CD Holdout Enters Hard Drive World by Stu Chisholm

A CD Holdout Finally Enters the Hard Drive WorldBy Stu Chisholm

One DJ’s journey from reliance on discs to playing completely digital music

More than a decade ago now, a new format called MP3, coupled with a new program called DJ Power set the DJ world buzzing. Colleagues told me how, one day soon, our CDs would be obsolete; how a DJ would walk into a gig with nothing but a laptop and powered speakers and be fully equipped to rock a party. As someone who takes pride in being on the cutting edge-or, more accurately, at least being aware of what that edge is-it came as a bit of a shock even to myself how quickly objections sprang to mind!

The End of the World as We Know It?
For one thing, MP3 meant bad sound. DJs, trying to fit entire libraries onto the meagerly sized hard drives of the day, usually ripped them at 128 kbps or less. This reduces the size of a music file by literally chopping out and tossing away digital bits. The lower the bit rate, the worse the sound. I could recognize the MP3 sound instantly, and I was far from impressed. Years of DJ work have left me with some measurable hearing loss, so I figured that if it sounded bad to me, it’s going to sound even worse to everyone else.
DJs would make excuses, the most popular being, “People at gigs are all drunk-they don’t care.” My rants about the bad sound became so well known that one day, the gang at DJ Supply, my local DJ toy store, set up a well-attended demonstration that pitted MP3 against CD sound. Once we were all seated, they played a few seconds of a song twice. Then we were asked, “How many people say that the first one was the MP3?” Nearly everyone’s hand went up. The difference was obvious. I got a lot of apologies that night.

Another objection was that hard drives were too small, too slow and too expensive. At the time, a gigabyte or two was the high end of both technology and price. When I mentioned to colleagues that a library the size of mine would require about a half -terabyte, I was met with blank stares. “What’s a terabyte?” (It was, after all, the mid-‘90s.)
Then there’s the problem of time. Ripping my music library, which is notoriously vast, would require a major time commitment. A little thumbnail math broke it down something like this: If each song took only two minutes to rip, including disc handling and entering data, my mobile library of 38,000+ songs would take 1,266 ½ hours to rip. If I did it for eight hours a day, seven days a week, the project would take nearly 5 ½ months. The real world, though, will include things like bad rips and computer glitches, lunch breaks, weekend gig days and other distractions. A more realistic timetable was about eight to ten months.
My biggest objection, however, was the computer itself. While we depend on them to do everything from running our offices to editing and burning our music, the thought of my entire show depending on a glitchy, balky, fragile, crash-prone computer left me cold. These were the days of Windows 95, after all, and we knew all too well the “blue screen of death.”
The way my fellow DJs addressed this problem were diverse and creative. Some brought their CD library “just in case.” (Not exactly a confidence builder!) Lane O’Neill of Acclimated Sounds came up with what I thought of as the ultimate solution: two separate laptops, both loaded with DJ Power and equipped with hot-swappable, redundant hard drives. But again, this was the ‘90s, and such a scheme required a huge investment. A bit too rich for my blood. (Unlike Lane, I don’t have a day job.)

I Feel Fine
Lucky for all of us, technology never stands still. Over the years my objections have been nullified one by one. The MP3 can now be ripped at higher bit rates that introduce no audible distortion. Hard drives have gotten much faster, bigger and cheaper. Today, a half-terabyte (500 GB) drive can be had for less than $250.00, and prices are in a steady freefall.
While computers and their operating systems have gotten much more robust, they still remain too fragile and expensive (not to mention very prone to theft) for many DJs. But a few companies are aggressively attacking this aspect by eliminating the computer altogether! So, in 2006, I finally decided to make the transformation from a CD to digital DJ.

First, Get Ripped
I first heard the name Cortex from my equipment guru, Steve at DJ Supply. Looking a lot like the control unit of a typical dual CD player, the first Cortex unit-the HDC-1000 Dual Digital Music Controller-allows a DJ to play music directly from any USB mass storage device. Other companies have promised and subsequently delivered similar units, but the HDC-1000 was the first to arrive in stores. When the Cortex people got wind of my digital transformation and that I’d be writing about it, they immediately sent one for review. Before I could use it, I had just a little work to do…
The problem of ripping my music still remained, and over the years my library has only gotten bigger. First I had to find affordable hard drives large enough to hold all my MP3 files at 256 kbps (320 for classical music), and then find a way to rip my library, FAST. I was going to need some help.
I started with Lane. When he does something, he tends to do very painstaking research, and he didn’t disappoint. He recommended one of the smallest, coolest looking external hard drives I’ve ever seen: the 500 GB Western Digital “My Book.” I bought two, for a full terabyte.
At this point, I have to confess how I actually acquired them! Jeffrey “J.P.” Pausch of Two Left Feet Productions is also a long-time friend and fellow single op DJ. We’re both subscribers to Top Hits U.S.A., a popular CD service. He had already purchased a new laptop, USB hard drive and DJ software, but he works long hours at his day job, leaving him no time to deal with a massive ripping project. He made the proverbial offer I couldn’t refuse: do it for me and I’ll buy your hard drives for you! (J.P., you drive a hard bargain!)
Drives in hand, it was now time to start ripping music. Friends recommended a program called Easy CD DA Extractor, which is inexpensive and can be purchased instantly online. I loaded it onto my two desktop computers and a laptop. I’m also lucky enough to know Monty Boleyn of New Concepts Software (another long-time friend) who graciously loaned me a fourth computer. Lastly, I recruited yet one more friend; fellow music maven and internet radio host, John Matthews (a.k.a. DJ Brick), who agreed to come over on a weekly basis and handle large sections of my library with his laptop. That gave me a total of five computers to get the job done! They would rip all day long, from noon until 10:00 PM and then dump the tracks onto the big external drive overnight. My “team” and I managed to complete the job just 53 days!

Checking the Tags
Murphy’s Law loosely states that anything that CAN go wrong WILL, and at the worst possible moment. Such was the case when I learned about the importance of ID3 tags. It seems that the search features of the Cortex (and most MP3 playback systems) depend on them for quick track searches. Naturally I had configured Easy CD Extractor to get the filenames the way I wanted them, but ignored the ID3 tags as I was in blissful ignorance. As a result, they were either wrong or non-existent! This would’ve been a huge setback if it weren’t for a program that DJ Brick knew about called ID3 TagIt, available instantly on the web. This allowed me to make corrections in batches, costing me only twelve extra days. At last, the time had finally come to get fully acquainted with the Cortex unit!

Hardware Solution
Just opening the box told me that the folks at GCI / Cortex have focused on detail. The packaging used pressed board, like a heavy-duty egg carton, rather than Styrofoam, which is sure to please the environmentalists of the DJ world. Cradled within, under a clear plastic protective cover, was the Cortex HDC-1000, a smaller box containing the power supply, tabletop stands with mounting hardware and a set of RCA cables. The workbook-sized instruction manual was well written and illustrated.
My first impression screamed “quality.” Its all-metal case has a lush, shiny gray finish and the controls have a solid, quality feel. The jog wheel is especially smooth. At the very center of the unit is a USB port. Flipping the unit over, another USB port is dead center, flanked by stereo RCA jacks on either side. The only other feature is the power inlet, which has a clever cord clamp to prevent the power cable from wiggling loose in transit.
As instructed by the manual, the first thing to do is to check the Cortex website (www.cortex-pro.com) and download the latest firmware. This is easily done using a flash drive. Once downloaded via your PC, you can pop it into the front panel of the Cortex, power it up, and one click later the unit is up to date!
Next, I powered down the Cortex to attach the USB hard drives. Just about any USB mass storage drive will work, including iPods, flash drives and even optical disc drives, so you can still play CDs without dragging along a player! You can use a USB hub to connect up to four different devices that you can switch between at will. A late breaking update also added USB keyboard support, which is essential for searches, especially with an extremely large library. Cortex also provides a database utility, so you can get up and running fast. Without a db file, the Cortex unit must do a “verify” procedure to be able to search through music files. This could take a very long time. Instead, let the power of your home PC create the database. (Mine took about two hours.) Once completed, the HDC-1000 is ready for action within minutes of powering it up.

