Disc Jockey News AUGUST 2018 • Issue #150
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PAGE 2 • Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018
What Goes With Frank? By Mike Walter
I saw a post on DJ Idea Sharing’s Facebook page recently that made me do a double take. The question posed was: “Asked to play Frank Sinatra during dinner. Looking for suggestions of other artists to mix in.” My doubletake was based on the fact that anyone who calls themselves a DJ wouldn’t know a few other crooners and Rat Pack artists. Then I stopped myself and thought, “well, at least he asked the question.” So let’s handle my incredulity about the question first before we get to my gratitude that he asked. When I read it, I thought, “This guy must be brand new.” But he’s not (at least if you can believe his Facebook “About” information. He says he’s got 20 years experience and over 40,000 songs in his library. Could that be true? Could
someone really make it 20 years as a DJ and not know what artists go with Frank Sinatra? I mean we’re not talking some obscure singer here. If I’d seen a post that asked, “What artists go with Chet Baker?” I’d understand. But Frank Sinatra? I’d argue he’s one of the top five most famous American artists. How could someone be DJing since the late nineties and never had requests to play Frank Sinatra and then be curious to find out who he was and which artists were similar to him? I just found that fact to be stupefying. After I accepted this fact I then wondered why anyone would pose a question like this publically when there are so many other ways to find the answer. The whole point of Pandora is to play artists who are similar to each other. Hop on Pandora and listen to Frank Sinatra Radio for a half hour and you’ll hear songs by Dean Martin and Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald. Their algorithm is pretty good. Don’t have a half hour? Hop on Amazon and search for a Frank Sinatra CD (relax, you don’t have to buy it!) Amazon usually offers you some “Frequently Bought Together” suggestions that are similar artists from the same genre. YouTube offers the same thing when you play a video.
The suggested videos on the right of the screen are usually from the same genre. Or just Google “Artists like Frank Sinatra” and you’ll get a pretty comprehensive list. So instead of asking the question he could have done a little research on his own and found the answer just as easily (but then, what would I have written about this month?) Of course, I weighed in on the post and suggested he buy my “Music History For the Mobile DJ” which is a seven-hour video that teaches precisely this type of thing. In that video, I explain that Frank Sinatra was a crooner and I offer a handful of other crooners who are similar. I directed him to my website (http://www.DJMikeWalter. com) where he could grab his very own copy for the low low price of $149. As I write this, he hasn’t purchased it yet (and I’m sure if he reads this article he never will). So now, let me flip this around and mention how glad I am that this guy asked the question. This why we have the internet! DJ Facebook groups, and before them chat boards, are all designed to help us get better at our craft. And this guy obviously cared enough about his event that he was prepping for it AND sought help for something he
didn’t know. I might think his question was akin to asking how to plug your speakers in, but at least he didn’t go to his event not knowing that Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday would go great with Frank Sinatra. At least he cared enough to get it right and for that, I tip my cap. Moral of the story: this guy had an event. He was able to convince a client that he was the right DJ for them when he didn’t even know what artists go with Frank Sinatra. I offer that fact with no judgment or assumption because work is work. Good for him that he was able to land a booking! At the risk of repeating myself, (too late) kudos to him for caring enough to be prepared going into it. We live in an age where information is everywhere. We can find answers to questions in a million places. But only if we take the time to ask the question. This guy did. And while it surprised me, it also made me happy for him and his client. 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.
Murphy, former owner of Star DJs, with an inspirational talk on leading a balanced life with his ‘Make 100 Healthy’ concept on how we can all live to 100 years old! There were additional seminars targeted to the Photobooth industry that I did not get a chance to attend, as I wanted to go around to the vendors who came out to support the show. I walked away with pages of notes and made a great new connection with a business owner who is going to work with me to help take our business to a higher level. Finally, a big thanks to KC who we all know worked tirelessly to bring this conference to reality. The high-quality seminars and production would not have been possible without him. This inaugural year was a big success, and I know 2019 will be even better. Put this
conference on your calendar now for July 8-10, 2019. We would love to see you in our amazing city that is Chicago and share some deep-dish pizza with you! Please feel free to share your comments with me at: tamarasims@discjockeynews.com or tamara@something2dance2.com Tamara is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Something 2 Dance 2 DJ Entertainment in Schaumburg, IL, which she proudly owns along with her husband Jay Sims. She has over 20 years experience in the wedding industry and loves creating wonderful wedding memories for her brides and grooms.
First Annual Marquee Show By Tamara Sims
I am handing my column over to my husband and business partner Jay Sims for a review of the first annual Marquee Conference that took place on July 9th11th in Chicago. Take it away Jay! Engaging! That is the one word I would use to describe my experience. I have been to numerous conventions for our industry including all the big ones you are familiar. And a frustration I tend to walk away with is seeing presenters for the 5th or 6th time. Believe me, many times it is wonderful when it comes to listening to a seminar by our good friend Mike Walter who I always learn something new. And that same philosophy held true for the Sunday before the show when I attended an all-day Mastermind Workshop hosted by Alan Berg, who I have seen many times throughout the years. Alan’s insights into email communication, sales, websites, marketing and social media is second to none. We had a lot of time for one on one with Alan, and as usual left with pages of notes on all the improvements we could make in our business to grow and succeed. The conference officially started on Monday at the Westin O’Hare with our host KC KoKoruz welcoming us and letting us know that education was the focus of this conference. The ballroom was set up with great sound and each day we had a DJ mixing on the stage between seminars. Our MC Jazmine did a great job guiding us through the day and even gave a heartfelt and uplifting seminar
of her own focusing on her experience in the industry and how to build a successful team. Michael Cerbelli presented his Hot List 2018 that is always fast-paced and stimulating as he shared over the top entertainment ideas for events. We then learned more about LGBTQ events, the ultra-luxury market, perfecting your elevator speech and recruiting and building your staff. Many of these presenters I had never seen and every one kept my attention. Day 2 had more great education with Bernadette Smith who discussed how to sell and plan to the LGBTQ community, Catherine Johns (a local legend in Chicago radio) helped us perfect our elevator speech and Matt Radicelli taught us the steps on how to build a successful team. The day 3 highlight for me was John
AUGUST 2018 In This Issue:
Page 2: Mike Walter Page 2: Tamara Sims Page 4: Mitch Taylor Page 4: Brian S Redd Page 6: Ron Ruth www.discjockeynews.com www.djntv.com 29442 120th St. Grey Eagle, MN 56336 Phone: 320-285-2323 Published by The Disc Jockey News
Editor/Educational Production Manager/ Sales For DJNews and DJNTV John Young john@discjockeynews.com 320-285-2323 office 612-597-4499 cell
Page 8: Alan Berg Page 9: Keith KoKoruz Page 10: Rob Ferre Page 11: Mike Lenstra Page 12: Joe Bunn
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Page 13: Brian Buonassissi Page 14: Dean Carlson Page 15: Top 50 Charts Page 15: Different Spin
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Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018 • Page 3
PAGE 4 • Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018
Sell The Parachutes To Buy Gas For The Plane By Mitch Taylor
A good friend of mine is an entrepreneur like me, except in some ways he has taken WAY more risks than I have. He recently shared a post that stopped me in my tracks and hit me right between the eyes. Maybe it will help you avoid a crash, or perhaps this is the kick in the ass that you as an entrepreneur need. My friend wrote, and I quote “Only a few will ever understand selling the parachutes to buy gas for the plane. Those who do are entrepreneurs.” Have you ever made that leap? Left behind the cushy job or life that you had,
the comfort of what you knew for a huge unknown, moved to an area where no one knew your name to start your business or life over? I have, more than once in my life. What my friend said resonated with me deeply. How do you decide whether to take that leap? Let’s explore: 1. Believe. Do you truly believe in your heart of hearts that this is what’s best for you and your family? If you’re married or with a significant other, you definitely should get their views as well before making the final decision. If you don’t believe, however, this shouldn’t even be a consideration. Your mental resolve MUST be strong 2. Resources. What resources have you garnered in advance of the decision to help you succeed in this financial, emotional and psychological leap towards entrepreneurship? You’ll need all of the resources you can get your hands on. Experts recommend saving at least six months
Make Something For Us! By Brian S. Redd
John Young and I recently did a DJNTV broadcast where we were discussing products specifically for the Mobile DJ. Back in the old days, there wasn’t really much out there that was designed with DJs in mind, period. Take the iconic Technics SL1200MK2, for instance. This has DJ written all over it, right? The thing is, it wasn’t designed for us. Its intended purpose was as a home audio piece. It just happened to work well for what we wanted to do, so it became the industry staple for nightclub mixing, Hip Hop scratching, and even the Mobile DJ who just wanted a solid turntable to blend music at weddings. DMX lighting was created for theater and production use. However, many of us have embraced the 512 universe to program our own custom light shows for mobile events.
