Issue 180 - March 2017 - Summer Recharge

ISSUE 180 MARCH 2017

WWW.MOBILEBEAT.COM

SuMMER recharge IDEAS FOR SEASONAL RENEWal FOR YOU & YOUR DJ BUSINESS

PLAYLIST

SuMMER RECHARGE T R A CK O N E.................................................................. 4 F E AT U R E . . .................................................................... 6

Are You Summerized?

By Stu Chisholm F E AT U R E . . .................................................................... 8

• The usual wrangling of writers, compiling content, polishing paragraphs, gathering graphics, and dashing off a design...

• Preparing for an awesome MBLV21 (last-minute graphic design projects, registration issues)...

• And one personal item I had no control over scheduling: a joyful trip out of town to go finalize the adoption of my soon-to-be-one-year-old son, Julian.

Yes, I too need a “summer recharge,” with the intention of tuning up the monthly Pure Digital production workflow to put these issues (virtually) in your hands in a timely fashion. Read on for ideas for your own seasonal rejuvenation. ~ Dan Walsh, Editor-in-Chief

DJ Routines

By DJ Dayna

MBLV21: At First Glance A quick visual of the latest Las Vegas event

ADVERTISERS

T H I S I S H O W W E D O I T................................................16

Summer: Half-Time Inspiration

By Joe Bunn P R O D J F I L E................................................................. 18

Rock Star Performance with Jason Jani

By Michael Cordeiro S O C I A L M E D I A K N O W H O W . . ....................................... 20

The 30-Day Twitter Challenge

By Staci Nichols

NEW

SOCIAL MEDIA COLUMN

F E AT U R E . . .................................................................. 22

Exceeding Expectations?

By Robert Lindquist B R I L L I AN T D E D U C TI O N S............................................ 26

Fixing Business “Boo-Boos” - Part 2

By Mark E. Battersby T H E S P I N D O C TO R . . .................................................... 28

Profile: Stephanie Crooks

By Mike “Dr. Frankenstand” Ryan T H E L AST W O R D.. ....................................................... 32

The “Lifespan” of Your Next Hire

By Jason Weldon

S

www.blizzardlighting.com

2

Customer Manager Pro

www.customermanagerpro.com

25

DigiGames

www.digigames.com

7

DJ Intelligence

www.djintelligence.com/mb

29

DJ Trivia

www.djtrivia.com

21

Electro-Voice

www.electrovoice.com

3

Elite Outdoor Movies

http://eliteoutdoormovies.com

17

Famous Stages

www.famousstages.com

9

Frankenstand

www.frankenstand.com

31

Gitomer Learning Academy

www.jeffreygitomer.com

27

Innovative LED

www.innovativeledsales.com

11

JammText

http://jammtext.com

25

Mobile Beat Cruise

www.mobilebeatcruise.com

33

Mobile Beat Digital Plus

www.mobilebeat.com/digital-plus

31

Mojo Photobooth

www.mojophotobooth.com

23

Odyssey Innovative Designs

www.odysseygear.com

13

QSC

www.qsc.com

5

Snapden

www.snapdenphotobooths.com

23

Speed Quizzing USA

www.speedquizzingusa.com

27

Stage Spot

www.stagespot.com

23

TRACK ONE

o, here is a very late March issue! So late, in fact, that I feel compelled to provide an explanation (read: “excuse,” if you’d rather). First, pulling back the curtain a little (“pay no attention to that man...”), it may be helpful to know that, although MB is really rocking the Pure Digital format, we are putting out the mag with a skeleton crew (ie. me, myself and I), at least in the realm of full-time employees. The freelance writers provide me with a constant stream of content; as editor and designer, I am the bottleneck that everything has to go through to find its way to these pages.

With all that in mind, this time around, the bottleneck just couldn’t accomodate itself to the flood of to-do list items:

4

Blizzard Lighting

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

Publisher Ryan Burger Mobile Beat Editor-in-Chief Dan Walsh

Gear Editor Jake Feldman Circulation Manager Kitty Harr

Editorial Assistant / Writer Rebecca Burger Events Director Emeritus Michael Buonaccorso

TO ADVERTISE IN MOBILE BEAT OR EXHIBIT AT A MOBILE BEAT EVENT, CALL 515-986-3344 x300 OR EMAIL SALES@MOBILEBEAT.COM

FEATURE

Are You Summerized?

By Stu Chisholm

I

t might seem silly, with the snowflakes still dancing outside the window for many of us, to be thinking about summer. Just as a smart DJ starts contacting Christmas clients in July, he or she will also be planning ahead for those warm summer months just weeks away.

On the business end, most of us have companies, businesses and groups that have summer picnics and fairs to contact, not to mention planning the second phase of our wedding advertising; the bridal show season has yet to peak! Right now is not too early. There are also those other, less obvious things we should be thinking about.

HERE COMES THE SUN… Sunshine on his shoulders might’ve made John Denver happy, but to a mobile DJ it can spell disaster if not taken into account.

First and foremost, some genius decided to dress all of our gear in black. Black in the sunlight means heat, and plenty of it! Black absorbs heat, so shade, airflow and even cooling can be vital to things like amplifiers, which, just by way of reminder, are also crammed inside of today’s active speakers. In other words, for powered speaker users, if your speaker is in the sun, then so is your amp! The best strategy is to shade your speakers, and know their specs. Top brands, like EV, often have onboard systems that control their cooling systems and will alert you and/or shut down the amp when safe temperatures are exceeded. Watch the temps to make sure they don’t exceed your speaker’s normal operating parameters.

Another problem with sunlight: seeing your screens.

Computers, tablets and smartphone screens are often unreadable in direct sunlight. Back in the day, television and movie producers addressed this problem by making hoods that fit over TV monitors. A savvy DJ might fabricate something similar using sturdy poster board, foam core or other materials, or purchase

Stu Chisholm had been collecting music since he was about age 8 and began his DJ career in 1979. After a stint at the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts, he studied the DJ arts with famous Michigan broadcaster Bill Henning, interned at Detroit's rock powerhouse, WRIF, and later added voiceover work and club gigs at Detroit's best venues. He has shared his extensive DJ experience through MB columns, as a seminar speaker and through his book, The Complete Disc Jockey: A Comprehensive Manual for the Professional DJ.

6

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

a purpose-built shade, available from places like Amazon. One innovative DJ I saw last year adapted a shade made for a baby stroller. After all, if you can’t see your screen(s), you simply can’t do your job.

MADE IN THE SHADE Your gear aside, the main component of your DJ show is YOU. It’s even more important to keep yourself protected from UV rays/sunburn and overheating, because there’s only one you. A good sized pop-up tent, like those used at art fairs and trade shows can be had for a reasonable cost online, or from most big box retailers, hardware and military surplus stores. This solves two problems: shade for yourself and your gear. It’s also a good idea to have a decent cooler to keep some bottles of water handy. Hydration is important for everyone, and especially for an active DJ. There are even thermoelectric coolers that are the next best thing to a refrigerator.

If you’re like me, I can’t stay confined to my tent. Walking around and interacting with event attendees means you’ll still be exposed to a lot of sun, so it’s important to keep some decent sunscreen on hand. An SPF of 50 or higher, applied hourly to hands, face and other exposed body areas prevents burn and excessive dryness. Also, don’t forget your lips! A good lip balm with sunscreen is also essential.

Next, I keep a decent fan handy for those really hot days. A cheap box fan isn’t going to cut it outdoors. I have a shop-style floor fan that I place directly behind my setup that gets the job done. I try to put these comfort items on a separate circuit from my audio gear, since they can not only trip breakers, but add noise to the audio chain.

