Can I have extra pickels?

Customer service is the key to any businesses success. It can elevate or close any business. Recently I had a friend go to her favorite Sub shop and ask for extra pickles. They originally put three pickles on a six inch sub. Naturally she asked for more. They put three more…seriously!

I’ve noticed over the past few years how businesses have gotten away from good customer service. Especially in my profession, DJ service. If you notice the word “service” is in the profession. Now I don’t wait for my clients to ask if they can have more pickles (analogy). I find out if they like pickles, then I ask how much they want from the start. That’s just good business.

We are to blame. We go to Wal-Mart because we don’t want to drive around. We pump our own gas. We go to fast food restaurants because we don’t have time to be waited on or money. We settle for cheap just to save a buck! (guilty)

When did we, as customers, lay down and just take shady service. Airlines are the worst! Charging for luggage and every other little thing. That’s like putting a credit card swipe in your car to use your air conditioning or radio! Absurd!

Does it really cost the Sub shop that much more to add a few pickles? Would it kill my industry to ask clients what they want in a DJ service and provide it? Next time you are shopping for anything, notice the customer service, items, and/or price. Are you being treated like a valued customer? If not, say “WE WANT EXTRA PICKLES!”

10 ways to Qualifying your DJ/MC Entertainer for your wedding.

When I recently read an article on “10 ways to know your DJ is a dud”, I noticed the writer should have said “10 ways to know your DJ is a dud during the wedding”. This helps you how? All this does is let you know how bad a DJ can be. The writer plays on the fear factor. You have enough to worry about. So I come up with 10 ways to qualifying your DJ/MC Entertainer for your wedding. (Notice I said DJ/MC Entertainer and Wedding)

1. If they don’t have a website…move on! www.CEentertainment.com

In today’s day and age every serious business should have a website. Associations such as The American DJ Association offer free websites and hosting. Also, it only costs about $150 to start a landing page at least.

2. How does their marketing material look?

Does the pictures show a bunch of college students with drinks partying? If so, I don’t think they are the ones that are perfect for a wedding. Also do they use a home printer or is it professionally printed. Vista Print offers affordable  printing. However, spend a few extra to have a professional stationary expert design one for you. Just as you are an expert at your field so are they.

3. Do they use social media?

Although social media is considered fairly new. It’s a great qualifier. Do they have a Facebook business page? What’s on it?  How about LinkedIn or Twitter? LinkedIn is for business professionals so why not qualify that they are business professionals? Twitter is not quite important but their tweets will tell you something of who they are. Do they tweet about themselves all the time or do they tweet and offer help? Facebook is the biggie. You can learn a lot about a business through their business page. Do they have photos of the set-up, venue’s, people dancing. etc.?

4. How many refer them?

Referrals from past clients or vendors go a long way. But make sure the referral is not due to the fact they the person referring gets paid or makes money off of it. How current are the testimonials on their web page or marketing material? Ask the person why they refer them.

5. Are they affiliated with any Associations or Groups?

The American DJ Association and National Association of Mobile Entertainers are great Associations for DJ/MC entertainers and consumers. Also BNI, Chamber of Commerce, Wedding Associations, even Toastmasters is great!

6. What does their resume look like?

Resume? Sure! You are hiring someone are you not? How many years have they been doing this. What does their background look like?

7. Do they have any awards?

Although I find this hard to tell if this is real or not. However most wedding web sites have “Best of” or “preferred”. It’s a start.

8. Are the licensed and insured?

A business license shows they are serious about their business and it isn’t just a hobby. Insured, I feel is important. Why? Well if they are sued (and we are a sue happy world) they will still be in business. So if you hired them, they get sued to the point of going out of business, you are stuck scrambling for another DJ.

9. What do they specialize in?

Certainly you don’t want a club DJ doing your wedding. (Unless you are into that sort of wedding.) Chances are a DJ/MC that does mostly weddings do it often and can be the most help. Thus giving you what you want.

10. Last, What kind of equipment do they use?

I know you don’t know the first thing about equipment or if it is professional or not. I ask you this. Would you hire someone that uses an ipod and and home stereo to power such an important day? I say, no. Why? Home stereos are not made for the everyday rigors of DJing. Also, would you hire a carpenter that has a hand saw to build a beautiful house. Professional equipment give the DJ/MC power to deliver a great show.

