Killer DJ Promotion

Step 1: Gather information

The first step in writing your DJ bio is to gather the information you want to talk about. Think about the following questions before you write anything:

• Where are you from? Has this had any bearing on the kind of DJ you are/want to be?
• How did you start DJing? Or what led you to want to be a DJ?
• What are your goals as a DJ?
• Who influences you? Where do you draw inspiration from?
• What have you done, in terms of gigs or projects?
• What are you currently doing now, in terms of residencies or other projects?
• What projects are you looking to do in the future?

Take some notes as you ask yourself these things. Even if you’re a rank amateur with little experience, you can still come up with an initial bio by simply focusing on the points that aren’t related to past or present gigs/projects.

Step 2: Write your draft

With your information gathered, it’s time to organise it into a first draft. This isn’t supposed to be a chronological telling of your DJ career, but more a combination summary/marketing story of you. A good way to approach the first draft is to use this basic structure:

• Who you are and what you’re about
• Where you started and what you’ve done.
• Your influences and goals
• Where you’re at now and where you see yourself going

I know it’s tough to talk about yourself, but it is one of life’s challenges that when you overcome it, you’ll be able to more easily promote yourself not even in the DJ realm but even in the normal professional world, if you happen to be seeking a job or opportunity that isn’t even DJ-related.

When you write, think about the tone you want to convey and which “person” you want to speak in. Speaking in the first person (“I did this and I did that”) will give a more friendly, personable tone to your bio. However, it might not come off as “professional”. The third person (“He did this and she did that”) is a better tone for most bios if you’re serious about going deep into this as a potential career.

In terms of tone, you want your bio to sound ambitious, professional, and positive. Try not to sound egotistical, negative, or narcissistic. Also try not to get long-winded, or put in things that have no real relevance to your DJ career. For instance, it’s nice that you were born in a little village and shovelled coal until you were sixteen, but does this have any real deep relevance to you as a DJ and what you bring to the booth? If the sound of a coal shovel rhythmically hitting the black stuff has given you a highly original take on programming drum lines, say so – if not, it’s not relevant!

So how long should your bio be? I’m sure you’re wondering. I will tell you that most promoters or even journalists are not going to have the time or patience to read a massively long DJ bio. I would probably advise not to go more than four or five paragraphs, but at least as long as one paragraph (if you don’t have much to say). One sheet, definitely.

When you get your first draft finished, approach the next step the same way you might have when you write or wrote term papers for school. Write your rough draft, read it a few times, and then tweak or change things as you see fit.

Step 3: Version it out

When you finish and perfect your final bio, you then need to make several versions of this. The main reason is your bio should also be easy content for whoever might need it. So let’s say you made a strong four-paragraph bio you’ll toss on your website and in your press kit. You should then whittle it down into a one-paragraph version showing the most important points. This is what some journalists or promoters might use in some cases, or perhaps for social media sites in the “About” section.

You should also make one or two more versions that are one or two sentences long. This might sound silly, but look at a lot of rave events. When they post their detailed lineups online, many promoters will put those small tiny bios next to each name. These mini-bios shouldn’t so much focus on achievements or where you came from, but more on just who you are and what one can expect of you. Think of this as your “elevator pitch” – what would you tell someone if you had to travel a single floor in an elevator with them about your DJing career, that gets the main point across?

Step 4. Got a related company? Do the same thing!

Are you planning on starting a promotions crew to throw events? Or maybe you’re a mobile DJ and want to present yourself as a company rather than an individual? In either case (or if you’re a PA hire firm, or you run an internet radio station, or you’ve founded a club wear shop, or you run the club listings website for your town…) the simple DJ bio will not do. You’ll still need a DJ bio regardless for your own individual use, but for a company, the “bio” is known as a mission statement. A mission statement is usually one or two sentences that tell what your company does and what it’s about. This could be something like:

“Our mission is to expand the musical landscape of the city while entertaining patrons and creating a balance between underground innovation and mainstream excitement.”

Or even:

“DDJT Entertainment provides top-quality music and entertainment services for your event. We bring the excitement of the club to your wedding, corporate party, or school dance.”

If you need to go further, then you would make a company history which tells of your achievements, growth, current projects, and goals, much in the way you did for your DJ bio. From that point you would perhaps list the principal participants in the company and show their own short one-paragraph bios (see why I had you version things out?).

