Inspiration: Check Out This Wedding DJ's Plan B

This crisis has leveled our industry and I don’t think the large gatherings will rebound until a vaccine comes out. That could take years if ever. So, it’s time for all in the industry to go to plan B.

This is what I am doing….

For years, I have carried around a trunk of 3-ring binders with every show that I have done over the last 38 years. Each binder is a year with both the quote sheet and the contract. Over the last month, I took almost 3,000 shows and entered them into an Excel program to make a spread sheet.

Step 1: Go to weddings you did in 1995 and hunt down every Bride and Groom that are still together. These people are starting to plan for their 25th wedding anniversaries. They loved your show from the first time around. How cool would it be to have the same DJ for both their wedding and their 25th anniversary? Plant the seed now before another DJ does. Let them know you are still in business and still carry their wedding song “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in your collection. These will be smaller sized events and can be held in a backyard etc. You already have the relationship built.

Over the last month, I took almost 3,000 of my shows and entered them into an Excel program to make a spread sheet.

Step 2: In my area, we have lots of small towns that the majority of brides are from. Ask every bride and groom where they are from. When you meet, pull out a three-ring binder of every show you have done with connections to that small town. That bride might not know you did her Uncle’s wedding 24 years ago. She might not know you were the DJ for her Prom 31 years ago and will be blown away when you tell her what her prom song was and you mention the name of the person that booked you that was in her class. While you are at it, your database has every school show you have ever done. When schools open back up, you can contact each of the high schools and say, did you know that I have entertained 11 homecomings and proms at your school. How about another shot?

Step 3: I am blown away how many corporate shows I have done over the years. I never realized I have done hundreds of corporate game shows. Many used me once or twice and went on to casino nights or whatever else. I am going to contact every one and plant the seed. I am going to send a link to not only the contact person but the HR dept. with a link to a game show video to remind them how much fun they used to have.

Step 4: Every class reunion that you have done generally does it every 5 or 10 years. Go back over your list of past class reunions and let them know you are still in business and would love to be back! Often the contact person is still the same or at the very minimum they can give you the name of who is in charge. These are generally “smaller” gatherings and might fall below the cap of numbers that the Feds or State put down for gatherings.
You can also do this for past anniversary parties or birthday parties you have done too.

I am seeing double with all the entries. I just finished today. It took me a good month but now I am going to start hunting contacts down to let them know I’m still out there.

Wisconsin-based Scott Siewert, owner of Fun DJ.com, says it’s taken him 38 years of DJing almost every weekend to get his performance to where it is. Not every bride is after his style of performance but the ones that are, he says, usually can’t find it anywhere else.