RCB Audio {Vendor Spotlight}

25 Oct RCB Audio {Vendor Spotlight}

By Andraya Northrup | October 25, 2014

We’ve got an extra special treat for you wedding-plannin’ brides this morning. We’re shining the TWR Spotlight on Ron Swain of RCB Audio, one of our fabulous Preferred Vendors and, if we do say so ourselves, one of Charleston’s best wedding DJs. We decided it would be fun to ask Ron a few questions to not only help you all get to know him better, but also become more aware of his incredible and one of a kind services for your wedding day music needs! Without further ado…

1. How Long Have You Been a DJ?

I started DJ’ing for a former local mobile DJ Service, during my junior year in high school. A little over a year later, I purchased my own equipment and started working on my own. I have been doing this for a over 20 years.

What is your favorite songs for father/daughter or first dance?

As far as favorite First Dance; just recently I worked closely with a couple and they asked me to put together a mix of Etta James “At Last” and Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right”. They had a little routine put together and right after the first time Etta James croons “At Last” you hear the glass breaking at the beginning of “You May be Right”. They were a great couple to work with and the guests thoroughly enjoyed the surprise. Of course I have my favorites: Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling In Love”; Ray Lamontagne’s “You Are the Best Thing”; but my personal favorite is Lee Greenwood’s “IOU” maybe because that is the one my wife and I danced to at our wedding. It’s like I tell all my client’s, there are all kinds of suggestions out there I can and will provide; but in the end it needs to be something that both of them enjoy. It should mean something to both of them.. Sometimes it results in a pick of what’s popular, but often it results in something unique that I would not have thought of to use. I have seen couples enjoy their first dance to: Aerosmith’s “Angel”; Luke Bryan’s “I Don’t Want This Night to End”; and Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel”. In the end it’s what makes them happy and will help keep that day special to them.

What separates you from other DJ services in Charleston?

Customer Service:

I am a very firm believer in great customer service, whether I am the consumer or the provider. My rates are very competitive to other mobile DJ’s in the area, so one of the things that set me apart would be my individualized customer service. Everyone of my clients want their event to be special and I do my part to make it that way to keep them happy for their special day. I do my best to provide them the level of service I would want for any special occasion.

Communication:

Good communication is the core for any successful event. It is the tool that allows for great customer service. I provide several means of communication for my clients to reach me: person, phone, text, email, even web video conferences. Charleston is such a popular destination wedding spot, you have to provide communication options convenient to the customer and their busy schedule.Potential clients can receive instant estimates directly through my website and even have the option to start an online chat session with me if I am readily available at that time. If not I can email or text back an answer to their question as soon as I am available. Once a person hires me to be their musical host, they also get access to a complete suite of online planning tools through my website. From here they can plan at their convenience 24/hours a day 7 days a week. Some of tools at their disposal are:

Update their contact information
Manage contact information for their other vendors and “Special Guest” information
Manage their guest list and seating arrangements
Venue Information (View & Provide Special Instructions, even floor plans if available)
Modify Event Information
Put together event timelines (I provide basic ones or they can customize timelines to fit their event)
Reception planning worksheet – This is where the client can list their wedding party members in the order they want them announced, select their songs for the reception events (first dance, cake cutting, etc…) and more.
Complete access to view and select songs from my music library
(My librariy spans all genres and decades from oldies to new releases.. we get these the same day as radio stations)
Mark event notes and special announcements
Request music for the events at the reception
View and print the worksheets, contracts, etc…
Refer their friends to me for special events

Clients have told me they really like the online planning portal and have provided them to their caterer, photographer, planner, and anyone else they think needs a copy.etc… I receive instant notifications when a client makes a change. I review this new information daily to make sure I am up – to – date with their needs. They can also send me messages directly through this planning portal.

The Live SlideShow!
This new service takes the traditional idea of slideshow and projects it into the now! Have you ever been to an event where a slideshow was running and over and over again… all night long? Well let’s change things up a bit and put a modern day spin on it! We start off with 40-60 pictures pre-selected by the client that they want to share with their guests. The pictures can be of anything that is important to them: photos of each other growing up, significant moments, engagement photos, family photos,etc… When the wedding guests arrive they may ooh and aah for a while but just as the guests get used to seeing the same photos over and over again, the Live Slideshow keeps the novelty going. As the evening moves on, we start adding more photos that we are continually taking into the slideshow. Slowly, it morphs from ‘memories’ to ‘what’s happening now’. It’s amazing to see the reaction of the guests when they see the first room shot hit the screen and it helps to encourage people to enjoy themselves and ham it up. Anytime guests see their picture pop up you will hear and see them laugh and tell their friends ‘Look at me’. This gives them 5 seconds of pseudo-celebrity and they love every second of it. When the event is over we provide our client a copy of all the pictures we used in the Live Slideshow. This is a great way to keep the slideshow fresh and enhance their guests enjoyment of the event! It also provides wonderful memories of their special day with the special people in their lives that they will never forget.

What song do you feel always gets people on the dance floor?

The absolute best answer to that is, “Whatever the Bride and Groom are dancing too”. Of course there are some songs that will get some people on the floor almost always, whether it be the popular line dances or some classics. It is said that all eyes are on the bride on her wedding day. That is a true statement. Guests at weddings follow the lead of the bride and groom, I think it is human nature. If they see the bride and groom out on the floor enjoying themselves, they will join them and keep the dance floor full most all night.

5. What song would you be okay with if you never have to play at a wedding again?

I am thankful enough that there is really not one particular traditional wedding reception type song that comes to mind. I have enjoyed playing everything that is asked of me.

How far in advance from their wedding days should brides be looking to book their DJ?

In my opinion booking a DJ is no different than booking any other vendor for your reception. As soon as you start looking into putting an event together start calling around and talking with them. I have booked weddings out over a year in advance. The earliest booking I have received is about twenty-two (22) months in advance. The shortest booking time I have done is about two weeks. Typically, I would say most of the weddings I book are about six (6) months to a year in advance. By booking further out, it gives the bride and groom more time to leisurely find out just exactly what they would like to have played and when at their reception.