Lacking direct access to the President, Szilárd drafted a letter and then convinced Albert Einstein to sign it. With Einstein’s name affixed to it,
the letter of warning reached President Roosevelt’s desk, and prompted him to form a commission to research nuclear fission. That commission later became the Manhattan Project, which invented the atomic bomb and helped the United States to end World War II. Leo Szilárd’s letter to President Franklin Roosevelt illustrates an important principle of connection: borrowed influence. Szilárd leveraged his relationship with Albert Einstein to get his message to the White House. One of the quickest ways to gain credibility with an individual, a group, or an audience is to borrow it from someone who already has established trust with them. It’s the basis of celebrity endorsements, sales referrals, and word-of-mouth advertising. Who you know can open the door for you to connect with someone. 2) Insight-What You Know Insight also opens the door to connection. Szilárd’s impressive credentials as a physicist earned him the respect and consideration of his colleague, Albert Einstein. In turn, Einstein’s expertise as a scientist gave him a platform from which to communicate with the leader of the United States. If you have an area of expertise and generously share it with others, you give people reasons to respect you and develop a sense of connection with you. We tend to listen to people who have specialized knowledge. That’s why trial lawyers call upon credentialed witnesses, and universities hire people with advanced degrees to be professors. 3) Ability-What You Can Do Individuals who perform at a high level in their profession gain instant credibility with others. Basketball phenom LeBron James exuded so much ability as a high school senior that Nike signed him to a $90 million endorsement deal at age 18. On account of his tremendous talent, people who have never met James admire him, want to be like him, and feel connected to him. His ability carries so much influence that people will even mimic his shoe selection. When people of rare ability speak, others listen-even if the area of their skill has nothing to do with the advice they give. For instance, LeBron James endorses State Farm Insurance. Now,
does James have expertise in the insurance industry? Probably not, but he’s arguably the best basketball player in the world, and people listen to him because of what he can do. 4) Sacrifice-How You Have Lived People connect with those who sacrifice for the good of others. For example, each year Gallup conducts a poll to determine the profession most admired by Americans. Since being added to the list of professions in 1999, nursing has claimed the top spot every year but one. The winner in that lone exception? Firefighters, who took first in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center Towers. If you have made sacrifices or overcome painful obstacles, many people will relate to you. Notice how much respect is given to veterans of the armed services; we admire them going into harm’s way to protect our country. Think about the weight that is given to the words of the civil rights leaders who helped to pave the way for improved race relations in America. Or, consider the regard we have for those who’ve survived cancer. We tend to listen to people who have persevered through adversity, especially when they’ve undergone personal costs in order to serve others. Conclusion These four qualities of connection are by no means comprehensive. I’m sure you can think of other reasons people connect. The point is that you must take whatever you have, and use it to connect with others. The more methods of connection you have and the better you become at using them, the greater your chance of connecting with people. John C. Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than 26 million books in fifty languages. The recipient of the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership from the Luminary Leadership Network, Dr. Maxwell speaks each year to Fortune 500 companies, presidents of nations, and many of the world’s top business leaders. He can be followed at Twitter. com/JohnCMaxwell. For more information about him visit JohnMaxwell. com.
