A DJ for Hire - Let's Dance

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Frequently Asked Questions

Please use these hints when you are looking to hire ANY entertainment company. We are confident in offering our expert advice to you in the hope you will hire the best company for your event needs. Call or meet with us to tailor our services to your needs.

What should I know about hiring a DJ?
How many hours should I plan for my event?
What is the average cost of DJ’s?
Which company is best?
When should I meet with my DJ?
When should I book?
Can your company provide music for the wedding ceremony?
What if I have concerns about sound levels?
How are wedding receptions handled?
How do you get everyone to dance?
Can I provide a song list and are requests permitted?
Who provides the music?
Do you charge for setup, mileage and parking fees?
Is it possible to see your company “in action” before booking?
What can you offer for company or corporate events?
What can you offer for city, public, political-media or small business events?
What can you offer for non-profits, special groups or fundraising events?
Do you offer bar/nightclub promotional support?
How does your company work with events in various school settings?
How are reunions, anniversaries and birthday celebrations handled?
Do you offer Karaoke?
What type of equipment do you use?
How can your company help me save money?
What do I need to do to book your company for my event?

Q. What should I know about hiring a DJ?
A .A great DJ will plan for the success of any event. A DJ should do more than “just play music”. A great DJ will meet with you and discuss every aspect of your event. The DJ should be willing to coordinate with the venue and all connected to assure a smooth, fun event. Once planning is complete a DJ should perform and exceed your expectations at every level. A DJ for Hire’s DJs are experienced, mature, personable and dedicated to the special details of your event. We do not sing, or dance on tables. We dress for events in tuxedos unless otherwise requested.

Q. How many hours should I plan for my event?
A.Every event is unique. For weddings, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries and informal gathering plan on three to four hours. When booking a DJ, ask what the minimum number of hours is required and also if there is an option to add hours near the end should you decide to extend your event. Please keep in mind some venues may have room usage limits, which A DJ for Hire respects.

Q. What is the average cost of DJ’s?
A. We understand every event has a budget. Most reputable DJ companies in the Front Range average $500 to $1500 for 3-4 hour packages. Level of experience, types of service, and level of service will all affect the price. All DJ companies are not created equal; do your research and do not feel pressured to sign until all of your questions have been answered to your satisfaction. Winter, or “off-season” dates are generally a better value (excluding holiday periods) than the summer months. If you are flexible in your plans, consider any day other than Saturday to save money on all vendors. Saturdays are the most requested event days no matter the occasion. All companies offer a variety of prices, packages, experienced personnel, services and extras. Do your homework; you’ll find the DJ at the talent and price you are comfortable with. A DJ for Hire offers several packages to fit all budgets. Please call 1-800-640-0963 for a personal quote.

Q. Which company is best?
A. This depends on what you are looking for. Check with people you know. Often they may have recommendations from DJ they have hired or seen at events they have attended. Venues also may have a list of DJ’s that are good. If you do not get lucky with personal recommendation there is always the phonebook.

Rule #1: Always meet the DJ that will be doing your event before signing on the dotted line. If you cannot meet with them personally how can you be sure they know what your needs are?
Rule #2: Call several companies. If they are not immediately available to speak with you did they return your call or respond to your email in a timely manner?
Rule #3: What is your first impression of the DJ/company? Do they sound enthusiastic? Are they more interested in your event or selling you a package?
Rule #4: How long have they been in the business? Do they do this work full time or part time? Do they have references from previous clients they can share with you?
Rule #5: Have information mailed, faxed or emailed to you. Wait to make a decision after you have reviewed their information.
Rule #6: Set up meetings with the companies that interest you. Meetings are important for gauging a DJ’s personality and the company’s ability to meet your needs. Look for creative but not dominate individuals. Look for a company that is flexible with changes in your needs.
Rule #7: Does the DJ company have liability insurance? Does the company belong to any professional organizations that are dedicated to quality?
Rule #8: Sometimes the best values are not the least expensive. The location, flowers, and food are important, but when you ask family and friends if they had a good time, the DJ will be responsible for those lasting memories.
Rule #9: Who really is the best DJ for your event. My personal thought is if after you meet this person and could invite them to your party as a friend, you have found the right one.