Now, all of these do not guarantee a great show, but chances are you will have a good one. Remember after qualifying set-up and interview and make sure they are right for you. Never base a DJ/MC Entertainer on price. This is the number one mistake people hire bad DJ/MC entertianers. For more information on hiring the perfect entertainer please contact Marc at 877-672-6262. Until then, have a great wedding!

Looks aren’t everything.

One thing I’ve learned over the past 10 years is that you can have the most beautiful flowers, decorations, set-up and design, but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t understand what your day is about.

I had a wedding that they obviously spent a lot of money on making it the most beautiful wedding it could be. They hired me to secure that investment. I told them if they didn’t participate in their wedding, hardly anyone would. They said “no problem”. They danced whenever they could. They let me personalize it wherever and whenever I could. Thus the wedding was one to talk about for years.

Now, I had another one same situation. This time they left out key information. The families didn’t get along. Also some guests were not invited to the dinner, but were invited to the dancing, because of cost reasons. On top of things the bridal party and friends had sprung on the Bride, they  hired a band and special singer. Now, I have worked with many bands in the past. No problem there, but all with time to plan out the details when each of us go on and what songs we are transitioning with etc. Needless to say, it was not a great wedding at all. Thousands of dollars wasted.

If you noticed, I talked about what made it a hit and what didn’t. Participation=hit. Controversy=disaster. I still remember Deb McCoy, a well renowned Consultant, telling my listeners for WedPod Radio, “Sorry to say, It’s not about you brides”. Really? Yes really! It is the first party you are hosting as a couple. When you host a party you make the guest comfortable. You entertain them. Obviously, there are times it has to be about the bride & groom, but you get the message.

Also don’t forget to tell your entertainer, DJ/MC everything. Family fueds, a boisterous cousin, whatever it may be. These all play a factor and if they are known ahead of time they can be dealt with.

Don’t get discouraged if you have some of these problems. A great entertainer, DJ/MC can help you create the wedding you will be soaringly happy about. But remember to participate and let your guest participate in your wedding and you will have a great one.

Up-lighting & Monograms

Up-Lighting has burst into weddings and other events. For years we’ve had to look at those ugly,  stained, brown dividers in banquet halls. Not anymore. This affordable option can now turn a ordinary room into an extraordinary room.

For those that do not know what I’m talking about, I will explain. Up-Lighting is just that, Up…Lights. It’s a light that is placed on the floor to shine up.

There are two types of Up-Lighting. Conventional or Can Lighting (That is regular 90 watt bulbs). Conventional has advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are you can create more colors with Conventional . Color Gels are placed on Cans to create that color. Also the price is way cheaper. The disadvantages are that it uses more power than a non conventional (usually 1 Amp per light). Non conventional lighting or LED is the new wave of technology. The Advantages are they use very little power. They also can be programed to change colors. The disadvantages are LED’s come in Red, Blue, Green and if you pay more money for your lights Amber. So you see you can only create so many colors.

I use Conventional only because I can create the exact color of my weddings. Also, I able to keep it affordable for my clients. The shock and awe factor is priceless. Those that have had this option were not sorry. Guests raved about it.

Next we dive into Monograms:

Monograms are a projected image of pretty much whatever you want. In the above picture it was the Bride and Grooms pet names surrounded by a heart.

This can be shown on the ceiling (such as above), floors or walls. It doesn’t necessary have to be words. Monograms are also used as floor washes.

Floor washes are design patterns that can also be with a color gel to add that special touch. Monograms are a great option to really bring out that elegance in a wedding or event.

Other Lighting options are Pin-Spotting. This is used to showcase or shine on a particular item. Cakes can be illuminated as well as floral arrangements to bring out their beauty.

As you can see there are a lot of options to choose from and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. The affordability of this and what it can do to your wedding is priceless. Contact me today for my newsletter explaining more about this great option.

The Importance of the Entertainment AND Director

This is an article I’ve written in a local bridal magazine:

When you open up most bridal magazines it is pages and pages of dresses, flowers and other visually appealing pictures. It usually lacks how to make it successful. What I like about this magazine is that, the publisher and staff encourage you to look at the vendors to create the wedding of your dreams. One such vendor that is vital to a successful wedding is…wait for it…The Director of Entertainment DJ/MC. Mouth full, I know. But there is no other way to describe this pivotal person. In order for you to understand what it is that this vendor can do for you, we must break it down. We start with Entertainment & DJ.

