How Much do I Charge?? How Much Do You Want To Pay?

Part of becoming (and continuing to be) a successful mobile DJ is an ongoing process of networking, reading, and constantly learning to better yourself personally and professionally. I try to do this on an continuing basis, to keep up with trends and new ideas, and provide you with the best service possible.

Just read this article by Ken Peterson in the Disc Jockey News (one of the many publications I subscribe to in my effort to improve my service to you.) One of the frustrating things about being a mobile DJ is that almost EVERY call you get, almost EVERY email, invariably starts out the same way--"HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?"

While that is a legitimate question, and one that certainly needs an answer in these economically challenged times, I like to understand what it is YOU'RE looking for, and what it is you need for YOUR event, and then create the soundtrack for YOUR PARTICULAR event, rather than throwing out a cookie-cutter service, for a cookie-cutter price. It takes a little more time and effort for both of us, but it gets YOU better results, and helps me to stand out from some local companies that send a 'rent-a-dj' with limited or no experience, to entertain at your once-in-a-lifetime event.

Ken asks that as a bride, you treat the process of finding your wedding entertainment the same way you would conduct a job interview for your 'wedding firm'--by asking about their history, experience, and qualifications, and NOT just asking for their price. Give this a read, and let me know what you think!

School is over, and you enter the employment hunt.
Your resume has all the pertinent information in clearly defined sections:
-How to reach you.
-Objectives.
-Summary of skills.
-List of Education.
-Additional training.
-Certificates and Accreditations.
-Work Experience.
-References.
You know the next step in the job search is to get that resume out.
You have a great cover letter that expresses how you found out about the job opening and sets up dialogue for scheduling an interview.
You take an extracurricular class or two on job interviews.
You have practiced the interview numerous times with friends, roommates, or maybe even a few family members.
You get the call - a company is interested. It's a company you have stock in, you speak well of to your friends, and you really want to work for this firm!
The appointment is set.
This is your big break! You have been preparing and waiting for this moment. You know your are ready; you have put in the work to make yourself the best choice for the position. It is now time to show this company you know what you are doing!
You are excited! You may even dress one step higher than appropriate for the line of work you are interviewing for.
You're there on time - actually 10 minutes early.
You can already envision working for this firm.
The HR Dept calls you in...
The only question asked is simply, "How much do we have to pay you?"
There is no greeting, no handshake, no welcome, no offer to sit down or get comfortable, no query about anything on the resume. HR doesn't probe about history, education, skill sets, references, or even if you are over or under qualified for the job... Just a lone question: "How Much Are You?"
You are on the spot. You are the interviewee. You need to answer that question.
Your mind runs wild, "What about my qualifications, why aren't they asking about those? The entire labor pool is out there; and I know I am the single best candidate for this position. Is this company really looking for the cheapest labor? What if I say, 'I want $xx,xxx per year salary.'? The next guy in the lobby is wearing tattered jeans and a stained t-shirt. He's got a ticket for the company to sign off from the placement referral service so he can continue to collect unemployment and furthermore he's absolutely clueless - I know he's going to ask for less."
Many couples that are planning a wedding unknowingly do this daily to many service providers within wedding entertainment field.
Engaged couples are at that stage in life where the job hunt is very fresh in their mind; either they are about to start the search, right in the middle of it, or were recently placed in a nice job environment.
Wedding Entertainers (mobile DJs) can be thought of as the candidates waiting in the lobby (your lobby - you are the employer). They offer a service and a willingness to work for you. Some DJs position themselves for the menial tasks. Others, the better ones, can become your right-hand.
Wedding DJs have a resume. It's their marketing: a website, their printed materials, an informational e-mail. They have references to check such as thank you cards, happy clients to email, and reviews found online. There is a confirmable work history: ask your other vendors if they have worked with the DJ before- ask your DJ about the vendors they've worked with. What about training, accreditations and certificates? What have they done to earn the spot in your wedding budget.
Have some fun, pay us DJs back with the same thing you are going through (or went through recently). Scrutinize. Find the right employee for your own "wedding firm."

Reprinted with permission from the Disc Jockey News and author Ken Petersen of Rapid City, SD. Ken is a freelance writer and entertainer who can be reached at: ken@kensmilestones.com

Freedom Sounds Good To Me!

The Fort Wayne Freedom, that is. TINY TUNES has been picked for the second year in a row to provide sound for the FW Freedom's CIFL arena football team!

The opening game in the Freedom's 2009 Continental Indoor Football League season was this past weekend at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, with over 2000 fans coming out to enjoy the action, and see the Freedom beat the Marion Mayhem, 46-23.

It's a pleasure to get to work with a professional staff, in a beautiful 10,000 seat venue, and help the fans enjoy their game day experience-whether the team wins or loses (although we're always rooting for a win.) I'm glad to be back this year!