Due to escalating fuel cost we are restricting meetings in other towns to certain days , potential clients only. You can always meet us at anytime in our Cheyenne home office. Clients who have signed with us, we will meet with you at times and places you choose.

Q. When should I meet with my DJ?
A. Meet before you sign or commit to anything. Once you have booked your DJ the number and frequency of meetings is up to you. Regardless if you meet once or multiple times, there should always be one last meeting or finalizing call no less than two weeks before your event. A DJ for Hire is available by email, phone and fax seven days a week.

Q. When should I book?
A. Although you should not feel rushed it is best to book as soon as you have decided on the right company. Even if you have met your DJ and discussed all the details of your event, your day is not held until a signed contract and retainer are received. A DJ for Hire offers a 30-day window from the day a quote is made to you. This means your day is being temporarily held. Our guarantee is for price, we cannot guarantee a specific DJ unless you would wish to specify on the contract the DJ (see contract).

If you are out of state try to meet when you are in town, or have a trusted family member or friend meet with the various companies. Always review the contracts carefully, stipulating your needs and additional expectations (if any) of the company. Always confirm your contract has been received if mailed or faxed. Communication is the key to success. Be sure you can meet with your DJ in a timely manner before and, if necessary, after a contract is signed.

Q. Can your company provide music for the wedding ceremony?
A. Yes, we offer wireless microphones, microphone stands and separate sound systems for ceremonies. We also have the ability to provide sound for remote locations where electricity may be an issue.

Q. What if I have concerns about sound levels?
A .A nice level of sound will blanket the dance floor allowing guests to conduct normal conversation at the tables. A DJ for Hire will continually monitor and adjust the sound throughout the evening. We are especially aware of sound levels in school settings. Elevated, extended loud sound levels can cause hearing loss. We believe in quality of our sound not volume.

Q. How are wedding receptions handled?
A. We can help you plan every aspect of your wedding reception. We can be as involved as you wish, or not at all. Our comprehensive reception planning form is simple and straightforward. You choose elements you wish to include and exclude. This form allows your DJ to control the flow of the reception. You will decide during your meeting the order of the elements that will take place. A DJ for Hire does recommends that the majority of elements be grouped together, shortly after the meal. This allows plenty of time for those cherished photo opportunities while reducing your photographer expenses. In addition, many guests tend to leave soon after eating. Grouping the elements will guarantee the most guests participation. We are willing to consult with venue staff, wedding planners, caterers, photographers, and anyone connected to your event to ensure the smoothest event possible.

Q. How do you get everyone to dance?
A. The simple truth is they all may not dance. Every group is different. Brides have told a DJ for Hire in the past, “This is not a dancing crowd” or “I don’t think anyone is really into dancing” and these have been some of our most surprisingly successful events. How does this happen? We try to familiarize ourselves with your guests throughout the evening. We ask for requests from those seated at the tables and get to know what music they like. Guests are involved in a personal way, which brings a special energy to the room. However, do not measure the success of your reception by the amount of dancing your guest do. Some groups simply enjoy listening to music they like and being around people they love.

Q. Can I provide a song list and are requests permitted?
A. Absolutely! You may compile a song list from our extensive online music library. Although we want to play what you want to hear, it is more important that we know what you DO NOT want played. This may seem like a strange statement but you would not want to hear a song that has some type of negative meaning for your family at your reception.

