Full-Time DJ vs. Part-Time DJ
Did you know 80% of mobile DJ’s in the industry are part time?
There is a good chance the DJ you hire for your reception
is part-time and holds down a full-time job during the week, yet
all the other vendors you may hire are full-time.
Have you ever asked a wedding photographer what he does for
a living during the week? Will your caterer be preparing food for
your wedding during his lunch break at his 9 to 5 job as a plummer?
It’s been said that there are no waiters in L.A. and New York,
only actors who are between acting jobs. But have you ever
seen an exceptional movie actor who is still working full-time
as a waiter? Only the best performers make it to the top and
turn their passion into a full time career.
There is a good chance that the average wedding DJ is also a
part-timer whose priorities, loyalties, and time are split between
your wedding and their full-time job.
Based on the stats, the average part-time DJ may not have the
time or the skill level to give your reception the full-time attention
and service your special day deserves.
Part-time is not professional.
One of the reasons given by part-time hobbyist Wedding DJ’s
for not being full-time, professionals, is their belief that they
won’t be able to replace their income and benefits which are
currently provided by their weekday job. So how do full-time
wedding photographers do it? How do full-time wedding florists
do it?
They charge a professional fee that will provide them with the
income and medical benefits they need, in addition to covering
their annual business expenses and self-employment taxes.
Because such a large percentage of Wedding DJs are part-time
hobbyists, it’s probably not too surprising to note that their
average pricing is typically set too low to provide the necessary
income needed to make this their full-time career.
Another excuse for being part-time is the idea that they just
really enjoy being a Wedding DJ. It’s fun and therefore, they
don’t care about making it their career or earning a professional
income. But most who approach being a Wedding DJ as their
full-time profession also enjoy what they do, in fact they are
usually very passionate about it. And because it is their
full-time career, they have more time to invest in improving
their service and their performance. They can afford to take
time off to attend industry trade shows and workshops.
They are available to meet or return your calls during the
weekdays. And because being a Wedding DJ is their career,
they have more pressure to deliver the best performance and
service possible. In comparison, a part-time hobbyist Wedding
DJ can get by delivering an average level of service and
performance, some would best describe as McWeddings,
(same old worn out routine)
because they still have the income from their full-time,
weekday job to fall back on. This may not always be the case,
but “Average Is As Average Does”. Now you may find a rare
part-time DJ who truly delivers exceptional service, but
chances are if they are that good, they won’t remain part-time
for very long. It should also be pointed out that not every
full-time DJ will be better than average either. But by asking
the right questions, you should be able to determine whether
or not you are dealing with an Average Wedding DJ.
Mark Sanchez
(602) 509-0519
ProfessionalMobileEnt.com
Right on brother!