What about DJ mixing boards and controllers? That one was made with us in mind, right? Well, sort of. These seem to be designed for the club and performance DJ. For the Mobile DJ, even some of the most impressive examples on the market don’t seem to have quite hit the mark with microphone inputs. Many of us have added separate microphone mixers to our rigs to make up for that shortcoming. When you stop and think about it, a lot of the equipment we use wasn’t made for us, but we are a resourceful bunch & make it work anyway. There are, however, some pieces out there that were indeed made just for us. American DJ was one of the first companies out there to recognize us. There was a time when we were using homemade lighting, simply because every other option was just impractical. Club and theater lighting was industrial install stuff that was way out of our price range, and way too big to be mobile. Back in the 1980’s, American DJ was the first one to make some pretty cool compact and affordable alternatives. By today’s standards, some of those early fixtures would be considered very heavy and power hungry, but at the time, they were a very welcomed addition to our mobile rigs. Today, ADJ has been joined by several
worth of living expenses before venturing out on your own in business. 3. Plan: What’s your plan? Without a plan you’re like a car driving to a destination without putting it in your GPS or using a map, you don’t know where you’re going, you’re just driving aimlessly. Decide on where you want to be in 5 years, then three years, then one year, then six months, then three months, then one month, breaking each part down into actionable steps that will help you get there. Here’s the rest of the story. My friend who is the author of that quote crashed and burned his plane (business), having to sell a car, his possessions and even lose time with his kids, all to just see his entrepreneurial dream fail. Another friend of mine had all of the above laid out and has succeeded in her business venture. She went ALL IN on her dream, and she has succeeded. It’s an interesting dichotomy to analyze why one succeeds, and one doesn’t. Ultimately many things make up the situa-
tion of success or failure, and can’t be pinpointed to just one move typically. What will you do? In my seminar ROAR, I discussed the process of this 4-step acronym, Risk, Opportunity, Action, and Reward. It is my firm belief that ROAR also comes into play in your entrepreneurial journey. Do some self-examination of your situation and decide where you are. Are you living with passion and purpose? Or are you just going through the motions in life? In life, you’ll come to many crossroads. Do you stay comfortable? Or do you sell the parachutes to buy gas for the plane? Are you ALL IN? Mitch Taylor is an 18 year veteran of the mobile disc jockey industry, starting out on the cruise ships of Carnival Cruise Lines. He is a member of the American Disc Jockey Association. Mitch owns and operates Taylored Entertainment in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and can be reached at 906.786.6967 or via email at mitchtaylor@discjockeynews.com.
other companies who actually make products with us in mind. They also help us adapt technology, like DMX and LED, for example, to better suit our specific needs. Pro Audio has come a long way for us as well. Powered speakers alone have made our lives so much easier. Again, not designed for us, but they are a great fit. Compact, portable, amps already matched to speakers outof-the-box, less to hook up, less to carry, and the good stuff sounds fantastic. There were some early portable array systems that DJs jumped on and incorporated into their rigs, but to me, the design never felt like our application was even considered. That’s changed, too. Just about every major pro audio company seems to have said “Hey, let’s build a compact array that
will work better for Mobile DJs,” and that’s pretty cool. Portable, easy up, easy down, wider disruption, ideal for prerecorded music, and the ability to have a hot spot for audio makes them great for what we do. Then, there are the battery powered PA speakers. OK, so these were probably designed for musicians & street performers, but they also work great for remote wedding ceremonies & receptions. If you take all of this, and then consider all of the other Mobile specific products out there, like DJ tables, facades, scrim dressings, specialty lighting, etc., yeah, I guess they are still thinking about us. Practice & Enjoy! Brian S Redd is a Mobile/Club DJ in Milwaukee WI, You can reach Brian at: brianredd@discjockeynews.com/
Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018 • Page 5
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PAGE 6 • Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018
There’s No Such Thing As One-Style-Fits-All By Ron Ruth
A few weeks ago, I received an invitation from the Lee Jeans’ world headquarters in Kansas City to be a part of a focus group. It was a small group of about eight guys, varying in age from mid-twenties to mid-sixties, and we were asked to give our opinion on a new line of men’s shorts that will be introduced into the market next year. The shorts were made of very light, almost mesh-like, “breathable” fabric that is meant to provide much cooler comfort than regular shorts. After each member of the group was given the opportunity to try them on, we were asked to share our thoughts. Not surprisingly, even though the shorts were made of quality material, not everyone was a fan. Other than the raves that came from the few twenty-somethings of the group, the garments received tepid reviews. And, the needle of approval didn’t budge, even when it was revealed that these shorts would be a bargain---selling for less than $30 at Kohls (before coupons). As a member of the older demographic, they’re just not my style---and the chances are that the Lee Jeans company had already determined that and are also OK with the fact that over-forty males are not their target consumer. Their ideal customers are not only younger, but they are also perhaps more active and style conscious. They’re also keenly aware that one style does not suit all. Your business works the same way. When it comes to the delivery of the customer experience, your approach cannot be a “one-style-fits-all.” There are certain people who will absolutely love your product or service and enthusiastically rave about it to their family and friends. But, there will also be many others who simply won’t see the point or value in what you’re offering no matter the price. That’s why it’s so important to identify your ideal customer. As a writer, I know that my views and opinions will not appeal to everyone. There’s no such thing as one-style-fits-all. But, if you’re still engaged, though, you are the reader my style and purpose for writing is designed to help. I know who you are and I can describe you to a “T.” You are self-motivated, talented, creative and very good at what you do as a performer. But, you’ve been in business long enough to know the value and benefit of being inquisitive, open-minded and constantly on the lookout for ways to improve yourself and grow your business. You embrace continuing education and on-going training as vehicles to achieving your goals. That makes you my ideal reader. I’m also enough of a realist to know that not everyone will share in my point of view or find value in what I offer through my writing. And, I’m OK with that. Trying to appeal to the masses would test my sanity and place the principles of my non-negotiable purpose in jeopardy. My writing is aimed at a smaller, niche readership---YOU! I’d much rather write for people who enjoy the information I contribute as much as I enjoy contributing that information. That type of relationship is a win-win for you and me. For you, I’m fulfilling a need and you are rewarded with ideas that will, hopefully, make you better at everything you do in your business life. My reward comes from knowing that in some small way I may have
changed your life for the better. You might also enjoy what I’ve written so much that you convince your friends to read and share my articles with their friends. And, I’m really OK with that!! This mutual respect is the same type of relationship you want with your customers. Your purpose for existing as a business is not going to appeal to everyone. That’s not what it is designed to do. It should be targeted at your ideal customers---the ones who bring you the greatest happiness to work with and who allow you to do your best work. But, exactly who are your ideal customers? Can you describe them to a “T?” To make that determination requires answers to some important questions that cover everything from basic demographics to what influences their buying decisions. The more you know, the more powerful you’ll be. Write down everything you know about your ideal client. What do they look like? How much education do they have? What is their occupation or profession? How much do they earn? How old are they? How creatively inclined are they? What are their interests? Are they conversationalists? Are they really into having fun or are they more reserved? Are they a country club or VFW kind of client? What do they fear most? Who do they admire? What is it that they want most? Who are their friends and influencers? What do they talk about? What kind of music do they enjoy? Looking back on all of the clients you’ve worked with in the past, what are the traits of those who you’ve enjoyed working with the most? What do they believe? The idea is to create a picture of your ideal customer using words and images that are so rich and vivid, just about anyone could conjure up a vision of that customer. If you really want to get inside your buyers’ heads, do a focus group with your customers like the one I described earlier. Pick a few of your current and past customers and set up a time to chat. Ask the right open-ended questions, and you’ll learn what they love about you, what they don’t like about you. As well as what inspired them to choose you over your competitors. That information will help you complete the picture of your ideal customer. Here’s why this effort is important. If you’re happiest working with your ideal customer, why would you want to work with someone that doesn’t fit your profile of ideal---or who makes you unhappy? Isn’t that one reason why you started your own business, to do what you enjoy doing most with and for people who appreciate what you bring to the table? Isn’t it better to work with individuals who respect your abilities and who enjoy working with you as much as you enjoy working with them? We’ve all been told that the customer comes first. I agree wholeheartedly with the following caveat. I believe that your well-being as an entrepreneur and business owner deserves equal consideration. In any lasting relationship between two people, both must be happy for that relationship to last, right? If I was required to write about topics that didn’t stir a passion in me, that didn’t make me happy, or if I felt unappreciated for my efforts and disrespected as an author---I wouldn’t invest
