By Nithin Cherian, Marketing Manager, Live Sound, Yamaha Corp. of America
Musical instrument retailers often face a common problem: reaching the DJ segment. Sometimes, the usual tactics, including advertising in trade publications and exhibiting at DJ trade shows, bring limited results. When asked how to crack the market, my usual reply is to offer some perspective: “What type of DJ do you want to reach and how does this DJ get his or her information about useful products?”
DJs came out from behind radio consoles in the late 1970s with the birth of hip-hop and they’ve continued to evolve into what I call the modern DJ, categorized into the sub-sets of corporate DJ, turntablist/scratch DJ and party DJ. In the early days, sound systems were crude modifications to consumer audio products; however, over time, the requirements have grown to include software, controllers, powered speakers, mixers, lighting, signage and more. Fortunately for today’s DJ, the cost of entry has never been less, because even the most basic setups are extremely powerful. So, as we’ve seen in other MI categories, as the DJ’s skill level evolves, so does his or her need for better-performing gear.
The professional corporate DJ specializes in creating the mood by hosting events with the aid of specialized lighting and a catalog of musical selections to support school dances, weddings, corporate parties, birthdays and other events. The turntablist/scratch DJ uses vinyl record players, CD players and, now, controllers as his or her musical instruments. A seasoned musician, the consummate turntablist spends hours mastering various skills to speak a language using new tools that pierce the soul, just as the pioneers of jazz did with classical instruments. The party DJ is an artist who seeks to control the mood of a party via strategic timing and placement of existing music, occasionally self-produced, that makes people want to dance through the night at clubs, bars and underground gatherings.
This categorization is based on the intention behind the craft, not necessarily the venue. The stages of the DJ purchase cycle, just as with any other customer, are more relevant to the retailer. The progression generally goes like this: from the bedroom/basement DJ, to the mobile DJ, to the radio DJ, to the entrepreneurial DJ, to the DJ artist.
Any of these DJs can find themselves in multiple stages of the purchase cycle at a given time, but understanding the history and mindset of the purchase intent should help you determine the overlap of this customer within the current market that your retail outlet serves. Then, you can focus efforts on the segments that pose the least risk, providing the opportunity to diversify your business. This purchase cycle should be comforting to the MI retailer because it is very similar to the purchase cycle of the modern musician. The accompanying chart illustrates the types of gear and the purchase intent at each stage.
How do DJs get their information? Frankly, there is no definitive answer. The community initially formed through tribal knowledge passed on from person to person. Events like the Disco Mix Club (DMC) World Championships established a benchmark for the look and feel of acceptable gear, soon followed by DJ-specific magazines. 
Then, various national and regional associations were created to organize and legitimize the professional corporate/event DJ trade. Now, information has come full circle—with a twist—because it predominantly spreads through word-of-mouth and end user content on social media outlets, sprinkled with targeted content produced by manufacturers and retailers via traditional print and digital outlets.
How can you join the conversation and influence sales? At the top of the list is showing interest. Don’t assume that every DJ just wants the cheapest or biggest thing. Just as you would for trumpet or guitar customers, urge them to experience the difference between good and great audio. Show this by staging solutions for DJs that showcase each point in the purchase cycle. The gear currently available offers amazing quality and value, so show them the benefits. For instance, adding a subwoofer to a packaged PA with feedback suppression, driven by a tablet or a smartphone, can shake the walls and close the sale.
Show the mobile DJ that bigger does not necessarily mean louder anymore (within reason, of course). Many PA manufacturers have spent countless resources to maintain sonic performance while maximizing mobility. Demonstrate to entrepreneurial DJs how reliable these products have become, help them figure out how many times they need to rent a system to break even, and then suggest a third-party financing tool that will allow them to offer higher quality gear without breaking the bank. Sell the dream!
Many DJs consider themselves artists, but they are also sound engineers. In the past, complicated calculations were required to achieve optimal sound quality. Now, all that’s needed are the right speakers, which you should have staged on the showroom floor, ready to demo. Showing interest in the DJ market and learning about their craft will go a long way toward developing return customers. It is also important to note that they get what they pay for, but you have to be capable of explaining this in their terms.
One reason DJs shop online is because they think that retailers cannot appreciate what they do. One way to win them over is to give them tips that don’t cost any money; explain, for example, that speaker placement during a gig is almost as important as having the right gear.
Demystify the marketing. Teach them that higher-wattage specs on the packaging does not always mean the product is louder—just like an engine with more horsepower does not necessarily mean it’s faster. The same engine attached to a car, truck or plane will end up delivering very different results.
Don’t be afraid to invest in DJ products. The fast-changing market is reaching a level of maturity where the primary tools of the trade are experiencing incremental improvements without drastic shifts. Therefore, you can safely focus on a stage in the purchase cycle and display the product without worrying that, in six months, it will be obsolete.
[maxbutton id=”15″]