There is a saying that “Nice guys finish last.” I do not believe in that. I believe we should be nice and considerate in life. I read an article              ( http://promobiledj.com/4-actions-to-keep-a-customer-for-life/ ) 4 Actions to Keep a Customer for Life by Doug Sandler, the nice guy. He talks about 4 skills that are important to maintain good customer relationships.

Exceed Expectations:  Always do what you are supposed to. If you promise to bring 4 speakers and a wireless microphone then bring it. Everything is always stated in a contract and the dj has to follow through.  Once I speak with a client and always assure them I will send them a contract within a day and in a day a contract is in their inbox. My job is to make the client happy.

Be Consistent: I like being at an event about an hour before the event, so I can do sound check and make sure everything looks nice and tidy.  During events, clients do not want to keep on guessing but feel at ease knowing that you are consistent.

Inspire to Wow them:  I probably spend a lot of time on playlists. Typically the client gives me a few songs and I have to work off that to deliver the vibe that they want.  Or the client may give me a lot of songs and I will put as many as I can to keep the crowd moving.

Get Personal: Its good to know the folks that you serve. It helps with the playlist and when you use your MC skills and to see what type of humor would appease them.  It is not just business but what the dj is providing is an experience that guests will talk about.

Bad DJ Habits

I read an article titled The Bad Habits That DJs Grow Out of and would like to share my thoughts on the topic.

1)   Overusing FX

How many backspins can a dj do till it becomes too much? FX can be fun here and there but can easily be overused. They can be used for transitions of different music genres and/or different music speeds. But if someone gets FX happy then it just sounds overwhelming.

2)   Playing All the Best Tracks First

This can be tempting. Play all the jams right off the bat but after that what comes next? The energy in the room would be off the charts in the beginning then it would deflate after the hits are gone. One has to build up their set and keep the heaters till the end.

3)   Planning Every Track and Mix

There was one wedding that I had to play every song in a particular order. I am pretty sure the groom did not take notice if I put a song out of order since he was truly enjoying his wedding but I did follow the order. But at other events I do create a playlist and from that list I play music at the event. Everything depends on the crowd and what they are feeling.

4)   Drinking To Excess

There is a time and a place for everything. As a guest, it is fun to partake in the dancing and the activities. As a dj, you have to be responsible. There is a timeline to follow and one has to be alert incase there is a situation such as equipment malfunction or there is a change of events. 

A few weeks ago, I did a prom in downtown San Jose. The Tech Museum was the venue. When you think of the Tech Museum, one thinks of hands on activities of interesting concepts. Every few months they do change the theme so if one goes a few times a year then they do not see the same exhibits twice.

If you do not know, the Tech Museum can be an event venue that can be rented out. Three floors were used for the prom. One floor had the appetizers and fantastic food and drinks. The middle floor was the dance floor. And the top floor, prom goers could get their hands on the Tech toys, which drew lots of interest.

I was in awe of how helpful the staff was.  They helped me secure VIP parking and were very accommodating with the logistics with the location. I even got a phone call from the events manager to get important details. 

CARDI B  SHE BAD

CAMILLA CABELLO  NEVER BE THE SAME

 DRAKE  NICE FOR WHAT

ZEDD  THE MIDDLE

ANNE MARIE MARSHMELLO  FRIENDS

NICKI MINAJ  CHUN=LI

SEAN PAUL DAVID GUETTA BECKY G  MADLOVE

CALVIN HARRIS  FAKING IT

BAZZI MINE

LIL DICKY CHRIS BROWN  FREAKY FRIDAY

CARDI B BAD BUNNY J BALVIN  I LIKE IT

DADDY YANKEE  DURA

DJ KASS  SCOOBY DOO PA PA

RAE SREMMURD  FT JUICY J POWEGLIDE

SOB RBE KENDRICK LAMAR  PARAMEDIC

BLOCBOY  DRAKE  LOOK ALIVE

MIGOS DRAKE  WALKIT TALK IT

2 CHAINZ FT YG AND OFFSET  PROUD

Mixers are the brain of the PA system. A forty-dollar mixer can work but at the same time people get what you pay for. The professional mixers I recommend is the Yamaha MG06X and his bigger brother Yamaha MG10XU.