my valuable time in writing. It would become a loathsome chore instead of something I look forward to doing. Life is too short to be unhappy and being unhappy stands in the way of producing an extraordinary experience for your customers. Keep this in mind, if your customers don’t make you happy, you’ll find it nearly impossible to make an emotional connection, let alone create an amazing experience for them to enjoy. If your work is more of a burden than a joy, how easy do you think it will be for you to (or even want to) exceed expectations? You don’t have to book every customer who comes along simply because they have a checkbook. If you’re doing that, STOP IT! The customer experience is never one-stylefits-all. It should be designed exclusively to appeal to your ideal customer. You’re putting yourself and your business at risk by working for individuals who will not appreciate the experience. They will not only drain you of time and energy; they can cause irreparable damage to your reputation and brand. To paraphrase author Michael Port in “Book Yourself Solid,” you are in control of the potential customers you allow to pass beyond your red velvet rope. If they don’t match up to your idea of the ideal
customer, you have the right and responsibility to yourself, your business, your happiness and, more importantly, to them to refuse their “entry.” Be as selective as they are and know that the customer experiences your business provides will be appreciated and touted most by those for whom it was intended. There’s no such thing as one-stylefits-all! Be OK with the idea that you and/ or the experience you provide is not going to sync with every customer’s needs. Don’t jeopardize your purpose. That thing I refer to as your “why,” your reason for being in business is a non-negotiable and a direct reflection of who you are as a person and, as a business. It also defines your brand and differentiates you from your competition. Don’t worry. There are plenty of people who need your solutions and who will pay top dollar to enjoy the experience that comes from your conviction and commitment to excellence. I came across a great quote from an unknown source that reads, “Bad News: You’re not going to fit in with everyone. Good News: The great ones never do.” Go be great! As always, I welcome your questions and feedback. Feel free to reach out to me through the email address that follows. Ron Ruth has been on the front lines of weddings celebrations for over 25 years as a Disc Jockey and certified, Wedding Entertainment Director®. He’s a wellknown speaker and workshop facilitator in the DJ and wedding industries, a client experience designer and coach and a self-described Disney “Geek.” Get Ron’s FREE e-book, “The Client Experience Demystified” at RonRuth.com. You can reach Ron at 816-224-4487 or RonRuth@ DiscJockeyNews.com
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Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018 • Page 7
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PAGE 8 • Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018
The Photobooth Section SEO vs UXD – Your Dilemma
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Before I get into the article, some of you are wondering what the alphabet soup is about. Most of you know that SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization; that’s trying to make your site come up in the unpaid search results. UXD stands for User Experience Design, defined by Wikipedia as “the process of enhancing user satisfaction with a product by improving the usability, accessibility, and pleasure provided in the interaction with the product.” OK, now that the definitions are done, what I want to discuss with you is whether you should focus first on SEO or focus on UXD. To tell the truth, I don’t pay much attention to SEO for my own websites. I simply write content that my audience (you) will hopefully find useful and make the navigation around my site as easy and intuitive as possible. That said, if I’ve done that well, I should also have accomplished much of what is necessary to optimize for search engines. After all, a search engine is supposed to return results to you, based upon what you’ve put in the search bar. It’s looking for the best content to answer your question, fulfill your need, etc. Search engines are looking for pages – not sites – that have content that most closely fits your query. You’re fooling yourself If you try to game the system, but stuffing in keywords, you risk getting blocked by the search engines (yes, they’re getting smarter every day). Even if you do it well, without getting blocked, there’s a greater risk. When I’m reviewing websites, like yours, I often can tell when the SEO team (even if it’s the owner of the business) has had a heavy hand in the wording and design. The sites just don’t read well, with too many keywords used in a way that would never come up in normal conversation. If you’ve ever seen the movie Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, then you definitely, definitely, know what I’m talking about. (And if you haven’t seen the movie, sorry!) Living out loud When I’m reviewing a website, I like to read the text out loud. What I’m looking for is a conversational voice, one that reflects the people at that business. You can use the third person (someone talking about your business); or – my preference – the first person (sounds like you are talking directly to the site visitor). Either way, you need to be including the site visitor, and their needs, into the conversation. That’s why I do the “you test.” I click EDIT, FIND, and then I type “you” in the search box. The web browser highlights every instance of “you” and “your” on the page, and it will give you the number of times it appears; it will be very obvious if those words are on the page, or not. Even if the words “you” and “your” are there, a lot, I’m also looking to see if they’re buried in the text, or if they’re the focus of the text. If most paragraphs
By Alan Berg
start with “we,” the focus still feels like it’s on the company, not their visitors. Try it on your own website. Read the text out loud and see how it sounds (also a good idea, because if you’re like many people, you haven’t read the text since the site launched). When you read it, does it sound like you speaking? Does it sound conversational? If someone comes in through a search engine and then doesn’t stick around and contact you – the goal of most of your sites – then you’ve wasted the opportunity; or you’re attracting the wrong prospects with your SEO. Speak about the outcome of hiring you As you’re reading the text, listen for whether you’re talking about what you do, or about the results of hiring you. While your customers need “what” you do, they’re really looking for the results of hiring you – your “why.” I’ve written and spoken about this, a lot; but people buy, and yes review, the outcomes/results of hiring you. In a bullet point list, every wedding planner does the same “what.” It’s same for almost every category; every band, DJ, videographer, officiant, florist, etc., has a similar bullet point list as the others in your category. When you get to the core of “why” they should hire specifically you, and your team to deliver what is on that list, then you have a brand. First UXD, then SEO I’m not saying that you should ignore SEO, that’s your decision. If you don’t get much business from organic searches, then either your site isn’t optimized for SEO, or your SEO isn’t working. My suggestion is that you first optimize your site for your visitors, regardless of how they get to your site (organic search, WeddingWire, a referral from another site, etc.). After you’ve written your text for your visitors, and you talk about the results of hiring you (hint, it’s in your reviews and testimonials, so put short clips on every page), then go back and look for where you implied a keyword but didn’t use one. For example, if you talk about their “event,” you’re not using a keyword such as “wedding” or “corporate event.” Try to include the cities/towns/states where you do business. In my website reviews and consulting, I recommend including the name of the venue, with its city and state, next to each short testimonial. If you are the venue, then include the city/state of where your couple lives. You can use the EDIT > FIND feature of every web browser to search for the keywords on your pages. If you do this well, you’re handling both SEO and UXD at the same time. And of course, there’s a lot more to SEO than just these tips. I’ve heard that these days, Google pays more attention to what the visitors can see, than what’s in the coding behind the page. That makes sense since it’s looking for the words and phrases that your visitors are seeking; if it’s in the coding, but not on the page, your visitors won’t be able to see it. And, if you’re looking to get a lot of your business from search engines, you’re probably going to want to hire an expert and also buy ads on the major search engines – a discussion for another day. 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
Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018 • Page 9
