Sweets 'n' Beats are a family run business offering various mobile disco packages and sweet cart buffets and have over 15 years of experience in the business. So the advice given here on what to ask and look for when hiring a DJ is very useful and comes from someone who knows what they are talking about.
What do you need to know from an organiser in order to provide a comprehensive quote?
For me as a DJ, I would firstly like to know the date and start/finish time of the event in question to ascertain my availability before reading any further. Then I would like to know the nature of the event, the capacity of the venue and an approximate number of guests expected in order to determine the size of the rig that will be needed. Anything in addition to this would be a bonus and things I would generally ask would include; What are your music requirements? Do you have any specific tracks you would like included/excluded? Is there parking at the venue as well as a suitable loading bay? Is there a specific time for set-up?
What advice would you give to a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
I would ask what is provided for the quote they have submitted. I would also ask if it was convenient to meet or at least chat with the DJ on the telephone to get to know a bit about him/her before accepting the quote. Ultimately it is down to you to determine what it is you require from the person you are hiring. Make sure you jot lots of questions down to ask and do your research. We are all using social media and various other sites to promote our business and you can tell a lot from how we conduct ourselves online.
Please tell us a little bit about how and why you started the business.
I have been into music heavily since my teens and began DJ'ing in bars and clubs home and away at the age of 19/20. It got to the stage in my late 20s where I couldn't do it on a regular basis anymore due to family and work commitments so I, unfortunately, hung up my headphones. I was still doing various one-off gigs but not enough to satisfy my love of music and making people dance to the tracks I selected and mixed. I made the decision to invest in all the equipment needed to start my own business. I can now take gigs as and when I want them, meaning I can fulfil my work and family commitments, as well as rock everyone's socks off on a Saturday evening!
Please tell us about a booking you've had through Add to Event, how did it go? Would you recommend us to others?
As I am a new member of Add to Event, I haven't yet played at my first booking. However, within 1 week of sending out quotes, I had been accepted to DJ at 2 corporate events and I am still working on a few leads. My business has been running since June and my only regret is that I didn't hear about Add To Event earlier. I would certainly recommend this to anyone looking to source more clients.