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12 Money Lesson For Your Children By Larry Winget
When writing my Wall Street Journal bestseller, Your Kids Are Your Own Fault: A Guide For Raising Responsible, Productive Adults, I did my own internal survey among my facebook fans, friends and followers and my database. I asked the question of nearly 50,000 people: “What is the one thing you wish your parents had taught you that they didn’t.” I received nearly a thousand answers. Ninety-nine percent (an overwhelming majority) of those answers said the same thing, “I wish my parents had taught me about money.” So do I. Part of the reason people are in the mess they are today, part of the reason
our country is in the mess it is in today, part of the reason the housing market is in crisis, part of the reason debt is up, bankruptcies are up and saving is down is because parents didn’t teach their kids about money and finances. Maybe it is because their own parents didn’t teach them about money either, or because they simply didn’t have the skills to pass on, or because they thought their kids would just “pick it up” along the way or develop good money management skills by osmosis – I don’t know. But the bottom line is that people don’t know much about money and it is a parent’s job to teach them while they are young so they will have good habits when they are older and hopefully, independent. 12 Money Lessons While there is no way to go into much detail about what you should be teaching your kids about money how to teach them in a blog posting (you have to read the book for that) I want to give you some key points to consider: 1. Give your kids an allowance. Give the same amount on the same day every week. Just like you get your paycheck. The allowance is for them holding up their end of the family responsibilities: picking up their stuff, helping around the house, getting their dirty clothes to the laundry area, carrying their plates to the sink . . . age appropriate chores any kid can and should be doing to contribute. This allowance is paid regardless of how well the job is done. When a boss isn’t happy with performance, he doesn’t withhold the
salary but instead counsels the employee about their performance. The same rule applies to kids and allowance. 2. The 10-10-10 Rule. Save 10 percent. Invest 10 percent. Give 10 percent. Live on the remaining 70%. This lesson can be taught to any child at any age. And since about 40% of Americans live on 110% of their income and only about 7% have enough money saved for retirement, it is a good way for parents to live as well. 3. Involve your kids in household finances. Explain how everything costs money and about your household budget. Cover income and expenses and how it all works and how you manage it. Again, age appropriate of course. Kids need to see and understand that everything comes with a price tag – even the lights and the hot water. 4. Encourage entrepreneurship. Teach your kids how to make money. Kids can mow lawns, babysit, dog walk, pet sit and more. Teach them about customer service, sales, management, cost of goods sold and profitability with each thing they pursue. Teach them to save, invest, be charitable and enjoy the money they earn. 5. Teach math skills and their relevance to money. Addition so they can add up what they have and what they owe. Subtraction so they can subtract what they owe from what they have. Pretty basic but I promise most adults have not done that simple equation I just described. Also
Harvey Mackay Continued from Page 11 make a change to fix the situation later on.” In addition, she counsels to “learn to distinguish between an impulse and intelligent decision.” Once you’ve weighed your options, you can usually figure out if your first reaction was reasonable or a quick fix. Take a breath and give yourself time to think. Ask any CEO or manager if they are proud of all the decisions they have made, and I will guarantee that the answer will be no. But ask them if they learned from their mistakes, and I will also guarantee that the answer will be yes, at least from the smartest ones. Good decision-making is learned. It stems from good judgment, which is also learned, frequently the hard way. But with practice, good decisionLarry Winget Continued From Page 15 teach percentages and multiplication. Studies prove that the better you are at math, the more money you end up with in the long run. Your kid may hate math but they love money so teach that one goes with the other! 6. Teach a b o u t credit and interest rates. Age appropriate again but the sooner the better. Don’t let their first credit card experience be their teacher! 7 . Wants vs. needs vs. can’t-livewithouts. Great lessons for everyone for sure! 8. Money is good. There is more wrong about not having money than with having money and anyone who says differently has never had money and probably will never
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 16 making becomes much easier. Strong leaders have no problem in making decisions. They are confident that their decisions are the best. Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said, “My idea of a group decision is to look in the mirror.” Buffet takes responsibility for his decisions, and his stockholders trust his judgment. Therein lies another facet of decision-making: owning your decision. Celebrate when you’ve made the right choice and find a fix when you haven’t. The folly of human nature is neatly summed up by the case of the schoolteacher who invested her life savings in a business enterprise, which had been elaborately explained to her by a swindler. When her investment disappeared and the wonderful dream was shattered,
she went to the office of the Better Business Bureau. “Why on earth didn’t you come to us first,” they asked. Didn’t you know about the Better Business Bureau?” “Oh, yes,” said the teacher sadly. I’ve always known about you. But I didn’t come because I was afraid you’d tell me not to do it.” Mackay’s Moral: Life is all about decisions. Choose wisely. Reprinted with permission from nationally syndicated columnist Harvey Mackay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller “Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive,” “We Got Fired!...And It’s the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us,” and “The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World.
have any. It takes money to build hospital and help people in need. You can’t do a damn thing for people when you are broke! Poverty is the enemy – not
12. Money is freedom. The freedom to do what you want, the way you want, when you want and with whom you want. That is the ultimate benefit of having money. If you do all of these things will your kid grow up to handle their finances perfectly? Maybe and maybe not. T h e r e are few guarantees with parenting. However, don’t do these things and you hinder your kids and impede their overall success in many ways. All the best to you and your kids! Larry Winget can be reached at http://www.larrywinget.com.
wealth. 9. Money is not more important than people. 10. Money gotten dishonestly is never worth it. 11. Money carries responsibility.
