Working with DJ Booking Agents

Finding a good booking agent to work with you can be tricky for a new DJ.

Booking agents want to send you out on gigs feeling confident that you’ll be able to kill it at the gig with no amateur mistakes.

Mistakes happen, but knowing how to handle those mistakes is what sets newbie DJs apart from seasoned DJs. Trust me I’ve been there done that. Luckily I’ve surrounded myself with seasoned DJs to show me the ropes while on the come up.

A booking agent is great because they make money booking you on gigs, so they’ll definitely get you gigs. If you have a good booking agent they can book you on not only local gigs but also international gigs.

They handle the business, and you handle your business i.e, preparing your music, and show presence.

I didn’t have a booking agent until after I had already been DJ’ing and booking my own gigs for over 3 years.

I definitely suggest not to go after a booking agent right away as a new DJ. It’s best to experience running your own DJ business first.

I say this because when working with someone else you’ll better understand the value you bring to the table. Without this experience you can fall prey to booking agents who ask for money upfront. Or those who pay you chump-change for gigs that would normally pay you way more. I see it all the time. Ads for local booking agencies advertising that they’ll pay $20 – $30 an hour for gigs. I don’t know all the ends and outs of what these agencies offer, but that sounds ludicrous to me.

When looking for a booking agent see what other talent they have on their roster. See what companies they book for. Research not only client feedback but also their DJs’ feedback from working with that booking agency.

When I started DJ’ing there weren’t as many DJ booking agencies around as there is now. Do your research and find which ones you want to approach if they haven’t already approached you first.

Before a good booking agent takes you on as DJ they’ll want some background on you.

Such as, your DJ gig history, your stage presence, high-resolution photos and videos of you, and most importantly your DJ mixing capabilities.

When you have all that ready to go, package it up into your EPK – electronic press kit. Once your EPK is complete, start sending it out to potential booking agents and see what comes back to you.

Click Here: to watch an example of an old EPK video I did to book gigs in the past.

Remember to be patient with your progress and keep going.