Starting a DJ Business: How to Be a DJ in 6 Steps

Okay, so you know you’ve got talent. (And not just because your mom said so.) You’ve got the equipment. You’ve mastered the perfect party mix. And all your friends rely on you to keep the party bumpin’ on a Saturday night.

It’s time to start taking this DJing thing seriously.

Maybe you’re ready to start a side hustle to save up for a trip to Europe. Or maybe you want to go full throttle and become the next David Guetta. And maybe you have no clue where to start.

Whatever your story, we’ve got you covered.

This guide will cover how to:

Read on to learn everything you need to know about starting a DJ business. You’ll walk into your first paid gig feeling (and looking) like an absolute pro. Let’s rock n’ roll!

1. Determine your goals and target market

A successful business owner starts by getting super clear on their goals and what they’re working towards. Your DJ business is no different. Start by identifying what kind of DJ you want to be (clubs? weddings? birthday parties?), and then consider your brand and how you’ll market yourself.

If you’re not sure what your niche is, think about who your ideal customer is. Are they club owners? Engaged couples? Parents of some super sweet teens? What problem do they need solving and how can you help?

Your next step is to research your competition. Is there someone who is doing something similar? What are they doing well and what could they improve upon? Don’t let the fear of competition slow you down, though: look to them for inspiration!

Finally, write a simple mission statement that looks something like this:

This statement helps you get even clearer on exactly what you need to do and how to pitch yourself to potential clients.

Read more about this important step in launching your business here.

2. Come up with a DJ name

Many DJs use their own name—and a lot of DJs use a fake name too. Fun fact: Did you know Calvin Harris’ real name is Adam Wiles?

When coming up with a DJ name, you’ll want to use a name that’s catchy, easy to remember, and isn’t already taken. For example, “DJ Joe” or “Grillex” might get lost in the shuffle (who does that Skrillex guy think he is, anyway?), but your own name might be what makes you famous.

Like any small business, a good DJ name is unique, user-friendly, and ideally, available as a domain name! It’s super easy to come up with a DJ name using Looka’s Business Name Generator. It’s free to use and displays domain availability and logo designs in seconds. Whatever name you decide on, make sure you love it and it feels authentic to you.

3. Designing a DJ logo

You’ve identified your goals and target market, and you’ve come up with a wicked cool DJ name. Now you need to design your DJ logo!

Why do you need a logo? Well, every small business should have a logo!

A good logo gives your brand an identity. It helps your business come to life. And while your logo doesn’t necessarily need to describe exactly who you are and what you do, it does provide some insight into your brand and your personality.

What’s more? A good logo makes it easier for people to remember you and your brand. Did you know that our brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text? Having a logo gives your future clients a great visual to remember forever.

Logos make a great visual starting point for the rest of your branding assets. It gives you something to design around when finishing up your website or ordering business cards. Out of the myriad of things a new business owner must do, getting a logo done early can help make everything feel a little bit easier. Plus—you’ll feel more confident in yourself with a professional looking logo.

So go on now and get that logo printed on a t-shirt, on a sticker, on a tote bag … or tattooed on your forehead if that’s what it takes! (Okay, we probably don’t recommend that last one. Business cards seem like a good place to start.)

Hop into our logo maker and design your first logo! You’ll be done in under 10 minutes, we made it easy just for new DJs like you.

4. Launch your website

Building a website can feel extremely daunting if you’re not the most tech-savvy, but with a great checklist and an easy website builder, it can actually be kind of fun!

Start by choosing a launch date and writing out a work-back schedule to keep you on track.

From there, choose the platform you want to use to build your website. There are a number of options out there to choose from, so do some research to find the best one for your budget, tech skills, and business needs. If you are really tech-averse, you could also look into hiring someone to build and manage your website for you.

Then, buy a domain name and host. Depending on the website-building platform you choose, these may all be found at the same place, but sometimes they aren’t. Your domain name should reflect your DJ name, or come as close as possible. Is it easy to remember and spell? Is it recognizable? Unique? To learn more about registering for a domain, check out GoDaddy.

Next, use this opportunity to get creative with design! Bring your brand to life with colors, fonts, and photos. As a DJ, you may even want to include audio samples of your mixes or videos from one of your events to show people your style and sound.

Once you’ve got your website set up, you can start sharing helpful, SEO-friendly content that will help potential clients find you in a Google search. Write a few blog posts to help clients learn about you, the services you offer, and how you can help them.

5. Promote your DJ services on social media

Now, for the socially savvy, it’s probably a good idea to promote your new business on social media too. Like it or not, everyone is on social media these days: including 48% of small business owners. Make it easy for yourself and your clients to find you by going where they already hang out: online.

You’ve already determined your target audience, so you should have a pretty good idea of which apps they like best. You might find that the parents of those super sweet teens are on Facebook and young party-goers are on Instagram. As a DJ, you’ll want to share content that features music and videos.

Here’s a rundown of the two best social platforms for sharing videos:

Get on Facebook groups

As a DJ, Facebook offers a few perks. The app wants more users to share original videos, so it prioritizes native video content over all other content. That means if you post a cool video from your last gig, it’s going to appear at the top of your friends’ feeds.

The same goes for groups. Facebook is actively prioritizing its “groups” feature too, meaning if you join a few online communities on Facebook, your posts will appear first in its members’ feeds. Not a bad strategy for connecting with like-minded music fans on Facebook!

Depending on your niche, try promoting your services in groups dedicated to your city or neighborhood, small businesses, wedding services, or music groups. Just remember that online communities function just like real-life relationships: you have to give and take! Every time you ask for support, be sure to give back to the community in some way too.

Use Instagram stories to share your music

Image and video-oriented Instagram is also an insanely popular app, and apparently for music fans especially. According to a study by Nielsens annual 360 report, the app’s users spend 30% more time listening to music each week and are twice as likely to pay for a streaming service.

The point: Instagram serves as a creative safe-place for artists, designers, and creators to try out new music and reach their community directly. With its simple and easy-to-use layout, Instagram could be a great place for you to post new mixes, promote upcoming events, and connect with new potential clients in your area.

Don’t forget to include Instagram Stories into your social media strategy: 80% of all daily active Instagram users are watching stories.

6. Find your clients

You’ve done it! You’ve established your niche and business goals, you’ve come up with a great DJ name and designed a kickass logo, and you’ve launched your website and social platforms. You’re ready to start getting paid to party!

But where do you find clients?

There are a ton of online communities where you can promote your business, including the aforementioned Facebook groups. You can also research different meetup sites, DJ sites, and wedding services groups in your area as places to promote yourself.

Check out some networking events in your city! Whether they are networking events for young entrepreneurs or events for music fans in the city, getting out there in person with your new business cards and showing off that snazzy new logo is an old-school, and very effective, way to meet new people and promote your business. Who knows, you may even make a new friend while you’re at it!

Nothing beats a great referral. Ask your friends and family to help spread the word about your new business. Got a friend who owns a club? See if they’ll let you spin for a few hours earlier in the night. Have a cousin who is getting married? Pitch yourself as their wedding DJ!

Get paid to party!

Once you book a few parties and show everyone what a pro you are, the gigs will start rolling in. Again, make sure you always have cards on hand so you’re never scrambling to give someone your contact information.

Ready to get started on launching your DJ business? Click here to design your logo and get the good times rolling!