Back in 2001 through 2003, various sources* talked about the entertainment and DJ’s. Here are those stats.

*AFTER THE VOWS…

• 72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
• Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
• During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer – reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities. Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!
• When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
• 65% of all couples that chose a band to entertain at their wedding, said, if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen a disc jockey.

*These statistics were published in St. Louis Bride & Groom Magazine in 2003. Sources include: Simmons, 2001; USA Today, 2002; National Bridal Service, 2001; The Knot, 2002; Brides Magazine, 2001.

Do you see what great entertainment can do for your wedding? Over ¾ of your wedding is riding on the entertainment and yet it usually is the last vendor chosen. Sometimes without any thought! But if you really think about it, what would the guests remember about your wedding? The flowers, the cake, your dress, maybe the food? No, it was that they had a great time.

Now let’s talk about The Director and MC. MC or Master of Ceremonies is not a new term and great shows such as, the Oscars and American Idol (to name a few) use them. Why are they successful? Because of the Master of Ceremonies.

The director is more behind the scenes. If you think in terms of a movie, you have the Director and Producer. The Director takes the Producers vision and brings it to life. The Wedding Director takes your vision and brings it to life, both before and during your wedding. They create an agenda, set the stage and execute for the best wedding possible.

I have been providing this service in Tucson since 2006. Since then not one single client has said they didn’t have a great time. Also when surveyed they said that these services were responsible for 91% of their successful wedding. That is 10% higher than just an Entertainment DJ success rating. Want to know what 10% feels like? Hire a Director of Entertainment DJ/MC.

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime celebration. Also, your guests hire baby sitters, make travel plans and literally devout their time for your wedding. Would you want them saying that was the best wedding ever or talking about what not to do at a wedding. The choice is yours.

Weddings on the rocks

Alcohol has been a big part of celebrations. From my experience, the best celebrations has had it. However it can also spell disaster.

Weddings or any type of celebration that has alcohol should be aware of a few things in order to reduce your chances of having a problem.

1. Avoid an open bar. But if you must then limit it to a cash amount or what you offer for open. Such as a signature drink or Beer/Wine only. Paying for a few drinks for your guests is OK, but to give them free reign is not good.
2. Create a security team. Have three or four guests/friends that you trust to be your security in case an alcohol related issue arrives.
3. Make sure the bartender knows if they feel a guest has had enough that it is OK to cut them off. Bartenders do not want to be the bad guys, but if they know it is OK with you then they will handle it.
4. Have some non-alcoholic drinks available. Those that don’t drink will be less tempted to order a drink for fear they will be ridiculed.
5. Make sure food is available when the drinks are flowing. Food slows down the metabolism of alcohol and therefore you will less likely have a guest slashed.
6. Don’t invite guests you know will be a problem. I know we hate to do it but if it means your special day or their feelings get hurt…I chose your special day.

You see, if handled correctly, Alcohol doesn’t have to be a problem. Stick to these great tips and you can have the best celebration ever.

When disaster strikes

Recently I was the Entertainment DJ/MC. I left out director as they didn’t hire me to be the director. I excluded it, so they could save a few dollars…big mistake.

Here were the problems: Not enough seating for guests, because it was in a tent we had power issues, checkered dance floor (Monogram wouldn’t work on it), Loud portable generator.

Directors are so vital in eliminating problems that you usually can’t tell that the bride and groom hired one. But boy you can tell when they don’t.

Don’t get Directors confused with MC’s or DJ’s. An MC is acting on your behalf as your host. They make announcements with regard to what to do or what is coming up. DJ’s are the music masters. They set the dance tone. Now the Director sets it all up, stages the event if you will.

What does a planner do? Mostly a planner should work with the Director to bring it all together. Planners may, but are not limited too, help with the dresses, plan tastings, make appointments and yes plan the event. The Director, in a lot of ways, is similar to the planner. To put into perspective. Think movies. The planner is the producer. The director is…well…the Director. If you know of a good director, chances are they have directed great movies. Same applies.

You only get one shot. Do not try to save a few dollars as you really will not. Call me to learn more about what I do so this does not happen to you.

Marc Summersett is the owner and Director of CE Entertainment in Tucson, AZ. He is also President of the Southern AZ American DJ Association.