How to find a DJ for your event without wasting a week
Finding a DJ usually goes like this: you ask around, dig through Instagram, send ten messages and wait. Three days later, you still don’t know who’s free on Saturday.
Here’s the method we recommend, whether you use GIGZMAP or not. It works for a bar, a club, a wedding, a birthday or a company party.
1Start with the date, not the name
DJs are booked by availability first. Before looking for a style or a name, set the date, start time, end time and city. It’s the first thing the DJ will ask you.
Summer Saturdays go fast. For a wedding, people book months ahead. For a bar or a birthday, a few weeks is often enough.
2Describe your event in one sentence
“About a hundred guests aged 25 to 70, we want to dance after dinner” says far more than “looking for a versatile DJ”. Give the crowd, the vibe, the headcount and two or three tracks that must be played.
The DJ knows right away if the gig is for them, and you skip the back-and-forth.
3Listen before you book
Ask for a recent mix and listen to ten minutes from the middle, not just the start. You’ll hear the transitions, the energy and the track choices. A DJ with nothing to listen to is a gamble.
4Check what’s included
Two similar prices can hide two very different services. Before comparing, ask:
- whether the sound system, decks and lights are provided;
- if there’s a mic for speeches;
- the setup time and the exact length of the set;
- if travel is included.
And ask for an all-in price, in writing.
5Put everything in writing
Times, address, load-in access, an on-site contact, deposit and cancellation terms. A simple recap message that both of you confirm is often enough, and it prevents misunderstandings on the night.
6Keep a plan B
A DJ can get sick or have a breakdown. Write down two backup names from the start. And if it happens anyway, we wrote an article just for that: your DJ cancelled last minute, what now?
Where GIGZMAP comes in
We’re building GIGZMAP so these steps take two minutes. The map shows the DJs available around you. On each profile, you listen to a mix and see services, gear and rates before you even message them.
For bookers it’s free, forever. The app opens soon.
If you book events and a step is missing from this list, tell us: we’ll add it. Write to us
Thomas and Lorenzo, founders of GIGZMAP