Make an investment in YOU.
November 3rd, 2014| by Willard Barth
I’ve often joked with other D.J.s that to be successful in this business you really should invest in learning about human behavior and take some basic psychology courses. But in reality, I’m not joking. It seems that so often we are willing to dump thousands of dollars on new technology that will be outdated before we understand how to use it, but we won’t invest a fraction of that money in developing our interpersonal and communication skills.
In my last article I talked about investing in your financial education. Today, I want to talk about investing in your greatest asset: YOU. If you want to be taken seriously as a ‘Professional Adult Nightclub D.J.’, and have a shot at working a major club in a major market, you will be expected to act and think like a manager. On top of that, you’ll need to be able to turn on the creative entertainer side of your personality while also providing outstanding customer service. It’s a whole lot more than pushing buttons, folks.
We all know the money that can be made in the upscale clubs. Even in this economy, you can make an incredible living. So why not invest some money to improve your skills as a leader, a team builder, a sales person and communicator? And I mean communication skills beyond just being able to speak clearly, without having a ‘puke voice’. I do feel those are very important skills, though. So if you’re looking to work in a top club, you need to realize that you’re going to need a lot more than just the ability to read a room, mix and be good on the mic. Like it or not, you’re position as a D.J. requires you to not only be an top notch entertainer and emcee, but also to have strong management skills. The top jocks I know have tremendous leadership skills. Whether those skills are natural or if they developed through some form of study, such as the military, college, corporate experience, seminars, they have learned how to lead and positively influence others. Leadership and influence is both an art and a science, and if you are going to succeed in this business, you need to practice and study just like any other art or science . Top jocks are also “Team Players”. They realize that the success of the club relies on being able to get multiple parts of the machine working in sync to be able to produce specific results. If you don’t currently have those skills, invest in learning them. There is tons of information on how to build and be a part of a winning team.
The point I am trying to make is that if you want to make “Professional Money”, you need to invest in being a professional. Take classes, read books, listen to audios on how to become a better leader. Take sales courses. Learn about personality profiles — DISC, Meyers Briggs, and more — and how to interact with people based on those personality types. There are some great courses available online and the investment you make will not only help you become a better DJ, but will also give you skills that you can use in every area of your life. Also, it’s vitally important to take 20% of what you invest in equipment and invest that money in YOU. When you apply what you learn, you’ll find the return on this investment will be much greater than what you spent. Heed these words and find success!
