What Questions To Expects Your Clients To Ask You? - Ep#7

Ever found yourself tapping your foot, wondering how that DJ just seems to know your jam? I'm Ilya, your Clever DJ podcast host, and together with Nino, we peel back the curtain to show you what it takes to find and hire a DJ that gets your groove. From probing the right questions to ensure your beats align with their rhythm to understanding the secret sauce behind a perfect client-DJ partnership, we've got your dance floor covered. This episode isn't just about music; it's about crafting unforgettable moments through a symphony of sounds that resonate with your soul.

Picture this: a room bursting with energy, the DJ drops that one song, and suddenly, everyone's a dancer. Now imagine that's your event. Nino and I share the backstage passes on how to sweet-talk your way into a DJ service that doesn't just play music but creates an experience. We dissect the delicate dance of negotiation, and I reveal how a quirky kid's tune became the unexpected anthem of a house party. From the practicality of having backup gear to the nitty-gritty of insurance, we've spun more than just records—we've spun a safety net that ensures your event hits the high notes, come rain or shine.

As the night winds down, remember that every beat tells a story. We wrap up with a tale that touched our hearts, as we recount a chance encounter that taught us life's music can come from the most unexpected places. Join us for a journey not only through the tracks that define life's milestones but through the authentic connections that underscore every playlist. Whether you're a veteran party planner or a first-time listener, this episode promises a mix of laughter, learning, and a little bit of heart—right here on the Clever DJ podcast.

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Transcript

Ilia: 0:21

How's it going everyone? This is the Clever DJ with Ilya and Nino.

Nino: 0:26

How are you guys doing?

Ilia: 0:29

episode number seven.

Nino: 0:30

Episode seven oh man, we're flying by these man.

Ilia: 0:34

Yes, we have an episode that I think you're going to lead with it.

Nino: 0:39

Oh am.

Ilia: 0:39

I yes, I believe this is beginner versus pro DJ, and this is. This sounds like a pro topic, so well, go for it.

Nino: 0:49

The question is is these are the questions you should be asking. This is more for clients, but for DJs, you know, you know you're going to be able to do it. So we're asking pro DJs as well for more for wedding DJs and corporate DJs. So we're asking pro DJs like, literally, how to hire them before, how to what, how to what questions to ask before you actually hire them. So so, pros, pick notes. This is what you guys need to be able to answer.

Ilia: 1:24

So, while it's from the client's perspective what they should be asking, you got to have the answers for this. Now I'm going to be learning too, because I mean, I'm sure this is going to help me a lot, so let's go.

Nino: 1:37

Okay. So question number one what's your performance style and what type of music do you like to specialize in? Now, this is specific to certain clients because they want to know what kind of music that you like personally, because they want to know if your taste of music matches their certain tastes, right? So for musical tastes, I would say, say what you be honest, like, what what you like personally. Like for me, okay, hip hop, r&b, 90s, 2000s that's, that's my go to, what I love to play up myself, right? So there's no really right or wrong answer for this. Don't lie, because it'll, it'll show if you're, if you're lying, if you kind of just say whatever you want, just to make them happy.

Ilia: 2:30

Yeah, just to get a gig, it's not worth it.

Nino: 2:33

And there are a couple of questions here that you shouldn't be lying about. So, yeah, that's that. Next question is how long have you been DJing weddings? Now, this is kind of a double edged sword, because you don't want to kind of age yourself. You kind of want to say I've been doing it for a while, but I've been, I've been. You know, I'm the kind of person that likes to keep up with music trends and whatever is hot today. I like to stay updated. Right, you're honest and whatever. And this is the. This is the sort of answer that clients like to hear. Right, they don't want an old, old DJ, like like a 60 year old DJ DJing their wedding, especially because now a lot of younger couples are getting married. Right?

Ilia: 3:28

Make sense? Yes, definitely they. They want to feel that they can relate to you, right, and they're like, oh, how is he going to know? But you know what we met in that venue? Yeah, there were two DJs. One of them was easily close to 60. And one of them was, yeah, like early fifties Huge company back there they had. They do a lot of different things and when you don't know that about them, you'll be no, I'm not going to hire him, but he's actually one of the best. He knows everything about everything, and that's the thing it doesn't matter how old you are too.

Nino: 4:07

You can be like a 60 year old DJ, but still be very hip and trendy, and couples that look into that, yeah Right, and they just, they're very dialed in If you, if you know the new, newer stuff, right, and you can answer all the questions according with, with, in terms of music. So that makes sense, right. Next song, next question, next song I'm doing request here what are your favorite wedding songs to perform?