WHAT’S EATING YOU? One other lovely aspect of summer you should keep in mind are pests, aka bugs. Your light show will attract them, as will any lights you illuminate your console with. Plus, many bugs are attracted by your own glow. Yes, in the infrared frequency, we humans literally glow in the dark, attracting pests such as mosquitos and biting flies. It makes sense, then, to pack some decent bug repellent. CAUTION: some sprays, such as Cutter, can damage your gear! Certain ingredients, the primary offender being DEET (diethyltoluamide), are known to damage plastics, so it’s important to read labels. Keep your hands free of bug spray residue. Unfortunately, the very best repellents contain a high concentration of DEET. An alternative to spray is something made for hunters: Thermocell. It can keep a 15’ x 15’ area clear of mosquitos and other pests using special cartridges and butane.

It’s extremely small and portable.

These are just a few ways to get the jump on summer before it gets the jump on you. As always, until next time, safe spinnin’!

Make plans to sail on the Mobile Beat Cruise, presented

by DigiGames, with spokesman Rob Johnson serving as Entertainment Director!

FEATURE

DJ Routines

By DJ Dayna

ENTERTAINERS SHARE RITUALS THAT HELP THEM TAKE CARE OF BUSINES AND PERFORM THEIR BEST

B

rush your teeth before you go to bed…Stretch after turning off the alarm clock…Dance like nobody is watching to your fav jam to get a recharging afternoon boost…All of these are simple routines or rituals that are a part of our human nature of habit.

Imagine you are someone like swimmer Michael Phelps, the record holder for Olympic gold medals, as well as medals overall.

What do you think his daily routines look like? In his book, No Limits: The Will To Succeed, Phelps describes the comprehensive routine he follows during the two hours leading up to every race. Besides a precise series of stretching and loosening up, he followed the following routine for the ten minutes before the race began: 1) Phelps would walk to the ready room. 2) He’d find a seat alone, with both sides of him clear for his goggles on one side and his towel on the other. 3) When his race was called, he would walk to the blocks. 4) There he would first do a straight-leg stretch and then with a bent knee. Left leg first every time. 5) Then the right earbud would be pulled out followed by the left earbud when his name was called. 6) He would always dry the block and step up on it from the left side. 7) Once standing on the block, he would stand and flap his arms in a way so that his hands hit his back.

Does this sound strange or excessive. Well, Phelps has the 28 medals (23 golds) to prove the effectiveness of his particular ritual.

So what about us, as DJs and owners of mobile DJ businesses? What routines do we follow to get us through the daily or

8

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

weekly grind, as well as on the day of an event to get our mindset right—to help us keep crushing our A-game as entertainers?

One of my goals last year was to read at least three educational/self-growth books and listen consistently to two entrepreneur-focused podcasts that would educate and help me grow on this entrepreneurial journey as a DJ/MC. The two podcasts I follow are EntrepreneurOnFire with John Lee Dumas, who interviews inspiring and successful entrepreneurs. And the other is The Tim Ferriss show, where Ferriss interviews ultra-successful people, from billionaires to professional athletes and movie stars. In both podcasts and in the books I’ve read, the subject of “routines” is a common one.

There are many theories about how your morning routine can make you feel efficient, productive, and energized. Many athletes like Michael Phelps and many famous artists confess to having some sort of pre-game or pre-show routine. JLD, as he calls himself, always ask his guests what their first 90 minutes of the day look like, or if they are a speaker or performer he’ll have them describe the routine that leads up to them taking the stage.

Tim Ferriss always ask his guests what their morning rituals are.

In fact, in Ferriss’s latest book, “Tools of Titans,” he details the five morning rituals he’s settled on after experimenting with those of the most successful people. It definitely has opened up my eyes to what my personal routines look like and about what I can change to bring out my best.

So, I thought it would be interesting to talk to some of our successful industry leaders about what daily, weekly, or day-ofevent routines they have established that have helped them along their path of success.

FEATURE

“Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition.”

—W.H. Auden

TONY SCHWARTZ WEDDING MC & DJ, SEATTLE, WA

A

s a full-time DJ—and owner of three event industry companies—routine is HUGE for me. Combined with accomplishing last year’s weight loss (http://tonyschwartzblog.com/31st-birthday-present/) and trying to tackle this year’s lofty goals, I’ve spent considerable amounts of time focusing on a morning routine that not only allows me to perform optimally on stage and in the office, but also benefits my mental and physical fitness.

Each morning goes as such: Immediately upon waking up: 20-30 minutes of morning cardio.

Breakfast (5-10 mins): I love water, two eggs, half an avocado, a chocolate protein shake, and my vitamins and minerals.

Learn (10-15 mins): Either read the news, new blog posts from my favorite bloggers, or watch an educational video on YouTube.

Coffee & Email (15-20 mins): I only check my email twice a day. Once in the morning, and once in the afternoon.

Blog Posts (30-60 mins): Each company has a blog that I produce content for. (Right now only two are active). Each morning, I spend no more than 30 minutes per blog, writing content and coming up with ideas. Producing content is very important to my marketing strategy, therefore a must.

Blog posts don’t write themselves.

10

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

Social Media Posts (10-15 mins): I use Hootsuite as my command center and I’ll schedule posts for the day.

Ultimately, I have to approve them before they go live—just in case some world event happens and I don’t want to seem ignorant on social media—but it’s a good way to make sure I’m posting on all sites. This way, during the day, I only need to worry about Instagram Stories and Snapchat stories, if I want to share anything.

Todoist (10-15 mins): I love this app. I prioritize what I want to do each day, and postpone or delegate tasks I don’t want to do. It’s nice to have a game plan.

Gym (60-90 minutes with shower and travel, etc.): If I’m weight-lifting that day, I do it once my daily stuff is complete.

Lunch (15-30 minutes).

Work: Office, meetings, hustling, etc.

All-in-all, my day usually begins around 8 am, and my “morning” routine is done by noon.

On event days, the mornings are typically chaotic and random, as we typically have A/V rentals and deliveries in the morning, loading the van for my DJ event, and confirming schedules with my photobooth hosts. Everything I do Monday-Friday (non-DJ event days) is thrown out the window.

However, after all the setup and hustle is done, I usually aim to be set up one hour before the ceremony begins so I can slow down the pace as I change into my dress attire and enjoy the silence, so-to-speak. No music, no noise, no thoughts, just clarity. (It’s really an odd thing to do in a bathroom stall, but hey, it is what it is.)

I think the reason I do this is because my brain needs a mental dump. There’s a lot that has gone on already during the day, and I need to flush that away (bathroom reference, LOL). As someone with a hot mic in his hands, my brain needs to be working at 200% optimal levels—in the moment and ready to appropriately improvise and deliver wit in an instant (as well as to know when to NOT say what just popped in my mind). And even more so with my mix; every DJ gig I do I approach like Bob Ross approached a canvas. As someone who comes from a club/performance background, I need to be ready to pick that next song quickly and react to what my dance floor is doing.

JOE BUNN OWNER/DJ/MC, BUNN DJ COMPANY, COVERING THE CAROLINAS

I

very rarely alter my morning routine. The only time it may change is if I have a show or networking event that night and have to go to the gym in the morning vs. the evening.

I always hit a coffee spot and grab a quick scone or something before I do any work. During that 15-20 minutes, I usually sit at the bar and catch up on social media and may even make my first post of the day.

The first thing I do when I hit the office is make sure my work area (desk and around it) are clean and organized.

If there is trash in the can or a bunch of stuff on my desk, I handle that before anything.