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What Do You Do EVERY DAY To Build Attraction And Brand? By Jeffrey Gitomer
PERSONAL REALITY: You wake up, shower, shave (M), put on makeup (F), brush your teeth, and comb/fix your hair (if you have any). Every day like clockwork. Those are personal habits. Rarely (if ever) missed. What about business habits? Personal business habits? BUSINESS REALITY: Do you have the same consistency in your daily business habits? And I wonder how many of your daily habits take the long-term view. Or are you just trying to make sales to make quota? Big mistake. I want to talk about one element of your personal business habits: Your personal outreach, your daily outreach, that builds attraction, personal brand, authority, known expertise, recognition, position in your industry, Google rank, social media presence, top of mind awareness, and reputation. Oh, that. That sounds like a LOT of work. But actually, it takes LESS time than your morning bathroom routine once you’re set up and rolling. And these are habits that create attraction. Real attraction. The cool part is it costs (almost) nothing. All you have to do is allocate the time, and (most important) commit to DAILY OUTREACH. Here’s the master list of available resources that you must employ and deploy: • LinkedIn. Your prime professional outlet for finding, attracting, building,
and staying in touch with business connections. OUTREACH: Be personal and creative. Don’t use the lines and messages provided by LinkedIn – use your own words. Post something of value, and ask your connections to share it with THEIR connections. • Facebook. A place to create a oneon-one dialog with customers – especially by responding to their praise and concerns. OUTREACH: Post positive service stories and videos. Respond to issues within two hours. • Twitter. One hundred forty characters that put your character on public display. Make every character count. Have something profound to say that your followers would be compelled to send to
THEIR followers. OUTREACH: Tweet a value message at least twice a day. One that your followers would find interesting enough to re-tweet to THEIR followers. The object of Twitter is to be re-tweeted by your followers, thereby exposing you to new people (customers). • Blog or personal website. A starting place, a landing place, and a jumping-off place for stories, ideas, opinions, photos, videos, training, and anything else your customers or followers would find BOTH interesting and valuable. On a blog, you can mix business and personal, as long as it’s not offensive. Your posts can be subscribed to and delivered by email. OUTREACH: Blog with a minimum of a weekly, if not daily, post. You have unlimited space for text, photos, and videos. Your blog is an opportunity for people to realize both your intellect and your passion. • YouTube. Video is the king of online communication. This is a chance to convey messages, training, subject matter expertise, testimonials, and offers of value. Your viewers can subscribe, and
your posts can be cross-pollinated on your blog, your Facebook page, and your LinkedIn profile. All for the low, low price of FREE. • E-zine or Email Newsletter. A weekly, informational piece that can contain SOME promotional material, but MUST have mostly helpful information. I’m offering myself an example of what to do. Everything in this outreach formula is based on what I do personally. Study me. Emulate me. My outreach is based on value. My outreach is working. MY PERSONAL EXAMPLES: On twitter I am @gitomer. On Facebook I am Facebook.com/jeffreygitomer. My blog is salesblog.com. My youtube channel is youtube.com/buygitomer. On LinkedIn search my name: Jeffrey Gitomer. My ezine is published on salescaffeine.com. My website is gitomer.com. JUST DO IT: You’d think that with all these career building, low-cost or free opportunities, benefits, and life building assets, that every salesperson on the planet would be the MASTER of these outlets – and you would be wrong – drastically wrong – and most likely, PERSONALLY wrong. MOTHER GOOGLE: All of your “outreach” builds your Google searchability, ranking, and visibility. The foundation and fulcrum point of your reputation rests on Google. Most of the time Mother Google is the perfect platform and reference point, UNLESS you try to fool her by manipulating your status. NOTE WELL: Outreach is a lifetime process. When done well, it builds every aspect of your brand and reputation. And over time it creates the real law of attraction – a law based on value offerings, in spite of what you may have read or heard elsewhere. Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His real-world ideas and content are also available as online courses at www.GitomerLearningAcademy.com.
