Should You Diversify or Focus on One Type of DJing?
September 21, 2018
As a DJ one of the most important things you have to ask yourself is “do I stick to one
type of gig / event or do I branch out and do as many types as possible?” While there are pros and cons to both, there are many factors to consider before deciding on any option like this. There are so many options in the DJ community as a whole for DJs and we will
discuss some of these a little later.
Sticking to one event type?
The first thing to consider when deciding to stick to one event type is what kind of event
you will be deciding on. This will be the foundation of your career as a DJ and you HAVE
to make sure to decide on a path that will be fruitful for you and you can be successful
at with your future.
The second thing you should consider is the demographics of your area. The needs for
different types of DJs change depending on the cultural makeup of an area. Rural areas
will not want a Hip Hop dj and a lot of inner city areas do not use Karaoke DJs very
often.
Third, how far are you willing to travel for your events? Do you live in a rural area or a
huge metro area? If you live in a rural area you may have to be willing to drive more
than an hour for 90% of your gigs whereas if you lived in a metro area you would not
have to do that as much. If you do live in a rural area it may open up opportunities in
more than one metro area for your business. Remember if you are driving ANYWHERE
for your DJ business the IRS allows you to deduct 55 cents for every mile traveled for
business purposes.
Diversifying your schedule?
First, when deciding to diversify into multiple event types make sure you are willing to
do those event types and can do them well. For instance, if a majority of your business
comes from weddings but you received an extremely bad Yelp review from a karaoke
client or a private party your potential wedding clients may base their consideration on
the bad review instead of your impeccable wedding record.
Second, Are you wanting to do everything under the spectrum of DJing? What about
Production services associated with some events? Sometimes you have to be willing to
do these things. Also you have to be willing to make the investment and acquire the
equipment needed to handle these events and learning how to run them effectively.
This equipment will initially be a huge investment for your business but over time you
will get a huge Return of Investment and begin to make a profit off of said equipment.
Third, adding diversity to your company will bring in multiple revenue centers to your
company. Adding items such as Trivia, Karaoke, Club Nights, birthday parties, Jammtext
Text to Screen, Music Videos, Corporate Events, Festivals, and equipment rental will add
additional options for your business and create value in it giving you more of an option
for you to go full time or stay full time.
What are your goals as a DJ?
As a DJ and an entrepreneur it is important to set goals for your business. These goals should have multiple terms. Always set long term as well as short term goals for your business. Don’t set goals that are knowingly unattainable or any goals that you cannot gauge your success at the end of the deadline for your goal. This will ultimately help you decide what kind of DJ you want to become.
What types of DJs are there?
There are many types of DJs in the community as a whole and different subsets of each. In this part of the article I will explain the different types of DJ and the different subsets of them and where you may fit in to the big picture.
Mobile DJ – This dj may or may not still do Bar gigs and has to be fluent in many
different styles of music for different types of events. This DJ will have a PA System, a
controller or turntables and a light setup for a light-show. In the mobile DJ community
there is the Wedding specialist, The Bar/Bat Mitzvah specialist, the school dance
specialist, the Quinceañera specialist, etc.
Touring DJ – This is the DJ that does multiple big events a year such as EDC, Coachella,
etc. They break down into genres of music for the different types of DJ in this group.
Producer DJ – This is a DJ that makes their own music. They usually do big events as
well but a majority of their income comes from music sales. This is the DJ equivalent of
a Singer/Songwriter.
Bar/Club DJ – This DJ is usually where most Touring DJs start. They have a residency at a
local night club or bar and typically bring in a following. They are very talented at
reading a crowd and usually specialize in the type of music typical for the club/bar they
DJ at or for the theme night for said establishment.
Bedroom DJ – This DJ is usually a hobbyist that does it just for the passion of doing it.
They usually practice at home all the time and do not do many if any at all gigs outside. There are a lot of good ones out there and YouTube and online radio has made some of
these guys very successful.
Radio DJ – DJs on the radio fit this category. They usually have a degree in broadcasting
but not always. They have a personality that is very outgoing and loud but not in a bad
way.
When deciding what you want to do as a DJ selecting exactly what kind of DJ you want to be
is usually the first step. You do not have to limit yourself to one category. I know a lot of
DJs that not only do mobile gigs but are Bar DJs and Radio DJs as well!
Conclusion
A lot of these situations are ultimately aimed at the newly established DJ that is still trying to find an identity in the community. These tips can help any DJ of any level but it is important to always do your own research based on your situation and area. As with any of my articles, anywhere, it is important for you to find what works best for you. Do not try to copy another DJ to a T because what works for them may not work for you. Find your own identity in the community and practice, practice, practice!
-Chase Jewell