In the long run, be it a bio or mission statement, the goal is to write copy that allows the reader to get to know you as a DJ, artist, or company. A demo can do wonders, but it’s the bio that separates you from the masses. That’s why it is so important, and why you should treat it always as a work in progress – keep updating and evolving your bio as you grow and evolve as a DJ or artist.

9 Tips for 1st Gig

1. Take your time
Avoid taking on a last minute gig. Give yourself at least three days to practise and plan before playing a gig. Taking on a last minute gig does nothing but open up the door of frustration. Many inexperienced or novice DJs make the mistake of thinking that they need to take on any gig they’re offered, at any notice. This is not true and in fact, it pays to be selective. Take the gigs you know you can handle and decline the rest. After all, if you botch a gig, how will that help you land another in the future?

2. Use the tools you’re familiar with
Whether your friend has a faster laptop than you, or you just bought a new deck, switching up your tools at the last minute is a recipe for disaster. In order to avoid the confusion of new equipment, or the possibility that it won’t perform the way you’re used to, avoid using equipment you’re unfamiliar with at your first (or any) gig. Stick to the tools you know, even if they’re slower or less fancy.

3. Play to the crowd
If the only place you’re used to playing is your room, then you’re likely playing to an audience of one: Yourself. When playing your first gig for other people you need to keep in mind that their tastes, and your tastes, may not line up. Learning to listen to the criticism and suggestions of others without allowing them to derail you is one of the great skills of DJing. Might as well start learning it right from the off.

4. Never leave home without a plan B
As a budding DJ you probably haven’t had a whole lot of experience with hardware failures. Despite what some DJs will say, hardware failure can and will happen. Whether it’s a frayed cable or a crashed laptop it doesn’t matter: they both stop the music. You should always have a plan B in place in case your plan A stops working…

5. Show up early
The last thing you want to be doing before you step behind the decks is rushing around tying up last minute loose ends. It’s better to show up too early than too late. Give yourself time to set up, and run a thorough sound check. This will alert you to any problems and give you time to fix them before they affect the sound of your set.

6. Plan out your set
As a DJ you know it’s best to start strong and end strong, but many well-intentioned DJs will forget this in the heat of the moment. It’s best to plan out multiple solid playlists that you can switch to depending on your crowd. This will keep people dancing, and help lessen the nervousness of a first gig. Having pre-planned “mini-sets” like this is not cheating; slotting together pre-planned segments according to what the crowd reacts to is a time-honoured why of mixing planning with spontaneity.

7. Promote the gig
It’s not enough to assume that your family and friends will simply pack out a club. They may or may not, but truth be told you’ll probably want some strangers there too, and bringing a crowd is certainly one of the best ways to get booked again, like it or not. Friends and family may be flakier than you think, plus they’ll always give biased feedback. Plus, winning over a room of strangers is always more fulfilling than playing to the converted.

8. Make sure everything makes it to the gig
You probably have a lot of equipment, cables, accessories and the like. Create a log so you can make sure everything you need makes it to the gig and back home. It’s a good idea to pin a checklist to the back of door in your DJ room, or keep one on your phone, or tucked in your kit bag.

9. Bring a trusted sidekick
Having a person available to help you isn’t necessary, but it will make a world of a difference. During the course of a two-hour set it’s very likely that you’ll need to step out for a break or to use the restroom, and it’s good to have someone there who can watch your stuff and make sure everything keeps running smoothly. This person can also act as a liaison between you and the audience so that you can receive requests and suggestions without having to shift your focus from the decks to the audience.