Next I tackle my email inbox. I start at the bottom (the

FEATURE older emails) and work my way up (to the most current ones). I don’t skip around. I handle each one whether it’s simple or complicated.

Once I get to the top, I take a quick break and stretch my legs, maybe go outside for five minutes and then I handle any phone messages. I write them all down and return the calls (again, calling the older calls first).

If it’s Monday, I knock out direct depositing money to the guys that worked.

JASON JANI EVENT DJ/HOST, FOUNDER OF SCE EVENT GROUP, OUT OF NEW JERSEY

M

y weekday morning routine consists of checking my email first thing after I wake up to make sure there are no emergencies, and to get a feel for the day that lies ahead.

Then I devote my time to my family. I make sure my kids get their breakfast and get ready for school and then take them to the bus stop.

My work day typically starts around 10:00 AM and goes until 8:00 PM or sometimes later, depending on the demands of the day. Once I start my work day, my mind is zoned in and I work until I need to and then when I leave the office that night, I let my mind rest and get sleep. Every day, I devote 30 minutes to music—searching, downloading, and listening.

On the day of an event, I complete a high-level review of every single detail of the event: the timeline, the tracks, layout, production details, names of the clients and their immediate families. I also review everything with the professionals who are working on the event and ensure they have the details of the day. I’ll also do a run through with my team.

SEAN “BIG DADDY” MCKEE GM OF JAMES DANIEL AV EVENT LIGHTING AND ENTERTAINMENT, STAMFORD, CT

M

y weekday routine is the same every day. Put my feet on the floor and face forward. Catch up on emails.

Breathe. Return phone calls. Reach out to a few friends that I haven’t talked to in a while. Hit the gym two to three times a week. Book work.

The day of events is simple. Be nervous. Go over all notes. Practice names for intros if need to. Remember how

DJ Dayna has been entertaining at nightclubs, social events, college and corporate events and much more, for more than a decade. After working in event marketing, hosting DJ battles for Astro, LA’s original DJ store, and doing a weekly show on Hollywood’s 99.3 KCLA, she returned to her Ohio roots. She has built a highly successful solo operation and has also traveled as a guest DJ for Disney Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises.

12

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

truly BLESSED I am to be able to do this. Spreading Love and Smiles truly ROCKS. I am a nervous wreck until I play the first song. Then I get into a zone. Never EVER make anything about me...remembering that always, without THEM, there is no ME!

CHRIS ROMERO OWNER/DJ OF CUTMASTER MUSIC & ABQ PARTY PIX PHOTOBOOTH RENTALS, ALBUQUERQUE, NM

I

have a set routine every single morning and I definitely find that it helps to get my mind set and ready to tackle the day.

Every single day, Monday to Friday, I wake up, usually spend about 10 minutes parading through social media, to get the news. Then I get up, make sure my boys are ready for school and take them to school. This is one of my favorite parts of the day because it’s something I take a lot of pride in, being a dad. I always ask them if they “are going to crush this day?”

I then go straight to the gym, then go home, shower and head off to the office and get the work day started.

Getting to the gym at least 4-5 times a week is a noncompromise for me. Anyone that follows me on social media will consistently see me post “Fitness is the first step to awesomeness.” Health is super-important for myself, my family, and my business. And the early morning workout allows the blood to start pumping and gives me thinking time and motivation for what lies ahead that day.

While most of the DJs who I spoke to follow some type of detailed routine, there were some that admitted to not having a regimented routine at all, besides waking up at the same time of day or checking email first thing in the morning. Others have similar day-of-event routines. “A lot of times I watch videos relevant to the venue or set I’m getting ready for,” says Michael Melice from New York, “watching old DJ AM videos, other great wedding DJ videos, etc. to get pumped.” Kevin Lee Harris adds, “One big change I made is what I listen to in the car on the way to a gig. Most of the time I listen to podcasts. I realized that it was not putting me in the right headspace. Now, From the time I load my SUV to when I roll into my venue, I’m bumping whatever music I’m into at the moment. Always seems to help get my mind right.”

Having some sort of a routine implemented in a part of your day or week seems to matter to most people and proves to help get your mind and body into a “flow” state. It can unlock our ability to smile, perform better and be effective every day. As Greg McKeown states in his New York Times Bestseller “Essentialism,” “The Essentialist designs a routine that makes achieving what you have identified as essential the default position. Yes, in some instances an Essentialist still has to work hard, but with the right routine in place, each effort yields exponentially greater results.” ​Yet if you aren’t a routine type of person,​r​emember this statement quoted by Gary Vaynerchuk, an entrepreneur powerhouse: “In the end, it’s all about how much you can get done while you have the right energy to do it. Morning or night, hustle is putting it all on the line, and that, my friends, is available to all of us at any damn time of day.”

WWW.MOBILEBEAT.COM • MA R CH 2 0 1 7

13

MBLV21: At First Glance

F

east your eyes on some of the action at MBLV21! Look for details on what went down at the Mobile Beat Las Vegas event for 2017 (held March 13-16) in our next issue.

JK The main event space, packed for one of many powerful presentations.

JK

JK

< (Clockwise from top left) A few of the awesome seminar speakers: Marcello Pedalino, business keynote Jeffrey Gitomer, Vicky Musni, motivational keynote Ted DiBiase.

JK

Surprise opening entertainment from event DJ Jason Jani and violinist Lydia. >

TC

JK

JK

DJs get up-close and personal with gear and great exhibitors in the expo hall.

JK

PHOTO CREDITS Photos labeled TC by Tom & Benita Chaput www.thomaschaput.com

DW

Photos labeled DW by Dan Walsh, MB Editor

DW

14

Photos labeled JK by Jake Klein www.jakekleinphotography.com

MOBILE B EAT â&#x20AC;˘ MA RC H 2 0 17

JK

Surprise guest Silento with event host Todd Mitchem and DJ Jason Jani.

JK

JK

The Peavey DJ Takeover rocked with, among many others (clockwise from right): DJ Todd 1, DJ Ponfetti and host Keith Shocklee.

Mitchem

Silento

Jani

Blend | The DJ Institute provided hands-on instruction

JK

JK

DW

TC

TC

Montell Jordan (R) and Freedom Williams (L) ...two surprise artists!

JK The legendary Paul Oakenfold

JK

The main event space, transformed into party central. Sound by EV, lighing by CHAUVET DJ.

WWW.MOBILEBEAT.COM â&#x20AC;˘ MA R CH 2 0 1 7

15

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT

Summer: Half-Time Inspiration USING THE HOT SEASON TO FIRE UP YOUR COMPANY AND REACH GREATER HEIGHTS

By Joe Bunn

S

ummer is coming. (I just said that in my best Jon Snow accent. Game of Thrones fans get it.) Summer is pretty consistent here in North Carolina. In May, it’s hot, June is hotter and July and August are unbearable. As you can imagine, May and June are slammed with weddings, July and August, not so much.

However, being from the South, it’s going to take more than a 100-degree day to stop me from working! Summer can be super productive. Let’s discuss a few things we do here at Bunn DJ Company during those months that maybe you can incorporate into your calendar in 2017.

MUSIC UPDATES One of the first things we do at the start of summer is dial in some very “summer specific” playlists. These aren’t necessarily for the weddings that we do (most of those playlists were created in the first two months of the year). The playlists for summer are really for the pool parties, beach events, or even retail gigs that we do around this time.

Country clubs, condo and apartment communities (especially new ones) budget for DJs for all of the summer holidays (Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day), so make sure to hit them up in the winter to get those gigs. They are easy money in that they are normally during the day and are mainly background music for the guests and residents.