Trial Run
A week before its debut at a gig, I set the system up in my home studio and encountered all sorts of problems. Songs would skip and sputter, a search on one side would alter the pitch on the other and, eventually, I got the whole unit to crash. It was looking as if all of my objections to using a computer were embodied in this device! After a long conversation with Cortex’s tech support wizard, Jason, we determined that the unit itself was bad. Within 72 hours a new unit arrived. Customer support is superb, and with their help, I had it up and running within minutes. The only remaining glitches were mainly due to my own hard drives.
With the HDC-1000, and I’m guessing generally with this new breed of digital controller, preparation is everything. If your music files are right, and properly tagged, then the unit will perform well. Even without the keyboard, I was able to locate and load songs as fast or faster than pawing through my old CD cases. Searches can be performed in several ways; a file browser, which displays your file structure as it looks to your home computer; by songs; by artists; by genre; by album; by string. I chose album, so the experience would be similar to the way I normally work.
Mixing was every bit as easy with the Cortex unit as it was with a standard dual CD player. The pitch control has a huge range and the start is truly instant. My only criticisms were that, when cueing a track and hitting pause, there is a small bit of latency, so that you have to backtrack with the jog wheel a bit. Also, when you load a track, it instantly starts playing. You can turn this default feature off by putting it in single mode. There is also no center detent on the pitch control, which I prefer.
Having gotten a good feel for the unit, it was time to take the Cortex on the road…

An All-Digital Gig…(Gasp) Without the Computer
As usual during November, my calendar was running light, so my friend, Brendan Pfaff of Best DJ Service, allowed me to tag along to a scheduled wedding. I had mounted the Cortex, along with a mixer, into a lightweight SKB console case and put both of my hard drives and a compact UPS (uninterruptible power supply) into an SKB attaché style case. These replaced my large console cube and five large cases of CDs!
Set-up was simplicity itself. Find power, connect the hard drives and you’re ready to go!
Unlike my tests at home, the unit performed flawlessly at the gig. Brendan and I switched-off, he playing CDs and me playing MP3s for about half the time. There were no glitches at all. It was as if the Cortex knew that it was show time! (More likely, though, it was my careful preparation of the hard drives.) Afterward, a very happy bride told me that she couldn’t tell when a CD or MP3 had been playing and was extremely pleased with the sound.

The New Species Evolves
Yes, there are a few drawbacks. While the Cortex does work well using a single source for both sides, you can sometimes cause a song to “hiccup” when searching and cueing files on the opposite side. I didn’t experience any of this using a separate drive assigned to each side. Then there’s the display. The white-on-blue text is easy to read, but the display overall is a bit on the small size, with only four lines of 20 characters, for a total of 80. When you consider the amount of information on your typical cell phone screen, this seems a bit retro, but it does get the job done. The display is also recessed, so if you’re looking at it on an angle, you might not see the last line, which has your elapsed time and pitch information. I’d like to see support for LCD monitors on future versions.
Even without the keyboard, I became very comfortable with the search features on the Cortex. The sound is superb, the controls and features are as good as or better than most dual CD decks and, although there’s a bit of a learning curve, it can be mastered in under an hour. I also had to remind myself that this is the first unit of its kind, and as such, will not do all of the things that DJ Power, PCDJ and other software based systems will do. I expect that successive generations will catch-up, and fast. Similar units are on the way from Numark, Denon and others, and a second generation Cortex unit, the HDC-3000 will soon be shipping. For those who don’t want to wait, the Cortex HDC-1000 has set the bar high, and its small price tag removes the final barrier to any DJ wanting to make the transition to a fully digital DJ experience. The journey continues…so far it has been quite a ride!

A whole lot of people contributed time, information and hard work to make this article possible. Special thanks to Lane O’Neill of Acclimated Sounds, John Matthews (DJ Brick, www.glowingdial.com), J.P. Pausch of Two Left Feet Productions, Brendan Pfaff of Best DJ Entertainment, Jason & Peter of GCI / Cortex, Monty Boleyn of New Concepts Software (www.NCSoftware.com), Steve Tighe at DJ Supply (Warren, MI), DJ Dr. Drax and Paul & Denise Regoni . Thank you all!

Improvements Announced at NAMM
At the 2007 Winter NAMM show, Cortex announced some improvements to the HDC-1000, along with a slew of other digital control products for a variety of DJing styles (see our NAMM report starting on page 8).
The V1.8.8 software update package includes: scratch capability; play list creation (using the new Cortex Database Manager V 2.4; improved cue functionality and accuracy; and greater USB keyboard support.
A few companies are…eliminating the computer altogether
Mixing was every bit as easy with the Cortex unit as it was with a standard dual CD player

Big Easy Update by Rocky Bourg

CLUB VIEWBig Easy Update

By Rocky “DJ Roxx” Bourg

For this New Orleans DJ, life goes on, but will never be the same

Post Katrina. No, it’s not a new breakfast cereal. It’s a status. A constant state of being that I and most everyone I see on a daily basis have found ourselves in since returning to our homes, businesses and lives after one of the biggest natural disasters to hit the United States of America. It is omnipresent. Its tentacles have reached into every crevice and shaken things loose.
Because of this tragedy and through circumstance and God’s grace, I rediscovered and reaffirmed my belief that there are more good people in the world than the nightly news would have you believe. Family that lived in an unaffected area provided us temporary sanctuary. Total strangers, unsolicited and totally unrequested, refused payment for things like an oil change or offered discounts on meals. I had never been on that side of such unselfish, true human kindness. I re-learned what the daily grind and the speed of contemporary life had hidden in its wake: that people are at their best, the most like their creator, when they are thinking of others. I want to be like that more often.

Rebuilding Begins
So, with my family safely stationed in Houston, it was time to get down to putting things back together! When I was finally able to return home, unfortunately without my wife, daughters, mother and many friends, I began the arduous task of assessing the damage to three houses, making temporary repairs and beginning the work of rebuilding a life.
I never want to remove wet carpet ever again. And by the way, never submerge and soak an amplifier or speakers in flood waters. It has a terrible effect on the acoustic ability of the gear. But I digress.
After spending several weeks without a single party or wedding at which to perform, and not much celebrating on the horizon, I was glad that I had chosen to be a two-career man. My paralegal gig was relocated to temporary quarters and I was able to get back to some semblance of normalcy; although I’ll never consider a two-hour commute to be normal.
Up to this point I had not even thought about how much I had missed being part of weekly celebrations and providing the soundtrack for special events. I was just glad that most of my gear and music library was safe and I would get back on the wheels, eventually. Prior to Katrina I had managed to build a relatively full calendar of events from August 27, 2005 to late November 2005. Post-Katrina, all those homecoming and school dances, wedding receptions, lucrative mitzvahs and my long running Saint’s tailgate party were gone and that income would never return. But what I was really beginning to miss was rockin’ the crowds, being part of Father-Daughter/Mom-Son dances, playing songs for special people at special moments that they would cherish long after the celebration was over and serving as the medium through which brides, grooms, sons and daughters could express their love and appreciation to those they cherish.

