DJs in the entertainment industry vary enormously, some are good, some are bad, and some are exceptional. How can you tell if you have made the right choice? What can you expect to pay? What do you get in return? How soon do you need to book a DJ?  As people rarely book DJs on a regular basis, it is important that you know what to look out for when looking for a mobile disco.

“Brian Mole was exceptional at returning calls and texts.... Thank you for completing a fantastic day”

Don't forget YOU are the client, it's YOUR party, and you need to make sure you are confident in your choice of DJ. Brian Mole will always be friendly and professional with his clients, and aims to provide 100% satisfaction.  Let’s start with a few essentials you need to evaluate your potential choices:

Wedding advice - ie: what you should be thinking about when looking at hiring a potential DJ:

Fees

1. How much for a disco?  Whilst the cost of a DJ varies between £100 and £2000 for an evening, the national average for a quality DJ is somewhere around the £450 mark.  The cheapest DJ will seldom be the best choice, and numerous sources highlight the fact that in hindsight, many clients regret having booked poor value entertainment during and after their special event. Typically I will normally invest 10 to 20 hours preparation work in addition to the few hours that I shall be performing at your special event. My fees are based on the costs of running a high quality business which consistently exceeds my client's expectations. As an example, a Friday or Saturday evening function within an hours' drive of Horsham will cost £425. This includes me as your DJ, my discreet state of the art Bose or Void  sound system, and a stunning light show. I can also offer a fixed fee of £600 for a full day which includes me as your DJ reserved from lunchtime to the end of your function, this would include PA for speeches, background music as required as well as my discreet state of the art Bose or Void sound system, and a stunning light show for the evening party. Or if just need me to set up before your wedding breakfast during the afternoon, I usually charge in the region of £500.  This represents excellent value and peace of mind for your entertainment.  Why not ask me to visit or call you for a no obligation chat on what I can offer you for your party?
   

Meet the DJ

1. Can we meet you to discuss our function?  Beware of any DJ who will not allow you to meet.  I always offer to visit my clients or at the very least chat over the phone.  This is important on several fronts - first, you will want to make sure that you are 100% comfortable with me as your DJ.  Then, we can also discuss your function in full detail, and any special or extra requirements such as themed lighting, PA for speeches or mood lighting for example.  This important meeting gives me a really good idea of what kind of music you like and how you want your event to run before you need to make any commitment to hiring me as your DJ.  Should you need to meet me again, this is no problem as I offer full support from the moment you make a booking with me.
   

Are you the right DJ for my party?

1. What functions do you work at?  I am mainly a Professional Wedding DJ for Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Kent and Berkshire, as this is my speciality and area of expertise.  However, I also offer an excellent service for 30th & 40th birthday parties, and as I am a mixing DJ and keep up to date with contemporary music, I can DJ for 21st birthdays, 18th birthdays, and sweet 16 parties as well as local youth clubs.  I don’t provide karaoke services, video DJing or horse or even turtle race nights, but can put you in touch with DJs that do.
   

Get it in writing

1. Do you provide a written contract? Any entertainer should provide you with a written agreement including a schedule of timing, location, costs, and who the DJ on the night will be for your event.  Once you have chosen me to be your DJ, I generate an agreement with all the details of your function which is then sent to you.
   

Music selection

1. Can we request music selections, will you play what we want to hear? Have you been to a party where the DJ only played what he wanted? A professional DJ should be prepared to listen to his customers’ requests to play appropriate music for their party. It is important that you and your guests enjoy the music. Your DJ should have a comprehensive, legal collection of music at his disposal. Brian Mole encourages all his clients to supply musical suggestions which he will have ready for your event. This can be done at our planning meetings, by email, or using my exclusive online planning tools where you can hear samples of music as you make your selections.
   

Who will turn up to DJ at my party?

1. Will the DJ I was expecting be the DJ who turns up at my party? There are many agencies and multi-operator companies out there, you may find that the DJ you book for you party will not be the one who turns up.  Dancemix provides you with a written contract stating who the DJ is at your party, so there are no nasty surprises.  Once I am booked for a party, I will not be available for other inquiries.
   

Experienced DJ

1. Do you know proper etiquette and procedure for my party? A good DJ will have many years' experience in running entertainment for weddings, and other celebrations. I am a very experienced professional DJ, typically performing at about 40 wedding parties per year. 
   

Reliability, trust, professionalism

1. Are you reliable, can I trust you to do what you say you will? This is a crucial requirement for your party; your entertainer should be punctual, and responsible. DJ's who actively participate in DJ Associations are generally keen to improve their professionalism and learn new skills, this also provides backup resources should any problem arise.  I have a 100% track record for being punctual and reliable.
   

How good are your tools?

1. Do you use professional equipment? A professional DJ should use professional equipment that is robust, reliable, and of good quality.  I use some of the best premium equipment available to our industry made by the likes of Pioneer, Denon, Bose, Void, Shure, Beyer and Martin.  My equipment always looks neat and tidy.
   

