On Tuesday morning, my post on the importance of DJ equipment appearance at weddings struck a nerve. in the first seven hours, the post attracted over 1100 visits and 60+ comments. By mid-day, Wednesday, over 1600 people had viewed the post, and more than 70 had commented.

While over 90% of comments concurred with my assertions and opinions, there were some interesting sidebar comments, and others that miss the point.

DJ Attire: I was surprised at the number of people that referenced poor DJ attire, as a side comment. It’s pretty universal that the DJ wear a tuxedo or dark suit (black or navy). Unless the reception is themed, any other attire is probably off the mark. Just odd to know that any DJ out there hasn’t figured this out.

Talent vs. Appearance: A number of DJ’s asserted that talent trumps everything else. From my experience, talent and experience are the most important factors in the success of an event, but they do not exist, independently. If a DJ is late to the gig, or the gear looks like the closeout table at Circuit City, talent will not be enough. Try that at a Four Seasons or a Ritz Carlton, just once, and you’ll never see the inside of their building, again.

Eating at the Event: This is one issue where there are many opinions. Here’s mine. A 5-hour event really involves about 8-9 hours of work. Once the DJ is set up and changed into attire for the reception, they are working continuously. They are unable to leave the room, lest someone need to make an announcement, or the volume needs to be adjusted, or some curious guest decides to riffle through their music collection.

I have found that people who work 8-9 hours need to eat a meal, and that it’s easiest and most efficient to arrange for this, with the client, in advance. If the client sees the wisdom, and approves it, the matter should end there. Typically, you’ll find a DJ sitting with the photographer and videographer, getting their strategy aligned for the balance of the reception.

Having good manners about when to go through a buffet line is important. Looking like a starving fraternity member doesn’t leave a great impression.

Tables from the Facility: Trust me when I tell you this. Banquet managers have plenty to concern themselves with, the DJ shouldn’t have to be one of them. By being self-contained, and not asking for the slightest thing from the venue, an entertainment service makes itself that much easier to work with, than the next company. Wouldn’t one want that edge?

Multiple views of the same event: I think it’s important to realize that there are many views of the same event. The client’s view, the guest’s view, the venue’s view, the disc jockey view, and outsider’s view (maybe a spotter, looking at the event, independently).

I have been that spotter, and the fact is that different participants, in an event, view success, failure, efficiency, beauty, and a myriad of other descriptors from their own unique perspective. Failure to step out of your own skin and look at an event from another view is foolish. The person you answer to may be ignorant of what’s important, but they are the boss. It’s incredibly important to understand their perspective, and do your utmost to help them understand yours.

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: appearance counts, first impressions, Relationship Marketing