Ilia: 4:37

That's funny, you got it. You got it in your element, yeah. So what's the question again what are your teacher?

Nino: 4:43

What was the question, teacher what are your favorite wedding songs to perform? And again, this can also age you if you pick, like one Unchained melody. Something was like 1960, but it doesn't matter, honestly, it's, it's your taste. Being honest, your taste in music is you like what you like, right? I would say a lot of, a lot of high-energy stuff I like to perform. I like to keep start the dance floor with really high energy stuff and then just take them on a trip, bring them down, bring them up. Music DJing is all about taking the real crowd on a journey, a musical journey. So that's, that's my answer. What do you think about that, buddy?

Ilia: 5:29

I think I just you got this, so I'll. I'm joking to those who just listen to us and didn't check the podcast on video on YouTube yet. I Was about to leave as a joke. He got this. He knows what he's talking about. Do you need me here?

Nino: 5:50

I know, not really, yeah, okay.

Ilia: 5:53

No, we always try to narrate and see what we're doing, but we really think you're gonna benefit from watching us when you can. Obviously don't do it while driving or whatever. Traffic no traffic. But when you have a chance, check us on YouTube.

Nino: 6:08

Yeah, see what we actually look like. Yeah.

Ilia: 6:11

What was that question again, teacher?

Nino: 6:12

It was a sensei, what are your favorite wedding songs to perform? What, what like, what are your style like? Go to your style, literally right.

Ilia: 6:23

So what do you tell them when they ask you that question? Well, be honest.

Nino: 6:27

What do you like? I'll tell them I like, like, literally, hype songs. I like to play a lot of pitbull stuff Okay, this is kind of corny, but pitbull a lot of high-energy songs like vanguards, especially at the beginning of the night.

Ilia: 6:44

It gets them going. It gets them going. So many nice videos.

Nino: 6:48

This guy knows cuz. He takes all my videos.

Ilia: 6:50

I'm the one he's DJ.

Nino: 6:51

I'm like oh my god, yes, yes, exactly. He moves around like, looks nice videographer man, it's my videographer. No, seriously, for now, man, I'm getting busier, I'm getting busier.

Ilia: 7:03

No, but I got a gig. By the way, I got a gig in March for a beginner DJ, that's. That's kind of early in the year, pretty good man. Yeah, march, return client by the way yes.

Ilia: 7:13

Yes, it's your first client, right, it was my first. Like you know, I'm separate, separating from you, buddy. I'm flying off and I got that client and, oh, was I worried the first time, like, oh, maybe they didn't like me, maybe they were just being nice Messages, thank you. The following day, and they wanted you specific the reviews, yeah, and then don't. He said don't give me that, I'm booked line, I need to know you're my DJ and I'm like, wow, I'm humbled, right, yeah, so there you go, man pat on your back.

Ilia: 7:44

There you go, but I'm just saying. You know, you may have to hire a videographer, slash photographer, I know now.

Nino: 7:50

Now, cuz he's not available all the time.

Nino: 7:54

Okay, so that's that. Number four is can we give you a list of must hear songs as well as what about a do not playlist? So, yeah, you must. You want to Ask for a playlist? Right, it gives you an indication of what kind of music they like. So, yes, always ask for a playlist, and even a do not playlist it's. I think it's nowadays, especially when a couples don't like to hear, like client dances or just cheesy songs, right, they don't want a cheesy wedding. So they they, they're gonna tell you which songs they don't want to hear and that's that's, that's good.

Nino: 8:36

I respect that right. So make sure you're taking a do a list and I do not playlist. It'll help you along the actual gig and, yeah, you'll know what to play for the for the night. And then, of course, you're taking requests on the night of as well. So so always take a playlist and a do not playlist. That's a must, must, agree.

Ilia: 9:00

Yes, I Actually thrived on that, because in the beginning I did not know what to play, so I was encouraging them. I don't like. What do we do next? Oh, you should give me a playlist, exactly cuz you wanted to know what to play and.

Ilia: 9:14

I'm just I. My background is also in sales, like lots of customer service and stuff like that. So I know how to kind of get my way with the client and kind of lead them in the direction and wonder mine to go. And I got them to give me a playlist of like two or three hundred songs that they really like. They put it all together On Spotify like these are our favorite tracks and I knew there's no way I'm bombing that that night because this is the best music and I'm good enough ready to play the music if I know what I'm playing.