The Photobooth Section I’m A Wedding Professional, And I Am Broke If you are scratching your head about why your inquiries have gone down as well as your bookings, you aren’t alone. This also isn’t just a “DJ” thing either. I am also not trying to depress anyone with this article. I am trying to educate people with this article. T h e marriage rate in the U.S. currently is the lowest that it has been in the past 100 years. Those are the facts, and they are undeniable. Just like every industry in this country the wedding industry is also saturated. There are more DJs, photo booths, photographers, florists, videographers, and venues than there were even 15 years ago. Because of this, you are most likely seeing more and more wedding service providers complaining about how cheap wedding couples are today on various social media group pages. They assume that since a few wedding couples told them that they chose someone cheaper that everyone is doing this. That also is not the case. According to both the Knot and Wedding Wire, wedding couples aren’t reducing the amount of money that they are spending on their wedding services. Weddings and wedding consumers are changing. The question is, are you changing with them? I just turned 49 which in the wedding DJ world makes me old. I am 20 years older than the average bride to be getting married. I acknowledge that and most importantly, I choose not to think like a 49-year-old when it comes to my marketing. I choose to do as much research as possible about the millennial wedding couple. Let’s start by looking at one of the biggest mistakes I am seeing with wedding vendors. According to Wedding Wire,
86% of the wedding couples surveyed announced their engagement on social media. 76% announced it on Facebook, 35% on Instagram, and 12% on Twitter. When I speak to wedding professionals, most tell me that they spend very little time on their social media. What’s worse, they choose to promote their business on their personal page as opposed to their business page. They do that because of social media algorithms. I have said it before, and I will say it again. Your business belongs on your business social media. You can then share that on your personal social media page. You can dislike it all that you want to, but social media was designed to be social not to be a business tool for businesses. These same wedding professionals claim that they see very little results from social media, yet the statistics show that 86% of their target audience used social media to announce their own engagement. The reason wedding professionals struggle is that they are simply doing it wrong. Roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) now report that they are Facebook users, and roughly three-quarters of those users access Facebook daily. Sixty-two percent of Millennials state that they are more likely to become brand loyal if a company engages with them, sincerely, on social media. Not only does brand loyalty drive purchasing decisions, but it also drives those ever-important social media recommendations. 84% of millennials are likely to be influenced to make a purchase based on usergenerated content that is created by strangers. While many brands are already using user-generated content to increase their followers and further branding, this can act as additional motivation to encourage followers to share content such as reviews, images, and stories. This means you need to start blogging and creating videos. You
need to be producing at least one blog per week as a business. It doesn’t need to only be about your wedding services. In fact, it shouldn’t be just about you. It should be about everything in the planning process. The more in-depth your knowledge of the wedding industry, the more respected you will be by your readers. Invite others to write a blog for you about their expertise and of course link to their company. You then need to drive traffic from your social media to these videos and blogs. Recently, social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk addressed an audience in Australia and said that if you aren’t investing 85% of your advertising dollars on Facebook and Instagram, you are making a huge mistake. The wedding industry is a niche industry, but through targeted marketing, you can reach engaged couples very easily on social media. I am not suggesting that you stop doing bridal shows or advertising in, with, or on wedding specific
By Keith ‘KC’ KoKoruz
companies; but the audience that social media has on a daily basis is enormous and can’t be ignored. Does your company support a charitable organization? If you have read any of my articles or follow me on social media, you know that I do everything I can for kids in need. I do a huge toy drive every year at Christmas. I also donate my time to veterans in need each year at a veteran’s food drive where we help feed over 1,000 veteran families and set them up with food and supplies for the holidays to make life a little bit easier for them. Millennials want to associate themselves with companies that choose to give back to the community and who want to help change the world. This is more true of this generation than any other in history. I am not suggesting that you be “fake” about things, but perhaps you can offer one upsell such as a monogram projection and let the client know that if they choose this for their wedding day that the proceeds will go to a charity that you wish to support. I will have even more things you need to know about today’s wedding couples that The Knot and Wedding Wire aren’t telling you in next month’s article. KC can be reached at KC@discjockeynews.com.
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PAGE 10 • Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018
Are you a Master of Ceremonies? Or an Emcee? Or a Host? By Rob Ferre
How do you approach the moments when you get on the microphone? Do you consider yourself an emcee or a Master of Ceremonies (MC) or as a host? Or as my fellow American DJ colleague, Jason Jani, puts it “Event Host.” All these terms refer to the label or title of what we do on the microphone. I believe there is a distinction between all of them. I would go as far to say they are a part of your brand. To me there is no wrong way to put it, just make sure you own that role and do it with confidence. DJs come from many different backgrounds, I would consider myself an entertainer beyond all else. Music and DJing above all else is a vehicle for me to perform in a unique way in front of audiences. But I want to focus on the skill of speaking in front of your audience. As a DJ we often tasked to make announcements, and I put that into a separate category by itself, “announcer” (I know, it’s quite profound). I never really thought of it that way until I took Mark Ferrell’s announcing workshop. Introductions can be a type of announcement. Directing people to the buffet is a type of announcement. Telling people last call at the bar is a type of announcement I dread to make and often avoid if I can help it because I want to keep that dance floor full. But announcing is essential to keep-
ing a client happy and running a smooth event. But this does not necessarily set you apart from other DJs. Announcing is very important but with timely announcements and adding variety with intonation in your voice can set you apart. Now, let’s talk about you as the Master of Ceremonies, not the emcee or host but as the MC. The most important thing you can do is to establish yourself as such with your welcome. Your welcome at the beginning of the event will give you the gravitas and authority. “Hello and welcome to Harry and Megan’s wedding royal wedding celebration! My name is Rob Ferre, and I am your Master of Ceremonies…” and I wish this were a real wedding that I could’ve attended but I digress. Everything you say from that point on will be important, so choose your words wisely and timely. When you get on the mic, you should command the audience from toasts (which is a ceremony) to cake cutting (which is a ceremony). You see where I am going with this? Master those ceremonies and direct your audience to them. Emcee, where did this word come from? My theory is somebody didn’t know the origin of the abbreviation of M.C. and decided that’s how you spell it. I actually embrace this word because it can be a verb, “I will be emceeing the Pro-Mobile conference” (that’d be cool) as opposed to “I’ll be MCing…” I see this emcee as someone who is in charge
of a large conference or event. The person who has the sole distinction of opening a conference or event with energy and poise. This person is also the bridge between presenters on the stage but also has the role of guiding everyone as to what is going to happen next or throughout the event. A great emcee is crucial to the suc-
cess of the event. Often too many times this job isn’t taken very seriously and is given to someone who thinks they are good on the mic but they end up making it about themselves. Host or Event Host is our last distinction for when you get on the microphone. I would say this a more casual approach and entertainment driven approach. As a host make your personality shine and highlight your guests. People will often remember the times you got on the mic and dazzled them with your charming and fun personality. But be careful as you don’t cross into over to the line
of “cheesy.” I suspect when someone calls a DJ cheesy, that is because they didn’t know their audience. Cheesiness is relative to your audience and the level of interaction they want on the mic. So be very self-aware and ask your client about the level of interaction they prefer. Prompting on the mic while people dance is another level of interaction that can perfect if done right. Asking people to scream or put their hands up in the air while dancing is prompting. But your timing needs to be right and if they don’t react either lay off the microphone or say it in a different way the next time around. Don’t insult your audience by saying “you can do better than that” or “I can’t hear you” that is annoying to them. Find different ways to say it like “That was a 7 let’s take it to a 10!” Cheesiness is also being inauthentic. Your audience knows when you are putting on schtick and trying to do a bit to get a reaction. Be yourself and don’t put on your “DJ voice” use your own voice. There is a fine line that you can use when it comes to being an emcee, master of ceremonies or host. Find that line and know when to put on the right hat for the right situation. But most of all be yourself! You can connect with him at RobFerre@discjockeynews.com.