Let's Get Ready to Bubble!!!

Our area stores just got their first shipment of bubbles for the season, and have made room on the toy aisle shelves! I've got the hula hoops out, and I just picked up eight gallons (that's right, GALLONS) of bubble solution today! With warm weather almost here, I'm looking forward to getting outside and getting ready to bubble!

Tiny Bubbles Bubble Parties are one of the most fun parts of being a DJ. Imagine a group of kids having fun in the backyard, or on the school playground. Add to that age-appropriate music, games, and lots of BUBBLES, and you can see that a children's Bubble Party is loads of fun for the kids....and for me, too! A Tiny Bubbles Bubble Party is a 60-minute interactive program of music, games, dancing and fun geared toward young children, primarily ages 3-7. Bubble Parties are performed at preschools, and daycares, as well as for private birthday parties at home. Bubble Parties are also perfect for camps, carnivals, fairs and fundraisers!

The music is upbeat and energetic, the games are simple and fun, and every time the bubble machines fill the air with bubbles, the energy is infectious! Bubble Parties encourages movement and activity....and watching the kids having so much fun with the bubbles just adds to the excitement!

Kids of all ages love bubbles....and the Tiny Bubbles children's program delivers fun and excitement, and lots and lots of BUBBLES! Warmer weather is almost here....and with the end of the school year, kindergarten graduations, Vacation Bible School programs and more rapidly approaching, it's time to plan for your very own Tiny Bubbles Bubble Party! Call me--Tiny-- at 1-888-629-0595....and LET'S GET READY TO BUBBLE!

Who is Tiny Tunes?

Who is my DJ? That question gets asked a lot, and is a very important one to ask when hiring a DJ for ANY important event. To help answer that very question, I turn to the bio that I recently used when emceeing the 2009 Northrop High School Charisma Classique show choir competition (for the third year in a row-always a lot of fun.)

Steve "Tiny Little" Michaels (Tiny to his friends, clients and listeners) is a Fort Wayne native and Elmhurst High School graduate, with over twenty years in broadcasting, and thirty years overall as a disc jockey. He is currently the owner of Tiny Tunes Mobile Music (www.tinytunesdjs.com), a mobile disc jockey and event planning service that he has operated since 1981. Specializing in wedding entertainment and planning, Tiny Tunes also provides music and sound for indoor and outdoor events large and small, and has a children's party division called Tiny Bubbles Bubble Parties, that provides a unique party experience featuring music and bubbles, for kids of all ages.
Stops on the radio dial include Bryan Ohio; Angola, Indiana; Sumter, South Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee; as well as several local stations. For the past eleven years, Tiny has been with Federated Media in Fort Wayne, and currently can be heard on WFWI-FM, 92.3 The Fort, Fort Wayne's number one classic rock station. His hobbies include music, architecture, history, writing, fine wine, and envying Jimmy Buffet's lifestyle. He has two daughters that are the lights of his life.

That sums me up in a nutshell, although it is worth noting that I've DJed and emceed hundreds of weddings, concerts, private parties, children's events, and more over the past thirty years. If it involves sound and a microphone, chances are I've done it....and can help you plan and execute it for your event.

But what does that matter to YOU? Well, you're going to be spending your hard earned money to put together an event. In the case of a wedding, you don't want to spend a LOT of money, on what (hopefully) will be a once in a lifetime celebration. But you DO want to get the most value for the money you DO spend. It's important that you know EXACTLY what you're getting, and WHO will be providing the music for your event.

Some DJ services will contract to do your reception, and send an inexperienced DJ, or one without experience in doing your type of event.

At Tiny Tunes, I am the DJ you contract with, and the one that will appear for your party. I bring years of experience, and professional grade equipment, to insure that your party will be just what you want it to be. I'll work with you, to plan and execute the event that you have pictured in your mind....the way you want it.

Personal service from a professional DJ. That's what your party deserves....and that's what Tiny Tunes delivers. And that's why you should always ask "Who will my DJ be?"

Welcome!

Although this is not my first attempt at blogging, this IS my first try at presenting information for weddings, parties, and things relating to my Fort Wayne DJ business. If you're a newly engaged bride- or groom-to-be, I hope you'll bookmark this site and check back often. I will attempt to give my own insight and opinion as an experienced Fort Wayne wedding DJ, with almost thirty years of doing this professionally....as well as my insight into other events, like corporate events, private parties, children's parties, and more for Fort Wayne, north and central Indiana, southern lower Michigan, and northwest Ohio. I'll also post information from other sources that I think you might like.

If you have a question, or a topic you'd like me to address, feel free to let me know at tiny@tinytunesdjs.com. I'm always happy to talk to you, and help with your special day!