When compiling your list here are a few things to keep in mind:

The average song lasts three and a half minutes. This equates to 14 – 17 songs per hour.
One hour maybe dedicated to dinner music of your choice.
Thirty minutes are given up for many elements such as the toast, cake cutting, first dance, father/daughter and mother/son dances, garter/bouquet toss etc.
In the remaining two and three hours only 30 – 40 songs can be played. Our recommendation is for you to choose your absolute “must plays” (10 – 15 songs). Then, allow the DJ to use his/her talent and guest requests to fill out the remainder of the time.

Requests will be honored. We will honor any request that does not interfere with your wishes and more importantly, your Do Not Play list.

Q. Who provides the music?
A. All reputable companies should be able to provide all of the music for your event. A DJ for Hire has an extensive library. We have at least 7,000 songs with us at every show, however or archive library contains twice as much. If you have a rare request for a song that you have planned for in advance, A DJ for Hire will make every effort to secure the selection for your event. A DJ for Hire has CD capabilities within all of the systems should you have a special CD not found in our library. We have recently integrated MP-3 storage devices into our professional sound system, with thousand’s of more songs.

Q. Do you charge for setup, mileage, parking fees?
A. A DJ for Hire does not charge for set up or teardown time within a reasonable time frame. Set up is completed within the hour prior to guest arrival time. For insurance and liability purposes, a small fee may be charged for events that require longer delays between set up and the actual start of the event.

Mileage fees are charged for events outside the 100-mile radius of our Cheyenne base, Denver (County Line Road) to the south, Sterling to the east and Estes Park to the west is included in our free zone travel area.

Parking or national/state park entrance fees are the responsibility of the client and are included on the contract.

Q. Is it possible to see your company “in action” before booking?
A. Mobile entertainment companies have various policies. A DJ for Hire will not invite you to a private party, nor would we invite strangers to your event. A DJ for Hire does perform at a variety of public functions at which you may visit us. Some companies do have offer performance videos or DVDs. Videos and DVDs are a great resource but tend to be highly produced and edited, and should not replace a face-to-face meeting. We offer no video performance DVD.

Q. What can you offer for corporate events?
A. A DJ for Hire offers more than music. We can provide sound reinforcement for seminars within one room or through several. We offer wireless microphones, lapel microphones, and microphone stands. We can provide full, rich sound not available at most venues, for Power Point or A/V presentations. A DJ for Hire offers an onsite sound engineer to ensure a smooth running event.

Need a little down time after the day’s seminars? We can offer music for dancing or karaoke.

Holiday parties remain a favorite. We have developed programs to save your company hundreds of dollars without sacrificing the fun for your employees. It is this same great service that has companies calling us back year after year.

We can help your company with any theme-based party: New Year’s, St. Patrick’s Day, Summer Beach Party, 50’s Sock Hop, 70’s Disco Night, etc.

Our Texas Hold’em and Black Jack Casino night parties are action packed. The package includes dealers, tables, chips and cards and lessons for the no-so sure players. Include our DJ package for a complete night of entertainment.

Q. What can you offer for city, public, political-media or small business events?
A. We can provide speakers, microphones, and music for any event large or small. Our event staff can make public announcements and provide professional MC services. Event staff is very media savvy with over 40 years of radio and television experience. We are not equipped for concerts, but we can provide band break music or essential PA requirements over a large area. We have provided services for Bull Riders Only Rodeo, City of Lafayette Parade, City Live Auctions, Car Shows, sporting goods store anniversary celebration, auto dealerships, bank & business Grand Openings, and Armed Forces events. We provide secondary support for radio broadcast remotes and remain long after they leave (at a fraction of cost) to generate energy and provide music and MC/PA service.

Q. What can you offer for non-profits, special groups or fundraising events?
A. Depending on staff availability, we may be able to provide services at a greatly reduced price or in some cases free of charge. We will do our best to help your group have a great time without breaking your budget.

Q. Do you offer bar/nightclub promotional support?
A. Michael Randleman the owner has previous experience as a bar manager and entertainment manager for several clubs. Michael and his staff can take any promotion, and provide the necessary tools and professionalism needed to successfully increase revenue. A DJ for Hire can also provide KJ’s (karaoke jocks) and equipment.