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Remaining Productive When Working From Home By Ken Coleman
As of mid-April, about 95% of Americans—or 306 million people—were placed under a stay-at-home order to stop the spread of the coronavirus. This means that in a matter of days we’d been thrown into the largest work-from-home experiment in history. But disruption is an opportunity for innovation. It’s critical that you stay as productive as possible during this time—for your own career, for your company, and for our larger economy. With that in mind, here are eight tips for working from home, whether you’ve been doing this for years or just a few days. Create a schedule No one really knows how long the coronavirus shutdown will last. For now, you need to think of this as your new normal and get into a regular routine. Wake up at the same time every morning, get dressed, show up, and work hard—just like you would when you go into the office. If you have kids, especially little ones, then writing and posting a physical schedule is a must. Look at the day (or week) ahead and plan out meetings, schoolwork, screen time for the kids and even chores that need to get done. Involve your kids in the planning process, too. It will really help them buy in and participate. Also, make sure to power down at the end of the day. You don’t have a physical commute that separates you from the office, so create a ritual to help you disconnect. Walk the dog, go on a short drive, or get in a solid workout. Set clear boundaries with your family or roommates Unless you live alone, you’re sharing your home and your office with other people. If you’re not clear about your expecta-
tions, and respectful of what everyone else needs, you’ll start to feel tension rise up. If you live with other adults, then you should be able to set clear expectations in just one or two conversations. But if you’re married or have kids, it’s a good idea to have a regular check-in to make sure you’re all on the same page. Ask your roommates (or family) to be respectful when you’re digging into a project or on a conference call. Take your personality into account Some of you introverts are having the time of your life working from home. Some of the extroverts out there are pan-
icking about not having human interaction for the foreseeable future. Don’t feel guilty because your routine looks a little different from your coworker’s, or even your spouse’s. Reflect on how it’s going, and check in with yourself from time to time. Are you easily distracted? Do you need to move around and be active? Are you able to sit down and just knock out work hour after hour? Be patient with yourself as you settle into a rhythm. Understand what technology you need Now’s the time to make friends with your IT department. You’ll probably run into a few snags as you figure out technology from home. Ask your leader about the software you’ll need and make sure you’re able to access it. You don’t want to waste time at home because you don’t have the tools you need to get the job done. Create a workspace Having a space for your home office will help you stay focused and get into
work mode. It also helps you create a physical boundary to separate you from roommates or family. If you don’t have a home office, you might need to claim the dining room table or a desk in your bedroom. Make it personalized and keep it clean. Step up the communication Your success as a remote worker boils down to one thing: your ability to communicate with your leader and team. And if you’re in leadership, then it’s even more critical for you to communicate well as you manage your team remotely. At the same time, don’t let the digital communication overwhelm your productivity. Unless your position requires you to be on call, feel free to unplug from notifications when you need to focus. Just communicate to your teammates as to when you’ll be available again. Take breaks When you work remotely, it’s easy to blur the lines between life and work. Some people tend to work extra-long hours, and others might be tempted to slack off. Neither extreme is healthy. By scheduling breaks throughout your day, you give yourself something to look forward to. Have some fun Working from home has its perks, and you should enjoy them. Take advantage of the slower pace. Play with your dog once in a while, or have breakfast as a family. Also, make sure to have fun with your coworkers. Share fun pictures and updates from your life, in addition to the “business as usual” communication. It will help you strengthen your relationships, and make the whole experience feel more unified! Ken Coleman is a #1 national bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show. Pulling from his own personal struggles, missed opportunities and career successes, Coleman helps people discover what they were born to do and provides practical steps to make their dream job a reality. The Ken Coleman Show is a caller-driven career show that helps listeners who are stuck in a job they hate or searching for something more out of their career. His second book, The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead to the Career You Love, released May 2019. Connect with Ken on Twitter and Instagram at @KenColeman and online at kencoleman.com or at facebook.com/kenColemanShow.