Ilia: 9:41

They're literally spoon feeding you Like right they want and then, with every gig after that, I was like I prefer less. I prefer less requests and less, you know, like their own playlist, because I want to have my own creativity, but I'm still at a point where I enjoy it. You know it helps me right, it does, when you can read them better. The way you do, right, I'm getting there. The way you do, it really gets in the way.

Nino: 10:06

It does. Yeah, it does, it does Okay. So, number five, will you take requests from our guests during the event?

Ilia: 10:16

No no super you?

Nino: 10:17

no, definitely not. No, you always Encourage requests. That's a no-brainer, especially if you're bombing, right. You, you always want to take requests because it will give you an indication of what they like. Right, and yeah, I'll be stick requests I.

Ilia: 10:34

I didn't.

Nino: 10:35

I never really saw like why DJs hated taking requests before, but I understand it now.

Ilia: 10:43

But For certain events, especially weddings, you need to take requests from school gigs when I stop. When I saw what it's like, oh yeah, I was like you gave me couple, a couple school gigs well, not prom, but it was like Halloween, like dances and stuff like that. I'm like my god, the requests from these kids won't stop coming and it's just too much.

Nino: 11:05

It's overwhelming, especially if you have to take them and DJ at the same time. It's too much and they get so offended.

Ilia: 11:09

Those kids get so if you don't play their songs. Yeah, do you remember that kid at that house party? We played his song and he was like like before we did you look like he got hot. He was heartbroken.

Nino: 11:21

I wouldn't, you know, play it, because I wouldn't play it right away.

Ilia: 11:24

I'm like you weren't gonna play it, I forced you, I was like you're breaking his heart, yeah, and and when you?

Nino: 11:30

he's like you saved the best for last. I literally played it last at the end of the party and then he was like. He was like doing flips and then just doing like you made us nice, you made us nice, I'm glad I did play it and you remembered you.

Ilia: 11:44

We went there a year later. He remembered you.

Nino: 11:46

Yeah, he did.

Ilia: 11:47

He did so.

Nino: 11:48

Lasting impression right there it makes a good impression on you for sure, for sure, especially for the parents who actually hired me for that. So they remembered that. So yeah, Brownie points for sure, ok. So yes, always take requests during the event. That's just no brainer. Number six can we watch you perform before the wedding date? And yeah, if you have an outside gig, like a bar that you're doing, maybe on a Thursday or Friday, always invite your clients, your potential clients, to come and watch you. So to see you in action. It's always better for them to see what they're going to get. If they're going to buy something, you want to see the product and how it works. So it just makes sense. So sometimes, if I didn't have a bar gig on a certain wedding, of course I would ask the bride who was getting married on the day that asked them if they don't mind me bringing someone to crash the wedding for five minutes.

Nino: 12:56

It's just for them to see how I worked the crowd and how I worked them and get them dancing and stuff.

Ilia: 13:03

So I'm like yeah.

Nino: 13:04

I've done it a few times and I've gotten booked. Definitely when this happens.

Ilia: 13:10

I honestly don't see how anyone won't book you and, in all honesty, you need to see this guy, dj. I mean, I rarely see somebody move the crowd the way you do. I try that's crazy. Like the way you know how to read a dance floor and the system you have, which sometimes is repetitive, but it works. Yeah, it works. You tweak it per, but it works.

Nino: 13:35

There's no way to change it, no reason to change it, too much Depends I have my favorites my favorite songs, but I try to change it depending on their reactions and the way you speak to them the phrases the way you like, your energy and your behind your voice.

Ilia: 13:50

I'm not trying to take over, I'm just going to say this. Those one gig were was probably one of my best gigs ever. This guy gave it to me too, and I remember taking the mic and I'm going to do this and I'm like, and I choked, I'm like all the three 16. No, no, the one you gave me the last one like, oh yeah.

Nino: 14:10

At the bar, at the bar.

Ilia: 14:11

And and I choked and I was like, if I didn't choke, that would have been a great moment to say something.

Ilia: 14:15

Forget what it was. And then I did in the next time. But I, I, I got, I was overly enthusiastic and it sounded like a kid yelling in a mic, like it was just too much. You can even understand what you're saying. And then, and then I hit the sweet spot the third time, whatever, and and I started feeling it. But my God, it's not only what you say or like you know how. You said, it's a volume, it's three or four words, but there's so much behind it.

Nino: 14:40

Right.

Ilia: 14:41

It's so important.

Nino: 14:42

Yeah, yeah, ok, yeah. So, yeah, always invite your, your clients to watch you perform, if you can. All right, so we're at point number seven now.

