Seeking some advice. Brother is a DJ and was wondering how to go about starting a small dj business. If anyone has any advice on what he needs to do and where to go to do this. He has been djing for over 10 years and wanted to make it more known to people that he has these services. I know he has done weddings and would like to do more of them also along with many other occasions. If you have any and all advice for him would be great. Any advice on how to make a website or where to go for him to learn to make a website.
Thanks to everyone who responded with all their helpful advice. I'm passing it all along to him.
If he's been doing it for 10 years then he HAS a small dj business.
And if he's been doing it for 10 years, where are the referrals from past shows?
In this day and age, I think he needs a website!
And LOTS of advertisement!
He needs to go to the IRS website, for starters, to make sure he doesn't cross the income threshhold when he needs to start paying quarterly taxes.
He should also talk to a CPA (who can also give him this information) to ensure he's taking all of the deductions he's entitled to as a business owner.
If he doesn't have one already, he needs a business license.
As far as a website, he should ask around and see if anyone can recommend a designer. It's worth having it done by a professional.
visit the SCORE website and find a free business mentor in your area, they will guide hin step by step on how to start a business. http://www.score.org/
The SBA is a wealth of info...complete with free online classes he can take.
1) Good Biz name
2) Register a domain name
3) Start a Facebook/Twitter page
4) Get a biz tax id #
5) Check with an insurance agent to see what kind of liability a DJ might need to carry
6) Get references lined up from past clients. Get consent to share their quotes on his website.
7) Get business cards or fliers
8) Visit/network with local wedding vendors: florists, bridal salons, banquet halls, caterers, photographers, photo booth services, etc
9) Specify what types of extras he might provide. Some DJs are very interactive and use props, etc. (not my style but there is a huge market for that kind of stuff.) Fog lights? Disco balls? Laser lights?
10) Determine different levels of pricing
I'll add more if I think of anything.
Good luck to him!
In CA it's pretty easy to do a small business like this. In CA, He would need to decide on a name for his business then register the name with the county by filing a fictitious business name statement. He would also need a bank account for the business. I believe he has to have that before filing the fictitious business name statement. Then that's it. He runs the notice of fictitious business name filing in a newspaper of general circulation once a week for six weeks - then he's in business. He can put up fliers around town; advertise in local papers; post fliers in other businesses (with permission), etc.
I'm a small business owner (photographer.) Don't be worried about the IRS stuff, it's not that complicated. If he can afford to hire a CPA to do his taxes for him, then do that the first year, just to get the hang of it.
He should:
Definitely make a website. I just made my own on Wix. There's a learning curve, but it's pretty easy, and he's probably way more tech-savvy than me.! It's free if you don't mind having their ads on your site, and cheap if you do. Include a statement about how he'll make your event different and awesome. Include photos of him working, interacting with clients, (taking requests) and clients at events dancing their butts off! If there's a photographer working the event he can ask her/him to do him that favor. If not, get permisson from client to have you come along--you may have to stage a few of him interacting with partyers.
Post the website on his Facebook page, and also create a business FB page and link to it. Ask past clients for quotes to put on the website, and ask if they're willing to be emailed/phoned for referrals.
Get business cards made (nice designs for cheap at Vistaprint.com) and pass them out to anyone and everyone!
Tell anyone and everyone about your business. Post photos of events (with permission of client) on your FB pages. 80% ish of a DJ's business is through word-of-mouth.
Tell him good luck for me! Working for yourself doing something you love has its ups and downs, but they're mostly ups!
As a business owner....my advice is that he needs to seek Legal and Tax counsel so that he complies with all of the rules per the IRS. Depending on how much revenue he brings in, he may need to fil quarterly reports, pay monthly taxes, etc. There are a lot legal issues to take care of... name the business, decide what is best (LLC, etc), have state licenses and permits, etc.
If he has been doing this 10 yrs, has he been being paid cash under the table or working with another DJ company. If he has been working on a cash basis, he needs to be especially careful because IRS may very welll come take their share of the earnings unless he has filed his taxes properly and reported everything.
We use yahoo for our website. We built it ourselves, we pay about $14 a month for the upkeep.
As far as advertising, I agree with word of mouth and if he has ben doing this 10 yrs, he obviously has a customer base.
Best of luck to him!
He has been doing little gigs here and there. This wasn't a full time thing. He has had equiptment for 10 years and doing jobs here and there and doing family functions. Nothing to say that he has been in business.