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 19
Top 50 Charts for May 2020
The Weekly Printable Charts are available at http://www.DJNTV.com/charts Sponsored by iDJPool.com Pop
1 CAMILA CABELLO My Oh My f/DaBaby 2 THE WEEKND Blinding Lights 3 DOJA CAT Say So 4 DUA LIPA Don’t Start Now 5 HARRY STYLES Adore You 6 JUSTIN BIEBER Intentions f/Quavo 7 BILLIE EILISH everything i wanted 8 BLACK EYED PEAS X J BALVIN RITMO (Bad Boys For Life) 9 POST MALONE Circles 10 TREVOR DANIEL Falling 11 BLACKBEAR Hot Girl Bummer 12 RODDY RICCH The Box 13 DUA LIPA Break My Heart 14 DEMI LOVATO I Love Me 15 DRAKE Toosie Slide 16 MAREN MORRIS The Bones 17 SURFACES Sunday Best 18 REGARD Ride It 19 BENEE Supalonely f/Gus Dapperton 20 THE WEEKND In Your Eyes 21 LEWIS CAPALDI Before You Go 22 SAINT JHN Roses 23 TWENTY ONE PILOTS Level Of Concern 24 LADY GAGA Stupid Love 25 LAUV Modern Loneliness 26 POWFU Coffee For Your Head 27 SAM SMITH & DEMI LOVATO I’m Ready 28 FUTURE & DRAKE Life Is Good 29 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER Old Me 30 MEGHAN TRAINOR Nice To Meet Ya f/Nicki Minaj 31 BRYCE VINE Baby Girl 32 DIPLO & MORGAN WALLEN Heartless (f/Julia Michaels) 33 BAZZI Young & Alive 34 ELLIE GOULDING Worry About Me f/blackbear 35 NOAH CYRUS July 36 MEGAN THEE STALLION Savage f/Beyonce 37 JP SAXE F/JULIA MICHAELS If The World Was Ending 38 TAYLOR SWIFT The Man 39 PARTYNEXTDOOR & RIHANNA Believe It 40 CONAN GRAY Maniac 41 HALSEY You should be sad 42 ALICIA KEYS Underdog 43 LIL MOSEY Blueberry Faygo 44 MARSHMELLO & HALSEY Be Kind 45 SZA X JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE The Other Side 46 SOFIA CARSON + R3HAB I Luv U 47 TYGA X CURTIS ROACH Bored In The House 48 JACKSON WANG 100 Ways 49 RUSS & BIA Best On Earth 50 ALI GATIE What If I Told You That I...
Urban
1 DRAKE Toosie Slide 2 DABABY Vibez 3 RODDY RICCH The Box 4 ROD WAVE Heart On Ice f/Lil Durk 5 FUTURE & DRAKE Life Is Good 6 RUSS & BIA Best On Earth 7 MEGAN THEE STALLION Savage f/Beyonce 8 SUMMER WALKER Come Thru f/Usher 9 LIL BABY Sum 2 Prove 10 YOUNGBOY NEVER BROKE AGAIN Make No Sense 11 RODDY RICCH High Fashion f/Mustard 12 FLIPP DINERO How I Move f/Lil Baby 13 MONEYBAGG YO 123 f/Blac Youngsta 14 POP SMOKE Dior 15 USHER Don’t Waste My Time f/Ella Mai 16 JACKBOYS Out West f/Young Thug 17 JHENE AIKO P*ssy Fairy (OTW) 18 MIGOS Give No Fxk f/Travis Scott 19 ROTIMI In My Bed f/Wale 20 PARTYNEXTDOOR & RIHANNA Believe It 21 FIVIO FOREIGN Big Drip 22 GUNNA Skybox 23 LIL YACHTY Oprah’s Bank Account f/Drake.. 24 EBENEZER Flaws And All 25 YOUNG T & BUGSEY Don’t Rush f/Headie One 26 K CAMP Lottery 27 SKIP MARLEY & H.E.R. Slow Down 28 JACK HARLOW What’s Poppin 29 LIL MOSEY Blueberry Faygo 30 MEGAN THEE STALLION B**** 31 YELLA BEEZY Headlocc f/Young Thug 32 J.I THE PRINCE OF NY Need Me 33 POLO G/STUNNA4VEGAS/NLE CHOPPA Go Stupid 34 DANILEIGH Levi High f/DaBaby 35 LIL UZI VERT That Way 36 A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE Numbers f/Roddy Ricch, Gunna.. 37 NLE CHOPPA Walk Em Down f/Roddy Ricch 38 DUKE DEUCE Crunk Ain’t Dead 39 MULATTO B***h From Da Souf 40 LIL BABY Emotionally Scarred 41 ANGELICA VILA Why 42 USHER, LIL JON & LUDACRIS SexBeat 43 NAV & GUNNA Turks f/Travis Scott 44 ARIZONA ZERVAS Roxanne 45 OMARION Can You Hear Me? f/T-Pain 46 RAE RAE Crash Flow f/Taeman 47 SNOH AALEGRA I Want You Around 48 DREAMDOLL Who You Loving? 49 INAYAH Best Thing 50 SADA BABY Aktivated