The playlists for these events definitely need to be updated each year especially if there are going to be kids there.

You know they’ll eat you alive if you don’t have the newest pop beats!

We also create a summer playlist for the older folks too, ranging from Bob Marley to Jack Johnson and even older stuff like The Beach Boys.

CHECK THE NUMBERS June is technically mid-way through the year. This is a good 16

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

down here barbecue is chopped pork with vinegar based sauce. Moving on…)

Get ready for the fall. I don’t know about you, but here in the South, the fall is now the go to time to get married.

October is absolute madness around here.

Brides literally camp outside Duke Chapel in Durham, NC the night before reservations start so that they get the date that they want!

We talked about getting your tunes time to schedule a meeting with your ready and making sure you’re making accountant (please tell me you have one) money, but the other thing you need to and go through your numbers for the first make sure is ready is your staff. If you’re a half of the year. Have a look at the number multi-op company, the success and repuof shows you did the first six months of the tation of your company will often rely on previous year. Did you do more or less? Take how good your DJs truly are. As the owner, a look at how much you spent. More or you have to train them to be as good or less? How many upcoming shows did you better than you. At some point, if you have on the books in June of the previous haven’t already, you’re going to want to year? How about now? These are just a step aside, run the business, and let your few things that your accountant can help guys be out DJing the events. you track. It’s also helpful to have a good Remember that cookout I talked grasp of Quickbooks (or a similar accountabout earlier? How about before serving ing program) and to know how to read the up a bunch of burgers, beers and hot reports in your booking system (we use dogs, you have a two- or three-hour DJ Event Planner). I know that you didn’t training session? You can run through all become a DJ in order to read spreadsheets, types of stuff with experienced or semibut as a business owner, it’s your responsiexperienced DJs in that time. If, like us, you bility to track the progress of your business. let our DJs sell themselves, you could run through a mock consultation with them.

HAVE SOME FUN! You could also pull up an agenda from a I love to do a couple of fun things a year recent wedding and get them to show with the full staff. We have played laser tag, you how they would do the introductions, driven indoor go-karts, had cookouts, shot and then maybe pass the mic to the next each other with paintballs and even been DJ and tell them to MC the bouquet and to the beach. We are really lucky here in garter tosses.

Raleigh, NC in that the beach is only 2 hours If you’re hiring more “green” folks that away. Your staff will love you if you plan at least a couple of outings a year. As you have never done any DJing, then yes, you look at your summer schedule, go ahead are going to have to spend much more and lock down a big cookout for your DJs. time with them, teaching them some (Side note: I think northerners use the term music history or the difference between an barbecue instead of cookout, whereas RCA cable and an XLR. However, if you took several weeks in the winter and summer for several hours each session, you could get newbies Joe Bunn started his DJ career at age 14, when his mom drove him to gigs in her wood-paneled Jeep Wagoneer. His company ready for the fall season. now does about 400 weddings a year and another 200+ So even though it gets hot private, corporate and charity events. He has been on the board in the summer months, don’t let of both ISES and NACE, founded the Triangle DJ Association, it dissuade you from getting a and has also won numerous industry awards. Recently, he has lot done! Look at it as halftime: been helping other DJs grow their businesses as a consultant.

You get a quick breather and He has also presented at major industry events, including MBLV. then come out to win!

For more info go to www.bunndjcompany.com.

PRODJFILE

Rock Star Performance with Jason Jani

By Michael Cordeiro

ready to deal with unforeseen obstacles. I try to be organic and aware of where I am at and whom I am working with and for. I always have a plan B for each event.

Mike C: What is your main focus every time you perform at an event?

JJ : I want to make people relax. My goal is to take them out of their day and give them an experience that puts them in another place for a while. It’s about reactions.

MC : How do you manage the logistics of doing events all over the continent and running your company?

JJ : By having a phenomenal support team at work and home. Also by being very candid with my staff and family. Everything is on the table.

MC : How does raising a family figure into the mix?

JJ : Lots of Skype and FaceTime. When I’m home, I’m home. I turn work off and give my family 100%. Also communication, I keep my wife in the loop with everything important. No secrets.

MC : Do you get overwhelmed and how do you compensate for that?

Photo by Michael Romeo, www.michaelromeocreations.com

D

o you feel stuck doing the same types of gigs for the same types of clients over and over?

Do you want to play at events that are bigger, better and more fun? Do you want to party like a rock star and get paid for it? When we think of improving our performance as disc jockeys, we tend to focus on the mechanics of our events: better playlists, better transitions, better introductions, better gear, etc.

But there are also mental, spiritual and family sides to achieving rock star performance. Each one of these can have a huge impact on our ability to exceed our client’s expectations and get booked for rockstar level events. More importantly, excelling in our profession is just as much 18

about the playlist for each event as it is about building a better playlist for our lives.

I reached out to one of the hottest mobile DJs in our field, Jason Jani, for his thoughts on top-level performance.

His schedule for the week we spoke was mind blowing: a few events at home in New Jersey, then off to Florida, back to New Jersey, then off to Mexico, back again to New Jersey and then off to Minnesota.

I asked Jason to break down his keys to successfully preparing for events, managing his company and balancing his family life—essentially to share how be balances it all to achieve a “rock star” level of performance.

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

Mike C: How do you prepare mentally for each event?

Jason Jani: I try to be flexible and

JJ : It’s real easy to get caught up in too many things at once. You have to know when to pull back and let things go. Focus on the big stuff and trust your support team to handle the rest.

MC : In less than a decade you have built your company and yourself into one of the most recognizable DJ brands on the continent. What would you say is the number one contributing factor to your success?

JJ : It’s a few things, but mostly I say: Do the work. Learn every day. Build long lasting business relationships and never settle.

MC : Where do you think most DJ’s fail?

JJ : By not staying relevant or being in tune with today’s culture. I think the impact of not being able to deliver for a client is far worse than doing what you’re good at.

Photo by Michael Romeo, www.michaelromeocreations.com

“I always say you have to be consistently awesome and slightly insane to succeed in this industry.”

MC : Can you explain that a little more?

JJ : Sure. You can’t be everything to everyone. You can’t “specialize” in every type of event. Pick the the two or three you are best at and take them to the next level. Everyone wants to be a rock star; but you have to do the work to get there.

MC : How important is the gear you use to the success of your event? I’ve seen you rock the turntables and also use a controller. Which do you prefer?

JJ : Use gear you are comfortable with, but make sure it is the best. Be tech savvy. I prefer turntables and CDJs with my Pioneer DJMS9 mixer as main my system for each event, but depending on the client and type of event, I have several setups, so I can switch it up.

lighting and decor to give the clients a unique experience. I try not to focus on what other companies are doing so much as I try to make sure my company is giving our clients the best experience possible.

MC : What’s the best piece of advice you can give to other DJs to improve themselves and reach “rock star” performance?

JJ : Do the work and doors will open for you. Never settle. Learn every day and have a great support team.

I always say you have to be consistently awesome and slightly insane to succeed in this industry.

MC : In October at the Wedding MBA conference, I saw you totally rock Hakkasan and the after-party.

At MBLV20 you were in the meeting room early each morning laying down a groove. Do you get nervous performing for your peers? Do you already know what your are going to play when you step behind the booth?

JJ : Thank you. Playing in front of your peers is a little more stressful only because you know they are going to scrutinize your performance more. I prepare for all my events, but I don’t use playlists or stacked sets. I try to be more organic and responsive to where I’m at and why I am at that event. Hakkasan was a big let-loose party, and MBLV was more about motivating and inspiring people, even at 8:00 AM. It all goes back to the first two questions.

