With so many DJs flooding the market, the competition to get gigs has increased quite a lot recently. However, there are countless ways of increasing your chances of filling your agenda with more shows. It’s not something that will happen overnight. It’s a process that requires patience, focus and it will happen naturally over time.
In the next couple of weeks, we will discuss some strategies that you can start applying to your career to increase your chances of getting more DJ gigs. In this first post, we will show you 5 tips on how you can get more gigs by building better relationships with club owners/event organizers, other DJs, and your fans.
1. When you are not playing, go out to the local clubs - Many DJs and producers are only concerned with the technical aspects of their art. They want to practice day and night to perfect their song transitions and/or hone their music productions skills. Obviously, these are indispensable skills if you want to take your career to the next level, but you cannot forget about the power of creating strong relationships with the people in the music business. There is no better place to do networking than out at night talking to the public, event organizers, club owners, and other DJs. They are all potential fans, so make sure that you turn them into actual fans within time.
Important: Remember that club owners/managers have a busy schedule. Make sure that the conversation flows naturally, don’t be that annoying guy asking for a gig before even knowing the owner’s name.
2. Be Nice To Everyone - This should be obvious, but a lot of starting DJs feel they have superstar status and have the rights to be assholes to everyone. Karma can bite you in the butt if you have such attitude. Just imagine this scenario: You are playing in a new club, and there is this annoying drunk guy asking for tracks, you have two ways of handling this: a) just tell him to f*** off and not play his song; b) explain nicely why you can’t play that track. Either way, the next morning you find out that this drunk guy was the club's owner or the booking agent. Do you think that your attitude the night before will affect your chances of playing at that club again? It definitely will. So, just be genuinely nice to people. It will definitely pay off in the end.
3. Be partners with other DJs - If you are a resident DJ in your local club, open spots for other DJs to play in your club. In exchange, they will most likely open spots for you to play on the clubs in their area as well. It’s a win-win situation. But, make sure that the DJ has actually the quality level required to play at your club. Remember, you are recommending him. Your reputation is on the line as much as his.
4. Engage in Post-Sale - While it’s something very simple to do, many DJs still do not send out thank you notes after their gigs. It may sound cheesy, but it’s actually very effective. Posting something about your gig on social media after the show can make your client see you as a partner instead of just another act that played at their club. Remember: That’s the ultimate goal.
5. Exceed Expectations - Do more than you're asked. It's not enough to just play your set, go home, and repeat the process next time you have a gig. Everyone else is doing the same. So, find ways to differentiate yourself. Get to the club early, meet people, be nice to everyone, bring in some merchandise to give out to the public, help the club owner with something that he needs. Basically, do all the extra stuff that other DJs are not doing it.
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