How to catch their attention via e-mail or Facebook?

Remember there are three persons anybody is primarily interested in: me, me and me.

So make sure that there is an answer to “what’s in it for me” for your readers.

Greetinx,
C.

Here’s the thing to bear in mind.

Promoters get loads of demos and such all the time. When I took a hand at promoting, I ended up with loads of emails and people rolling through to give me demo CDs.

With the saturation of DJs out there, promoters want ROI. Don’t even think if you offer a “freebie” that they have no risk. They do. They run the risk of you emptying their room and thus they have to work harder to get those people to come back. So trying to convince them to “give you a shot” or “trial run” won’t work.

ROI…return on investment. Most places aren’t paying you for your DJ talent, but paying you to bring them a crowd. OR…they’re paying you not to lose their crowd that they worked hard to get. Had many promoters lament on how most local DJs were incapable of playing an opening set because they all want to be headliners. Had one promoter lament on how many DJs come in to play for themselves and not play to the crowd. I’ll quote him:

I’ll come in and see no one on the dance floor, everyone sitting, people leaving…but the DJ is there fist-pumping with his four friends who came out, totally ignoring the room.

So I’ll ask, are you more looking to play to the crowd? Are you willing to come in and be a human jukebox if need be? Or are you more deep into some sound or vibe and want to “educate” or “spread the gospel” or “be a tastemaker”?

If you want to play for the crowd:

1. Make sure anyone you talk to knows this. Don’t name off genres when a promoter asks you what you play, but tell him you play for the crowd.
2. Go to bars and local spots too where you can “pay your dues”. If Club A and Club B are the big popular spots, then there is no way you’re getting in unless you bring ROI to the promoter.
3. Get to know the DJs in these spots. Network. If they have to take a night off they might be calling you to come sub…there’s your opportunity.

If you want to be the “tastemaker”:

1. Forget bothering promoters and build a following. Build a scene. Get your butt on the computer and produce music. Produce remixes. Produce mashups. Post them online and grow with them. Most people who want to play the underground or anything like that will be the ones people know for some release they put out.
2. If producing isn’t for you, then blog and do podcasting. Write for yourself or toss stuff to websites. Phil picked me up for this site mainly from comments I was posting on the articles. Podcasting is the other. Start a show, push it, and stay consistent with it. In a year or so you might see results and suddenly grow into the following that becomes your leverage to get gigs.
3. Don’t shoot for the weekend events. In this world, the small weeknight events are easier to break into. Skip clubbing on the weekend and go out to a weeknight event you would want to play for. Hang out, get to know the DJ, bartenders, regulars, and eventually the promoter.
4. Get involved and promote. I’m not saying to throw your own events just yet, but if you see the promoter has a cool night and is going it at practically alone, offer to help. Granted you’ll be doing other work now, but you’ll get into the booth.
5. Build marketing materials. Website, social media, press kit. In this “tastemaker” world, the guy with a professional looking press kit will get way more gigs than the guy with a homemade CD with his name written on it in a sharpie…unless sharpie boy is know and thus will bring heads.

I won’t lie. It’s a lot of work. This is much of the reason why I stayed a hobbyist. I found myself putting in 20-40 hours of work ON TOP OF my normal job just to get that measly hour DJ set in the club…which often ended up falling apart the moment I get the trixies begging me for Top 40.

I’ve seen married men in their late 20s to late 30s able to break into the scene…but they were people persons. They could get their friends and coworkers to come out…thus showing he could get 50 people out at 9-10 PM. He was willing to go get high with promoters at some shady afterhours event to “get in”. I won’t lie…it’s political.

This is why I tell many to start small, build something, look for the smaller players who need people (like the large number of online shows asking for guest DJs), and work your way up. Go get that gig playing top 40 in a bar because it might lead you to bigger avenues.