Public
Speaking for DJ's: Jeff Blackman Interview Part I
August 2004
Editor's Note:
Whether it's "last call for alcohol," the cutting of
the cake, or announcing next week's Oakenfold appearance -- at
one point or another -- most club and mobile DJ's speak on the
microphone. While speaking clearly at the right volume level
is essential, the content of a DJ's speech is often as important
as the song selection. This month's tip features one of the top
public speaking coaches in the United States, Jeff Blackman.
He is a speaker, author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer.
His clients call him a "business-growth specialist."
If you hire speakers for your organization, please contact Jeff
at: 847.998.0688, by e-mail: jeff@jeffblackman.com, or visit
his Web site: www.jeffblackman.com and subscribe to his
free e-letter, The Results Report. His new book, Stop
Whining! Start Selling! is available wherever books are sold.
Disc Jockey
101: Have you ever worked as a nightclub or mobile DJ?
Yes, in the 1970's.
I was in college at the time spinning vinyl records on an AM
radio station, while also spinning records for fraternity dances.
Around 1975, I worked for a mobile DJ company -- while also working
on the radio. I know what it's like to be in front of an audience
with records, music, and a mic -- and having a ball.
Disc Jockey
101: What is your broadcasting background?
That depends
on where you want to start it. In grammar school, I would do
my book reports with a microphone. In high school, I was broadcasting
our high school basketball games. I grew up in Lincolnwood (Northern
Chicago). On WLGR, which stood for "Lincolnwood Great Radio,"
I would overlook the gymnasium and broadcast to an audience of
maybe seven people -- if we were lucky. When I got into college,
I did work on college radio for four years.
Even though I
started law school in 1978, by around 1981, I was back on the
radio for "CRIS" (Chicagoland Radio
Information Service). This was a broadcast service that went
to those that were either visually impaired or blind. I became
aware of CRIS while in law school and had an idea about starting
a talk show. I did that [show] with a partner for one year and
then decided to knock on the doors of radio stations until one
would say yes. That station was WFYR, which was part of the RKO
Radio Network.
We had great guests on Sunday nights such as Ted
Koppel,
Gene
Siskel,
Henny
Youngman,
Richard
Lewis,
Jerry
Seinfeld,
Oprah
Winfrey,
Marcel
Marceau,
Father
Andrew Greeley,
Walter
Cronkite,
and Charles
Kuralt.
If somebody was interesting, we would talk to them. My partner
was Steve
Krafft,
who has been working on Phoenix television since 1985.
I also had a
TV show here in Chicago for a few years called "Insight."
Disc Jockey
101: How did you get involved with the National Speakers
Association
(NSA)?
I joined in the
early-1980's and attended my first national convention in 1985.
Disc Jockey
101: As a recipient of the coveted "Certified Speaking Professional
(CSP)" designation, which is awarded to less than ten percent
of NSA members, aren't you one of the top speakers in the country?
Aren't you "the man" when it comes to public speaking?
I don't know
if that's a fair statement. I've been fortunate in the twenty
years that I've been involved in this business. I'm not sure
how you define who's at the top. Let's just say that I've been
blessed to work with great clients to help them make their business
grow.
Disc Jockey
101: There are many Club and Mobile DJ's that play great music
but have problems speaking on the microphone. What advice can
you offer these DJ's?
I think they've
got to understand their purpose. They need to understand their
role. When that mic goes hot, the DJ needs to understand what
needs to be accomplished. What are the goals and objectives?
Why are you there? It sounds business oriented because every
time that the mic went hot -- whether if it was on the air, or
in front of an audience as a professional speaker, or working
with a client in a consulting basis -- you have to serve a purpose.
Every time you open your mouth, it has to serve some purpose.
My philosophy
of life in business is that all people want a more favorable
future. They invest in that. When someone is on the dancefloor,
all they want -- essentially -- is a good time. Hence, if you're
going to speak, your words should be designed to help people
obtain that more favorable future. The words should be designed
to obtain a more favorable experience.
That could include
an escape. Maybe that's why someone has chosen to come to a club.
They had a bad day, there's a tough moment in their life, and
they are coming to the club -- they're coming to the dancefloor
-- to escape whatever it is that they left behind. So your words
and your music should work together to give that individual a
great experience.
Disc Jockey
101: There are times when people tend to walk off the dancefloor
when a DJ speaks. How can a DJ avoid losing his or her floor
while speaking on the mic?
What kind of
environment is this? Are we talking about a club, wedding, or
Bar Mitzvah?