Nino: 14:54

So it's what's included in your pricing package and will you also act as an MC? Now we have different tiers as DJs for companies. Of course, right, you're going to have your lower tier, basic tier package. You're going to have your standard package and then your higher tier package when you have your moving heads and up lights and whatsoever, right, and all the inclusions in that. But as for MCing, I also actually include MCing in all my packages, just so you know. There's no, but I put it in pricing as well. I adjust it, so it's, it makes sense. So that's how I do it personally. What about your pricing?

Ilia: 15:40

So, first of all, mcing I believe it has to be included in every package. It's not something it's like I don't even know what to compare it to but you have to. You have to MC, especially certain gigs. If you're a certain type of DJ, you have to MC, especially if you want to stand out from your competition, right?

Nino: 16:00

Well, most MC and most DJs will MC. They have to inform in some form. Get on the microphone.

Ilia: 16:06

Also, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to offend anyone, but what kind of DJ are you if you don't like to MC, like you're doing this because you're trying to high people up right Now? I'm not saying it's easy, I'm not saying I am CEO the time I barely. I spoke on the mic A few times. It's not MCing, that's just kind of dabbling in it, right. But I don't really have those price packages. What I have is is the? Is the gig in like downtown Toronto or it's going to be a hassle to get to pay for parking? Is it way up north, you know, like Muskoka or something like that, where you know it's going to be a lot of gas and you know I may have to stay there overnight travel travel right.

Ilia: 16:49

And also, what kind of? What kind of time of time of year is it Like? How desperate are they for a DJ, did they? Did they just tell me that they only thought about a DJ a week before the gig? Or I hate that the gig is like three months from now. Right, you don't want to kind of, you know, you don't want to push them against the wall, but at the same time, that's how I come up with my package for the specific gig. I don't have three, four or five packages, like this guy has, because I get clients, just not as many yet, because I'm just starting out and each client's different. You know, when you have so many coming at you, it makes sense to have those, those packages to streamline things?

Nino: 17:32

Yeah, because they need something to pick from right. It's not just one package fits all sort of thing right?

Ilia: 17:39

I make sure that I don't devalue myself and that I don't piss off my peers. Don't piss me off, no, with my, with my, you know, ridiculously low prices. I remember I wanted to do free gigs back to back, just to get more, like more. Yeah, I'll start somewhere, man so it's exposure, but sometimes it could make sense. But usually, yeah, don't devalue yourself. So that's how I do my packages.

Nino: 18:07

Exactly. Now I'm seeing it's. It's the sort of thing that because we're in charge of the music, it's almost known that you need to MC, right, you need to get on the microphone. So if it's not you, there's an MC, but if there is no MC, you're an honorary MC for the night, pretty much.

Ilia: 18:28

Which is almost always.

Nino: 18:29

Which is almost always depending on the actual event.

Ilia: 18:34

And my God, sometimes there are terrible, terrible MCs out there, Like, not like by profession. The bride in the room chose someone right.

Nino: 18:44

Yeah, well, they have no experience, they have no experience obviously.

Ilia: 18:48

They have no experience speaking to people, forget about them seeing Cringy the stuff they said, I was like wow, did they just say this?

Nino: 18:55

at a wedding.

Ilia: 18:56

It hurts From their parents. My God, what is happening? What is happening?

Nino: 19:01

And.

Ilia: 19:01

I'm like I wish you just walked up to them and found a way to kind of tell them to stop, and then you'll take over. Okay, you can just cut their music. The volume of the?

Nino: 19:09

microphone.

Ilia: 19:10

Sorry, it doesn't work man.

Nino: 19:12

But that's it. That's basically it. So that's what's included in the package. We also add MCing in there. So number eight does your contract include an overtime clause in case we want to extend the party Always? We always have a clause there that specifies how much extra if you go over this specific timeframe. And yeah, we just get the party going. Just keep going until they can't.

Ilia: 19:40

You're already there.

Nino: 19:41

Oh, you're already there. You might as well, just you know, keep going and charge extra. Yeah, of course, especially if it's an hour. Another extra hour or two, yeah, but if it's like 15 minutes, 30 minutes, I would think twice about that. You know, I just cut them a break and just yeah, it's okay, don't worry about it.

Ilia: 19:59

Yeah.

Nino: 20:00

But if it's an hour or two, then you have to definitely charge because it's late at night and then you're going to still have to tear down and stuff. So some people just want to have a good time. Just make sure they have a good time and hopefully get that five star review. Yes, it's all about that it's all about that so yes, yes, there's a contagious five star reviews. Oh man, I'm addicted to getting five star reviews, as you can see, yeah, I'm getting there too.