A Window of Opportunity . . . to Learn a Lesson
Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018 • Page 11
By Michael J. Lenstra
A SCARY SATURDAY July 14th was a busy Saturday for me, as I had both a ceremony and a reception to do. Each was in a different location, so that meant twice the set-up work. It’s not ideal, but it’s manageable, and something I’ve done probably close to a hundred times over the years. This wedding week started off like so many others: a final check with the couple, programming music in the laptops, and then calling the banquet hall to review details with them to make sure we had the same itinerary and arrange a setup time. Most often I try to get my equipment in and set-up the morning of the wedding to allow me to take my time, make sure everything is done correctly, and ensure all the cords are tucked away and the set-up looks neat and tidy, all before the first guests arrive. On this particular Saturday, the banquet manager told me I could get into the venue any time after 9:00 a.m., so I began loading my truck sometime after 8:00, then did my checklist as I always do (two speakers, two speaker poles, the main unit, cable bag, etc.). Per the schedule, I was to arrive for set-up at the reception venue at 9:00, giving me until 10:00 to 10:15 for set-up, after which I planned to return to my home base to load the equipment for the ceremony, clean up, and head to the ceremony location. If all went well, I’d be there between noon and 12:15 and ready to begin prelude music by 1:00 p.m., if necessary, for the 1:30 ceremony. Since the ceremony was given a 30-minute allotment
on the schedule, that meant tear down and the trip back home would take me to 2:30, after which I’d unload that set of equipment, change clothes, and be at the reception venue by 3:30 for the 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. reception. Once my checklist was complete, I made the 12-minute trek to the site of the reception. My current work vehicle of choice for transporting equipment is a pick-up truck with a topper. For years it was a mini-van, but since my children are pretty much all grown up I was happy to retire from my mini-van days— and I find that I can utilize the pick-up for many other projects without worrying about how dinged up it may get on the inside. I arrived at the venue just moments after 9:00 a.m., went to the back of the vehicle, and automatically hit the open button on the key fob like so many times before. Unlike those other times, however, when the locks popped open, this time they failed to move. I checked the back window on the topper and found that it was still locked tight. I hit the key fob again. Still nothing. I listened. All the other doors were responding to the key fob, but not the back hatch. I tried to reach alongside the window with one hand and pull as I activated the key fob with the other. Still nothing. After several more attempts and what seemed to be an eternity, but more than likely was only 8 to 10 minutes, I realized that what I was doing was not going to work. There must be a problem with the hatch, so I had to go to Plan B. That meant a trip home to see if I could figure out why the topper would not open. Once there, I tried the spare key fob. Still nothing. I tried to think of other options. I remembered when I bought the vehicle that it had come with a couple of other small keys. Maybe one of those would manually open the topper? I tried. No luck. Finally, I decided to subscribe to the theory that two heads are better than one and enlisted the help of my neighbor Patrick, who is an engineer for the John Deere Corporation. I reasoned a scientific mind may have some
better ideas than I was coming up with. We quickly determined that the problem had to be electrical and thought that maybe we could get into the bed of the truck via the sliding glass back window. But since we are both full grown men and a little oversized to fit through an opening of approximately 18” X 18”, that was not going to happen. Were there any small neighborhood children around who could help out? A quick scan indicated no. While looking through the sliding window, Patrick saw that there was a cable that, if pulled, would open the window. “If we could just reach back there with a stick or something,” he said. When he mentioned that, I remembered that years ago my father-in-law (God rest his soul) had given me a tree pruner. It’s on a long pole with an “S” hook at the end of it. I gave that to Patrick, and he was able to reach in with the pole and grab the cable with the hook while I went to the back and lifted the window as soon as I heard it unlock—and we were back in business. Once the window was open, we instantly discovered the broken wire that had caused the problem. There was no time to fix it then though because now I was nearly an hour behind schedule. I made it to the reception venue, did a quicker-than-usual set-up, rushed back to fetch my ceremony equipment, showered, and made it to the ceremony location, set-up, and was playing prelude music 20 minutes before the ceremony. From that point, everything ran smoothly the rest of the day, and it was a wonderful wedding day for the couple, who knew nothing of the issues I’d had getting there on time. On Sunday I unloaded the equipment and fixed the lock. LAW OF AVERAGES This was a first for me, although it was not the first incident that threw off my scheduled plans, and I guess the law of averages will eventually catch up with everyone. If you drive your vehicle enough, eventually you’ll have mechanical problems, if you’re on a
sports team eventually you’ll lose a game, if you do enough events, eventually a detail will be missed, or an incident like this one will happen. I’m not trying to be dismissive about a failure, but I’m not beating myself up for one, either. Earlier this year I did a golf outing that was a stretch from home. Once there I realized that I had grabbed my laptops, but had failed to put the power supplies in the bag at the same time. No problem, though, because I carry back up power supplies in my cable file bag. One time, though, just as I was leaving my home, I set my laptop bag down to retrieve something else, and when I got to the venue I discovered I had everything I needed—except the laptops. I quickly determined I was not going to have enough time to return home and make the trip back and still be able to start on time so I made a call home to my wife and asked her to bring them to me (thank you, honey!). MORAL OF THE STORY The way I see it—or the moral of the story—is that we all need several insurance policies, and not just business liability. What’s yours? Do you have: A checklist when loading your vehicle? Backup equipment you always take with you? A checklist for on-site preparation? Plenty of time for set-up to avoid any mishaps like the aforementioned? A person you can count on to help if all else fails, whether that’s delivering a laptop or figuring out how to unhook a lock? What other policies do you have to cover all your bases? I’d love to hear them. 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
PAGE 12 • Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018
Marquee Show Recap By Joe Bunn
I recently returned from one of my favorite cities in the U.S., Chicago. I was there for the very first, dare I say inaugural, Marquee Show DJ and Photo Booth Conference. This show was put on by a Chicago resident who not only is a DJ and MC, but also produces 15+ wedding shows a year in the area: KC Kokoruz. KC did a great job of pulling in a new and unique set of speakers and seminars for this show. Rather than go through each of the seminars as I did on a recent PhDJ Podcast episode, I’m going to pull out a couple of highlights for you and share a few of my personal notes for those of you that didn’t make it this year. To begin, let me mention that on each day a different DJ was on stage playing different types of music. They were rocking on the http://www.visiondjdesigns.com booth (see what I did there?). KC and Jazmine Gonzalez, another Chicago native, did a great job of MCing and keeping it moving. The show started out with Michael Cerbelli, a high-end event producer from NYC. I had never seen Mr. Cerbelli speak but had heard about his “Hot List” seminar before. If you haven’t seen it, try and catch him somewhere. This is a great look into the future of what’s coming and what’s hot. Several things were presented that were just too outrageous for me even to fathom, but I did write down a couple of things. If you are looking for a quick and easy step and repeat for an event, visit http:// www.stepandrepeatLA.com. If you don’t know what a step and repeat is, it’s the backdrop you see -usually repeating logos, at red carpet events behind the celebrities as they arrive and get their photo taken. If anyone follows me on social media, you know I love to go down to South Carolina and get the good illegal fireworks. The company http:// www.vividfireworksbox.com has taken it next level though! They prepare the entire show in a box for you and even handle permitting and such. Bernadette Smith spoke about DJing same-sex events. A lot of what she talked about we are already doing -making sure your planners don’t just say “bride and groom,” making sure you’re marketing has photos of same-sex couples, etc. However, if you are a Wedding Wire user, you might want to check your dashboard. Make sure that you have “LGBTQ Friendly” checked. In addition, you can have a different profile image there, so obviously, feature a same-sex couple! Eric Wenning of Wenning Branding spoke about the importance of Facebook and Instagram advertising. He was hosting a private workshop that I wasn’t able to make, but you should definitely look him up if you are wanting someone that can handle a campaign for you. Chris Meyer of The Brand Booth gave a great talk on how he expanded his photo booth company to literally all over the country. He is not a DJ which makes this even more interesting in that
