A few weeks ago, I sat down with Chris the Owner of Triad DJ in preparation for this weeks wedding and we had a wonderful discussion about weddings and what couples are looking for.  Here is a portion of our discussion.

How long have you been in business?

It’s hard to believe sometimes, but it’s actually going on 22 years now since we’ve been running Triad DJ & Events. Of course, everyone has to get their start somewhere, but as many companies before us, we started small (as a two man operation while I was in college) doing a few events per month, and today, our team here in the Triad consists of 13 professionals doing on average 8-10 events per weekend and sometimes more. Not only do we specialize in DJ Services, but lighting, photo booth rentals, draping, and a few other event services.  We don’t try to do everything, per se, but we do a hand-full of things really well.  Overall, business is good, and I’m very fortunate to be in the position that I’m in, but I can honestly say that I would not be in the place that I’m in today if it weren’t for the awesome people that I have working with me. Our team is dedicated to the same principals that I strongly believe in such as delivering over-the top-customer service for each and every client, no matter the size or type of event.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

What I love most about what I do is making our clients happy. That’s it. Plain and simple. If it weren’t for them, well, I wouldn’t have much of a company.  We did over 320 events last year which constitutes to a lot of work, but it’s all worth it to know that we’ve made that many people happy. In addition to that, I really enjoy creating and developing client relationships internally and externally. Relationships take time to foster and they are essential for any business if they truly want to be successful.

What are Brides really looking for from a DJ?

At Triad DJ & Events, nearly 70% of our business comes from weddings, so we have a good idea of what Brides and Grooms really want. Sometimes they aren’t exactly sure what they are looking for in terms of a professional DJ, but ultimately they know they want to have a great time. In my opinion, to make a successful event such as a wedding reception, in this case, is done through careful planning. I truly believe that 50% of the success comes from this one area. I think it’s very important to build a strong relationship with the client(s) from the very beginning. The DJ who will be at their event will sit down with the bride and groom and discuss their overall vision.  They’ll talk about music, how they want their day to go, etc. We’ll collaborate and construct a time line of events together, one they’re happy with and one that we know will work. On the day of their event, we’ll share this same plan with all the other vendors involved such as the caterer, the photographer, and anyone else who has a hand in making the bride and groom’s big day a successful occasion. From there, we’ll make all of the announcements, introductions, and more importantly, our DJs will be responsible for making the event transition nice and smoothly.   As far as involvement goes, our clients predetermine the level of interaction they want from us; we’ll be involved as much as our clients want us to be. When it comes to music, our professional DJs will play a nice mix of music genres so that everyone hears something that they like. We’ll even take requests from the guests… as long as our clients want us to.

How do you define a successful event?

I truly think that an event is successful when you have everyone dancing all night and not only can you can see the smiling expressions on the guests’ faces, but it’s always nice when the bride and grooms come up to the DJ and the end of the night to and tell them what a awesome time they’ve had. The icing on the cake and what we love most is reading are all the wonderful reviews we receive. I can honestly say that we keep up with a lot of our clients through social media, and it’s always nice when they refer us to their friends.  On a side note, I really try to keep a close tab on where our clients hear about us. This is not exact, but close to 80% of all the business that we receive is from referrals. This actually tells us a lot about what we are doing right.

Final Thoughts…

I think that finding the right professional DJ company is very important. The success of these events is oftentimes directly related to how good the entertainment is. For example, if the entertainment is poor then guests oftentimes will leave the party early. The end result is all those months of planning are wasted. Hiring with experience is key.  If I can leave future brides and grooms with any advice it would have to be this: Not all DJ companies are the same, so please do your homework. Start doing your research early enough (10-12 months out), so that you can choose an experienced company who exceeds your expectations instead of waiting a few months before the event and selecting whoever is available. The end result will be far better experience and you’ll be glad you took the extra time to get to know your DJ before hiring.  Above all, it’s important that the DJ company you choose will compliment your tastes and turn your vision into a reality.