City Slowly Reconnects with Entertainment
A private country club where I was the recommended vendor had suffered major and extensive damage and would be offline for at least a year or longer, and remains so to this day. The population of my city was a fraction of its normal size and many other reception and event venues had also suffered serious damage. The short term outlook was not very promising, especially with the likely and serious reduction in tourist business that New Orleans depends on so heavily. Major conventions and sporting events that generated valuable business for the tourist and entertainment industries, were cancelled and moved. The December 2005 holiday party calendar was OK but nothing like recent years, understandably so. However, none of those effects were as hard to handle or had as great an impact on my business as what was soon to occur.
My friend and most trusted DJ of 15+ years had moved, and after the storm managed to obtain an in-house/recommended DJ position vacated by a Katrina victim who was not returning at a popular reception venue very near his new home but far from my neck of the woods. It was a perfect situation for him, both financially and logistically, and I could not contemplate asking him to sacrifice such a great opportunity. This was the most seriously troubling side effect of the changes forced upon my entertainment business. I was now back to being a single op. But, I just kept focusing on the positive effect it would have for my podnah and how he’d be able to spend more time with his family. Always look for the rainbow, even if it’s still raining.

A Boost from Big Gigs
Maybe it was karma or just blind luck, but after the holiday parties, many of the more high profile venues that, in the past, I had attempted but failed to acquire a working relationship with, began calling and inquiring about my service. I was able to adjust my rate schedule and expect to be as profitable as a single op as I was with two and three systems on the street. I was able to refocus on providing more pre-event service to clients and have seen the positive results of that as well.
My favorite gig, the Semi-Almost World Famous Allegro Bistro Saints tailgate parties returned on September 25, 2006 when the New Orleans Saints injected then withering Nawlins with new hope and resuscitated the spirit of an entire city. I guess it’s true: a new broom sweeps clean. No one, at least no one sober or sane, would or could have predicted the success of the Saints this season. I hope they realize what they have done for this troubled city.
Despite the many hurdles, my disc jockey business has managed to survive and is providing me with new opportunities to exercise my skills, stretch my imagination, and utilize my limited knowledge to grow my business in a less-than-perfect market. But we relish being less than perfect in the Big Easy. Dorothy said it best: “There’s no place like home.”
“Despite the many hurdles, my disc jockey business has managed to survive and is providing me with new opportunities…” – DJ Roxx

Neither Snow nor Rain, Nor Gloom of Night

It wasn’t quite the night before Christmas, but it was the busiest Saturday evening during the December holiday party season. The afternoon found me preparing for my upcoming evening performance which was to begin at 6:00 PM at an upscale hotel.Across town one of my DJs, Jason, was on his way to another prominent hotel for his expected 4:30 set-up and arrival. Shortly after 5:00 he called to inform me of a “gridlock” situation that was developing on the freeway due to an afternoon of snow and freezing rain. As the temperature dropped and the skies darkened, so too did the possibilities his timely arrival. Then moments later, Jason called again, this time to tell me about an accident (fender bender) that he had just gotten into. Apparently the surrounding vehicles were experiencing the effects of black ice on the roadway.

By this point I was already on the phone with the event organizer for Jason’s party, who was very understanding of the situation-many of here coworkers were also caught up in the ice storm that was slowly developing into a very serious area disaster.

Shortly after 5:30 I received yet another phone call from my DJ who informed me that the fender bender was resolved, but his four wheel drive vehicle had now slipped into an icy ditch on the side of the road. To make matters worse, he was boxed in by several vehicles that had crashed around him. He was only about five miles from the hotel.

Realizing his 6:00 start was not going to happen, I was again on the phone with my very understanding longtime client. She was most helpful and agreed to dispatch one of her company vehicles to retrieve my DJ and his equipment. The only problem with this idea was the underestimation by all of us of the serious road conditions that represented the worse case of black ice the area had seen in more than 30 years.

By 7:30 I was hopeful for a successful retrieval and an impending set-up and start to the performance. Unfortunately a call came from the other driver, informing me that after two hours of driving he had only made it about three miles…still two miles shy. The plan was scrubbed and he proceeded back to the hotel.

While performing a party myself, I discretely began to call other DJs knowing full well that I probably wouldn’t find anyone available to cover for my DJ, since this was the busiest Saturday evening of the Christmas holiday season. Naturally, I was unsuccessful in my attempts to get things going now one-and-a-half hours into the event.

At 8:00, the company party organizer called again, this time to ask me for the “password” for my DJ computer system. I was very confused, wondering how they had my equipment-but they didn’t have my DJ. The AV representative at the hotel had informed her that Jason had left his equipment “locked up” in the AV storage room Friday night after his performance at the same hotel.

My state of disbelief boiled up into extreme displeasure with my DJ who had neglected to inform me that his equipment was already at the hotel. Knowing that this was definitely against my company policies, I can only surmise that he did not want to get into any more trouble than he was already in.

After some choice words for Jason, I then proceeded to get Jeff (the AV guy) on the line and walk him through the set-up procedures to get some music up and running. It was 8:00, but fortunately they had a delayed start to dinner because of the many others who were also delayed because of the ice storm.

By this point it was looking as though there would be a sound system in place with no DJ. Not exactly the way we like to do business; but considering the circumstances, this was the best “show must go on” scenario.

I asked Jeff what time he got off work and was happy to learn that his shift was to finish at 10:00. Naturally, I seized the opportunity to ask if he would like to make some extra money after he punched out for the evening. He agreed and I walked him through some quick instructions for utilizing the software effectively. My plan at this point was to keep Jeff in this emergency role until I could get there around midnight.

After my party concluded at 11:00, I quickly packed up and headed over to the other hotel which was only about three miles away. I arrived to see Jeff doing a great job with a full dance floor. I checked in with my very understanding longtime client and jumped up on stage to immediately offer an energetic welcome to the audience. I continued to “rock the party” for the next hour-and-a-half.

I paid Jeff a very generous amount and thanked him profusely for “saving the day.” I realized that night that back-up DJs and back-up equipment are useless if transportation to the event location is impossible. Although my contract protects me from “acts of God,” I felt compelled to offer my client a partial refund for the difficulties that could have been avoided.

My first reaction to Jason’s error in breaking company policy (by storing the equipment at the hotel the night before) was tempered by the fact that this act of disobedience likely saved the day for more than 100 guests who planned all year long for this celebrated event.

This event has reinforced my belief in that “there is no such thing as cancellation” on the part of a DJ. The only cancellation that is real is one where people are turned away at the door because the party organizer has cancelled the event. For me, the delivery of DJ services is like the US Mail. No matter what the condition or delay, we must always get the music there by whatever means of brainstorming or problem solving that is necessary to complete the responsibility. There are simply too many people that depend upon us to make their special moments truly special.

Sweating the Small Stuff: Your Tech Support Box by Stu Chisholm

A well-stocked box just might save the dayYou might call it your “tool box” or “repair kit” or maybe just a “junk box;” but most savvy DJs carry some type of Technical Support Box: an assortment of tools, supplies and other items running the gamut from those we’ll use at every gig to those we hope we’ll never need. Such a kit has saved my show on many occasions, and was developed through a lot of thought, many years of experience and many long conversations with colleagues. Having what you need when you need it is the name of the game!

Gone Fishin’

Unless you have a case specially built, there are very few case options available beyond a good fishing tackle box. Even many CSI evidence technicians use them! They’re designed to keep things organized, accessible and free from damage. Tackle boxes are also quite rugged. I highly recommend one with several pull-out drawers.

Organize!

Most cases have a large bin for bigger items. Mine include:

· Digital multi-meter

· Real time frequency analyzer / pink noise generator

· Sound level meter

· Spare speaker/lighting stand parts

If you have any electronic skill, a digital multi-meter can help you track-down problems on circuit boards, provided you’ve got the time to do so. It can also show you the line voltage from an electrical outlet, check batteries and cables and many other useful functions. I originally packed it thinking I’d never need it, but find more and more uses for it all the time!

