So every year DigitalDJTips.com and “Mobile Beat” magazine survey their DJ tribes and publish the findings. As always, a few valuable insights emerge about, as Mobile Beat calls it, the “state of the DJ industry.” In no particular order, here are my reactions, thoughts, and observations:
DJ SURVEY REACTION #1 – WE DJs KINDA HAVE BIG EGOS
But don’t you kind of have to in order to not just speak to a room full of strangers but to also perform for HOURS in front of them. I mean, really, not even rock stars playing to packed arenas are asked to perform for 6 hours. It’s like a marathon. So we’re confident, so what!
 DJ SURVEY REACTION #2 – SO BIG EGOS + SMALL SALARIES
I’m always amazed every year at how little $$$$ we make as a community. Brideys…you gotta know that an average of $1,100 (the wedding DJ average price according to The Knot) per week equates to a yearly salary of $57,000 BEFORE EXPENSES. Then consider that most of us are not working EVERY week (low season in the wedding world stretches from December to March in most places). YSo, considering your biz expenses are generally around 30%…the average take-home pay for a wedding DJ would be less $40,000/year. (A survey I once say by Book More Brides showed the majority of wedding professionals earn less than $20,000/year!!!!!) When you hire a wedding DJ, you are dealing with someone who probably gave up a way-better paying job to do what they love! Here, here!
DJ SURVEY REACTION #3 – CHEERS TO BEING FULL-TIME
So this leads me to believe if you want to make money as a DJ, you need to do weddings (In other words, the Mobile Beat tribe, a group of mobile DJs mostly doing weddings, is making this a full-time career…and the Digital DJ Tips tribe, bedroom DJs trying to “make it big” on the club scene, are not bringing home the bacon). No judgment either way because most mobile DJs have a closeted desire to be David Guetta, just like the bedroom DJs do (or, in my case, Miranda Lambert’s opening act!)
DJ SURVEY REACTION #4 – SUBCONTRACT MUCH?
I’m like jaw-on-the-floor shocked that only a quarter of us offer photo booth services. That means there is a whole lotta subcontracting going on. Nothing wrong with that, but I’m happy to say I did buy my own photo booth a few weeks ago. Yea!!!! On a side note…inflatables? Really. For millenials? Hmmm…ok.
DJ SURVEY REACTION #5 – YO! MALE DJS…BRIDES ARE ON PINTEREST!
No shock here. But like 60% of people on Pinterest are brides planning their weddings…just saying. Nice to know Digital DJ Tips counted Snapchat and didn’t even ask about Pinterest (which is the 5th most popular social media site to Instagram’s #8).
DJ SURVEY REACTION #6 – BOOK YOUR DJ EARLY!
I just had a bride cancel and ask if she could get a refund of her non-refundable deposit since her wedding was “so far away.” I know August seems like it’s so far away…but, in wedding-DJ-booking terms, it’s just around the corner. I told her I’d open up her date and see if I can book someone else…but I doubt it’ll happen. We’ll see. Also, you’d think corporate events would be planned with the same forethought as weddings (booking vendors/venue months in advance), but that is rarely the case. In fact, in my experience…the bigger the corporate event, the later the DJ gets booked!
DJ SURVEY REACTION #7 – B.A.F.F.L.E.D.
Are the club-oriented DJs over at Digital DJ Tips spinning YouTube rips and radio edits from iTunes…? YIKES! I have to say, brides, if you want professional music on the big day, you can clearly see why hiring a full-time mobile DJ costs so much more than your fiance’s college buddy who DJed a few of their frat parties. And I’m guessing the 10% who are going to brick and mortar stores for their music are the same ones offering inflatables 🙂
DJ SURVEY REACTION #8 – CAN YOU SMELL THE TESTOSTERONE?
Sheesh. In what other industry is the gender disparity so enormous…NFL linebackers? We female DJs make up 5% of the community (and, holy sh*t, trips to DJ conferences confirm this!) And shout out to Digital DJ Tips for at least asking this question.
DJ SURVEY REACTION #9 – DJs ARE GETTING OLD
This is a really sad state of affairs. So the mobile DJ profession started around the time I was born in 1980. As our industry pioneers and trail-blazers are getting more and more experience, they are appealing less and less to millenial/DIY brides. Obviously, all DJs know we have a shelf life. DJs are supposed to be cool & hip…not elderly. “Party” and “old” just don’t mix. Our industry has never seen what happens to people like DJ Jazzy Jeff (or mobile DJ greats like Peter Merry, Mike Walter, and Bill Hermann) when they hit the golden years. Will they be embraced? Will they be forgotten? Will old Staci be able to fill up her DJ calendar? At least for the moment, I feel pretty confident with my social media & branding situation. Youth is a state of mind…or is it?
Post by DJ Track Star Staci
I'm DJ Track Star Staci, an international DJ, MC, turntablist, & producer for 14 years. My clients have included: Lamborghini, Victoria's Secret, Reebok, and many more. My performances are trusted at A-list events like Comic Con, Entrepreneur of the Year, and movie premieres. I've rocked Sr. Frogs in Cancun, music festivals, the Vegas strip, celebrity events, & 500 weddings. Check my availability, get an instant fee estimate, or listen to some of my DJ sets or my original remixes & mash-ups.
