Always give 100%

One thing that will never go out of play in the DJ game is the need to make connections.
You quite literally can’t go anywhere without them—mainly because, to the average listener, there’s nothing that separates you from any other DJ. To most people, there are a million others just like you, and there’s no obvious way to confirm what you bring to the table over the next person with the same skill set.

Unless you’re a world champion DJ, there are probably at least five other DJs in your area who can do exactly what you do. Maybe not the way you do it—but with today’s technology, just about anyone can come close… or even sound better. This is where the art of making connections comes into play.

Most people think that getting your foot in the door is like a job interview. You walk up to a business owner or someone who needs your services, tell them what you can do, maybe hand them a demo track, show a few gig photos if you’ve done events—and boom, they have no choice but to give you a shot!

But in my 15+ years of experience, I’ve learned that people are more likely to buy an MP3 player and a Bluetooth speaker before they’ll pay you even remotely what you’re worth for a gig. That’s where you have to summon your inner salesman.

If you’ve ever bought anything of value, you know how important the salesperson can be. You can look up stats all day long, but if you see two products with the same specs, chances are, you’ll buy the brand name. Why? Maybe it has a history of reliability, maybe it looks better, maybe it has a great warranty—or all three.

When you’re selling yourself to a client, you have to prove that you’re all of those things and more. In today’s world of instant communication, word travels fast. To make sure the word on me is always a good one, I treat everyone the same and give 100%, no matter how much I’m getting paid. You never know who’s watching—or how far the reach is of the person you’re dealing with.

A Quick Story:

I used to hang out at a local bar that let DJs of all skill levels get on the turntables and showcase their skills. I didn’t get paid. I didn’t get free drinks. I did it purely to get my name out and see how people responded to my sets.

There were several big-name DJs—names I’d heard but faces I’d never seen—who also came through to hang out and spin. They were mostly there to compete with each other for fun, but they kept it lowkey and just rocked the crowd.

One night, a DJ approached me, gave me a few pointers, and went back to his seat. I didn’t think much of it. But he stayed the whole night, closed his tab, and asked if I was coming back soon. The next week, he brought some friends, and they hovered around, asking questions about how I got into DJing and how long I’d been at it.

Fast forward a month: I found out that those DJs were well-established in the local radio and events scene. They liked my style, thought I was unique, and were open to keeping in touch in case I ever wanted to bounce ideas off them or learn more about the game.

Fast Forward:

A few weeks ago, I was sitting at home when I got a call:

“Hey, we’re doing a festival in 2 weeks and need a DJ to fill a slot. You interested? We’ll pay you—just spin for 2 hours. Show up and show out!”

The day of the festival, I got a call four hours early. One of the headliners had to cancel last-minute, and they needed someone to fill in. I dropped everything, grabbed my best gear, and headed down.

The setup was minimal—just a table, a tent, a power outlet, and some cables. The weather was all over the place, so the crowd wasn’t as big as I expected. Still, I figured, Hey, let me show love to the ones who braved the storm.

I spun for an hour before the weather turned again, and the event got completely rained out. But during the chaos, I helped cover the venue’s equipment, tied down tents, and assisted people getting out of the rain. After the storm cleared, I packed up, thanked the staff, and went home. They kept their word—I got paid and was thanked for showing up.

Two days later, I got a call from one of the event directors. Not only did they like my set, but they also appreciated how I went out of my way to help, stayed calm, and supported the event through the chaos. They asked if I’d be available in about a month to headline another festival—and yes, it’s paid.

Three days later, a friend from the bar invited me to DJ a soccer tournament.

Four days later, another friend asked if he and his fiancée could talk with me. They’d heard about my recent gigs and wanted to hire me for their wedding.

The Bottom Line:

Your attitude, your interactions with people, and even the knowledge you think isn’t relevant can be the things that set you apart.

Always be the best version of yourself. No matter how big or small the event is, you never know how far one positive interaction with the right person at the right time can take you.