MC : Where do you see our industry going in the future, and how do you stay ahead of the competition?

JJ : I really see a fusion of live musicians and DJs at events. Also using enhancements like special

Jason once again rocked the main room at MBLV21 (Mobile Beat Las Vegas for 2017). You can learn more about Jason and his company by following him on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/ at UCvY6Oi5us2ok3wPI7yy1tpw .

Michael Cordeiro is the owner of M.C. Entertainment, a small multi-op in Rhode Island. He has been on TLC’s Four Weddings, hosted an episode of Toddlers & Tiaras and has opened for many celebrities. He has a degree in Entertainment and Event Management from Johnson and Wales University.

WWW.MOBILEBEAT.COM • MA R CH 2 0 1 7

19

SOCIAL MEDIA KNOWHOW

The 30-Day Twitter Challenge

By Staci Nichols

B

efore putting this 30 Day Twitter Challenge together, I went to The Knot’s DJ page for my locality and saw who had Twitter links on their profile. Of the less than half who did, I checked out their Twitter pages.

I mostly saw DJs who tweeted 10x a year, had not bothered to put up a cover image, and who just plain didn’t “get” Twitter (improperly formatted tweets, no followers, etc). Then I went to Twitter and searched “San Diego DJ.” My SEO-savvy, on-pageone-of-Google DJ friend Charlie Walkrich and I were the only direct results...that’s it—just two of us. None of the DJs I’d just seen on The Knot were anywhere to be found.

WHAT IS THE 30-DAY TWITTER CHALLENGE? The goal is to start using Twitter in an optimal manner, to make tweeting a part of your daily social media routine. (They say

Staci will be speaking about Pinterest Marketing at the Wedding MBA Conference in Las Vegas, October 2-4, 2017 (www.weddingmba.com). it takes 21 days with a new “habit” for it to really stick.) Why? Because Twitter is seriously neglected by our community, and yet it is the most powerful social media site behind Facebook and YouTube (#3 to Instagram’s #8 and Pinterest’s #5). What’s going to happen? I am going to tell you exactly what to do step-bystep—and your job is simply to commit to sticking with it for 30 days. You in?

If you lose motivation, remember this: Google considers your social media “clout” in ranking your site. You want a gigantic site like Twitter linking back to you for SEO (search engine optimization), and you will get clickthroughs from Twitter (not to mention great networking).

WEEK 1 • Day 1 – Create a Twitter account for your DJ business. If you have a Twitter account already, make sure everything is up-to-date and complete. Be sure you have keywords in

DJ Staci Nichols is based in San Diego and specializes in spinning “country fusion,” Latin/Spanish, and mainstream music.

Her know-how has appeared in San Diego Style Weddings, Offbeat Bride, Wedding Planner Magazine, and Book More Brides. She offers consulting at WeddingBizConsultant.com or check out her DJ biz at SanDiegoDJStaci.com. IG/FB/ Pinterest/Twitter: SanDiegoDJStaci

20

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

your profile blurb. If you are just creating your account, use a handle like “SanDiegoDJStaci” instead of just “DJStaci.”

If you have no real interaction happening on an existing account, you can change your handle or just create a new one.

• Day 2 – Follow @SanDiegoDJStaci and tweet me using #MB30DayTwitter. I will follow you back, and we can support each other. Tell me how many current Twitter followers you have so we can track your number 30 days from now.

• Day 3 – Download the Twitter app on your smart phone.

• Day 4 – Search for other DJs, planners, venues, wedding magazines in your area and follow them. Then search for musicians, companies, celebrities, and others outside the industry to follow. Don’t forget @MobileBeat (It will say Ryan Burger, MB’s publisher).

• Day 5 – Spend 15-30 minutes just checking out your Twitter feed. Like tweets. Comment on tweets. Retweet (share) things of interest. Be sure to follow a person before you talk about them in a tweet and then write, “I love @ DDLovato,” instead of “I love Demi Lovato.” This way that person sees your tweet and can engage with you.

• Day 6 – Search #MB30DayTwitter and follow the other DJs who are taking on this Twitter challenge. Always follow back anyone who follows you—this is simply good social media etiquette.

• Day 7 – Decide on a strategy for things you will post to Twitter. You do not want to post the same thing to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Each site has a certain niche (see sidebar). I, for example, share all of my blog posts to Twitter and post a #SongOfTheDay every morning.

You might do song quotes, a series on Bouquet Toss songs (tweeting one song a day, then moving on to a series on Cake Cutting songs), wedding planning tips, wedding music tips, wedding DJ hiring tips, wedding facts/stats, posting your old blog posts or Mixcloud mixes, etc.

WEEK 2 • Day 8 – Start implementing the Twitter strategy you decided on yesterday. Continue doing this until Day #30.

• Day 9 – Decide on a hashtag for your business and use it on your tweets. It does not have to be the same as your Twitter handle or business name. For example, KitKat candy bars use #HaveABreak. Tweet me @SanDiegoDJStaci with the hashtag you decided on and don’t forget to mention #MB30DayTwitter so others can see what you chose.

• Day 10 – Consider tweeting a “thank you” to all new followers: “Thanks to @SanDiegoDJStaci for the follow.”

Likewise, you can also designate one day a week to thank new noteworthy followers in one tweet (every Friday or something).

• Day 11 – Start automating your feed. Check out: Later.com, a free way to automate your Twitter content strategy (plus Instagram and Pinterest). I use it and love

it; Retweet Old Post, an Have you gotten clickapp/plugin that will autothroughs to your website matically tweet your old from Twitter? Any netcontent for you, leading working awesomeness?) to more engagement and One key to mastering social media is understanding what’s WEEKS 3 & 4 evergreen social media appropriate for each platform. Here’s a quick overview: The training wheels are content. coming off...By now you have • Day 12 – You’ve Twitter – I’m listening to a Rihanna song a full understanding of how to probably noticed by now Facebook – I like Rihanna use Twitter and can appreciate that some people that it as a valuable marketing and YouTube – Here’s a video of me playing a Rihanna song you follow send you what networking tool. Your only Instagram – Rihanna quote meme seem to be auto-respondnew task the final 2 weeks is er private messages when Pinterest – Playlist of my top 10 fave Rihanna jams to add Twitter to the social you follow them. Yes, LinkedIn – My skills include making Rihanna mash-ups media follow buttons on Twitter does allow autoyour website. Just continue responders like this. I use with your content strategy, SocialOomph.com for interacting with followers, networking, checking your feed and mine. It costs $6/month. CrowdFireApp.com is another liking/retweeting, tweeting me with your progress, and checking option. Best practices: Don’t sell anything or provide a link #MB30DayTwitter to support fellow DJs. On Day #30, tweet me to your site; just introduce yourself and say “thank you” how many new followers you have using our hashtag then search (Include your elevator pitch.) our tag to see what others tweeted.

• Day 13 – Spend 15 to 30 minutes checking your After you master this challenge, besides enjoying a great Twitter feed again. Like tweets. Comment on tweets. Share sense of accomplishment, you will have taken command of a (retweet) things of interest. powerful marketing and networking tool that most of your com• Day #14 – Tweet me @SanDiegoDJStaci using petitors are ignoring. #MB30DayTwitter and let me know how the challenge is going for you so far (How many new followers do you have?

What to Post Where

WWW.MOBILEBEAT.COM • MA R CH 2 0 1 7

21

FEATURE

Exceeding Expectations?

