The DJ Business team hit Las Vegas for the annual Mobilebeat DJ show. This is the first part of a two part show including interviews with some of the worlds top mobile DJ’s and reviews of some of the hottest products available.

You might be a DJ with twenty years experience but have you been doing the same thing for the last nineteen of those twenty years?

You might have updated your DJ equipment in that time but can you honestly say that you have changed your business plan, work ethics and other parts of your business?  This has also brought me to the conclusion that in the UK (I can only really speak for this market) neither have the majority of our customers. When i started as a young DJ building my own light box’s and bunking off school on a Monday to spend my pocket money on 7 inch singles I was using the same appalling font and advertising campaign that I still see in use now not to mention charging the same as some of the bottom feeder DJ’s are charging now 24 years on!  Now this is not a blog about pricing its a blog about us looking at what we do as business people and making sure we are concentrating on that and updating our personal skills as often as we update our lighting.

Taking a step back from your business and really looking at it from the ground up like a potential customer would, this will ensure that you will find holes that need filling you could also speak to someone that will give you an honest opinion (not friends and family) about your marketing or advertising, it can be very hard to hear criticism about something that you have built from scratch and put many hours into like your own website however learn to take the input about that terrible flashing gif on your site and you will ultimately start to move yourself and your business towards what ever realistic goals you want to achieve.

A great man once wrote that we never stop learning nor should we stop learning so if you are a DJ that is happy with their business and feel that you are the best you can be then I applaud you and wish you all the luck as you watch these younger and more hungry DJ’s enter the market and over take you but remember that if our precious industry is to move forward and finally get the recognition it deserves and we are seen  as “professionals” we all need to take that step and invest in ourselves and our business.

Denon have announced their brand new ‘Engine’ music management software that has been designed with players such as the new SC3900 in mind, allowing the ultimate in DJ set preparation, playback and control.

For club DJ’s having the ability to Prepare the perfect set in the studio or on a computer at home, then export it to a USB stick or Hard Disk Drive and have everything needed for your DJ performance in a device small enough to fit in your pocket will be a huge benefit and the ability to share the USB drive’s files with up to three other compatible players over a network is game changing.

Once your networked players are sharing the music from one USB device, it’s easy to manage, cue, and play to any player via an iPad with the new Engine iPad app (requires downloading from the App Store). Engine for iPad seamlessly controls your set wirelessly through a network – all via its large full-colour touchscreen. And there is no need to worry about computer or connection problems; should the iPad become disconnected, your music is still securely connected to the player via USB, leaving playback, and your audience’s attention, uninterrupted.

Additionally, playback of files on your PC or MAC is possible with the included ‘Engine’ music management software which doesn’t even require a high specification computer to work quickly and efficiently. With file searching speeds that leaves most other software standing still, Engine’s power is achieved by leaving the intensive audio processing at the player so the software is free to run before, or during your performance, utilizing the full capabilities of your computer.

Prepare music on a USB device, playback music through Engine PC or Mac software, and control via networked players or even through a network connected iPad.

Denon are stepping up their game with the new SC3900 player and the revolutionary “engine” software and we here at DJ BUSINESS TOWERS are very looking forward to putting these product to the test.

If you spend five minutes now and google “mobile DJ’s” you will find a host of sites listing their gear or even a list of songs. Do you really think a client booking a DJ for the first time is going to know the difference between a pioneer CDJ 2000 or an American Audio Radius 2000… I THINK NOT!

So with that rant out the way below are a few tips to look at when you are building or re editing your website.

1. Target your ideal customer using search results

If you really know your ideal customer you will know what they search for on Google, not just when they are looking for your type of product or service but what other things they search for. If you know that your target customer visits certain other websites a lot then consider targeting these in your website optimisation and Google AdWords campaigns.

For example you might know that your ideal customer would browse the wedding magazine websites a lot as they have the information they need. Is there any way that you can have your website show in search results for a search query for that website or the topics discussed on that website?

2. Mention your ideal customer on your website

This might seem really obvious but many websites don’t mention their ideal customer. By putting this information on your site and I mean give them a label or a title and repeat that title in your website text, have it as a page heading and a link in your website navigation and include it as a category in your business blog. Not only will this help you in SEO terms but it will allow your ideal customer to see that your business is really about them as they are mentioned on your website.

That way when they arrive at your website they will say ‘yes I’m in the right place’.

It is important that you choose the correct wording for the title you give your target customer – is this title one that they would apply to themselves?

For example, if you sell wedding disco services then you should have a page called ‘Brides To Be’ or ‘wedding entertainment’ as they are your target customer. This page could explain what you offer Brides To Be and why they should choose you over others which provide the same service.