Ilia: 20:27

Now it's nice, I got my first few walls. I feel it makes you feel so good.

Nino: 20:32

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it does Okay. So number nine Number nine. Number nine. That's my DJ name, number nine. Have you performed at our venue before? If not, will you check it out beforehand to learn its q-sticks and see what type of equipment you need or in the sound system you need? Yes, usually, if I have been to the venue, I would prove it by saying yeah, I know this room, this room, it's shaped this way. In whatever, whatever, I know a lot of DJs would say yeah.

Nino: 21:07

I've been there, even though they haven't. And then they ask you about but what about this room? Like, have you been in this one? And then you have no idea what you're talking about.

Ilia: 21:14

Right, so they may be asking for a specific reason. Yeah, yeah, and then when you show up and you've never been there, surprise, surprise. You probably should have. Should have just been truthful about it.

Nino: 21:24

Yeah, because it's sometimes it's, it's it's cringe that she just lied to them just to try to get the gig Right. So doesn't make any sense. And then and then will you come and check out the venue beforehand, depending if it's close. If you've been there before, you already know the acoustics. What if they have an in-house system and everything? So, yeah, you can answer all their questions. So just be truthful, and if you've been there, you've been there. If you haven't, then you haven't right. You still, you still have to come there early, no matter what. So, yeah, so just be truthful about that. So that's that. Do you require backup equipment Number? Oh, number 10. Yeah, Number 10.

Nino: 22:09

Number 10. I'm jumping ahead right here. Do you require backup equipment and will you provide this if necessary? I believe you always have to have backup equipment. As a professional, you want to make sure that you have a backup just in case your mains crap out on you, especially if your laptop does not have a battery.

Nino: 22:32

Yeah, exactly, you need something. I always bring an extra like an iPad or even an extra controller. Have a mix on your phone ready to go, just in case your music stops. You can troubleshoot at the same time. So always have a backup, backup for your backup. For your backup, even if there's in-house system that you're going to use, always make sure that you have speakers in your car, because actually it's happened where I actually had to use my speakers because the in-house system crapped out.

Nino: 23:10

Literally. So I saved the day. If not, if I didn't bring my system literally, the party's done it, it would be done at 10 o'clock.

Ilia: 23:19

Charge them extra for that.

Nino: 23:21

No, it's peace of mind for them. I always tell them like, yeah, I will bring it just in case every time You're nice. Yeah, it's something that it's better for them to know that, just in case something happens, you're ready. Did they give you a?

Ilia: 23:37

five-star review. Always, man, yeah, always, at least. That I mean. That's Honestly like. Sometimes I don't care about the extra two, three hundred bucks Giving that review. That's worth it to me. That's more clients, that's you know. It gives you a better name.

Nino: 23:50

It is, it is and that's why I get so many bookings right. Five-star reviews, and that's another topic on its own.

Ilia: 23:56

How many five-star reviews do you have? Two hundred, just on.

Nino: 23:59

Two hundred and twenty-six on wedding wire alone.

Ilia: 24:02

Right, yeah, and then you took a little break from it and you still have that many.

Nino: 24:07

Yeah, yeah.

Ilia: 24:08

So it's a constant struggle. It's crazy how much business you had even when you took a break from that website.

Nino: 24:15

Hey, yeah, and there's also Google as well, yeah.

Ilia: 24:18

You have a bunch on there too.

Nino: 24:20

Yeah, I've had almost seventy-seven. I started late with the Google, but, you know, starting to get up there not bad, very nice, yeah, very, very nice. And it's a surefire way to get more clients, because people nowadays will look for five-star reviews. They want to see how you did perform before at previous weddings, so they always want to get good feedback. It's like going to Amazon and buying a product. Right, are you going to look for the ones with a thousand reviews or are you going to get the one with the ten five-star reviews? Yeah, you definitely want to get the one with that. There's a thousand reviews.

Ilia: 25:02

Right.

Nino: 25:02

By the way, a little caveat about that.

Ilia: 25:06

A couple of years back I realized that some products that have, let's say, a thousand reviews it's not that the one let's say, you're buying this keyboard and it says a thousand seventy-six five-star or like four point four star reviews, it's, it's that that company has that many reviews. Yes, I noticed that man that I was like how can this keyboard Performing like you know, work like this if it was five stars? And then I realized that the keyboard itself got lower reviews.