What not to do in Music Industry

THE PERSONAL ELEMENT

1. Don’t ever stop practicing your instrument.
2. Don’t be an asshole.
3. Don’t WANT WANT WANT WANT. Learn to give back first.
4. Don’t get defensive. Learn to take constructive criticism.
5. Don’t forget to learn how to take destructive criticism, too. You’ll get a lot more of it than you think.
6. Don’t forget that everyone’s an asshole.
7. Don’t stop learning.
8. Don’t lose your ambition.
9. Don’t lose touch of where you came from and who helped you out.
10. Don’t stop reading. Read more. Read a LOT more.
11. Don’t ever stop trying to meet new people and fans.
12. Don’t stop practicing. I fucking meant it.
13. Don’t make excuses.
14. Don’t make commitments you can’t keep.
15. Don’t say what you can’t back up.
16. Don’t exaggerate, everyone will see right through it.
17. Don’t be afraid to get into it.
18. Don’t owe anyone money. Pay it off as soon as you can.
19. Don’t think that they won’t fuck you over just because they’re a friend.
20. Don’t shit on the few friends that you do have.
21. Don’t be the guy who just floats along. Actively help your band out as much as you can.
22. Don’t rely on everyone else, make it happen yourself or lend a hand in getting it accomplished.
23. Don’t forget that you can’t change certain things, and bitching about it won’t help either.
24. Don’t forget how fucking stupid you are.
25. Don’t be afraid to listen to those who are smarter and more experienced than you.
26. Don’t forget that sometimes you’re wrong. In fact, more often than not, you’re wrong.
27. Don’t pretend you’re innocent.
28. Don’t pretend to be above something. Get your hands dirty. Hurt your back. Get scraped up and some real work.
29. Don’t live in the past or the future. Learn to love the moment and what you’re doing. You’re in a band. Love that fact.
30. Don’t lose sight of what you started your band for to begin with.
31. Don’t lose faith in yourself or your friends. They’ll help you out more than you think when you need it.
32. Don’t be naive. Believe it when you see it.
33. Don’t forget what it’s like to just be starting out in the industry. Explain things to people. Take on someone under your wing; teach someone something good.
34. Don’t blame the label. As a fan, you have no idea what the circumstances were. As an artist on that label, there’s always something you did that was probably shitty, too.
35. Don’t blame the manager, either. Same goes for them.
36. Don’t think bands are these innocent angels. They rarely are as good as they make themselves out to be. They’re people just like everyone else, and that means they can be just as shitty as anyone else.
37. Don’t be afraid to lend a helping hand.
38. Don’t get into arguments with people on social media. Stay away from it. It’s pointless.
39. Don’t judge a situation before you’ve heard both sides. This means you should basically never judge a situation or someone.
40. Don’t forget that everything is a joke and that you shouldn’t ever be too serious. No one gets out of life alive.

THE GENERAL BAND STUFF

1. Don’t assume anyone will care about your band. They won’t.
2. Shit talking doesn’t get anyone anywhere.
3. Don’t be that band that starts to do it for the money. It’s not that money’s bad, it’s that we can all tell you’re forcing it and no one appreciates a forced art form.
4. Don’t ask too much for your merch. It’s just a damn t shirt.
5. Don’t order too many CDs. It’s not worth having tons of them laying around.
6. The same goes for merch. Don’t order more merch than you reasonably think you can sell on a tour or in a small timeframe such as a month or two.
7. Don’t spend your money on stupid stuff. Spend it where it counts.
8. Don’t buy likes on Facebook
9. Don’t try to buy your way to the top.
10. Don’t skimp on gear, either.
11. Don’t forget to practice with a click. Drummers and guitarists, this goes for both of you.
12. Don’t ever stop interfacing with the people that buy your music. No matter how big or small you are.
13. Don’t forget to do cool little things for fans while you’re on tour. a small note or a signed drumstick will go a lot farther than you think.
14. Don’t expect respect.
15. Don’t forget that you have to do your time.
16. Don’t assume. Make everything as clear as you can, and get it in writing at every chance you can get.
17. Don’t stop creating. Not just music, either. Create in every format you can. You are a creator, after all. Photos, blog posts, new music, share music, share ideas, just put out content.
18. Don’t forget just how many ways there are to reach out to your fans.
19. Don’t forget to post on every social media network every single day.
20. Don’t forget to engage with your fans. If you master this, you’ve mastered the music industry.
21. Don’t stop trying to improve your sound and tone, both live and recorded.
22. Any publicity is good publicity.
23. And, additionally, people will hate you for anything and everything. Don’t worry about it.

