At DJ Expo, DJ Mick Uranko of Uranko Productions in Pottsville, Pa., led a seminar (“Tech Innovations for Mobiles”) that discussed how DJs can use cutting-edge tech to sell to their clients and establish valuable relations with vendors.
In his words, here are some samples of content from his seminar:
Drone Photography & Videography
I have been using drones for the last three years and have not only been able to make all the money back from my initial investment, but I have been able to build relationships with wedding venues.
Back in 2015, I purchased my first drone for $1,500 and never thought about how I could use this new technology to make my business more successful. I joined a Facebook group and started learning more about how to make the drone safer, more reliable, and most importantly become certified to fly for money. The old drone law required a Sports Pilots License to be able to charge people money for your services. This changed in 2016, and I was one of the first Remote Pilots certified by the FAA for Northeastern Pennsylvania. The new law requires passing a knowledge-based test every two years. Drone technology has changed and improved since I first bought my drone. You can now buy my drone for $700 brand new!
I always have my drone bag packed and ready to go on new adventures, trips, or wedding site visits. There are some areas that you cannot fly and I always check an App called “Hover” that will show if the destination is in a No Fly Zone. Before leaving my office I also take a quick look on social media to see if the venue has any drone photos or videos.
After going over the logistics with the wedding coordinator and the future bride and groom, I grab my drone bag and prepare to fly. Everyone seems very interested in this technology — especially if they’ve never experienced a drone first-hand. After launching the drone, I show everyone on my screen exactly what I am looking for and we capture the photos together. The battery life on the drone is pretty limited to about 12 to 15 minutes of flight time.
When I return back to my office I pick three to five images that I love and showcase the venue. I’ll tag these photos on social media and then follow up with the venue, especially if they do not have any coverage. This is a great way to start a relationship with a new venue before you work on their grounds. If you are helping them sell and you have a solid history of wedding performances, you will definitely be on their preferred-vendors list. Another advantage to flying your drone is you are developing trust with the coordinator. This will help you when it comes time to performing different services at their venue that are outside of the box.
Video Voiceovers
Video Voiceovers are the most powerful additional service that I can offer to my brides and grooms. This service creates a very special moment and makes the first dance experience unforgettable. In order to pull this off, you will need to purchase a DSLR or mirrorless camera, at least one 55-inch or larger HDTV, eight-foot section of truss, 30- by -30-inch base plate with a truss, CAT5 or HDMI cables and, most importantly, proper lighting.
This service is broken into two parts: The first part is what you will be doing before the wedding reception and the second is how to present the video the day of the wedding. I have a designated place in my office where couples will come in and I will film their answers to the same questions. While one of them is filming, I invite the other to leave the room so they don’t hear the questions I am asking.
Once I have filmed both sides, I invite them back into the room where I use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit their responses. I show them how I am able to do this and give them a quick 15-second preview. Other than recording the video, I also will ask for photos to make a slide show that will be shown on the TV before it switches over to the video responses.
The second part has to do with day of coordination. You want to make sure the location you select for your TV or multiple TVs is visible for all of the guests. You want to let other vendors, including the venue coordinator, be aware that you will be surprising all of their guests with this video. If the photographer has an additional shooter, this coordination is very valuable because they will be able to capture the reactions of their friends and family.
Chances are the coordinator has never seen a video voiceover, so making sure she is in the room is the key to make your company stand out. As this service has an extensive amount of prep work, I charge an additional $795.
When producing this video for my brides and grooms, I am able to make strong connections months before the wedding starts. This is of great value and will help you further connect on their wedding day.
Smartphone Trivia
Every week, my company hosts four smartphone trivia events at local restaurants and sports bars. This is great midweek money and also you are able to work on your microphone skills on a weekly basis.
I started integrated smartphone trivia into weddings that have buffets. Smartphone trivia is a free to play game that uses one smartphone per team and is similar to the Trivia HQ app. There is an initial cost to pull this service off which pays for the software and dedicated WiFi router than you need in order to play the game. The WiFi router is able to block the internet so no one can cheat.
Instead of announcing random tables to be dismissed for the buffet, I use this game to increase the excitement level and turn a boring dinner into a more interactive experience. Other than the initial cost of the game, each time you host, you do have to pay to unlock the game. The cost per game is typically $15.