Nino: 25:36

Yeah, this one's actually good, but yeah yeah, yeah, you have to be careful with that. I noticed that too.

Ilia: 25:41

Just just, you know it, just like I had to say it.

Nino: 25:46

Okay okay okay, okay, so number 11, number 11. What's your backup plan in case of inclement weather while performing outside? Back up plan as we go inside. My answer right, you're not gonna perform outside anyway, especially if it's raining or whatever.

Ilia: 26:04

It's only to have a canopy? Is that?

Nino: 26:06

yeah, you can, but for a, for like a wedding, yeah, usually you would be in a covered space anyway, away from the elements. So it only makes sense if it's raining, most probably gonna be out indoors anyway. That's their backup plan. They're usually the venues backup plan. So it's in the contract as well that that we can't perform Out in the rain or bad weather or dust everywhere. So it's, it's part of that, so it's in it's in our contract. So yeah, number 12, will you coordinate a soundcheck at the day of the wedding? Of course that's why we come in, I guess why we come early, at least two hours before the actual First person comes in. So if the ceremony starts at three, we're there at least one o'clock. So it gives us at least an hour to get ready, to get set up and then, yeah, yeah, we do a soundcheck to see if the microphones are good, the speakers are good and we can take social media as well.

Ilia: 27:12

So, yeah, yeah, always come early, unless unless there's fall, like unless you go.

Nino: 27:18

We're, we're far addicts, so we love our fall. Well, yeah, just a little something there, in case you guys want to send us some fun.

Ilia: 27:29

Yeah, that's actually that's. That's awesome.

Nino: 27:31

We should start accepting fall recipes sure you know it's really hard to make fun takes a while.

Ilia: 27:40

It takes a long time, like I wouldn't have the patience to make it myself. Yeah, I, it's delicious. I went back to that place. Yeah, I'm so jealous but it was my Delicious I should have stayed.

Nino: 27:52

I should have just went but you're editing the episode.

Ilia: 27:55

Yeah, that's why bro Dedicated.

Nino: 28:01

Okay, so we're gonna move on to point number 13. Do you, do you require liability insurance? What do you think, man?

Ilia: 28:10

Yes, yes or no. Oh my god, those couple gigs. We almost lost all of our gear on the table. Would you were drunk was that the one where we went up north. And I say where okay, yes remember when the chick came behind the when I went to the bathroom quickly. I went to the bathroom.

Nino: 28:29

I was looking for you, man. I needed you, and at that time it was so dark outside.

Ilia: 28:33

I was really making sure I don't like step into a pond or something that was. It was a nice area and I'm like with my phone trying to find my path and I come back to this mess. He needed me.

Nino: 28:45

I did need you there. I was really suffering. Yeah, she wouldn't leave me alone. I was like she was all over the keyboard.

Ilia: 28:53

She you said she almost messed up my, my gear to like she was all over touching everything. She had a drink, I think her boyfriend is literally trying to pull her away. And she, you could see she was like like angry drunk almost. Yes, like crazy, angry, drunk leg. It was pretty happy, angry, happy, happy, angry. And and then that divider, what is it called, those panels?

Nino: 29:13

the facade.

Ilia: 29:15

Yeah, the facade like it's. Can't believe I forgot the name. I'm such a pro, oh you think. Oh, like, what a nice barrier. They'll know. They'll know better how many times they had to like catch it before like collapsed on us. Yeah, that was. That was an important gig to have To have liability insurance.

Nino: 29:38

Oh yeah, you're always a liability insurance. Well, once you do a few more gigs.

Ilia: 29:44

How much is it? It's expensive I.

Nino: 29:47

I fairly expensive. Well, for the year it's actually not too bad. It's not too bad. It offsets the cost of yeah, you need it, you need it, just in case, right. It's a just in case, sort of thing. Yeah, so always have liability insurance. Like for me I do a lot of the company does a lot of school events, so we need a lot of Insurance. Like it's five million dollars minimum.

Ilia: 30:13

Live insurance so wow, yeah, yeah.

Nino: 30:16

Yeah, so it's nice, it is nice. So that takes us to Point number 14, number 14, number 14. Okay, what's your cancellation policy? Don't cancel on me. Expensive, yes, very expensive. Now our cancellation policy.

Ilia: 30:35

It's not a policy, it's a punishment.