Disc Jockey News • May 2020 • Page 20
Top 50 Charts for May 2020
The Weekly Printable Charts are available at http://www.DJNTV.com/charts Sponsored by iDJPool.com Hot Adult Contemporary 1 HARRY STYLES Adore You 2 DUA LIPA Don’t Start Now 3 POST MALONE Circles 4 THE WEEKND Blinding Lights 5 MAREN MORRIS The Bones 6 MAROON 5 Memories 7 BILLIE EILISH everything i wanted 8 LEWIS CAPALDI Someone You Loved 9 CAMILA CABELLO My Oh My f/DaBaby 10 JUSTIN BIEBER Intentions f/Quavo 11 LADY GAGA Stupid Love 12 FITZ & THE TANTRUMS I Just Wanna Shine 13 BILLIE JOE OF GREEN DAY I Think We’re Alone Now 14 LEWIS CAPALDI Before You Go 15 TWENTY ONE PILOTS Level Of Concern 16 JP SAXE F/JULIA MICHAELS If The World Was Ending 17 DEMI LOVATO I Love Me 18 TAYLOR SWIFT The Man 19 DOJA CAT Say So 20 ALICIA KEYS Underdog 21 NOAH CYRUS July 22 KELLY CLARKSON I Dare You 23 SURFACES Sunday Best 24 SAM FISCHER This City 25 LOVELYTHEBAND Loneliness For Love 26 LESLIE ODOM JR. Go Crazy 27 MEGHAN TRAINOR Nice To Meet Ya f/Nicki Minaj 28 BLACK EYED PEAS X J BALVIN RITMO (Bad Boys For Life) 29 DUA LIPA Break My Heart 30 SZA X JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE The Other Side 31 JOHN K 6 Months 32 THE WEEKND In Your Eyes 33 BENEE Supalonely f/Gus Dapperton 34 BLACKBEAR Hot Girl Bummer 35 THE WEEKND Heartless 36 JONAS BROTHERS What A Man Gotta Do 37 KILLERS Caution 38 LAUV Modern Loneliness 39 DIPLO & MORGAN WALLEN Heartless (f/Julia Michaels) 40 SAM SMITH & DEMI LOVATO I’m Ready 41 HALSEY You should be sad 42 POWFU Coffee For Your Head 43 BAZZI Young & Alive 44 AJR Bang! 45 NIALL HORAN No Judgement 46 TREVOR DANIEL Falling 47 ASHE Moral Of The Story 48 DAN CALL Intoxicating 49 ALEC BENJAMIN Oh My God 50 REGARD Ride It
Country 1 BLAKE SHELTON Nobody But You w/Gwen Stefani 2 MORGAN WALLEN Chasin’ You 3 THOMAS RHETT Beer Can’t Fix f/Jon Pardi 4 LUKE COMBS Does To Me f/Eric Church 5 GABBY BARRETT I Hope 6 TRAVIS DENNING After A Few 7 CARLY PEARCE & LEE BRICE I Hope You’re Happy Now 8 INGRID ANDRESS More Hearts Than Mine 9 BRETT YOUNG Catch 10 SCOTTY MCCREERY In Between 11 KENNY CHESNEY Here And Now 12 CARRIE UNDERWOOD Drinking Alone 13 SAM HUNT Hard To Forget 14 KEITH URBAN God Whispered Your Name 15 LOCASH One Big Country Song 16 ERIC CHURCH Monsters 17 JUSTIN MOORE Why We Drink 18 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE I Love My Country 19 MIRANDA LAMBERT Bluebird 20 MADDIE & TAE Die From A Broken Heart 21 MICHAEL RAY Her World Or Mine 22 CHRIS JANSON Done 23 THOMAS RHETT Be A Light f/McEntire, Scott.. 24 CHASE RICE Lonely If You Are 25 ASHLEY MCBRYDE One Night Standards 26 LUKE BRYAN One Margarita 27 CHRIS YOUNG Drowning 28 GONE WEST What Could’ve Been 29 KIP MOORE She’s Mine 30 MATT STELL Everywhere But On 31 JAMESON RODGERS Some Girls 32 MIDLAND Cheatin’ Songs 33 JON LANGSTON Now You Know 34 KANE BROWN Cool Again 35 HARDY One Beer f/L. Alaina/D. Dawson 36 LEE BRICE One Of Them Girls 37 JON PARDI Ain’t Always The Cowboy 38 JASON ALDEAN Got What I Got 39 LAUREN ALAINA Getting Good 40 BRAD PAISLEY No I In Beer 41 OLD DOMINION Some People Do 42 RUNAWAY JUNE Head Over Heels 43 RAYNE JOHNSON Front Seat 44 PARKER MCCOLLUM Pretty Heart 45 RUSSELL DICKERSON Love You Like I Used To 46 CHRIS LANE Big, Big Plans 47 LANCO What I See 48 DILLON CARMICHAEL I Do For You 49 DUSTIN LYNCH Momma’s House 50 BRETT YOUNG Lady