BEFORE YOU CAN “EXCEED” YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE BASE LEVEL AND HOW TO REACH IT

By Robert Lindquist

M

eaningless marketing expressions and phrases are everywhere, and the two I see to see the most lately are “jaw-dropping” and “We exceed your expectations.” The copywriters at Yahoo have had a steamy love-affair going with “jaw-dropping” for about the last year. It seems to show up in their cheesy click-bait headlines at least a dozen times a week.

Then there’s this “Exceeding Expectations” thing—which appears not only online, but on the sides of vans, on business cards and in so many print ads that it’s well…jaw-dropping.

It’s one of those marketing claims that just makes me cringe, whether it’s being used by a DJ, house painter, collision shop or undertaker. Why don’t I like it? Because it makes the assumption that the one providing the service knows what I expect—and therefore, whatever level of service they provide will (in their minds) exceed my expectations. They could be wrong. They may fall horribly short of my expectations. It’s a phrase that is shallow and void of any real meaning.

DO YOUR REALLY KNOW WHAT YOUR CLIENTS EXPECT? Unless it’s someone who has actually seen you perform at a previous job, you are a cold call. There’s no way for you to know what they expect. While you are going through your sales pitch, 22

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

they are interviewing you. The better job you can do of describing exactly what you will do for them, the greater the chances that you will get the booking. They want to know what to expect and they need to be confident that you can meet those expectations. Once the benchmark is set, then, and only then, can you exceed those expectations.

Last summer, I was speaking with the photographer at a wedding reception who brought up an interesting point. He said “The DJ really sucked” at the wedding he had shot the previous weekend. I thought to myself, “How can a DJ really suck?” If someone is that bad at what they do, shouldn’t they be doing something else? If you have been in the DJ business for any length of time at all, and have been properly trained, and keep client satisfaction as your #1 goal, there’s no way you can “suck.”

When someone hands you a deposit check for their event, they do so with the assumption that you are properly trained, have a reasonable level of experience, and will be prompt, professional and responsive to their needs. While you may tout your massive music library and fabulous sound system, that means nothing them—after all, you are a DJ, they expect you to have the music they want and the proper gear to do the show. Given that everyone everywhere now has instant access to virtually every song ever recorded, if it was all about the music, you would never have gotten the call in the first place.

So, how do you meet, let alone exceed, their expectations?

FEATURE tions at someone’s wedding are too important, and with couples demanding different entrance songs for every couple, there are a lot of opportunities to mess up. Script out exactly what you are going to say, then rehearse it until you know you have it mastered, so it doesn’t sound canned. While you are creating your scripts—make the words truly “your own.” Whenever I hear a DJ announce ”Next we have bridesmaid Jane with groomsman Jim” I want to hurl. You have a personality—use it! There are many ways to vary how you introduce people, and the best time to think that through is before you have a hot mic in your hand.

BE THE TEAM LEADER At most events, especially wedding receptions, there’s one person who is in charge of pulling it all together.

It may be an outside wedding coordinator or someone who works for the facility. Just like you, they have to answer to the wedding couple if things don’t go well.

Any time you work somewhere you have not been before, call and introduce yourself ahead of time. Not only will it break the ice, but it will also give you an opportunity to find out more about the size and shape of the room if you don’t have time for a site visit in advance of the big day.

COMMUNICATE If you are a solo operator who handles your own bookings, most likely you have had several conversations with the client prior to the job. If most (or all) of your communication has been electronic, make it a point to call them at least once a few days prior to the job just to review their information and re-introduce yourself.

They may not expect that, and it really gives them some warm fuzzies to know that the DJ is on the ball and there’s one less thing to worry about.

If you operate a multi-system DJ service, make it mandatory that every DJ on your staff call the people they are working for a few days in advance of every event you assign them. Not only does this reassure the client, but your DJs will find it to be much more comfortable to walk into a job where they have already spoken to the client ahead of time. Sometime when you have nothing else to do, scan some of the reviews at Weddingwire. com. One of the more common complaints you will see relates to a lack of communication and responsiveness from DJs after they have been hired.

YOU CAN’T OVER-PREPARE While some DJs like to boast about how good they are at adlibbing, the fact is, most mobile DJs fall into a deep hole when they try to “wing it.” Improvising is an art and talent unto itself.

Some people have it, some don’t. I spent many years in radio, and am quick to admit that I am not comfortable when I have to go off script—especially at wedding receptions where it’s easy to make a critical mistake. So just don’t go there. The introduc-

After a 20-year broadcast radio career, Robert Lindquist built a successful mobile DJ business, and by the late '80s he had also written his first book, Spinnin', a DJ how-to. In 1990, he became the founding publisher of Mobile Beat. With the Live2Play Network (www.L2pnet.com), aimed at the live sound realm, he has pioneered online publishing. Along with being a broadcaster, publisher and Internet pioneer, he's also a sax player, writer, gear reviewer and one of the regulars behind the board at his local church.

24

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

AND, SPEAKING OF THE ROOM...

Every room you play is different, so adjust your sound system accordingly. What sounds fine in one room may leave much to be desired in another. It’s reasonable for your clients to expect excellent sound under any and all conditions. To give them anything less is unacceptable. Some rooms are like an echo chamber, others just suck up your sound like a sponge. While you may be limited as to how and where you can set up, you must make every effort to get the best sound possible—not just on the dance floor, but throughout the venue. Things you can do to improve your sound include: • Changing the vertical angle on your speakers (if they are equipped with an adjustable mount).

• Moving your speaker either back toward a wall, or farther out from your table.

• Changing the phase setting on your sub-woofer.

• Redirecting your speakers so they are not blasting straight at a flat surface.

• Adding an EQ and/or compressor to your audio chain.

FINALLY, GET ON YOUR FEET! I can’t believe I even have to mention it, but when I walk into to an event center to set up, and see a chair by the DJ table, it tells me that at least some of the DJs who perform there sit while they are working. This is not a job for people who are too freaking lazy to stand for a few hours. Your back may ache the next day, but it’s part of the job. How can any DJ expect to get people off their butts and on the dance floor, when they can’t get off theirs?

Are you ready to “exceed” your clients’ true expectations?

These are just a few basic ways you can use as a checklist to make sure you are, first and foremost, meeting the baseline of what most clients expect. You can only exceed that mark once you have these basics down, and you have built a real relationship with those who you’ll be entertaining.

BRILLIANT DEDUCTIONS

Fixing Business “Boo-Boos” PART 2 OF 2

By Mark E. Battersby

A

lthough the Federal Reserve’s Small Business Credit Survey Report on Employer Firms ranked government regulations—including ObamaCare—as more problematic than credit availability, cash flow, taxes or the cost of running a business, it is often correcting the so-called “boo boos” encountered in daily business dealings that generate the most (often long-term) savings. Consider the lease/buy conundrum so familiar to many mobile entertainers.

The lease accounting rules as we currently know them are changing. The U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), which writes the rules in the U.S., has come up with new guidelines that will require many businesses to add all but the shortest leases to their balance sheets as liabilities, much like debt.

Although the newly announced guidelines will not officially kick-in for a couple of years, imagine the impact on the mobile entertainment business when a supplier, lender or even a potential buyer expects to see leases reflected on the operation’s financial statements. The many DJs, VJs and KJs that currently have borrowing limits and/or restrictions placed on them by lenders and investors could, once leases must be included on the mobile entertainment operation’s balance sheet, be in violation of those agreements.

Whether for an office, studio, storage or a garage to house the mobile entertainment operation’s vehicles, rent is often an operation’s largest recurring expenses. However, unlike many other fixed costs, a commercial lease is negotiable—even where the operation is already locked-in.