Q. How does your company work with events in various school settings?
A. All our music is radio edit. This means it is “clean” enough to air on the radio. Elementary and middle school programs provided by A DJ for hire include heavy interactive elements for example: YMCA, Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey dance, and Limbo. High school events are more dance-oriented with music that is classified as club “beat mix”. These selections are also radio edit and respect is given to any restrictions of the school administration. College events are open to any style and free of any restrictions. We also offer long term sound equipment rental systems to schools and teen centers.

Q. How are reunions, anniversaries and birthday celebrations handled?
A. These events are treated with the same respect as any other event we would do. The program would be tailored to meet the needs of the event. A DJ for Hire offers an online music library resource for event planning. All of our music is radio edit and can please anyone age 8 to 80. Enhanced lighting effects, fog and bubble machines are available and add an element of excitement.

Reunions are a very important part of our business. A DJ for Hire has many ideas for reunion planning to make your event successful. We combine the best of the past with the freshness of the present. We understand the importance of “catching up” with one another therefore our policy is: Reminiscing with old friends is more important than loud music.

Q. Do you offer Karaoke?
A. Yes! We have a small system available that can be added to most of our DJ packages. The karaoke song list is available through the online music list under the genre “Karaoke”. Karaoke is also available as an independent package for bars, nightclubs, corporate events, birthday/anniversary parties and group picnics.

Q. What type of equipment do you use?
A. A DJ for Hire is a presentation-oriented company. We want to look as good as we sound. Every company offers a wide range of equipment and formats. A DJ for Hire offers very compact and elegant looking systems. A DJ for Hire uses a mini-disc format with CD backup. We also have a full secondary back up system available for every event.

Following is a general list of the equipment used by A DJ for Hire. Actually system set up vary between units.

Rane MP-22 mixer board
Sony E-10 broadcast mini-disc play/record units
Dual Denon MK 2000 CD Players
Shure SM-58 UHF professional grade wireless microphone.
JBL G-2 10 Series speakers, with two amplifiers each
JBL G-2 Subwoofer (for large groups and school events) not supplied unless requested
Apple I-Pod Nano storage devices.
Road-ready ATA SKB rack cases
All additional equipment such as cassette players and karaoke can be requested as needed.

Q. How can your company help me save money?
A. Anyone planning an event can do several things to save. For weddings, dates in the late fall, winter, or early spring will save you money (this is also true for most venues, caterers, photographers and florists). Any day other than Saturdays, winter or summer will also offer discounts.

A DJ FOR HIRE gift registry is saving brides and families hundreds of dollars on any day of the year. Our gift registry makes your guests a part of the reception and party.

Small businesses or groups can combine with another company or group to share the cost of the venue and the entertainment.

Reunion or party planners can benefit from our knowledge of advance paid event planning. Call us today to find out more.

Q. What do I need to do to book your company for my event?
A. Once you have done all of your research and you have made a decision, contact A DJ for Hire at 1-800-640-0963 to set up meeting. In order to secure your date A DJ for Hire will need to receive a signed contract and the non-refundable retainer. Be sure to complete all areas of information on the contract including contact names and phone numbers. During the meeting your initial quote will be reviewed and formalized on the contract. Keep in mind your end quote may vary from the initial quote if there are changes in the services you request. Information regarding the reception specifically can be given to your DJ as late as two weeks prior to your event.

If you are confident in your decision and you do not wish to have an initial meeting simply send the white copy of the contract to the address listed at the top of the contract. Keep the yellow copy for your records. We will call to confirm your contract has been received and your date is secured. If you do not hear from us within ten business days please call.

Feel free to contact us should you have any questions or concerns about your event. We are here to help and our first goal is to make your event planning as stress free as possible. We are available via phone, fax and email seven days a week. Thank you for choosing A DJ for Hire! We look forward to working with you.

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