DJ TIMES – Mobile of the Month – June 1996 The International Magazine for Professional DJs For Hartford’s Atmosphere, Getting Associated Helps By Brian O’Connor, DJ Times West Hartford, Conn. – Fewer cities were hit harder by the early ’90’s economic recession than Hartford, the insurance capital of the Northeast. Oddly, one result of such economic misfortune was a marked increase in the number of mobile DJs, according to Sylvester Samuels, owner of Atmosphere Productions in West Hartford. “We found that with the recession, the quality DJs were still getting a lot of work, but we also found that many of the laid-off people started DJing to make ends meet,” says Samuels, who has been operating in the Hartford area since 1981. “We were getting a lot of bottom feeders. I would bid a job and get undercut $200 by someone who had very poor equipment.” In response, a frustrated Samuels allied himself with the upper echelon of Connecticut’s mobile DJ operators, hoping the clientele would discover that a hierarchy of professionalism existed in the region. “In effect, the recession prompted me to become a member of the Connecticut Professional Disc Jockey Association,” says Samuels, who joined the organization in 1994 and currently edits its newsletter [and is on the Board of Directors]. “Now that the economy is starting to pick up, we’re finding a lot of those “bottom-feeder” DJs are gone. I’ve tracked Yellow Pages advertising for years, and it has gone down about 50 percent from what it was in the early 90’s.” Samuels is unsure whether that is a sign of improved economic times or an indication that the disc jockey association helped squeeze out some nonprofessionals. Whatever the case, by joining an association Samuels polished the quality of his marketing efforts and his performances. “When I first started Atmosphere Productions, I would run a few little advertisements in local papers, I would hand out lots of business cards to friends, and I would leave cards in shopping centers and stores,” says Samuels, who started his company on a part-time basis in 1981 and went full-time in 1986. “Like most DJs” he says, “I had always felt what I was doing was the right thing, but later I joined the DJ association and started going to the International DJ Expo, I realized that there was a lot of stuff that DJs were doing in other markets that I could fine tune for my market.” For his bridal clients – more than 80 percent of Atmosphere Productions gigs are wedding affairs – Samuels gets a mailing list from various bridal shows he attends, and direct mails every bride on the list. “It’s a twofold strategy,” explains Samuels. “I send every name on that list a “pre-mailer”, which comes with a perforated card that the potential client can mail back, requesting further information about my company. From those cards, I’ll mail a second package that has a full color brochure, a fact sheet explaining my service, and a couple of reference letters and a business card.” Samuels says he gets more than five percent response from the initial mailing – quite a lot of new non referral business, considering Samuels sends out more than 3,000 pieces in a year. But most of Samuels’ business has come via word-of-mouth.” “Word of mouth is so very important,” he says. “When I’m at an event, I make sure I talk to people. After the event, I send out a survey form to the client. I usually get about 75 percent of those back, and I make it easy for the client: With the survey I include a pen and a return envelope. On the survey for, among other things I ask the client if they can be used as a referral contact – more than 50 percent of my clients love to be contacted and say a few good words about what I’ve done. When I get these [surveys] back I put them into a binder and I use that binder to sell myself to the next client.” Seems to work, too. Samuels, along with his partner George Gray, performed at 300 parties [and other events] in 1995. “I don’t cold call anyone,” says Samuels. “I only use a small Yellow Pages listing – a very small percentage of my bookings are generated through the Yellow Pages. In the old days, it’s where people went to find a DJ; now, there are marketing books specifically for brides, such as The Wedding Guide, and The I Do Book, and that’s where I find the quality clients.” Samuels, like many savvy DJ companies, also finds quality leads at the various bridal shows he attends throughout the year. But Samuels goes one step further. He organizes a small bridal fair networking group. “I hook up two fellow vendors – a still photographer and a videographer. We each have our own booths, but we have them placed right next to each other so we can cross-pollinate referrals. We each have a raffle giving away a certain aspect of our services. The brides fill out a registration ticket at the fair, and I’ll go home, compile those names and send them out to the other two vendors. They, in turn, do the same. Basically, we’re all after the same clients, and since 90 percent of the brides will hire a photographer first, I can take advantage of that contact.” The minute a bride books a wedding with Atmosphere Productions, Samuels goes to work. “Once they book with us,” he begins, “they get what we call the Atmosphere Productions Bridal Package. With that they get a contract, an introductory form so that they can fill in who’s in the bridal party for introductions, when the cake cutting takes place, what the first dance song is, a song list – one page has love songs, and fun dance songs on the flip side. I ask the couple to circle the songs they like, and cross out what they don’t want. And they are free to attach a list of additional songs. They also indicate how much involvement they want at the party, and I give them two choices: If you want it to be a fun wedding, make sure you get involved with the event and dance and have fun; if you don’t want to get involved that much, then allow me to do it for you, and I will gauge the audience. For that, they have to be convinced of my professionalism and experience.” Samuels says that a basic wedding package costs $625 (1996 price – current prices are higher) for five hours. He also advises to build two amps into your road case”. If something happens to one amp, I just hit a switch and the other goes on. In this business, the fewer equipment problems there are, the better you can concentrate on the performance and the customer.”