Nino: 30:40

So, so the it really is expensive, don't you? Don't want you anymore. No but we have six months that cancellation policy but it depends on if you pay more than the actual, than the just a deposit. The deposit is not non refundable but if you paid the full amount, we will refund everything up until the, the actual Deposit, that's yeah it's pretty standard. And then you did non-refundable deposits. It's yeah, we don't refund them. So sure no, yes, yes, what up, what up.

Ilia: 31:26

Let's say the book you. They need neither refund and their deposit is like 500 bucks Mm-hmm, big money, right? There's a lot of people. Will you let them use that deposit towards a future event always?

Nino: 31:42

that's on the contract as well.

Ilia: 31:43

Especially during COVID, we did that for a lot of our couples and stuff that's, that's a good, that's a rule of thumb for that's every client.

Nino: 31:52

Yeah, yeah, that's the rule of thumb to um, I put up to three years, three years, three years, wow. So they have, they can rebook it. So why don't they all just call you like three years later.

Ilia: 32:06

Well, that's just the deposit. They still owe you the rest they still owe you the whole amount right If you had agreed upon? I think I already know the answer to this. If you agreed upon, let's say, 500 bucks and the rest of the gig is another $1500 okay but now, three years later, you only get do gigs for another 2,500, so now it's $3,000. Will you give them the old price or the new price?

Nino: 32:31

I think we give them the in between. Yeah, something in between works. Something out like something that. That's not a one-size-fits-all, no, no and it depends to it depends who's available to you. Not gonna be able to a lot of dates. There's some dates that are just always booked, so they're gonna get whoever they get right, but of course with quality DJs and whatever right. But there is also a stipulation there where if somebody, like if there's a death, like something really, really important, then we would refund you the deposit deposit as okay.

Ilia: 33:07

So so just less of a punishment there because you just got.

Nino: 33:12

If it's a death in the family, you know something that's not something serious, something very.

Ilia: 33:16

What about an injury like a bride broke her leg? I didn't that happen to you, or no, that happened. I think I was a waiter back then, yeah, or bartender, I Think I think yes. Did I tell you that we actually had to reschedule?

Nino: 33:34

No.

Ilia: 33:35

No, was I working with another DJ? I just remember it happened last year probably it wasn't me.

Nino: 33:40

I don't remember that.

Ilia: 33:41

Yeah, yeah yeah, it wasn't you okay.

Nino: 33:43

Yeah, well, actually last year I had a A father of the bride just dropped and had a heart attack right on the dance floor, oh Right, when the party started.

Ilia: 33:57

so I was your gig and my gig, yeah, wow, that's traumatizing and I had to.

Nino: 34:03

I was like I'm so sorry this happened to the bride. I felt so bad. Everybody thought right now notice, I Didn't tell you man, yeah, there's so much things going on, man, I just there's things that what happened?

Ilia: 34:13

Did the gig?

Nino: 34:13

stop like yeah, yeah, the gig stopped. Literally, they nobody could. Well, it's the father of the bride. Okay, after they had to take, rush him to the hospital and stuff. And then, yeah, the party was literally done like nobody wanted to stay. It was a if it was a guest. I know I tell you, man it was a guest, it would be different, but it's the father of the bride, so DJ to.

Ilia: 34:34

Harman, you make people man you Back to back. There's a quick mixing with like Nobody can keep up with this.

Nino: 34:44

Just what I do, man. This is, this is.

Ilia: 34:47

I hope he's okay, man.

Nino: 34:48

He's okay, okay, he's good. And then, you know, I made a deal with the bride. I'm like, you know, I didn't even get to DJ a party, so I'm gonna the DJ your party, like if you're gonna have it in the next couple of years or next year and they're actually doing it this year, oh yeah, nice man, next couple of months, so nice, yeah, go easy. No, his father's not gonna be there this time, so it's gonna be more of a younger crowd.

Nino: 35:11

Okay, I feel bad because they spent all this money. And then it's the father's a great example.

Ilia: 35:15

I mean sad, but I'm happy.

Nino: 35:17

He's okay. Yeah, I know Blessing okay, yeah, yeah maybe sounds familiar, maybe maybe you did.

Ilia: 35:25

I don't think so, man. So many, so many weird things happen. There's a lot of things that happen.

Nino: 35:29

There's so many stuff that has happened. I don't even tell you because sometimes I forget, right, yeah, so this is. Yeah, that's it. So that's my story. Point number 15. Now, how many breaks will you take throughout the whole evening and what will you use as filler music during this time? Well, when it comes to breaks, we take breaks. Like not often will take breaks when we need to take breaks. If you need to go to wash him, will go, but when the dancing starts it's it's full out window. We don't take breaks. I'm not a fan of putting on a dance mix and just leaving for like five minutes and no idea. No, no.