Landlords rarely agree to reducing a financially strong tenant’s rent unless, of course, the restructured agreement will provide the landlord with an economic advantage. Fortunately, there are strategies that can turn out to be a win-win for both the tenant and the landlord, including: • Create Competition: Even if you don’t want to move, shopping around and collecting written offers from other landlords that can be used as leverage when renegotiating with your current landlord.

• Never Make the First Offer: Making the first offer in renewal negotiations should be resisted. By doing this prior to your renewal, it implies that you will stay— thereby undermining your negotiating strength.

• Asking for the Moon: When negotiating for free rent, tenant allowances, or other terms, always ask (negotiate) for more than needed. By asking for more than you expect, you are positioning yourself for any give and take based on the importance of certain negotiating points.

• Negotiate Non-Rent Issues: These include parking,

26

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

signage, carpet, paint and any deposit or personal guarantee which might have been agreed to previously.

Is more space needed? Want additional parking closer to the property’s doors? Would more or better signage outside of the property be beneficial? As a current tenant, the landlord will want you to remain and the landlord’s expenditures for these non-rent items is usually far less than the cost of attracting a new tenant.

Making many of these and other changes may require the services of a professional, perhaps even one more experienced than the mobile entertainment business’s current advisers. As the mobile entertainment business grows, the need for professional advice, assistance and guidance may become more acute, requiring the services of better-skilled professionals.

Fortunately, there are a variety of skilled professionals just waiting to serve you and your mobile entertainment business. The first step to finding the right professional requires an inventory of what you—and your mobile entertainment business—actually need in the way of services and advice and, most importantly, how much you can afford to pay for that advice or services.

Shopping for any professional is virtually a necessity in today’s business economy and many professionals offer free first meetings for discussion of expectations, services needed and provided, extent of involvement by the professional and the portion of the work you, the DJ, VJ or KJ, expects to shoulder, time constraints and, above all, costs.

It is not “tacky” to discuss fees before engaging the services of a professional although money should not be the sole criteria for selecting that professional. Obviously, finding a professional at an affordable price is a process that should begin immediately.

Attempting to prevent local, state, or even federal lawmakers from increasing the amount of red-tape, rules, regulations, fees, and taxes that every mobile entertainer must contend with is often fruitless -– and always expensive. Battling city hall, the county or statehouse over permits, unfairly levied fines and, yes, tax bills, can be even more expensive. But fighting the good fight, whether bureaucracy or closer to home may be more profitable -– with the help of professionals, of course.

Mark E. Battersby is a freelance writer based in the Philadelphia area. His features, columns and reports have appeared in leading trade magazines and professional journals since the early 1980s.

When not actually writing, Mark spends most of his time digging for exciting tax and financial strategies to write about.

THE SPIN DOCTOR

Driven to Mobile DJ (and Photo Booth) Success PITTSBURGH’S STEPHANIE CROOKS IS IN CONSTANT, CREATIVE MOTION

By Mike “Dr. Frankenstand” Ryan

Mike Ryan : You started DJing in the 11th grade, did your first Wedding in your senior year and today you do close to 50 weddings annually. Sounds like you have the energy of the battery bunny.

Stephanie Crooks : I have always been an entrepreneur and I have the mind to succeed. I skipped college to run my own vending business, DJ business, and took on as many side jobs as I could get. I purchased my first home at the age of 19 and I now own nine properties and have done 90% of the remodeling all by myself...I drink a full pot of coffee every day and I’m always on the go!

MR : Growing up, did you dream of becoming a DJ or did you have other aspirations? If someone asked you what you wanted to do when you grew up what would you have said and why?

SC : I started playing guitar at age 11 and my dream growing up was always to be a rock star, of course. That didn’t work out, so being a mobile DJ was the next best thing. I love helping people, being part of something amazing and being able to provide exceptional entertainment for someone's big day.

I think my love of music makes DJing more enjoyable and it makes it seem like a hobby more than a job. And I always go above and beyond and pay close attention to details to make sure my events are flawless.

MR : You have dared to dream big! What’s the key factor in your business success? And what advice would you give to others looking to achieve similar success?

SC : Never give up and do not settle. I started out doing weddings for $150 per event. My first few years I did as many weddings as I possibly could, to get the experience. In 2016, I had a total of 52 weddings. I love what I do and since this is my full-time career, I’m always pushing to do as many weddings as possible. I’m always promoting myself, always finding new ways to get leads and always trying to connect with other vendors and venues. I find word-of-mouth is the

S

tephanie Crooks is a DJ and photo booth operator, and to say she is also a dynamo is an understatement. When I contacted her for an interview, she got back to me with answers to my questions within a few hours—by far the fasted turnaround for all the pieces I written.

The driving force behind Stephanie Crooks Premium Soundz DJ Service in Pittsburgh, PA is an inspiration, proving that we can accomplish much if we put real energy behind our creative ideas and dreams.

28

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

Stephanie Crooks - Premium Soundz DJ Service’s

Photo Booth Code of Conduct

WE PROMISE TO: • Be respectful, courteous, and friendly to all guests • Dress professionally and appropriately • Arrive two hours prior to our start time • Provide a neat and professional setup • Display a great attitude at all times • Be enthusiastic and fun • Be flexible and easy to work with • Put our full attention into running the photo booth WE PROMISE NOT TO: • Offend you or any of your guests • Act in any way that is unprofessional • Drink alcohol or smoke at any time during your event • Use offensive language • View your event as “just another party” best form of advertisement for my business.

MR : You also own and operate several photo booths with one very unique booth on wheels.

SC : I live in western Pennsylvania and the camper booth is very popular for the outdoor rustic barn style weddings.

There are also other venues throughout the Pittsburgh area where I can simply pull up the camper and set up the photo booth. I don’t use the camper for storage, and as much as I would like too, and I don’t use it for camping either!

MR : What DJ equipment do you use? Same question for the photo booth.

SC : For my DJ equipment I've always been a big fan of EV speakers, QSC amps, Numark and Frankenstand. I still use passive speakers and always strive to have an extremely clean set up. Regarding my photo booths, I have four enclosed photo booths made by Mojo and I use Darkroom Booth 2.0 software for all of my photo booths. I currently have all women on my photo booth team. I work a photo booth when I’m not DJing and when I am DJing I send one of the girls out to cover the event. But when I DJ, I work solo!

MR : Photo booths have joined video, lighting and even karaoke as profitable up-sells. Looking into your crystal ball, do you have any predictions on new money-making ideas in the future? What do you see as the “next big thing” for mobile DJs? SC : As time and technology evolves, everything will become more digital and the light shows will be better, but there will always be a need for a good wedding DJ. But never think you're too good, because you are always still learning and gaining knowledge.

SC : In 2012 I got the idea to add a photo booth to my business. Today I have four regular photo booths, and last year I became intrigued with the vintage camper idea. I thought why not get one and incorporate it into my photo booth business. I found the perfect little camper, a 1964 Coachman Cadet. It's the first year that Coachman made a Camper so it's also a piece of history.

MR : You must admit that a camper photo booth is a pretty wild idea! Who’s idea was it?

SC : I enjoy traveling and two years ago while in Denver Colorado I saw a much larger vintage camper that someone had turned into a mobile clothing store. Once I was inside the camper I got the idea that it would be amazing to have a vintage photo booth on wheels. All of my guests absolutely love it! They can’t believe what great condition it’s in for its age.

MR : What did you have to do to the camper to make it photo booth ready?

SC : The outside was in amazing shape so all it needed was a little paint. I chose retro orange so it would really stand out. Inside of the camper I used retro wallpaper and reinforced the seat so it can fit as many as 12 adults. Using my knowledge from the photo booth business I took photo booth components and built them into the original kitchen of the camper.

