Okay, so I’ll admit it. This one’s really nit-picky. But this blog is all about being professional. So, this falls into that category.
I never, EVER, use the word “gig” to refer to a client’s event.
Now, I don’t have anything against the word. Gig is a perfectly fine way to refer to a paying job in the music industry. And, it’s great shorthand with other performers. It can indicate that it’s something you just picked up, or something you don’t do regularly. For industry insiders, it’s fine.
But your clients aren’t industry insiders. Most of them are hiring a DJ for the first time in their lives. They don’t necessarily know the lingo.
To my ear, “gig” just sounds far too casual. You want to give your clients a sense of confidence in you and what you are doing. Using a word like “gig” to refer to their event makes it sound like it’s not a big deal to you. It’s a BIG DEAL to your client. They’ve probably spent thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars on this event. It is definitely not a “gig” to them.
So, I’ve taken the time to adjust my vocabulary. I always refer to the wedding/party/etc as an “event” when I’m talking to the client. And, I try to use it with anyone else I speak with too, just so I’m practicing good habits. Like, I’ll tell my friends or family, “I have a DJ event on Friday.” Or, I’ll be more specific, “I’m DJ’ing a birthday party next week.”
Think about what your potential client is hearing when you meet them for the first time, especially if it’s over the phone. “When is the gig?” Ick. Would you want to hire someone who was that casual? How about this instead: “When is your event?”, or even better “When is your wedding?” Make it personal to make an impact. Doesn’t that sound so much more professional?
I know this is a small detail, but it the little things that make all the difference. If you’ve been a DJ for a while, you know this to be true. You’ve seen DJs playing the same songs that everyone else plays, but they’re trainwrecking the transitions, or just killing the vibe with the wrong song at the wrong time. This is no different. Increasing your bookings is all about confidence, both your confidence in yourself and your client’s confidence in you. Don’t give them any reason to doubt you are anything but a highly-skilled professional.