A real-time frequency analyzer helps you to optimize your sound system for each room / environment where you perform. By taking readings of the pink noise output, you can actually see your frequency pattern and make adjustments with your EQ. Mine is a hand-held model, but there are also rack-mount analyzers as well. The advantage is that an optimized system will sound better than the DJ in the next room who didn’t bother. It can mean the difference between good sound and great sound.

The sound level meter gives you a visual read-out of your actual volume in decibels (dBs). You can find potential “hot spots” in a room, keep an eye on your volume (we DJs are often used to much higher levels than our guests) and even comes in handy as an applause meter! They’re inexpensive, and I can’t think of a good reason not to have one.

If you use speaker and/or lighting stands, it is always a good idea to keep some spare knobs and plastic parts around for them “just in case.” While they have a lifetime warranty, when you drop a stand on pavement in the winter and crack the cold, plastic parts, spares suddenly become REALLY important!!! Some of my assistants have also over-tightened the knobs, stripping-out the bolts. (This can happen over time as well.)

Mo’ Stuff

In the drawers below, I keep the consumables and tools:

· Batteries

· Spare bulbs for various lighting effects (Don’t forget spares for any Littlelites, Mag-Lites, rack lights, etc.)

· Assorted connectors (RCA to RCA, RCA to ¼,” and their various male to male / female to female permutations)

· A good flash light

· Ground adaptors (to use three prong plugs in two prong outlets)

· An isoblock (to remove line hum in an XLR run)

· Electrical tape

· Wire stripper

· Spare fuses (for every piece of gear and lighting fixture)

· A soldering iron / resin core solder

· Assorted butt connectors, lugs and wire caps

· Markers, electrical tape, scotch and masking tape

· Super glue

· Assorted spare screws, nuts, wood screws, etc. (Rack screws, too!)

· Stopwatch

· Hand tools: needle nose and standard pliers, dykes, large, medium and small standard and Phillips screwdrivers

· A small parts gripper

· Circuit locator and transmitter

Most of these supplies require no explanation, but of course my kit goes above and beyond the usual. For instance, an isoblock is a good thing to keep on hand if you use a direct box to run your sound to a house PA system or into a band-style mixing console. Sometimes the differences in impedance or grounding can cause hum. More often than not, the isoblock is the cure.

Electrical and electronic tools are all good to have, but again, these depend on your own expertise.

Masking tape and markers often come in handy when you’re doing a show that differs from your norm. You can I.D. which device is on which channel of your mixer, etc.

I keep a stopwatch handy for two reasons: if I’m asked to officiate a timed event (or run a contest requiring a timer), and to grab a quick BPM. (See my complete BPM seminar in MB #104.)

I try to keep replacement screws, nuts and bolts for anything in my rig that uses them. Life on the road can loosen things up, pop screws and strip bolts. Note the type and size of those in your rig (lighting effects, road cases, tensor lamps and mic booms-everything!) and pack a few spares. I also carry a few self-tapping wood screws, for those unexpected moments, like the time a banquet hall table was about to collapse under the weight of a pile of gifts because a support let loose. A wood screw and two minutes made me the hero of the day!

Did you ever drop a small part into a nook or cranny of your road case and have trouble getting at it? This happened often to me, as one of my road cases has a “gap” that just begs small things to fall inside! I solved that problem with a parts grabber-a long, flexible wand with a plunger at one end and a small gripper at the other. Problem solved.

While tooling around the hardware store one day (pun intended), I found a very ingenious invention: a circuit locator. My DJ system requires two electrical circuits; one for lights and one for sound. Some of my colleagues actually require three or more. In some halls, this can be tricky. Plus, if you trip a breaker, you have to be able to find it…fast! A circuit locator makes this a snap. Plug the transmitter, which looks like a small AC adaptor, into the outlet you plan on using. Then go to the breaker box and run the locator up and down the row of breakers. When you pass over the correct one, an LED flashes and a beep sounds! Use your masking tape and marker to make a temporary tag.

Love for the Turntablists

If you’re one of the increasingly rare DJs who still use turntables, then you’ll also want to reserve a slot for your stylus cleaning and cartridge adjustment supplies, and perhaps a spare cartridge. I also have a carbon brush, disc cleaning fluid, velvet cleaning rod and camel’s hair brush.

Road Ready

You may have individual needs for your specific circumstance, so take the time to think about each item in your show. Note anything it might use (fuses, bulbs, connectors, etc.) and keep a supply on-hand. With a well-equipped Tech Support Kit, you’re ready for almost anything that life on the road can throw at you!

Until next time, safe spinnin’!

The Waiter Test – Serving The Servers by Kim Robinson

I was finally in my airline seat after a long delay when the pilot announced that our flight was canceled. A mechanical problem had surfaced and we all had to be rebooked on another flight. The pilot apologized for our inconvenience and directed us to the customer service agent at the gate.

The line was long but moved forward at a good pace because the gate agent was efficient.

The man standing in line directly in front of me grumbled as he waited to be served, and his grumbling turned to screaming when got in front of the agent. Waving his cell phone above his head like it was the sword of justice, he declared to the agent in a loud voice thick with patronizing contempt, “This is UNACCEPTABLE! I have to be at an important meeting. Get another plane!”

She calmly responded to his rudeness. “I’m sorry for your inconvenience sir, but you will have to wait for the next flight.”

You can tell a lot about a person’s character by how well he or she treats clerks and tellers and (in this case) airline employees. People of low character treat such front-line workers poorly because they perceive these workers to be in a subservient position. Therefore, it’s OK to be rude and is, in fact, necessary to “show them who’s boss . . .” They act as if being rude is a sign of leadership.

Rubbish.

People of good character know that rudeness and leadership are incompatible. They treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless their position because they feel no need to “lord it over” someone who has a front-line job. In fact, a common final screen among Fortune 100 executives when they consider a candidate for hire or promotion is “The Waiter Test.” These top executives take the candidate out to lunch and watch how the candidate treats the waiter because they know that someone who will bully a waiter is likely to also bully his or her staff.

This arrogant businessman at the airport showed everyone his lack of character with his bullying behavior toward the agent. He clearly failed “The Waiter Test” and most likely treats his staff just as poorly as he did the airline agent.

The comical part was that although the agent was in a perceived position of subservience, she was not powerless.

The businessman had a coach ticket but demanded to be upgraded to first class on the next flight for his “inconvenience.”

The agent said nothing more until she handed him his boarding pass. “The best I can do for you on the next flight is a center seat, row 28.” He snatched the boarding pass out of her hand, glared, tossed out another “unacceptable,” raised his nose even higher and punctuated his exit away from the podium with his promise to “never fly on this airline again!”

It was my turn to be rebooked. I smiled at the agent and received one in return as I gave her my name and destination. I added that although I needed to be on the same flight as the man previous, and we were both flying coach, we were definitely not together and I would gladly take any seat she could find.

We chatted about rude people in general, and I complimented her ability to remain calm while dealing with the rude businessman. She then handed my new boarding pass to me with a smile. “Here you go Mr. Robinson,” she said. “The best I can do for you is a seat in first class. Is that all right?”

“Yes, thank you. That will be fine.”

The rude businessman passed me sitting in first class on his way to the rear. I made a point of stretching my legs and settling into the big seat as he passed. You sure showed her who’s boss, I thought. You sure showed her.

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Fewer Music Hits Mean Challenges for DJs by Mark Johnson

Greater choice for music lovers means greater challenges for mobile music programmingOver the last few years I’ve been bemoaning the state of current pop music. I’ve observed that there seems to be an ever-increasing number of new artists and songs that all fight for their precious exposure. I’ve also observed that it’s more difficult to follow the trends of our audience’s taste, to identify their favorite current music. But I didn’t have a real reason for why it is more difficult.