Do you use a laptop to DJ?

1. Are you a laptop DJ? I believe in using the best tools available to a DJ, and although many DJs use laptops successfully, I would rather use a pair of professional CD turntables and a professional mixer which have been specifically designed to perform the task in hand! In my mind, a laptop is designed for checking mail, and office work!  However, the world of DJing is changing, and I will be using a state of the art Pioneer CDJ-2000 system which makes full use of advanced computer technologies in the near future.
   

Are you licensed?

1. Are you licensed? I am licensed by the MCPS to play music professionally on any format. Recent legislation has resulted in a ProDub license from the MCPS which few DJ's have taken up. If your DJ (or function band) plays on anything other than original audio CDs or vinyl, they should have a ProDub license, or they may be breaking the law, and in turn may be refused access by your chosen venue. This license allows me to dub purchased music onto any media of my choice such as CDR, DVD-R, hard disk, or memory sticks, which gives me incredible flexibility in my playback methods. This can be a good measure of how professional a DJ is, and will ensure that there is no last minute hiccup as a non-licensed operator could put the venue's entertainment license at risk or be denied access for your party leaving you and your friends in the lurch!
   

Backup

1. Do you have any form of backup with you? Even the best professional equipment can fail, so as to minimize this, your entertainer should carry enough backup equipment to be able to continue his work.  Some mobile DJ's carry very little or no backup, others leave their backup equipment at home, hoping that a quick trip back will resolve all their problems. At every event, I have spare equipment for everything critical with me so that ‘the show can go on’ if something goes wrong.
   

My venue has asked for a PLI certificate

1. Are you insured, do you have PLI? Every entertainer should be able to produce a certificate of Public Liability Indemnity insurance (otherwise known as PLI) on demand. Your venue management may need to see this in advance, it is not currently a legal requirement, but there is a very strong case for being covered. I am covered with a £10M PLI policy which can be seen on demand.  You can find out a little more about this here.
   

Electrical Safety

1. Are you safe, do you have PAT? Every entertainer should have his equipment tested for electrical safety on a regular basis. Typically, DJ's have their equipment PAT tested every year, and they should be able to produce a PAT test certificate on demand. Again, the venue management may need to see this in advance. Your entertainer should also expect your venue to provide a safe working environment, and a safe electrical supply. Dancemix equipment is PAT tested every autumn, certificates can be examined on demand.  You can find out a little more about this here.
   

Dress code

1. Will you be suitably dressed? Your entertainer should be presentable at your party. If you are holding a formal evening party, make sure the DJ can blend in with your guests with suitable clothing - smart, casual, suit or even black tie. If your evening party is going to be themed or more relaxed, make sure you let the DJ know what you expect him to wear for the performance. Whilst setting up and dismantling his equipment, your entertainer may need to be in casual clothing, but there is no excuse for a shabbily dressed DJ. Dancemix staff are always smartly dressed.
   

Does the price include lighting?

1. Does your price include lights? My fee includes your choice of lighting as well as me as your DJ, and a state of the art sound system. I can provide various types of stunning lighting from club lighting to mood lighting.  Some clients have also asked me to provide white lighting, and no lighting at all.
   

Optional services

1. What other services do you offer? Dancemix can offer many other services to enhance your party, ask about hire of PA and microphones for speeches, club PA upgrades for those events that require the extra 'oomph', programmable coloured uplighting for marquees, lunchtime setup and supply of cocktail music and background music during the meal, and specialist DJs. Dancemix can also offer a stunning extra service; have you considered an illuminated dancefloor? More details are available on request.
   

When should we make a DJ booking?

1. When should you book a DJ?  The best DJs are seldom available at short notice, so it is essential that you inquire about availability as soon as possible.  I typically am booked about 12 - 18 months in advance for weddings.
   

We can't afford a band, is a DJ going to be any good?

1. Band or DJ?  Some function bands are fantastic, but they do indeed cost much more than DJ's mainly due to the fact that there are many more staff in a band. If you have no budget for a good band, you should consider hiring a professional DJ instead. A good professional DJ will be able to provide you with a fantastic level of service, peace of mind, client visits to plan your event, and the entertainment you want. Other advantages include a very tidy equipment setup with a much smaller footprint, your choice of music by the original artist, volume levels how you want them, a much bigger repertoire, the ability to play requests from your guests, and of course DJ's don't need to take regular breaks during your party!
   

Can we just hire you for cocktail music?

1. Can we hire you for a drinks reception? Are you having an exclusive drinks party, and would you rather have some perfectly mixed background music rather than music for dancing? I will happily play the coolest jazz or music of your choice using the best sounding and discreet Bose sound system which is also ideal for these gatherings.
   

Do you offer a discreet and confidential service?

1. Do you offer a discreet and confidential service?  If you require a discreet and confidential service for example for your celebrity wedding or special exclusive event, this is no problem at all, please ask for details when enquiring and it will be a pleasure to fit in with your requirements.