Brighter Tomorrows Inc – April 29, 1988 Marcie McCaffrey, BTI Board Member I am writing to express my deepest gratitude or the great show your company put on for us at the 4th Annual Suitcase Party. This year you entertained 535 extremely happ people and we hope to have an even larger crowd for you next year. As you know, the proceeds from this event benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and we raised over $6,000 this year thanks to the professionalism and hard work of people such as yourself. It is through contributions such as yours that we can continue donating funds to this most worthwhile cause. I look forward to working with you in the future as do all the people you had partying all night long!

Monday Morning Reply – Radio Industry Publication July 16, 1990 Mid-Day Chat with Sylvester Samuels WKND / Windsor, CT, recently opened itself up for some pretty hot interviews with the likes of Bootsy Collins and Barry White. They joined PD Melanie McLean, as did Jack Gibson (aka Jack The Rapper), who entertained listeners for two hours. Johnny Gill strolled in during mid-day to chat with SYLVESTER SAMUELS. During the fourth of July weekend, the station featured the “WKND Power Music Fest,” providing a unique array of local entertainment, food and beverages. Listen to live rare broadcasts of Sylvester Samuels on this classic Hartford R&B, Classic Soul & Jazz music radio station. WKND was the ONLY Connecticut Black music station in the 60’s & 70’s and a powerhouse for R&B music in the 80’s & early 90’s. From 1988-1993 the legendary on-air line-up talents of Eddie Jordan (Morning Drive), Sam Harrison Jr. (Gospel), Sylvester Samuels (Mid-Day) & Melonae McLean (Afternoon Drive) graced the Greater Hartford airwaves. Special thanks to these great broadcasters.

Connecticut’s Olympic-style Sports Festival – September 30, 1993 William G. Mudano, Executive Director Dear Gentlemen, The 1993 Nutmeg State Games saw close to 6,000 of Connecticut’s best amateur athletes compete in 30 different sports. The Opening Ceremonies, though rescheduled due to inclement weather, were immensely successful and finals week competition ran smoothly under sunny skies.

We would like to congratulate you on a job well done and also wish to express our sincere thanks and gratitude for all of your efforts on behalf of the Nutmeg State Games. We hope to have your continued support in the future and good luck in all of your future entertainment endeavors.

December 31, 2007

“We would like to take a moment to say thank you for your performance at First Night Hartford 2007.  We had a great turnout and succeesful evening, which is due in part to the many wonderful artists such as yourself who performed throughout the day… Thank you for sharing your gift and making this event possible.” Ed Woodward – Production Coordinator – First Night Hartford 2007

Hartford, Conn. – For many in Hartford, the reopening Tuesday of the downtown Hilton was a double cause for celebration. And while the developers showed off their new Trumbull Street building, the workers were at the center of the celebration. Although the hotel’s management has not yet reached an agreement with their union, the workers were welcomed at the ribbon-cutting and a special luncheon at which they entered on a red carpet and were showered with blue-and-white confetti. All the attention caught senior bellhop Gordon Johnson a little by surprise. “It’s the atmosphere,” Johnson said. “It’s about the people.”

Renee T. Mulvey, CMP and Vivian K. Elba Destination Connecticut!, LLC – Event Planners Thanks for providing the great music for the Opening Ceremonies and Employee Lunch for the Grand Opening of the New Hartford Hilton on Trumbull Street in Hartford, this past March 2nd, 2005. The DJ’s at Atmosphere Productions are the most professional, versatile performers who can aptly handle any type of event we produce – social, corporate, or a combination. We can count on them to adapt to a versatile group as well as enhance any teambuilding or motivational activities with their special brand of entertainment. Thanks Sam for being our “preferred DJ”!