Musical Tail-Wagging
An obvious reason is the Internet, and along with it, the iPod. Both are technological masterpieces but may do more harm than good for us mobile DJs. An article in the July 2006 issue of Wired magazine hit the nail on the head and validated my suspicions regarding the perceived short lifespan of today’s songs.

The article “The Rise and Fall of the Hit” is an adaptation of the book “The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More” (by Chris Anderson, Hyperion, 2006, ISBN 1401302378) It touches on hit music, hit movies, celebrities and other cultural items. It really made a lot of sense regarding the current state of hit music.
To summarize, it illustrates the cultural audience having much more diversity and many more choices for their entertainment, music included. In the past, the record companies depended on a few major artists or albums to “carry” their entire catalog of artists, income-wise. Now the sum value of all the secondary artists, i.e. “The Long Tail” (like a comet) is actually greater than the sum value of the primary artists.

The Bygone Days of Big Hits
Mobile DJs do not create hits. We play hits. Thus, we react to our guests’ requests for their favorites. For the sake of this article, I’m referring to contemporary music and not long-term favorites. Classic songs have already proven themselves.
Take any mobile DJ standard song and many DJs can remember when it first came out. Thus, there was a “BC” and “AD” to that song. Many of you can remember the time period before “Macarena.” I’m sure many of you can remember the time period before many other favorites like “The Cha Cha Slide,” “Electric Boogie” (The Electric Slide), “Billie Jean,” “Y.M.C.A.,” “Stayin’ Alive,” and more. When those songs came out, they hit big, embraced the entire country, and then became burned in our cultural memory of that time period.

These songs were on the Top 10 playlists of CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio) stations for weeks if not months. Some artists, such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Janet Jackson, produced albums that spawned four to six hit songs that were released as singles over the course of a year or longer. Thus, you could not avoid hearing one of those artist’s hits every hour on those radio stations. I also recall some stations purging their playlists of these artists for a weekend just to illustrate how saturated it had become.

Back to today’s music. As mobile DJs, we attempt to align ourselves with the thinking process of our adolescent audiences. We’re not 15 years old anymore, so we try to think like them on a proxy basis, i.e. listen to their stations, read some of their publications, watch some of their TV programs and listen to them directly when they talk about music. What I’ve concluded is a little frightful for us adults trying to sneak into their world.

Trouble on the Dancefloor
Years ago, when current super hits were prevalent, you could have an audience of 200 kids at a school dance and any one song could have 30-40 percent of the kids interested. That would mean that roughly 60-70 percent of the kids were disinterested. Now with the music so splintered, having 5 percent of the kids liking the song you’re presently playing means that 95 percent don’t. We all have enjoyed the tremendous effect such mega-hits like “Macarena” cause at a dance, but you cannot maintain that participation for 3 to 4 hours.

Today’s kids have many more sources for their song information. Once they decide what they want to listen to, they merely go to iTunes and easily download it. No longer is it the single channel sources of one or two “hot hits” stations or the TRL or Yo MTV Raps playlists. Good luck trying to pin down where the kids get these songs today. Years ago, when a 13-year-old asked for “Free Bird,” he was probably influenced by his parents or an older sibling. Now, that 13-year-old has dozens of influences, each offering their version of great music. It’s anyone’s guess what his favorites are now.

During a DJ event, we have all encountered that group of three, four or five kids (boys or girls, it doesn’t matter) that approaches the DJ booth, with their representative asking for a particular song. Chances are, it ain’t “Y.M.C.A.” Most likely it is some obscure song from some obscure artist that is their current reason for living. You may try to fluff them off by writing down their request, knowing that you don’t have it and are just trying to survive the current conversation. They may return to re-request it and you could say you’re looking for it or are trying to decide when to play it. Eventually, their persistence will prevail and you may have to confess that you don’t have it. (See my many articles on the impractical goal of 100% request satisfaction.)

So now they walk away, disappointed that you aren’t in sync with their little world and you’ve added a few lame-o points to your DJ status. You may make a mental or physical note of this song and look it up when you got home, but it’s too late. You’ve crushed the spirit of these kids and their lives will never be the same.
You may also try to see if that song/artist comes up as a request during later events. With a few exceptions, it will probably not. So, how could you possibly anticipate such a request without carrying 10,000,000 songs that may only get played once if at all.

No Future Oldies in View
A lot of us can remember when the M in MTV stood for Music. Now it means Miscellaneous. VH-1 has taken over as the purveyor of music videos, albeit not necessarily current hits. BET, CMT and other music video sources are too specific for mobile DJs.

Two litmus tests for today’s music are: 1) how long the songs presently last and 2) the future anticipation of their need. I cannot imagine most of these songs being requested next year. They really are quite disposable.

In essence, we are being deprived of “future oldies.” Since no current songs stand out that significantly (they don’t have to), next year they will be truly forgotten. I used to consolidate the best songs for each year onto a single CD; I haven’t done so in the last two years. Even the disc I made for 2004 looks pretty sparse today, unlike the still-useful songs on my 1998 through 2001 discs. Time was that Eminem and No Doubt would have their hits plastered all over CHR. They were catchy tunes and great fun for us mobile DJs. Now even they are considered passé.

Where Do We Go from Here?
If you’ve experienced the same feelings that I have about the slippery nature of today’s disposable music, then you owe it to yourself to read the Wired article. I even bought the book referenced, and it goes into greater statistics and rationale regarding the last few years of current music.
Unfortunately, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Today’s marketing methods have shattered yesterday’s distribution methods to the point that it’s anyone’s guess what current songs are truly necessary for mobile entertainment. While the variety may be great for the music fans and musicians, mobile DJs have a harder and harder job chasing this ever more slippery collection of current “hits.”

For more on current musical challenges, check out Mark’s article, “Predicting the Musical Future,” from Mobile Beat #95, archived at www.mobilebeat.com.

We have all encountered that group of three, four or five kids asking for a particular song. Chances are, it ain’t “Y.M.C.A.” Most likely it is some obscure song from some obscure artist that is their current reason for living.

Customer Complaints: Gather All Evidence Before Filing Charges by Paul Beardmore

Gather all the evidence before deciding who committed the “crime.”The typical multi-system manager’s Monday morning begins with a cup of joe to get the day going, and a review of the coming weekend’s events. You’ve made it through a hectic weekend of events, and the cycle that just ended is about to begin anew. As you review your schedule of client meetings, employee training sessions and the rest of your “to do” list, your phone rings at 9:02 in the morning. It’s an upset customer who is calling to complain about the DJ who did their wedding reception the previous Saturday. The disgruntled customer says the DJ didn’t play their requests, and the music was horrible!

Welcome to the world of multi-system management! Sometimes, you have to take the bad with the good. Dealing with customer complaints is one of the tasks we would rather not have to handle, however, it is something that goes with the territory of operating a business involving employees who provide a service. On one hand, your ability to properly handle a complaint can make the difference as to whether the upset customer spreads negative information about your company, or recommends you to their friends. On the other hand, the interpersonal skills you utilize to investigate the complaint with your staff can make or break whether your company grows from the experience in a positive way, or suffers morale problems with DJs who are disgruntled.

On the Case
When customers complain, they complain for a variety of reasons, and their motives aren’t always pure. Often times a customer complains because of a perceived problem; sometimes that perception is wrong. The degree of validity of the complaint can range from zero to one hundred percent. Your job is to become a detective, sorting through the information to determine if there is any validity to their complaint, and then to take corrective action.

