5 tips on how to book a DJ for your party
Throwing a great party can be a lot more work than you think. It takes careful, thorough, detailed planning – thinking through everything from whether or not to serve prosecco (the answer is always yes) to the music selection. Don’t leave your party music in the hands of a hastily assembled Spotify playlist; a DJ will liven the atmosphere and get everyone grooving. But before you do any booking, here are some things to take into consideration.
1) Book early
Don’t leave the music until the last minute. You want to make sure you hire the best one within your budget before someone else does. Figure out exactly what you’re looking for and start hunting!
2) Book through an entertainment agency
Save yourself the hassle of endless emailing and scheduling woes by booking through an entertainment agency. Going through an agency will save you time, as they will do the legwork. You don’t have to waste time comparing rates, searching for someone who’s available and figuring out if they are the right person for your event. An agency does all that for you, and will offer you an alternate solution should there be a last minute cancellation.
3) Ask the right questions
Part of finding the right DJ is knowing what questions to ask, besides ‘what are your rates?’ Ask them if all their documents are in order as you don’t want to be responsible for any damages that may incur during the festivities. You also need to ask them things like what kind of equipment they’ll be using and how long they’ll need to set up.
4) Let them choose the songs
It sounds a bit silly, but don’t choose the songs for the DJ. Of course, at a certain point in the night when the drink’s been flowing, there will be the inevitable request for an eighties power ballad, but leave the rest up to them. They are professionals: they know how to read a room and manipulate the mood so let them work their magic!
5) Sign a contract
Don’t go by a verbal agreement – those are much easier to back out of and you want to cover yourself in the case of any complications. Make sure you and your DJ come to a reasonable agreement on things like hourly rate, services requested, and equipment requirements.
Finding someone to spin for your party shouldn’t take ages – there are plenty of talented artists out there available for hire. Keep these simple guidelines in mind as you start your search and you’ll find the right entertainment.
What is your top party planning tip?
Interesting! We have never booked a DJ service. I am sure the conversation will come up as our boys get a little older!
I’ve never booked a DJ before, but these are definitely some good tips. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing these great tips… I think its very important to hire a good entertainer, worth it.
A great DJ always makes a party!!
if you get a really good one it will be super memorable and bring life to the event!
The only time I’ve ever needed to book a DJ my friend (who is a DJ!) volunteered to do it for beer…. and he was driving!
It is always fun to have a DJ around for your party, but I understand it is not that easy to find the best at the right time. I agree booking earlier through an entertainment agency will be so helpful & a contract signing is very important too.
Booking a DJ can get expensive and it’s sometimes hard to find the right one. These are great tips for doing so.
The last time I booked a DJ was over 10 years ago for my wedding. I’m sure things have changed since then. Thank you for your helpful tips.
I have never booked a DJ before, but these are wonderful tips to keep in mind. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the tips. It’s not something people do that often, so when you think about it it’s a bit of a head scratcher. This helps a lot.
Awesomely great tips. We are planning to have party soon (February) and this might come in handy.
Thank you for the terrific information here.
I am going to share this with my sister-in-law; she loves to throw parties!
These are awesome tips. A professional DJ would definitely keep the party lively.
I saw an article not too long ago about DJs. I didn’t realize how much some of these DJs cost. I’ve never had to book one before. These are great tips for if I ever have to.
These are great tips, I would love to have a professional DJ for my upcoming birthday party. These are good things to know.
Excellent tips. DJs have always been a popular choice for a party , but even more so these days with how easy it is for them to setup and play a huge variety of music.
This is wonderful information. I know quite a few DJ and although they really love their job, they can feel the stress when the party planner doesn’t pre plan!
I found your tip of letting them pick the songs to be very interesting. I guess I can understand why that would work better, but I think I would still want the music I love to be played.
It would be fun to have a DJ at a party. The kids would love it. Thanks for the great tips.
Contracts are definitely helpful, especially since money usually exchanges hands. it’s tough to give over the playlist though!
I don’t think I will ever need a DJ. I will share this with my friends.
One of our friends is a DJ and he is always fully booked! These are great tips!
This is all great to know. My oldest is always talking about DJ’s and how it would be “bomb” to have one for a birthday party. I wouldn’t ever even know where to begin!
My cousin is a DJ. He lives down in Florida. His 11 year old son is also learning the ropes, so booking a DJ is not a difficult task for us. 🙂 This post will be good reference for people looking for one.
Great tips! The only time I booked a DJ was for our wedding, and I wouldn’t even know where to start now. Thanks!
I work at a radio station, so booking a deejay is pretty easy for me. But, for those not in the business, these are great tips!
I have never hired a DJ before, definitely sounds like tips. Definitely will keep them in mind for the future if I ever hire one.
My in-laws throw great parties and they often hire a DJ. Djs make the party really fun, brings them to a whole new level!
These are great tips and lots of great information to keep in mind when booking a DJ for a party. I have never done this before and would be lost, thanks for sharing!
This is really good info to know. My brother and future SIL are planning their wedding reception and I’ll be sending them this link so they book a dj the right way!
It’s always difficult to find a dependable and reliable DJ. On top of that, it seems like the most recommended, are always out of our budget. These are great tips and will definitely help when choosing one for our next event!
I have never needed to book a DJ. This sounds like some great tips. I will keep it in mind if I ever need a DJ in the future.
Thanks for these tips. It’s actually a lot harder than you’d think to find a good DJ.
My brother is a DJ, so I just have to text him and tell him to mark his calendar. Lucky, there are an over abundance of DJ’s around here and it’s super easy to get one.