he isn’t pulling from an already existing fan base. He grew his company by shipping photo booths just about anywhere. Definitely check him out if you’re seeking help building your booth business. Brian Buonassissi delivered yet again. He does a ton of high end and destination events and gave a few tips on how he keeps getting referrals from some of the biggest event planners in the world. He kept telling us that he hears, “You thought of everything!” all the time. I honestly think that should have been the title of his seminar. One example of going the extra mile is that his DJs give out cold branded towels to guests at the wedding ceremonies they do in Florida. If I was a guest there, I
would hug them! Alan Berg gave two great seminars”Why Don’t They Call Me” and “How to Succeed at Wedding Shows.” Alan is the man. If you have never seen him speak, get yourself to a Wedding Wire conference or Wedding MBA ASAP! I think my favorite takeaways were from his wedding show talk. One of my favorite points he made was to prepare your follow up emails BEFORE you even get the mailing list from the show producer. That way, as soon as you get it, your email is the first one to the couples! Other notable speakers were Adam Weitz who spoke about the importance of adding live music to your roster to book. Adam came out singing, and that dude can rip it! Steve Bowen made the trip to Chitown all the way from Australia! He did some interactive things, and
everyone ended up with a mini boomerang at the end. John Murphy that started Star Entertainment where my PhDJ partner Mike Walter got his start, gave a great talk about the importance of taking care of yourself. He showed an old Star Entertainment group photo noting that 5 of the people had passed away in their fifties! That woke the crowd up for sure! KC is already selling passes (at a great price I might add) for 2019, so do yourself a favor and grab one before they go up! I’m sure he is going to have another great lineup next year. http:// www.marqueeshow.com Joe Bunn is the co-founder of The PhDJ Workshop (www.pdhdjworkshop. com) and also the creator of the videos “Selling the Music” and “Marketing the Music” which can be found at djjoebunn.com.
New Hires - Interviewing Best Practices By Brian Buonassissi
In one of the private Facebook groups I’m in, we discussed hiring and which questions to use during the interview. I wanted to expand on my thoughts here. It is my belief that outside of setting the vision of the company, there is not a more critical role for an owner of a small business than to manage the hiring process. If you’re a single op, you may think this article is not for you, but it is! These concepts can apply in selecting the right small business partners – your attorney, accountant, w e b m a s t e r, etc. When it comes to new hires of DJs, I don’t care that much about skillset, looks, etc. A lot of that is trainable, fixable or you can work around it in some cases. I’m looking for a cultural fit. I’m not saying you need exact clones - diversity in personality and look are a good thing, but you want everyone rowing in the same direction. I’ve found over the years this is the most important in not creating a fantastic working environment but keeping employees (yes, even over money). Sometimes we’ll assign a task before the interview even happens. I’ll send them an e-mail with some type of question that needs answers, and I’m looking to see how quickly they respond, what their writing skills are like (com-
munication with clients is critical in our company) and if they follow directions. We’ve identified three values that are non-negotiables for us in bringing on a new hire. We drill down on these areas in the interview. In other words, we ask questions more than once (sometimes in different ways), and we have candidates go through 2-3 interviews (with me, the GM, and one more person on our team - not necessarily in that order). If one of us feels there’s an area that seems questionable, we’ll have the other two probe further to see if we all see the same area of concern. The three core values of our company are humility, hunger, and people smarts (communication skills). Here are a few questions we ask in this vein: HUMILITY *Tell me about the most significant accomplishments of your career. (looking for more mentions of we than I) *What was the most embarrassing moment in your career or your biggest failure? (looking for whether the candidate celebrates that embarrassment or is mortified by it) *How did you handle it? (looking for specifics about how they accepted responsibility, what they learned and how they acted on what they learned) *Tell me about someone who is better than you in an area that really matters to you (looking for genuine appreciation for others who have more skill or talent. Humble people are comfortable with this. Ego-driven people often are not). HUNGER *What is the hardest you’ve ever worked on something in your life? (looking for specific examples of real but joyful sacrifice. In other words, the candidate isn’t complaining but is grateful for the experience)
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*What do you like to do when you’re not working? (looking out for too many time-consuming hobbies that suggest the candidate sees the job as a means to do other things - that’s not to say that I’m looking for someone who has no interests in life outside of work, but a long list might be a red flag when it comes to someone who is not going to put the needs of the team ahead of personal pursuits) *What kind of hours do you generally work? (a candidate who is satisfied with a predictable schedule and talks TOO MUCH about “balance” is typically a red flag that they are not terribly hungry. This is not to say they must prioritize their work over their family. It’s just that when a candidate focuses a lot on the hours that they are expected to work, he or she may not be the kind of hungry team player we need) PEOPLE SMARTS *How would you describe your personality? (looking for how accurately the person describes what I am observing in the interview and how introspective they are) *What do you do that others in your personal life might find annoying? *What kind of people annoy you the most and how do you deal with them? (looking for self-awareness and selfcontrol) *Would your former co-workers describe you as an empathetic person? or Can you give me an example of how you’ve demonstrated empathy to a teammate? (looking for an indication that the person values empathy and whether he or she has an understanding of their own strengths or weaknesses in this area. More plainly, would I want to work with this person every day?)
This is just a snippet of some of the questions we use. We go to great lengths to ensure we’re bringing on the right people to the team rather than cut corners. Beyond the interview, check references thoroughly. Have them “shadow” you (no pay) before you agree to hire them. You can tell a lot by how they conduct themselves - do they follow direction, dress decently, show up/leave early, offer a hand to help, etc. And lastly, debrief with the team that interviewed them. A solo approach to interviewing (even if you have multiple team members interviewing candidates) isn’t helpful. What I mean is that when a handful of people conduct their own interviews and don’t talk about what they’ve learned until after the entire round of interviews is complete, those interviews are no more specific or effective than the previous one. Last piece of advice. Don’t be generic. If you don’t look for specific attributes and drill down, you’ll be left with general assessments of candidates, which is fine if you’re looking for someone to just mow your lawn. We’re dealing with very special moments here in a persons’ life. It deserves much more attention and care. What’s your process? What’s your retention rate? If you don’t have a process or you’re losing employees or morale seems low, this might be something to try. Based out of NYC, DJ Brian Buonassissi is a successful internationally traveling DJ/MC specializing in luxury destination private events. He runs a multi-city mobile DJ/event business with offices in Southern California, Destin, FL and New York City. You can connect with him at brianbuonassissi@discjockeynews.com.