Explain to the customer that you would like to get more information about their observations and concerns, and that you take these matters seriously. You should NOT make statements that suggest that you are siding with the customer. Yet, neither should you try to argue with or dispute what the customer is telling you. You need to carefully LISTEN to what he or she is saying. Make sure you write down any details that the customer provides, and ask for clarification or elaboration on anything that may help you determine the validity of the complaint. Once the customer has outlined the complaint, take the time to summarize the complaint, so that you are certain you have taken down all of the information in accurately. Let the client know that you will be speaking with the DJ about the complaint, and that you will make a follow-up call once you have done so.

Behind the Music
The manner in which you handle customer complaints should be discussed with your staff during their training, PRIOR to any complaints ever being made by a customer. You need to explain to them the process that you will use in handling the complaint, and reassure them that you understand that a customer complaint isn’t always valid. In our training sessions, I always make it a point to cite specific examples of previous complaints we have received from customers (leaving out the names of the DJs involved, of course!), illustrating how some complaints are totally valid, some completely invalid, and that many have some validity, but not 100 percent. This reassures your DJs that you will be fair with them in the event that a customer makes a complaint about them.

I prefer to meet with the DJ face to face, rather than handling these matters over the phone. Make SURE you resist the temptation of biting the DJ’s head off and assuming that the customer’s complaint is valid-no matter how certain you are that the DJ may have made a boneheaded decision that is contrary to your company protocol. You would be surprised at how often there can be a valid reason for the DJs action! For this reason, it is important that you present yourself in a manner that doesn’t indicate you have already rendered judgment. Remember, you are a detective on a fact finding mission. You need to LISTEN to your DJ, the same way you listened to the client.

You also need to probe the DJ for more information by asking questions that help you determine the validity of the complaint. For instance, let’s look at the customer complaint mentioned at the outset. The client is complaining that the DJ didn’t play very many of their requests, and that the DJ’s overall music selection was horrible. In this instance, the first thing I would do is pull the paperwork from the event.
I know from experience that out of the few complaints we receive each year on our DJs’ performances, this sort of complaint is one of the more likely a client may make. For this reason, I require my DJs to place a checkmark next to each of the client’s music requests as they play them during the event. Our DJs are also required to complete an event report that asks a variety of questions about how the event transpired. One important question that provides essential documentation asks if there were any problems or issues at the event. The amount of dancing that took place is another important factor that the DJs document. I also ask them to place a percentage figure next to a listing of the typical music genres, so I have an idea of the type of music they played for this event.

All of this information is helpful when a customer complaint is made. For instance, if the DJ noted that there was a LOT of dancing, I may ask the customer how much dancing took place at their event. You would be amazed at the number of people who would freely admit that the DJ kept the dance floor packed, but insist that the DJs music selection sucked! In contrast, if the DJ’s event report states that there was very little dancing, you need to probe a little more to determine if this portion of the complaint is valid.

If you require your DJ to check off the client’s requests as they play them, you can quickly see if he or she made a reasonable effort to play those requests. Of course, you have to determine what’s “reasonable.” If the client provided you with 15 requests, and the DJ played 6 of them, is that reasonable? What if the client provided 90 requests, and the DJ played 40 of them at a four-hour event? Each complaint has to be evaluated on a case by case basis, using common sense.

Just the Facts, Ma’am
I’ll never forget the complaint I received from an angry bride who called to complain that the DJ invited the guests through the buffet prior to the arrival and introduction of the wedding party. By the time the wedding party went through the buffet, it was well picked over. The bride was livid, because she had specifically chosen to keep the buffet closed until after the wedding party was introduced.

According to our event planner, the bride and groom were supposed to be the first people to serve themselves at the buffet. Needless to say, I was a bit upset with our DJ for what seemed like an obvious blunder. Then I spoke with the DJ and got his side of the story. Apparently, the bride’s guests decided to help themselves to the buffet while the DJ was outside the reception hall lining up the wedding party for introductions. When the DJ returned to his equipment, people had picked over the buffet like hungry wolves! The DJ confidently advised me that he never invited or suggested that people serve themselves to the buffet. I never considered this possibility, and neither did the bride when she made the complaint. This is the reason I always ASK my DJs their side of story, prior to rendering judgment on a complaint. Once I informed the bride about the DJ’s side of the story, she understood, and all was well.

Handle with Care
Once you’ve gotten the DJ’s side of the story, you will need to follow up with the customer. Valid complaints that are of a minor nature require that you apologize to the customer, and promise that you will use their constructive feedback to improve the way you do business. Serious complaints may result in a total or partial refund. For instance, if the DJ was 30 minutes late starting the music, it would be most appropriate to award a partial refund. The action you take with the DJ also depends on the seriousness of the complaint. If the DJ was late, and can verify legitimate reasons for his or her tardiness, the corrective action is going to be very different from that of a DJ who late for no good reason.

There are occasions where the customer’s complaint has little or no validity. Contrary to popular belief, the customer ISN’T always right. However, that doesn’t mean that you should tell the customer that they are wrong. If there is a logical explanation that you feel may change the customers mind about the complaint, explain it to them. If, however, you are dealing with a “bridezilla” who is looking for a refund without merit, I recommend that you simply thank the customer for their feedback, and tell them that you will use their constructive advice to improve your services. This is preferable to telling them they are wrong – and will help reduce the negative publicity they may spread about your company.

Getting to the bottom of a customer complaint can be somewhat challenging. In a service-oriented business like mobile entertainment, the quality of our performances will always be in the eyes of the beholder. Your job is to sort through the facts and information, and make the best judgment possible.
Problem To Ponder: No Motown?
DJ Fails to Play Requests

You send one of your DJs with one year of experience to cover a 50th birthday party. The party has a mix of guests, and some of the guests are requesting that the DJ play some Motown. For unknown reasons, your DJ fails to play ONE Motown song for the group. Shortly after the event, the customer calls you to complain that your DJ refused to play any Motown music, despite receiving several requests from the person who hired him, as well as other guests. The customer says that the DJ was very polite and courteous, and told them that he would gladly play Motown music – but then never followed through with his promise. The DJ did play other requests from different genres. Other than his failure to play the Motown requests, the DJ seemed to play a decent variety, and the party was successful otherwise.

How would you handle this complaint? What information would you probe the customer for? How would you approach the DJ, and what questions would you ask?

How would you resolve this complaint? Email your solutions to multisystem@mobilebeat.com. Please include your name, company name, and contact information. Although we will not print identifiable information (name, company name, etc.) without your consent, we must confirm your identity.

The degree of validity of the complaint can range from zero to one hundred percent.

A Dozen Networking Blunders and How To Avoid Them by Ken Day

Pitfalls to avoid and positive steps for successful connection-buildingHave you ever wondered why all of those networking groups you’ve become a part of have not delivered any positive results for you or your business? Because we’re Americans, I offer a Top 12 List (an even dozen) of the biggest sales and networking mistakes for your consideration.

Take it from an old silverback who’s had more than his fair share of networking misadventures. I’m going to share my experience, because the more you learn from everyone else’s mistakes, potentially, the fewer you have to make yourself. So here we go…

Top 12 Networking/Soft-Sales Mistakes

12. Missing the Decision Maker
Don’t assume that the boss or anyone’s credentials make them the decision-making powerhouse. The key to a sale is being aware of who’s got the hammer. Inevitably, you are the nail, and knowing who is going to be hitting you (figuratively of course) will enable you to prepare for the type, style, and demeanor of questions and conversation that will be swinging your way. There is no organizational chart for most of the companies or individuals we encounter that can tell you who the “real” decision maker is. The people who are left after all the corporate reorganizations are exercising greater power than ever before and the engaged couples we speak with are don’t always have the final answer. The most important decision maker often can be found behind the most inconsequential or incongruent title or role definition.