Mike started out and hasphoto been a DJbooth in the SoCal MRRyan : Where dowriting you for setnews theradio, camper up radio for market on KGB anddo KSDS. mobiles as Mike the Mike. is also the inventor/ events?

And youHeuse it to storeonyour DJHe equipment in it owner Frankenstand Powered Speaker Stands. or forofcamping?

WWW.MOBILEBEAT.COM • MA R CH 2 0 1 7

29

SCOOP

Capturing the Audio Action

By Mark Evans AUDIO TECHNICA’S ATW-1702 SYSTEM 10 CAMERA-MOUNT DIGITAL WIRELESS MIC

O

ver the last few Mobile Beat Las Vegas shows I’ve had the fun job of interviewing DJs, vendors and presenters. One of the challenges of recording at these shows is the noise in the background so I started looking for a simple mic system for the camcorder.

In previous years we tried a hand-held mic and cable but that was clumsy and several times we had people almost trip over the cord, so, for safety reasons I wanted to go wireless. I found a great mic system to record the interviews: the Audio

Technica ATW-1702, a System 10 CameraMount Digital Wireless Mic. Why include a review of this videocentric gear here in Mobile Beat? With so many companies dovetailing their DJ service with video and/or photography services, it seemed appropriate to let you know about our experience with the ATW-1702 at a challenging event.

While filming at MBLV21 this year, with DJ Dayna doing the interviews, I had many DJs come up as ask about the mic system because it is a very compact. The receiver comes with a hot-shoe case and clip that easily mounts to a camera or camcorder. It has a rechargeable battery which lasts approximately 12 hours. I

Getting There with Style and Efficiency

engine, say, to pull a trailer, Ford will be offering a 6.2L V8, mid-year.

The cargo van version has many different configurations. The 130” wheelbase has a low roof height of 83” and a medium height of 100”. Transit 148” wheelbase has a low roof height of 83”, medium height of 100” and a high roof over 110”. Several cargo door configurations are available, including sliding doors

By Mark Evans FORD TRANSIT: GO-TO DJ VEHICLE

W

hile visiting the North American International Auto Show in Detroit recently, I thought it would be fun to try and find the “ultimate DJ vehicle.” For many years I have heard of DJs using trucks, vans and SUVs from solid brands like Ford and GM, and here were plenty of big trucks and vans from many manufacturers at the show, but the one that caught my eye was the 2017 Ford Transit. This full-size van can be configured to fit just about every DJ’s needs.

30

recharged it nightly, which did not take very long at all. The manual says a full recharge takes 4 hours 30 minutes. The microphone itself has two AA batteries which lasted a few hours and here the manual says it will last 7 hours. We found out that there is very little warning when those batteries go out. Once they are dead, the light turns red and you can turn it back on for a few seconds before it shuts back off. Of course I kept a supply of them on hand ready to go. Most of us will put in fresh batteries before each show.

One small issue with the system is that it runs “hot,” sonically speaking, so internally I was able to bring the gain down but if you don’t have that manual function on

The Transit is newer to the American market but has been in Europe since 1965.

Several years ago, Ford stopped production of the popular Econoline van to bring the Transit to the U.S. and Canada. I went online to ask DJs what was important to them in a DJ vehicle and most (of course) said cargo space.

Cargo volumes range from 246 cu. ft. (regular wheelbase and low roof ) to over 487 cu. ft. (long wheelbase/extended body and high roof ). The Transit carries heavy loads, with payloads up to 4,560 lbs. Currently the Transit comes with a 3.7L Ti-VCT V6 Engine with upgrades to a 3.5L EcoBoost® V6 Engine or 3.2L I5 Diesel Engine. For DJs who need a bigger

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17

your camera then the receiver has a gain control which brings level down in 10dB increments to -20dB. The hand-held mic also has a level control, so you can use whichever works best for your situation.

Since this is all battery-powered it is perfect for ceremonies but it is only one part of a system. There is also a transmitter with a lavalier and can also be used as part of a wireless speaker system by getting the correct cables.

This system worked flawlessly. There was no inference and as I walked thought the very busy exhibit hall with all the sound systems running and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices going, it never dropped the signal.

At one point an exhibitor was concerned with how loud everything was and was concerned that we would not hear his interview. I put the headphones on him and did the mic test. His immediate reaction was “Wow, I can’t believe how clear the voice is and how much noise the mic canceled out!”

I liked the fact it did not kill all the noise; it still picked up natural-sounding ambient noise. You can hear the interviews for yourself on our Facebook page, facebook. com/mobilebeatlasvegas.

www.audio-technica.com

from each side and 50/50 swinging rear doors that open to 180 degrees. The taller versions provide added headroom, which will allow a fairly tall person to stand inside the van.

Multiple seating configurations are available, from 2–15 seats. One DJ-centric arrangement I saw at the auto show had a driver and passenger seat in the front row and four seats in the second row, with plenty of cargo space behind. This would be perfect for companies traveling with a trailer and needing extra seats for a road crew; and they wouldn’t have to lower back seats, take out the baby seat, etc. for the extra room.

The interior and safety features are abundant; key ones are lane-keeping assist, rear camera (perfect for backing your gear in) and SYNC® 3. SYNC® 3 is Ford’s responsive voice-activated technology, which controls music, GPS/navigation and Apple Carplay. User friendly screens help connect and control your smartphone, set climate control and more. Starting at $31,600, the Ford Transit has what it takes to satisfy a lot of mobile DJs.

www.ford.com WWW.MOBILEBEAT.COM • MA R CH 2 0 1 7

31

THE LAST WORD

The “Lifespan” of Your Next Hire

By Jason Weldon

H

iring employees in the entertainment business has truly become something of an art form. As employers, we are looking for so many different things in our next hire. We want that person to wear 13 different hats. We want them to think four steps ahead. We want them to care as much as we do. In short, we want them to be just like us.

After you come to grips with the fact that this person doesn’t actually exist in the real world, you should realize something else immediately. The idea of keeping an employee for years and years is also no longer the norm. Most likely it is not going to happen. And that should be perfectly acceptable.

I want to narrow in on this one idea. How long should you expect your next hire to work for you?

Obviously we still want our next hire to be a “lifer” in our companies. If they are good, that is! We don’t want to keep hiring new people over and over and over. And the thought of having someone leave after they have moved up the ranks in your company, learned so much under your mentorship, and possibly even been a key part of your company’s growth can just be frustrating. But it shouldn’t be. You should be expecting it!

Look, you are not Google. You don’t have an unlimited budget and unlimited growth opportunities. You are what you are and that is absolutely perfect for you. But for someone else, like one of your employees, they may want more.

More money, more challenges, more responsibility, just something that you can’t offer. There is nothing wrong with this. It is very natural. You just have to realize it.

When you bring on a new employee, you need to be honest with yourself about their tenure at your company. Some are going to be going places fast and you can’t hold them back. They will make you better and when the time comes, you should feel proud that you were able to have them around to learn what they could learn. Let them spread their wings and go on to bigger and better things.

Armed with this realistic attitude, you can plan accordingly and be prepared to keep your DJ service growing, no matter how long you might have any given talented person working for you.

Jason Weldon is a wedding business consultant who specializes in small to medium-sized companies that want to grow their business. His objective is to help guide people through organizing their thoughts and laying the groundwork for a better, more successful start-up. He currently lives in Philadelphia and is also the president of Synergetic Sound and Lighting, Inc. and DJ and A/V company.

32

MOBILE B EAT • MA RC H 2 0 17