The MG06X is the size of an ipad. You can connect multiple microphones to it and have so much control of the gain, highs and lows. Also it has buttons to mute out a microphone if needed.  A 2 dj setup can be connected with this mixer. The beauty of this mixer is it can be added with another music system and it gives you more headroom to add more volume if needed. Each channel has a gain and then the master gain can be increased. If a dj decides to just play music and use microphones off his dj set up it sounds a certain way. Most controllers do not focus on the clarity of the microphones. They have other attributes it focuses on. But if the microphones are connected to the Yamaha mixer, it is so much clearer and it gives the option of multiple microphones. The mixer can be purchased for 120 dollars.

The older brother Yamaha MG10XU is a force of nature. Four microphones can be connected with the mixer. The highs, lows, and mids can be manipulated plus it has 24 effect programs that can add to the channel such as delay, flanger and echo. This mixer is so much bigger than his little brother so you would need more space for it.  This mixer can be purchased for about 200 dollars.

Both can do the job and it depends on how many microphones are needed and how fancy somebody wants the effect to be. 

I am currently reading a book, Write it Down, Make it Happen by Henriette Klauser. It has a basic concept but it can lead to monumental goals. One story mentions a football coach, Lou Holtz who was fired early in life. He then wrote over 100 goals on paper. Since he wrote them throughout his life, he has accomplished over 80 of his goals. It did not matter if his goals seemed to be impossible.

  He wanted to be the head coach for Norte Dame (one of the most powerful football programs in the country), and he made it happen. Also he wanted to have dinner in the White House, and it was done. Putting goals in writing puts it out in the universe.  It makes the goal setter more aware of the goal and causes the goal setter to see different avenues to reach the goal that they may have missed and not even know it.

   This year I had my ninth marathon on my to do on my March list. A marathon is 26.2 miles of goal right in front of the runner’s face. Unfortunately I had to take January off and only had a month of training. I had to start fresh in January with only running a half mile and build my way up. Each time I ran I would increase the distance. By the time I got to the last week of training, I maxed out with 7 miles.

 I was able to finish my marathon. Quitting was not an option. I was not going for time but just to finish. I was able to go 17 miles before my first break.  My marathon goal in my goal notebook now has been checked off. 

Customer Service that Commands Attention

I do not know why but when I go to a restaurant I pay attention to the customer service more than I pay attention to the good food I am eating. If the food is scrumptious then it’s a bonus. Rarely there is a time, where I am blown away.  That happened last weekend in New Orleans.  Commanders Palace, located next to a historical cemetery in a residential area, was a marvelous experience. As I entered the restaurant the host and 4 waiters greeted me as we were guided to our seat. Every table had balloons floating overhead. During the meal, a three-piece band played blues and took requests. At one table, there was a birthday and the band hung out longer than usual, and then there was an instant conga line. Of course being an entertainer I had to jump in the line with the strangers.

  Back to the customer service, I asked a waitress for location of the restroom and she actually walked me to it. In the middle of the meal, the water was exchanged for new water since the restaurant wanted to make sure I had new ice.  We were deeply surprised about that being that we are from California. Apparently Louisiana is not in a drought. We had numerous waiters come by the table and talk with us. They were so knowledgeable with their food and gave suggestions to other locations that were their favorites.

  I give this place a standing ovation with customer service. The food was excellent but the customer service makes a huge difference and believe is so important in any industry.

Are Coaches good for Business?

While growing up, I had a little league coach who showed me how to play baseball. I would have different coaches thus I would get different advice on how to be a better player. Then I stopped playing sports with a team and I no longer have a coach. As a grown up, you feel that you are a stable adult and know how to world works. But in business one can still have a coach to learn and get to the next level. Business coaches have been where you want to go and have insight.

I found out about SCORE.ORG, which is a free service for businesses. I signed up and within a few hours I got a phone call and I set up an appointment with two business coaches. I had a choice of three locations and I asked SCORE please send me to the best coaches for me no matter the location since I am hungry to learn as much as I can.

 I met Lido and Judith at a Chamber of Commerce and they broke it down for me. They asked me what was working and what was not working then gave me insight. They told me I should tell everyone about my business. Make it be known that I do music.  Instead of sending out 100 postcards, send out 600.  They asked me why I did not give out my card when I met them and told me I need to give out my card to everyone I know and not be modest about it. They told me so much more but I cannot give out my secrets!

I learned a lot from my coaches and want me to follow up with them, so I am held accountable.