11. Being Seen…as Insincere
Don’t ever confuse visibility with credibility. Don’t join any organization, particularly a trade organization, just for the sake of being one of the fray, or solely to advance your own personal and professional interests. Your motives will be painfully obvious, thus causing more damage to your reputation and your company’s image than you might ever be able to recover from. A genuine interest in the others in the organization and a sincere willingness to assist in the advancement of the organization and its goals will undoubtedly add to an already full plate. Believe me: it will come back to you in time.

10. Stealing the Conversational Spotlight
Don’t be a stereotypical American. There’s a global perspective of Americans being identified as people who constantly expect and take a little bit more than they’re entitled to. Believe it or not, the universe does not revolve around you. Make sure your attitude doesn’t come across as such. Be open and giving in all conversations you enter into. It will be noticed and remembered. Ensure that you are asking more questions than you are answering and make sure the questions are valid. Most of all, listen to the answers-I mean really listen.

9. Interpersonal Record-Keeping
Don’t keep a running tally in your mind of what you have asked for and what you’ve delivered, and don’t take more than you’re entitled to. In most cases you should give and give again. Eventually, (once you are accepted and recognized as part of the group) you will have several others giving and giving again to you and they will also be doing the giving without keeping a tally.

8. Answering for Others
Don’t say no for any other person before they have the opportunity to say it themselves. Don’t presume that someone within reach of your network would automatically say no. More often than not, you will not have a clear picture of someone else’s goals or how they intend to achieve them.

7. Lone Ranger Mentality
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help when you really need it. It’s human nature to want to assist others who clearly need help. People are especially generous with their time, money, and assets when they are familiar with the person in need. The needs can be great or small but without asking or at least making others aware of your plight you will never know if someone could have been of assistance. I suppose if I were asked whether it’s better to err on the side of caution and not risk embarrassment, I’d say, if the stakes are high, I’d risk the “begging factor” and go for it. The worst they can say is still no, but at least you didn’t say it for them.
By the way, this type of situation is only acceptable once you are somewhat established within an organization, due to a variety of other factors. I address these in my soon-to-be-released book It’s Hard to Resist a Soft Sell.

6. Passive Rudeness (Not “Making an Effort”)
Don’t neglect to “dance” with the one who brought you or the one who invited you. When someone in your network comes through for you or at least has brought you into a new group of people, professionals, cohorts, etc., don’t be a stiff. Remember, these people didn’t have to invite you in or extend themselves, their services, or their friendship to you.
And here’s an exceptional tip for you: Be sure to thank the person at the top, the host/hostess-those who have the hammer. Believe it or not, people rarely do this. The thinking is that he, she, or they hear all day long what a super job their company is doing and what a great job they are doing to ensure that success. On the contrary-say thanks and you’ll be remembered.

5. Assuming Too Much
Don’t mistake the company’s or the client’s network for your instantly expanded network. If you’re going to keep your clients, develop new ones, or secure your position within group, your network has to be as good as or better than theirs. You need:

Support and sponsorship within your area of expertise and other areas outside of your area of expertise, so that you’re able to provide information about another company’s services if yours is not the ideal company for the client or if the client requires additional services that you don’t provide;
Lines of communication that tell you what’s happening in other parts of your industry;
A backup strategy in case you are not the client’s initial choice, i.e., an industry network outside of your company including associations and professional groups. Don’t think that anyone else is going to provide you with this information.

4. Sluggish Responses
Don’t be slow to answer any communication with you or your company. There’s a call on your voicemail. You know that it’s a request for help, and that it will take some time and trouble on your part. Don’t ignore it, even if you never expect to have your effort repaid. Maybe no good deed goes unpunished, but no bad one goes unreported. Some of the major reasons network contacts, industry associates, and potential clients don’t hire or work with many companies is their inability to respond to communications in a timely manner. Now, the perception of a “timely manner” really varies from person to person. Just remember; sooner is better.

3. Falling Behind the Times
Don’t become the old and out-of-touch person or company. It probably isn’t just your network of people and clients that’s aging; it’s you. Unless you make a genuine effort to keep updating your technical skills, knowledge, equipment, music, comprehension of current industry trends, and the desires of your target market, your network will shrink and so will your business. Information, trends and styles are changing at a record pace. If you don’t make the effort to remain appraised of the market and stay in tune with your target market, you will be as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

2. Losing the Human Touch
Don’t underestimate the value of the personal touches. Small businesses that survive and prosper know how to network with their customers and prospects by emphasizing a level of personal service and attention that big businesses can’t. If you know who your customers are, then you’ll also know when some of them stop coming by. You can utilize a matrix (described in detail in my new book) that will assist you in determining exactly who your target market is, for better utilization of soft-selling techniques. It’s worth some expense to keep an old customer because it costs so much more to get a new one. Old customers are more likely to make positive referrals and influence the potential client prior to you even knowing of their existence.

1. Missing Opportunities to Improve (or, Wasting Information)
Don’t hesitate to ask questions. If you don’t know, ask. Even if you do know, ask. The only stupid question is the one that is never asked. Many small business people are afraid to ask questions. The big guys are constantly trying to stay abreast of customer concerns with focus groups and sophisticated monitoring techniques. Draft a questionnaire and put it where customers can pick it up or ensure they receive one or two after you have provided them with your services, or even after they have chosen another company’s services. Other service providers within your industry are also great sources of information. You are their customer in one way or another, so they have a vested interest in your success. You’d be surprised at the wealth of information they have, if you just ask for it.

I’ll bet there’s at least one area mentioned here where you can make some adjustments to positively impact your networking and selling. So, don’t let this opportunity pass you by-start making a change…today!

Get With The Program: Perspectives on Reception Scheduling by Mike Ryan

The who, what, why and when of reception timing-guaranteed to surprise youI recently had an incident with a venue staff over whose reception schedule took priority, his or mine. The “captain” said he had a signed contract, I told him I did too. I asked him who made their schedule, he answered the banquet manager! And where was the banquet manager? The captain responded: “Oh, the banquet manager never goes to the weddings.”

I wondered: who really has the ultimate responsibility for making a wedding reception schedule? It was off to a book store to do some research. I found lots of books on weddings, including ones with funny titles like: Chicken Soup for the Bride’s Soul, The Anti-Bride wedding planner and of course Wedding Planning for Dummies, but not one of them had any substantive information about reception scheduling.

Survey Says…
After interviewing dozens of mobile DJs, wedding planners, caterers and venue managers, it became obvious to me that all of us are not on the same page! In general, DJs were in agreement on scheduling, while the rest of the wedding professionals had a variety of views. For instance:

Responsible Parties. Who should be responsible for setting the schedule? DJs were evenly split between the wedding planner (if there is one) and the DJ. Not surprisingly, non-DJ vendors overwhelmingly choose the wedding planner. The banquet manager rated a distant third.
Spaced Out. On the question of whether or not to space out the activities during the reception, a majority of DJs preferred to space the activities throughout the event. Reasons given include: “It provides entertainment throughout the evening; it gives the guests something to look forward too; it offers emotional peaks and valleys; each activity has entertainment value and keeps guests longer.” On the other hand, and this is a major disagreement, most vendors preferred doing activities one right after another. Reasons given: “It is most efficient; spacing activities out seems to drag on…guests get bored.” And several said, “Get on with the dancing!”
First Things First. When to do the First Dance? Nearly everyone was in agreement: right after the Grand Entrance. Reasons given: “Start things off with a bang; you have everyone’s complete attention; it’s the WOW factor!”
Parental Guidance. When asked what the best time was to do the Parent’s Dance, most DJs said right after the First Dance. Other wedding vendors were split between after the first dance and after dinner.
Don’t Burn the Toast. No matter how you slice it, everyone was in agreement: limit the Toast. Answers given: “Alcohol and microphones don’t mix; avoid inappropriate or rambling toasts; with an open mic, things can and very often do get ugly; don’t give guests an opportunity to ruin the reception; once guests start drinking, it’s hard to regain control.”
Toasty Timing. When’s the best time to do the Toast? DJs were evenly split between doing it before or after the meal. Answers given: “Before dinner to avoid wait staff bussing tables; after dinner to let the guests settle down; when the meal has started, guests can eat during the Toasts.” Vendor’s answers were spread all over without any general agreement: “During the Grand Entrance; during dinner; after First Dance; after the salads are served; just before or after the Cake is cut.”
Toss Up. Almost everyone sided with tradition, doing the Garter Removal and Toss before the Bouquet Toss. However, several vendors said they do the Garter first with the Bouquet Toss at the end of the event as the couple leave. Even Martha Stewart agrees: “The Bouquet Toss should take place thirty minutes before the end of the reception” (from Martha Stewart’s Keepsake Wedding Planner).
Cut to the Chase. When to cut the cake? Keeping in mind there is a general consensus that many guests tend to leave right after the Cake Cutting, most DJs said to do it as late as possible. Vendors were more focused on exact timing, cutting the cake from 45 minutes to an hour and a half after the meal.
Post-Cake Escape. What that about guests leaving after the cake is cut? All DJs said “yes,” this happens, with percentages ranging from 10 to 40 percent. Three vendors said they never experience this, while the rest acknowledged the problem, with percentages ranging from 25 to 50 percent of guests leaving! A good summary comment: “The people who leave after the cake are the guests that attended out of obligation, not necessarily desire, and the cake is usually the last traditional formality.”
Dancing for Money. The Money Dance, or the Honeymoon Dance, as it is sometimes called, is probably the most controversial reception activity of all. What percentage of clients ask for it, and when is the best time to do it? The percentages ran the spectrum from 5 to 90 percent! And everyone agreed that it’s cultural thing, especially common in the Latin and Asian populations. The answers as to when to include the dance were just as varied: “Before the cake; after the cake; after the Bouquet and Garter; after the Parent’s Dance.” Anthony Milkey, certified Wedding Event Planner at the Famous La Costa Golf Course and Resort in southern California related an interesting take on the Money Dance: “…from the four corners of the dance floor guests threw bundles of brand new $100 dollar bills, showering [them] down on the bride and groom as they danced!” Talk about confetti!
Marital Calculations. Regarding the Anniversary Dance, which I call the Longest Married Couple Elimination Dance most of the vendors had no comment, while DJs familiar with activity offered some neat tips: “We do the dance after the cake as a way to get people back on to the dance floor; we give the longest married couple a cool gift and I don’t eliminate; I have them join the others on the dance floor for continued dancing.” And as to the best time to schedule the Anniversary Dance? Answers varied: “After the toasts; before the cake; after the cake and after the bouquet.”
For Your Viewing Pleasure. Video presentations are popular; everyone said they run them during the meal.

Trading Spaces
In the final analysis, it appears the biggest difference between the DJ and other wedding vendors is whether or not to do all of the activities one right after another, with DJs preferring to space them out while other vendors prefer them in close sequence. As to who has the ultimate responsibility for making the schedule, there is general agreement that if there is a wedding planner, that person should take the lead; otherwise it should be the responsibility of the DJ. Everyone prefers to limit the toasts. With the Bouquet and Garter it is worth repeating that several non-DJ vendors prefer delaying the Bouquet Toss until the very end of the reception as a signal the party is over. Not surprisingly, almost everyone was in agreement that some guests tend to leave after the cake is cut. Opinions on the Honeymoon Dance ran the full spectrum from some vendors never doing it, to others almost always including it.

The last question I asked was for any additional advice on scheduling. Answers included: “Really listen to your couple-they will make your job easier; after consulting with the bride and groom, check with other wedding vendors to make sure everyone is on the same page; always provide copies of the schedule for the other vendors involved; don’t over-program the event; everyone should have a list of contact numbers and names; I really appreciate it when a good DJ and Photographer run the show.” And my favorite piece of advice: “Just because it’s a tradition doesn’t mean it always works.”

One final thought, as one who has helped numerous brides and grooms plan their reception schedule. I agree with James Baker, former U.S. Secretary of State, who said, “Never let the other guy set the agenda.”

Is Free Advertising Really Free? by Larry Williams

Consider the possible hidden costs of the easiest exposure methodsThere are obviously many ways in which to advertise your business. In particular there are several that come to mind while “out and about” in the community. Two of the most popular forms of advertising while in the public domain are, “vehicle” advertising and on-site “event” advertising. The immediate benefit to both is that there is generally no “recurring” cost to engage in this sort of advertising. Once your vehicle or equipment sign is made…you’re home free! Well, not exactly.

On the surface it may appear good-”free advertising and no one can stop me!” However, the reality is that the use of “free” advertising can cost you dearly in the long run. Sure it may cost little or nothing from a monetary standpoint, but it is not necessarily free from complications arising from how your company may be perceived.
Vehicle Advertising

Many in our industry have taken advantage of one of the last great bastions of “free” enterprise: vehicle advertising. We can create “rolling billboards” that travel about the community and advertise our services in a very visible fashion that is “free” from recurring costs. When you think about, it’s amazing that the Federal Government, City Business License Division, Department of Motor Vehicles or Mothers Against Vehicle Advertising (MAVA) haven’t climbed aboard some sort of bandwagon to stop it, tax it, control it or regulate it. (Note: Not to worry, MAVA doesn’t really exist…yet.) The point here is that there are very few forms of advertising that we engage in that are 100% within our control. Vehicle advertising is one of them.

However, before going “head over heels” into logo-ing up that vehicle, consider the possible perceptions that could be detrimental to your business. Do you always drive safely (i.e., use your turn signals, obey the speed limit, not be distracted by the use of cell phones, etc.)? When traveling about the town, it is imperative that this “rolling billboard” represents the same manner of professional conduct that you yourself would exhibit in a face-to-face situation. Anything short of absolute appropriate behavior could have a negative effect upon how your business is perceived.

Even the manner in which you park your vehicle at events could have ill effects upon your reputation. The practice of “double parking” or the illegal use of a “handicap parking space” can be perceived negatively by clients, partygoers and facility representatives.
Event Advertising

How, where and when we choose to utilize signs or banners at performances has been discussed extensively over the years. When weighing the pros and cons of signage at events, much depends upon the event itself. At wedding receptions, for example, it would be unlikely to see any of the many service vendors (i.e., cake makers, florists, ministers, photographers etc.) engaging in forms of self-promotion. In this case, it’s the formal or private nature of the event that makes noticeable promotional displays questionable.

Public functions may provide a more appropriate venue for promotional displays, and the people who organize them are often more lenient regarding the placement of signage. This may be due to the “relaxed” atmosphere of these events. School dances are perhaps the most forgiving of all events regarding signs or banners. This probably has something to do with the many community sponsors who are often utilized “on campus” for a variety of functions throughout the school year. In other ways, they may simply be used to it!
Case by Case Basis

In the final analysis, it likely comes down to the manner in which we believe our advertising would be most effective and appropriate. Obviously, most of us do not advertise in every conceivable medium available. So perhaps it is best to approach public signage in the same fashion: on a case-by-case basis. How such advertising is created, displayed, utilized, and allowed are all important factors that one should consider carefully. Make no mistake: “free” advertising is fantastic-just as long as it is free from the dangers of negative public perception.

Larry Williams is the author of Mind Your Own Business (ProDJ Publishing). Since 1990, he has owned The Reno Tahoe DJ Company, and has served four years as president of the Nevada Disc Jockey Association.

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