by Matt Ryan
For we DJs, the summer months are filled with wedding receptions, class reunions, and pool parties – and there’s not a school dance in sight, at least until August that is!
Teachers and many administrators are away from their buildings, so there is little in the way of marketing you can do. Hopefully some of your work with schools during the year has transferred into the occasional summer teen party, but how else are you using the summer to prepare for the school dance season ahead?
If you want your mobile entertainment business to be ready for school dances in the Fall, there are several things you’ll need to do to be ready during the summer
Your Summer Checklist
Organize equipment – after a whirlwind of a prom season, your equipment may have gotten neglected. Cords are tangled, equipment moved, and maybe a thing or two not working the way it should. Organize and tune up your equipment this summer, so everything is where it belongs next year and in top working order.
Color-Code Your Setups – if you’re a multi-op, it can be hard to know which equipment works together. I’ve found it easy to color code all my equipment, so I can easily tell which equipment should be going out at one time. I’ve gotten so particular as to color coding each individual cord. It definitely makes inventory easier!
Stay Up-to-Date with Music – just because school is out doesn’t mean the music charts stand still. You’ll want to know what is current and fresh for your first events in the fall. Keep your library current all summer!
Order prizes, t-shirts, and glowsticks for the coming year – stock up on the essentials so you aren’t waiting for them to arrive when you’ve booked solid with events.
Prepare early Fall marketing materials – teachers and administrators really “get back to work” on August 1st. Prepare your materials to be one of the first things they see when they return if they haven’t booked you for the coming year!
Take advantage of the next few months to prepare your business for another successful school dance season! Be sure to get some rest, too! Good luck!
Matt Ryan – School Dance Pro
Matt Ryan is a multi-op DJ business owner, radio personality, developer of School Dance Pros and educator.
He has been entertaining at school and many other types of functions since 1996. Matt Ryan Mobile DJ Entertainment performs at approximately 250 events per year, nearly half of which are school and teen dances and proms.
Matt is a well-known on-air personality at WNCI 97.9, a Top 40 radio station in Columbus, OH. He is also a middle school teacher and coach.
Matt is able to provide unprecedented insight to other DJs about how school dances are organized.
His “School Dance DJ Marketing Toolkit” is available at SchoolDancePros.com. To contact Matt, email [email protected].
