Q: These days you’re a well-known figure in the events industry, speaking at high profile conferences all over the world, but where did your career start? A: My path, like many of yours, has been quite varied. I played in bar bands, did general contracting, installed burglar alarms and went to college, first for accounting and then changed to marketing. After working for the largest ad agency in the US, I bounced from retail management to selling cars – which is where my real sales education started.
Q: How did you get involved with the wedding and events industry? A: My friend bought a wedding magazine franchise and wanted me to come sell for him. It was a new industry and a commission-only sales job. The job I was working had a company car, paid benefits and I was making good money… but I hated it!
I left that security for the wedding industry, selling ads for the magazine. Oh, and to add to the pressure of a new industry and solely commissionbased income, my wife was pregnant with our second child. After selling for the magazines (the original one had been extended to two titles) for five years, we bought them and my wife and I became wedding magazine publishers! After about another five years the main company wanted me to come work for them, so we sold them our magazines.
A few months later, the company was purchased by The Knot, and I soon progressed from Regional Sales Director to become Vice President of Sales. Q: How did you get started as a conference speaker? I started speaking for my advertisers when I was publishing the magazines. My goal was somewhat selfish, as I wanted to help these small businesses learn the business side of what they were doing better, so they wouldn’t go out of business and would keep paying me to advertise!
Then, when I started at The Knot, the Vice President of Sales was asked to speak at an event and he told me that I was going to go instead and represent the company. From that point on I became the main business speaker for the The Knot. Q: At what point did you realise that you wanted to become a full-time professional speaker and trainer? At first I didn’t consider myself a professional speaker as it was only part of my role at The Knot.
In joined the National Speakers Association and realised that I was already a professional speaker… but it was still only part of my job. When I left The Knot in began my career as a full-time professional speaker, business consultant and author. It wasn’t really a goal. It was more like the perfect career that found me.
Q: What do you think is the biggest issue facing event professionals, and especially mobile DJs, today? The barrier to entry in the event industry is very low. As there’s no degree or licensing required for most event pros, people get in, often not realising what’s involved in managing a successful business. Many start as part-time and then make the transition to this being their sole source of income.
The biggest challenge is that having the technical skills and talent to be a mobile DJ doesn’t qualify you to run a successful business. They are two completely different skillsets. When we do a Mastermind Sales Training Day, like the one coming up adjacent to the 2020 Pro Mobile Conference, we focus on the sales circuit: Get their attention > Get an enquiry > Have a conversation > Make the sale. This is designed to help mobile DJs learn the skills you need to be more profitable in your business.
Q: Away from work, what do you do to challenge yourself personally? What I’ve learned is that you don’t know what you’re capable of, until you try. At age began Tae Kwon Do, just to get into shape. I went all the The biggest challenge is that having the technical skills and talent to be a mobile DJ doesn’t qualify you to run a successful business.
They are two completely different skillsets. way to 2nd degree black belt. I went skydiving for a milestone birthday. I wrote my first book in 2011, not knowing if I’d be able to do it.
I just published my 5th book. I decided to become conversational in Spanish in 2013, so I could be respectful of the people in countries where I speak, which at the time included Mexico. As I progressed, I decided to keep learning. I’ve now presented in Spanish at events in five different countries.
I now have a personal goal of doing one of my audio books in Spanish. It’s going to be difficult, which is exactly the point. If we don’t do things that are difficult, we don’t grow. We don’t move the bar higher.
My personal philosophy is that I don’t ever want to be the best I can ever be. I want to be the best I’ve ever been, every time. Q: That fifth book you just mentioned – Wit, Wisdom and the Business Of Weddings – what inspired you to write it? It’s actually a compilation of my writings over the past eight years.
Technically we call it a compendium, which makes a lot more sense when you look at the cover design [pictured below]. I realised that I write articles all the time, for different publications and websites, including my own. The short format, about 1,200 words, allows me to tackle a subject more deeply than a short blog, but not make it so long that you can’t read it quickly. My topics come from conversations with wedding and event pros, like you, so they tend to be very timely, and focused.
It’s not meant to be read front to back, although you can. Each chapter is a different topic. The early feedback is that it’s many people’s favourite book of mine. Q: What can delegates expect from your two keynote sessions at the Pro Mobile Conference this March?
The basis of all of my presentations is to give you actionable content, something you can start to use, right away. While I’m not specifically a motivational speaker, I’ve been told that people get very motivated to take action after hearing me, which is very heart warming. I’ve also been told that I explain things in a way that’s easy to understand, even when the concepts are advanced. Expect to be engaged, entertained and enlightened.
Expect to take lots of notes! Q: The day after the Conference you’ll also be hosting a ‘DJ Mastermind Day’ for a limited group of just s. What will this day focus on? I’m so glad you asked.
The Conference is a chance to hear some fabulous speakers, take notes and then apply those as you interpret them. A Mastermind Day is essentially having me do private training, but in a small group. There will be no presentations, no slides, but plenty of note taking. The topics range from Mastermind to Mastermind, because the attendees vary, and their needs vary.
It’s not meant to be read front to back, although you can. Each chapter is a different topic. The early feedback is that it’s many people’s favourite book of mine. I recently did a DJ-only Mastermind Day in Canada, and here are the comments they collected from a few of the attendees.
This will give you an idea of what you can expect: • " It really motivated Suzanne and I to change our approach to emails and our company website. I can honestly say that putting your tips and tools into practice has helped Suzanne and I to get more positive responses already as we interact with couples who have enquired .” - Rod McMahon, Maximum Music DJ Service, Toronto, ON, Canada • "His expert knowledge of marketing tips and tricks were exactly what I needed.
His willingness to dive into detail and help me see things in a different way has improved my comprehension of how to advertise and market my business. ” - Ritchie Mayotte, Big and Rich DJ Service, Sudbury, ON, Canada • "What an opportunity to brainstorm with some of Canada’s top DJs and a marketing guru who just Set yourself a lofty, yet attainable goal, and then break it down into smaller mileposts, so you can see yourself achieving it. helped direct me down the right path to take my business to the next level. ” - Derek Schwartzentruber, Schwartzentruber Music Services, London, ON, Canada • " Alan's 'hands on' round table approach was a refreshing style of industry training.
Our notebooks were full! ” - Donny Lovering, Ruby Entertainment, Hamilton, ON, Canada Q: Finally, what would be your one tip for a mobile DJ looking to build their business in 2020? Learn to think bigger. Don’t be limited by what you see others doing, or charging. Set yourself a lofty, yet attainable goal, and then break it down into smaller mileposts, so you can see yourself achieving it.
As I write when I sign copies of my book, “Shut Up and Sell More Weddings and Events” – Go Big, or Go Home!