BOOKING  & TOURING

1. Don’t ask for too much.
2. Don’t book a tour for your band unless you have the emergency fund to support it
3. Don’t book a tour with too little notice. You’re just shooting yourself in the foot.
4. Don’t turn down a door deal because you think you can do better.
5. Don’t blame the promoter when you haven’t helped promote the show, either.
6. Don’t blame the promoter when you haven’t helped, period.
7. Don’t expect to play to 100 kids a night. Be grateful for 5.
8. Don’t forget to say thanks to the sound guy.
9. Don’t forget what it feels like to be the opening band.
10. Don’t forget what it feels like to be shit on by the touring band.
11. Don’t get a rockstar attitude.
12. Don’t kiss ass, but don’t forget when to say thank you, either.
13. Don’t forget that the touring band usually needs a place to stay.
14. Don’t forget that they could use a place to shower, too.
15. Don’t think people will help you out just because. You have to give them a reason.
16. Don’t pretend to be better than the local bands you used to play shows with.
17. Don’t stop booking or helping to book your tours. Just because you have an agent doesn’t mean you can’t help out.
18. Don’t be the diva in the van.
19. Don’t be too cool to say sorry. Come on, dude, you and I both know you were being an asshole.
20. Don’t let what someone said get to you. Keep your cool.
21. Don’t forget to have fun on tour. That’s what it’s really all about, anyway.
22. Don’t skimp on buying your van. Quality counts when it’s the only thing getting you to your next show.
23. Eat at cool places and do cool things on tour. Those memories are just as good as the rest of tour.
24. Don’t stop drinking water on tour. Dehyrdation causes fatigue and you’re dehydrated before you even know it.
25. Don’t pass up the chance to shower. Ever.
26. Don’t buy anything that can go bad in the van. Meats, dairy, anything that’s perishable is a no-go in the van unless you eat it immediately. If it can’t sit for more than 30 minutes, don’t bring it in to begin with.
27. Don’t leave your dirty laundry everywhere in the van. Keep it in a sealable bag.
28. Don’t step without looking. You’re gonna break some shit.
29. Don’t gas up without checking the gas prices with the GasBuddy app. Find the cheapest gas.
30. Don’t get under a half tank of gas if you can help it.
31. Don’t pack too heavy, and I’m not talking about just your bag. Cut everything out of your life that you don’t need. Emotions and unnecessary clothes alike.
32. Don’t forget to call your loved ones back home. Family loves to hear where you’re at. Girlfriends love to hear that you’re not kissing another girl.
33. Don’t spend all your money on stupid stuff on tour. You don’t need that sombrero, homie, your money can go to better places while you’re being poor on the road.
34. Don’t forget to wipe a couple extra times. You can’t afford any leftovers, man.
35. Don’t forget to masturbate. That shit relieves stress. You’re a god damn musician, get creative and find a place.
36. Don’t forget to experience the locations you go to on tour. Find good food to eat, visit a national monument, go the Grand Canyon, check out Mount Rushmore, and take pictures.
37. Don’t forget to stop at cool places along the road on tour.
38. Don’t be a dick to the person who gives you a place to stay. Say thank you at every chance and try to do something in return for them. Clean the room you stayed in a little bit, help them do dishes.
39. Don’t be loud and obnoxious at 3:08 in the morning when you’re staying in a stranger’s house.
40. Don’t be the band who only cares about getting drunk or high after the show. Learn how to have a good time sober.
41. Don’t try and get out of driving duty.
42. Don’t stop talking in the van. Late night talks are food for thought and soup for the soul.

RECORDING

1. Don’t expect your drums to sound like Lars off the Black Album when you haven’t tuned them and put new heads on.
2. Don’t expect your sound engineer to work magic. This goes for live shows, too. Your instruments must sound good first.
3. Don’t show up to the studio without extra guitar strings, drum sticks, guitar picks, and drum heads.
4. Don’t forget to bring a source of entertainment. Studio time is 90% of waiting-for-someone-else time.

LOCAL SCENE AND SUPPORT

1. Don’t talk shit on your scene when you’re not doing anything to help it.
2. Don’t be an asshole, okay? Do you fucking get it? Stop that shit.
3. Don’t think you’re band is the best. You’re not.
4. Don’t stop trying to improve your live show.
5. Don’t shit on local bands because they’ll hurt you more than you think.
6. Don’t steal from other bands; Learn the subtle difference between paying homage and stealing.
7. Don’t show up late for the show. This goes for touring bands, too.
8. Don’t dip out before the show is over. Stay for all the bands.
9. Don’t be an elitist. If a band is doing well, then they’re doing something right, whether you agree or disagree with it.
10. Don’t stop supporting local music. If you start to get big, help out the local bands that you used to play shows with. They’re the same as you, and as much as you don’t want to admit it, they might deserve it just as much, if not more than you do.

AND FINALLY….

1. Don’t forget why you got into this.
2. Don’t stop putting your entire heart and soul into every show. It’s cliché, I know, but it’s true.

And there we have it. A cumulative list of 121 things to completely avoid.