3. Make your website an online resource for your ideal customer

If you want your target customer to keep coming back to your website then you should make your website an online resource that they can use again and again. That way, although they may not use your business the first time they visit your site, but if they keep returning to your site then it is much more likely that they will eventually convert into a customer.

Get in the head of your ideal customer and figure out what type of online resource they might want. This could be a blog that has articles that would be of interest to your target customer, even if those articles are not directly associated with the product or service you offer, that is fine as long as it keeps the right customer coming back to your website.

Remember your website is not for you, it is for your customers.

4. Include case studies of other similar customers that used your product or service to great success.

If you have been successful in getting your ideal customer in the past and have done a good job for them then you should display this on your website. Once customers see what a good job you did for others they will want you to do the same for them.

Case studies and testimonials from previous or current customers are a great way to demonstrate your success with that customer type.

Even if you can’t include text case studies try to include photographs that show previous customers using and benefiting from your product or service. This concept also works in online stores which show reviews of products from other customers.

5. Branding, Branding, Branding

Your website should be visually branded to appeal to your target customer.

For example, if you are a children’s entertainer that is targeting the children’s parties market and is trying to appeal to customers that want a fun style DJ then your website could use very rich vibrant colours and the font in your logo and page headings will should probably be very in your face and fun, whereas if you own a smaller DJ company looking to do bespoke weddings then your website would use more simple and subtle fonts that imply a clean and professional experience.

Multiple customer types

If your business is targeting multiple customer types for different products or services that you offer, then you may need a different section of your website or separate micro sites for each customer type.

A one size fits all approach won’t work when it comes to your website. In the same way that when applying for a job the candidate writes his CV specifically for the company he is applying to, your website also needs to be specifically written and targeted at your customer types.

Hopefully that will give you some inspiration and maybe another way of looking at things when you are contemplating a new website.

Equipped with a red laser as well, the petite Micro Royal Galaxian will light up an entire club with a “galaxy” of more than 200 red and blue laser patterns that can be projected on the ceiling, walls or dance floor.  The red-hot and cool-blue beams create mesmerizing patterns, as they rotate, change and move to built-in programs, either in Auto or Sound Active mode – no external programming required!

The latest in ADJ’s Micro Series of ultra-compact, affordable lighting fixtures, the Micro Royal Galaxian has also been designed to be extremely easy to operate. In addition to manual onboard controls, it comes with its own RF wireless remote controller.  At the push of a button, you can change programs, control blackout, change colors (R, B, R+B, Random), control rotation (Clockwise, Counterclockwise, Random), and switch between Auto and Sound Active modes.  The simple-to-use wireless remote gives you the convenience of being able to create a professional-looking, high-energy laser light show from the DJ booth, backstage or anywhere in the room.

With its compact size and easy operation, the powerful little Micro Royal Galaxian is ideal for mobile entertainers, DJs, bands, nightclubs, bars, and even private home or fraternity parties. There are no concerns about safety with the Micro Royal Galaxian, either. The unit’s 80mW (650nm) red laser, and a 350mW (450nm) blue laser are in total compliance with FDA standards, ensuring it can be used safely at any type of venue or event.

The Micro Royal Galaxian is fan cooled and comes with a dual hanging bracket, as well as a UL-listed multi-voltage power supply: 12V DC 100-240V, 50/60Hz.  Very efficient to operate, it consumes just 7 watts of electricity maximum.  Weighing just 2 lbs./0.8 kg. and measuring a mere 6”L x 4.75”W x 2.5”H/ 149x110x60mm, it’s great for mobile use and will fit into even the smallest spaces.

From what we have seen the boffins at Denon have listened to what DJ’s want and implemented the features into this including the metal cue and play buttons that have always been an issue for many DJ’s.

We will have one of these units for review over the new few weeks and will bring you our usual in depth look at this new and exciting unit.

The DJ Business team are joined by more than 30 DJ’s from the UK at Mobliebeat 2012 in Las Vega’s. This is our trip to the famous LasVega’s sign for a group picture. Lots more footage of the show will be uploaded over the next week.

The six Grammy Award winning artist had also won two Emmy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards and 22 American Music Awards during her record-breaking career. Her album “Whitney” was the first female album to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard Charts. She has sold 200 albums world wide.

Houston had one child, Bobbi Kristina, with husband Bobby Brown. Houston and Brown were married from 1992-2007.

Hercules, the company better known for DJ controllers, recently announced they would be extending their range of products to include a line of headphones designed for DJs.

We are yet to try these units out however it will be interesting to put them against other entry level cans including the very impressive American Audio units.