Ilia: 36:11

I never seen anyone swallow their food as fast as you do. And it's another stuff about super the stakes. Yeah, okay, done, I eat like a DJ. I eat like a DJ, it's like where they go? Do you even chew your food? You swallows it.

Ilia: 36:27

Cuz I'm always doing something like a mashed potato or something that's like easy to just like stuff your mouth and like try to kind of swallow Like hard food. Yeah man, I've never seen anyone pissed as fast as this guy's. Like yo take over, I'm gonna be back, I'm gonna the bathroom, Okay five minutes, if I really really have to go and somebody's there to replace me for like a minute or two. Then yeah, I'd let, I'd go.

Nino: 36:52

Fast. I'm like run, I run and then I I'm literally when I get to the door, when I open the door at my, my zipper is already down. The guy goes in.

Ilia: 37:00

The door closes. The door opens.

Nino: 37:04

You blink and I'm out.

Ilia: 37:06

I'm done, I'm like, did you even like not gonna ask if you wash your hands?

Nino: 37:13

If you can believe it. Yeah, in terms of filler music, whatever I'm playing like usually I leave doing dinner Playing like jazz music or whatever kind of music. I do have a playlist or something that I play if I leave, but it's appropriate to what I'm playing right.

Ilia: 37:31

So that's, that's that you have that one really nice mix, mega mix.

Nino: 37:35

Yes, yes, that make a make. You give it to me, didn't?

Ilia: 37:37

you did I. If you didn't you got it, you gotta give it to you. No, I'm sure you give it to me, really yeah no, I don't think I would give that to you.

Nino: 37:45

No, you did oh man. No, don't use that. No, it's all good, it's all good, okay, so that's that's it. We don't take breaks during dancing. Not at all. We try not to right. So number 16, the last one, 16, the last one how do you encourage a shy crowd to get up and dance? There's different techniques, right? Um, literally it's it's. If they don't. Usually a lot of Chinese crowds are really, really hard and they're very reserved, very reserved.

Nino: 38:20

They don't want to get up and dance, and especially when, when the older people once, once you start playing the dance music and it gets really loud here they're gone.

Ilia: 38:31

They're gone. Yeah, yeah, I've. I've waited on those weddings, bartended DJ. So you know to, yeah, right, it's, it's specific cultures, but like you know each culture, what, what's gonna happen right and the Asian weddings Very reserved, very professional and as soon as the Like the bangers come on, yep, they're just like disappear.

Nino: 38:56

Yeah, and you can't even stick to your not always original formula, because I, because you start off with the old stuff, right?

Ilia: 39:05

Yeah and it doesn't work well, they don't dance to it. It's just like dinner music.

Nino: 39:10

Yeah, yeah during dance war time. Yeah, so I try to play that stuff but you gotta, you gotta, play to the crowd too, right, yeah. But I start off really high energy and I want I force them to dance. It's okay, almost they have no choice but to dance, right. So I play like that quick mix right at the beginning so to get them dancing, to encourage them to dance, I do some, maybe like some hot, hot, hot sort of things motivate them.

Nino: 39:39

Motivate them to get to do like a line dancing sort of thing, and make it fun.

Ilia: 39:45

Yeah, you don't just play music, you make it funny, make it make sense.

Nino: 39:47

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's, that's certain techniques to to get them to dance. And then, of course, there's the. If they don't want to get get up right away, you play a slow song Right, and that usually will get everyone to dance especially the old people. Yeah, so that's a technique to to get them to dance, and then after that you can throw on a big, big song after that, and everybody's on the dance floor already, so and they can see who leaves, who comes back.

Ilia: 40:14

Yeah, at least now you have. You have some dance floor this time right, oh, I just lost 80% of them up, oh yeah, and then you start playing to the people that are dancing, yes, not to the people that aren't right.

Nino: 40:27

So whoever's there to dance will dance. So you kind of, you kind of play for them, so yeah, that's that. That's it. That's that's it, that's it, 16 only 16.

Ilia: 40:38

That was a homeless man it was. It was pretty long. That was nice man. Well, Thank you very much for joining another episode of the clever DJ. Yeah, good job brother.

Nino: 40:48

Oh, like this.

Ilia: 40:49

Yeah, oh, they all liked it.

Nino: 40:54

Thank you very much. We'll see you guys in the next one, all right, guys, see you next year.

Ilia: 40:58

the next episode.

Nino: 41:23

You.