PAGE 14 • Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018
SotS
By Dean C. Carlson Hey Mister DJ / Put a record on / I want to dance with my baby / And when the music starts I never want to stop / It’s g o n n a drive me crazy Music by Madonna So as I have reached the halfway point of my 29th year of DJing I can honestly say there are parts of what I do now that are far more difficult than it was when I first started out. Music, for example. The heart and soul of what we do. Back in the beginning, I don’t think there was a time that my radio wasn’t on. As a nightclub DJ, I worked 5-6 nights a week, and the music imprinted itself into my very being. Now as I have aged a bit, a lot has changed, First off, I make a living doing just the actual DJing part 46 times a year. That’s a significant drop from the 310-320 times a year that I did in the clubs. Music no long imprints itself into who I am. Not only am I not consuming music with the variety that I used to, but the way the public consumes music has drastically changed. Kasey Kasem is no longer telling us the top 40 songs we should be listening to. Best Buy just took out the last of their CDs this week, as vinyl out-sold CDs
for the first time in 30+ years. People can stream the entire album from an artist on youtube or other online platforms moments after - and sometimes a week before - they are released. I’m amazed more radio stations haven’t folded yet. And then we have the corporate machine using and spitting out talent faster than you can say “Ta-Da!” There is no more investment in the growth of artists. Let’s see how fast we can make a number 1 artist, and then on to the next. This is having a dramatic effect on songs ‘with legs,’ or in DJ terms the ‘recurrents.’ What’s the last album you can name that had more than three hits? And let me clarify, hits that are useful to us as DJs who are trying to create a party and dance atmosphere? (Sorry Drake) Finally, I guess the last bleak picture I want to paint is that it may be my age. Odd that I would even consider this as a problem now. At 52 years young, I have forgotten more great songs that I dare to say. I have to wonder if maybe my music tastes have jaded my reception of the current music world? Music is the entire reason I got into this when I began, and I have frequently said in the past year that if it weren’t for the fun, creative side of weddings, I may not still be doing this. If you have stayed with my article through all of that, I want to say hogwash to all of that. Although there is a lot of truth to what I have written, it is something that I identified three years ago. You see I am a firm believer that if you have a problem, you must reason out why it’s a problem. Because if you don’t know the ‘why’ of it, then you can’t fix it - and that is exactly what I really wanted to share with you. My first course of action started three years ago, realizing that I wasn’t getting fed enough music. So, knowing that I travel an excessive amount, I went to my local ra-
dio installation place and had an awesome receiver and speakers installed into my crappy DJ van. I then made sure that I had access to Sirius XM radio and subscribed to their big package. (A tax write-off, by the way, according to my accountant.) I needed to find my love of music again. Why Sirius? Well, there are several great reasons. First and foremost was that I needed to get a wider variety than I was getting on my local small-town America radio stations. I did a 50s sock hop themed 60th birthday party three weeks ago, and for two weeks before that, I had the 50s and 60s stations on all the time. I was golden. However, the choosable timeline is my biggest reason. I can travel back or listen to just-current stuff all with a flick of a button. Also, my subscription allows me to play it on my home computer, or via an app on my phone, so it is literally everywhere. The problem of driving and hearing a great song led to my next solution; Soundhound. As a kid, I could remember hearing a song on the radio and thinking “Please Mr. DJ, say the name” only to be disappointed and have to listen for another couple of hours before I finally heard the name of the artist. There are many apps like Soundhound out there, but it’s what I found first, and the best part is that it has logged every song for which I click “identify.” I have been amazed at its’ ability even sometimes to find dance remix names. This app has not only helped my main sets, but also, probably even more importantly, my dinner selection, as I will hear a song and realize that it would be perfect there. So, when I get home, I add it to my files on Virtual DJ. I have songs going back from the day I originally downloaded the app. The Lists. Again, age has not been my friend over the years - probably all the partying I did during my club days. Back when I started you had crates of albums, or eventually CDs, which I liked better because I could make my own, and condense how
much music I carried. But as I was looking for one song, I would inevitably find other songs, or at least be reminded of those songs. When I switched to a digital format in the late 90’s, all that changed. I now have 45,000 songs on my hard drive and well, if the internet is available… This is where lists have become a lifesaver for me. I love going back to old Mobile Beat Top 200 Lists and see how things have changed…and they have. The older ones are a treasure trove of stuff that might be useful again. I also make a lot of personal lists with very specific purposes, such as dinner, cocktail and pre-dance music. Finally, I had to become a student of music again. Maybe this isn’t resonating with everyone, but understanding the history and periods of music has solidified my current love of music again. Grandparents now were teenagers in the mid to late 70s and parents in the early to mid-90s. At least where I am at the 90s are hot right now, but knowing why helped me focus my studies. I recently started buying past Billboard Top 100 books by Joel Whitburn. They are a bit spendy, but I have found it fun trying to find those hidden jams that my brain no longer has imprinted on it. The books are organized by decade. “SotS” is Song of the Summer. I recently posted about this on facebook that there really doesn’t seem to be one this year. When I say “SotS,” instantly your mind pulls up a few from the past, maybe by Bruno or JT. Catchy, and a song that has legs. Even though there doesn’t seem to be one that jumps right out to me this year, I have found a love for music mixing again that I haven’t had in years. If you do think you have the bringing back your love of music thing figured out, hit me up on facebook. Or if you have other great ideas about finding your jam, let me know. Good Luck and Great Shows. Dean Carlson can be reached at deancarlson@discjockeynews.com.
Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018 • Page 15
Top 50 Charts for AUGUST 2018
The Weekly Printable Charts (Top 50 and Recurrent) are available at http://www.discjockeynews.com/charts for Subscribers Pop 1 TAYLOR SWIFT Delicate 2 MAROON 5 Girls Like You f/Cardi B 3 MARSHMELLO & ANNE-MARIE Friends 4 ARIANA GRANDE No Tears Left To Cry 5 BAZZI Mine 6 POST MALONE Psycho f/Ty Dolla $ign 7 CARDI B I Like It f/Bad Bunny/J Balvin 8 POST MALONE Better Now 9 CALVIN HARRIS & DUA LIPA One Kiss 10 LAUV I Like Me Better 11 SELENA GOMEZ Back To You 12 KHALID X NORMANI Love Lies 13 SHAWN MENDES In My Blood 14 DRAKE Nice For What 15 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER Youngblood 16 ALESSIA CARA Growing Pains 17 BACKSTREET BOYS Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 18 KYGO Remind Me To Forget f/Miguel 19 DRAKE In My Feelings 20 NICKI MINAJ Bed f/Ariana Grande 21 BEBE REXHA I’m A Mess 22 BRYCE VINE Drew Barrymore 23 MADISON BEER Home With You 24 NF Lie 25 JENNIFER LOPEZ Dinero f/DJ Khaled & Cardi B 26 MEGHAN TRAINOR Let You Be Right 27 BIG BOI All Night 28 HALSEY Alone f/Big Sean, Stefflon Don 29 DENNIS LLOYD Nevermind 30 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE SoulMate 31 TIESTO & DZEKO Jackie Chan f/Preme/PostMalone 32 SABRINA CARPENTER Almost Love 33 CLEAN BANDIT Solo f/Demi Lovato 34 ELLA MAI Boo’d Up 35 JUICE WRLD Lucid Dreams 36 BTS FAKE LOVE 37 NOAH CYRUS & MAX Team 38 ENRIQUE IGLESIAS Move To Miami f/Pitbull 39 ARIANA GRANDE God Is A Woman 40 CASH CASH Finest Hour f/Abir 41 CHARLIE PUTH The Way I Am 42 CHARLIE PUTH Done For Me f/Kehlani 43 LOOTE Your Side Of The Bed 44 BENNY BLANCO, HALSEY & KHALID Eastside 45 YEARS & YEARS If You’re Over Me 46 LOVELYTHEBAND Broken 47 JULIA MICHAELS Jump f/Trippie Redd 48 MIGOS Walk It Talk It f/Drake 49 MARTIN GARRIX Ocean f/Khalid 50 NOTD I Wanna Know f/Bea Miller Urban 1 CARDI B I Like It f/Bad Bunny/J Balvin 2 ELLA MAI Boo’d Up 3 DRAKE Nice For What 4 DRAKE In My Feelings 5 LIL BABY Yes Indeed f/Drake 6 THE CARTERS Apes**t 7 TK KRAVITZ Ocean f/Jacquees 8 BLOCBOY JB Look Alive f/Drake 9 CARDI B Be Careful 10 TYGA Taste f/Offset 11 RICH THE KID Plug Walk 12 G-EAZY 1942 f/Yo Gotti & YBN Nahmir 13 QUEEN NAIJA Medicine 14 HOODCELEBRITYY Walking Trophy 15 DEREZ DE’SHON Fed Up 16 MIGUEL Come Through And Chill
17 MIGOS Walk It Talk It f/Drake 18 JAY ROCK Win 19 TORY LANEZ B.I.D (Bust it Down) 20 YELLA BEEZY That’s On Me 21 J. COLE KOD 22 CHILDISH GAMBINO This Is America 23 BRENT FAIYAZ Gang Over Luv 24 JUICE WRLD Lucid Dreams 25 TRAVIS SCOTT Watch f/Kanye/Lil Uzi Vert 26 YG F/2 CHAINZ, BIG SEAN, NICKI Big Bank 27 KING COMBS & CHRIS BROWN Love You Better 28 SWAE LEE Guatemala f/Slim Jxmmi 29 JEREMIH & TY DOLLA $IGN The Light 30 CITY GIRLS I’ll Take Your Man 31 YOUNG SCOOTER Jugg King 32 LIL DONALD Do Better 33 JANELLE MONAE I Like That 34 1PLAYY NASCAR 35 LIL PUMP Esskeetit 36 KANYE WEST Yikes 37 BLOCBOY JB Rover 38 BELLY What You Want f/The Weeknd 39 BLOCBOY JB Shoot 40 WALE Black Bonnie f/Jacquees 41 2 CHAINZ Bigger Than You f/Quavo, Drake 42 CASANOVA Go Bestfriend f/ G-Eazy & RTK 43 NICKI MINAJ Bed f/Ariana Grande 44 MIGOS Narcos 45 SAINT JHN Swoosh (N***a Sh*t) 46 MEEK MILL Dangerous f/Jeremih, PnB Rock 47 NICK GRANT The Switch Up f/Yo Gotti 48 A$AP ROCKY Praise The Lord (Da Shine) 49 GOLDLINK Got Friends f/Miguel 50 J. COLE ATM Adult Contempory 1 ED SHEERAN Perfect 2 ZEDD/MAREN MORRIS/GREY The Middle 3 MAX Lights Down Low f/Gnash 4 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L. 5 PORTUGAL. THE MAN Feel It Still 6 CAMILA CABELLO Havana f/Young Thug 7 TAYLOR SWIFT Delicate 8 MAROON 5 Wait 9 JOHN SPLITHOFF Sing To You 10 BACKSTREET BOYS Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 11 U2 Love Is Bigger Than Anything.. 12 IMAGINE DRAGONS Whatever It Takes 13 SHAWN MENDES In My Blood 14 CALUM SCOTT You Are The Reason 15 CAMILA CABELLO Never Be The Same 16 JASON MRAZ Have It All 17 JOSH GROBAN Granted 18 HALL & OATES Philly Forget Me Not w/Train 19 MAROON 5 Girls Like You f/Cardi B 20 MEGHAN TRAINOR No Excuses 21 FOSTER THE PEOPLE Sit Next To Me 22 JORDAN SMITH Only Love 23 MACKLEMORE Good Old Days f/Kesha 24 GREGORY DARLING My Sleeping Heart 25 ARIANA GRANDE No Tears Left To Cry 26 HALSEY Bad At Love 27 CHER Fernando 28 WEEZER Africa 29 LAUV I Like Me Better 30 TRAIN Call Me Sir f/Cam/Travie McCoy 31 CELINE DION Ashes 32 LESLIE COURS MATHER We Are America 33 CHARLIE PUTH Done For Me f/Kehlani
34 LOUIS YORK Slow Motion 35 SELENA GOMEZ X MARSHMELLO Wolves 36 KAZ BIELINSKI You’ll Believe 37 KEALA SETTLE This Is Me 38 P!NK Whatever You Want 39 JULIA MICHAELS Worst In Me 40 CHRISTINA AGUILERA/DEMI LOVATO Fall In Line 41 ANDRA DAY Rise Up 42 ARIANA GRANDE Dangerous Woman 43 LIAM PAYNE Strip That Down f/Quavo 44 THE VILLAINS Love Is 45 ARIANA GRANDE Side To Side f/Nicki Minaj 46 THE CHAINSMOKERS Don’t Let Me Down f/Daya 47 HAILEE STEINFELD & ALESSO Let Me Go f/FGL & Watt 48 BAD WOLVES Zombie 49 KYGO & IMAGINE DRAGONS Born To Be Yours 50 HAILEE STEINFELD & GREY Starving f/Zedd Country 1 KENNY CHESNEY Get Along 2 JAKE OWEN I Was Jack (You Were Diane) 3 DAN + SHAY Tequila 4 BRETT YOUNG Mercy 5 KEITH URBAN Coming Home f/Julia Michaels 6 MORGAN EVANS Kiss Somebody 7 JASON ALDEAN Drowns The Whiskey f/M.Lambert 8 CHRIS LANE Take Back Home Girl f/T. Kelly 9 THOMAS RHETT Life Changes 10 CARRIE UNDERWOOD Cry Pretty 11 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE Simple 12 DYLAN SCOTT Hooked 13 LUKE BRYAN Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset 14 OLD DOMINION Hotel Key 15 LADY ANTEBELLUM Heart Break 16 JUSTIN MOORE Kinda Don’t Care 17 COLE SWINDELL Break Up In The End 18 GARTH BROOKS All Day Long 19 CHRIS JANSON Drunk Girl 20 SUGARLAND Babe f/Taylor Swift 21 CARLY PEARCE Hide The Wine 22 RUSSELL DICKERSON Blue Tacoma 23 LANCO Born To Love You 24 MAREN MORRIS Rich 25 BROTHERS OSBORNE Shoot Me Straight 26 SAM HUNT Downtown’s Dead 27 CHRIS YOUNG Hangin’ On 28 MITCHELL TENPENNY Drunk Me 29 ERIC CHURCH Desperate Man 30 KANE BROWN Lose It 31 LINDSAY ELL Criminal 32 KIP MOORE Last Shot 33 JIMMIE ALLEN Best Shot 34 KELSEA BALLERINI I Hate Love Songs 35 MIDLAND Burn Out 36 LUKE COMBS She Got The Best Of Me 37 TRAVIS DENNING David Ashley Parker From... 38 TYLER RICH The Difference 39 CHRIS STAPLETON Millionaire 40 CRAIG CAMPBELL See You Try 41 JORDAN DAVIS Take It From Me 42 DIERKS BENTLEY Burning Man f/Brothers Osborne 43 LITTLE BIG TOWN Summer Fever 44 AARON WATSON Run Wild Horses 45 GRANGER SMITH You’re In It 46 SCOTTY MCCREERY This Is It 47 RODNEY ATKINS Caught Up In The Country 48 DUSTIN LYNCH Good Girl 49 D.RUCKER F/ALDEAN/BRYAN/KELLEY Straight To Hell 50 JAMES BARKER BAND Chills
PAGE 16 • Disc Jockey News • AUGUST 2018