Disc Jockey
101: In general, this would apply to any kind of live DJ environment
that includes club, mobile, or event DJ's.
You've got to
realize that what you do with your words could create the opposite
effect. Your words could be used to bring a group to the
dancefloor -- not away from the dancefloor.
I'll give you
a simple example: A few years ago, we had a dual-Mitzvah for
our kids that included 400 folks. We had a live band and a DJ.
During my speech, I wanted to utilize the dancefloor in such
a way that my words would get people to dance. When the music
stopped for speeches, people cleared the dancefloor -- but they
were still listening. To get people to dance, I first asked everyone
in the room to stand and give tribute to my wife for all the
hard work that she has done. I then asked them to join us on
the dancefloor and surround my wife with all the love and warmth
of friends and family. When the band proceeded to play We
Are Family, everyone in the room danced.
In this case,
when your words are chosen properly, you can unite an audience
-- as opposed to separating them. You've got to understand what's
your purpose and who is your audience and what's going to appeal
to them. A DJ should attempt to touch people -- with words and
music -- in terms of their hearts and minds. A DJ should attempt
to touch them emotionally -- and that's the great thing about
music. We hear a song, and it takes us back to a great moment
in our life.
Next Month: Part
II
-
- Get over
$500 worth of free stuff when you purchase Jeff Blackman's new
book, Stop Whining! Start Selling!
-
- Here's a special
opportunity for Disc Jockey 101 readers. If you want to drive
monstrous results, increased revenue and greater earnings, plus
get over $500 worth of FREE stuff, then buy Jeff's new book at
big savings at www.amazon.com or www.800ceoread.com/blackman.
-
- Then forward
your online receipt to jeff@jeffblackman.com. You'll then receive
e-links and special access to proven strategies on sales, service,
leadership and success. Valuable reports, e-books, articles and
more.
-
- Over $500
worth of stuff, for FREE.
-
- Visit www.jeffblackman.com and register for Jeff's
free e-zine, The Results Report. Order your book(s) now and reap
BIG rewards!
|
Industry
News
* Live-Performance
DJ Techniques
(MUC 135, Section 6431) will be offered at Scottsdale Community
College beginning August 31, 2004. This two-credit class (formerly
known as "Club DJ") will be held on Tuesday evenings
from 6:00 to 7:45 PM for 15 weeks and is taught by Disc Jockey
101's Rob
Wegner.
Tentative guest speakers include: DJ's Pete 'Supermix' Salaz,
Steve LeVine, Inertia, J. Alan, MC-B, Timothy Heit, Kevin Brown,
Greggy D and Randy Feldman, as well as audio and touring specialist
George Blake. To register, call 480-423-6000.
Australia's
INFUSION (live)
Summer 2004 :: Tour Dates
Get ready!
There is nothing predetermined.
There is no set list.
This is INFUSION (live)
"Like
nothing else in dance music at the moment" -M8
This summer has
already been a whirlwind of festivals and touring for celebrated
Australian electronic dance music act INFUSION.
They've made the rounds at some of the biggest and best outdoor
festivals in Europe, often as the only Australian band on a number
of festival bills. These high profile gigs include the renowned
Glastonbury Festival (UK) - recorded live for the BBC
on the Radio 1 stage with the boys playing twice during the 3-day
festival, alongside acts like Fat Boy Slim and Oasis. At the
Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Infusion shared the bill
with David Bowie, N*E*R*D and Basement Jaxx and then at the Hultsfred
Festival in Sweden, they ignited crowds along with Morrissey,
The Pixies and Alicia Keys. We'd say Infusion is in good company
this summer. [Plexi PR]
INFUSION SUMMER
2004 TOUR DATES
(*limited
North American dates)
August 6 - San
Juan, PUERTO RICO @ Elements
August 7 - Santo Domingo, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC @ The River
August 13 - Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA @ Pacha
August 14 - Santiago, CHILE
August 15 - Cordoba, ARGENTINA
*August 20 - Boston, MA, USA @ Avalon
August 21 - Mexico City, MEXICO @ Acanto
August 28 - Liverpool, UNITED KINGDOM @ Creamfields
*September 3 - Chicago, IL, USA@ SoundBar
*September 4 - Calgary, Alberta, CANADA @ Annual Summer Love
Festival
*September 5 - Toronto, Ontario, CANADA @ Labor of Love Festival
September 10 - CD Juarez, MEXICO
September 11 - Monterrey, MEXICO @ The Grocery
Tip of the Month