The craft questions
One: can I hear a full recorded set, not a highlight reel? Two: describe the last time a room wasn't responding — what did you change? Three: where does your depth actually live, and what do you not play well? Four: how would you open and close this specific event? A professional answers all four in specifics about rooms and records; a chancer answers in adjectives about vibes.
The production questions
Five: what do you need from the venue, in writing? Six: what happens if a piece of equipment fails mid-set? Seven: do you carry public liability insurance and PAT-certified equipment — most venues will demand both. Eight: who exactly turns up on the night? For corporate events and brand work, add the brief questions — nine: how do you handle a run-of-show with fixed cues, and ten: have you worked rooms where the music has a job beyond the floor, a brand feel or a runway tempo? The answers reveal whether you are booking a performer or a production partner.
The answers that end the conversation
No recorded sets. No insurance. Vagueness about equipment. A price before any questions about your room. And the biggest one: a DJ who talks only about their show and never asks about your crowd. The single most reliable signal of a professional is that they interview you back — the questions a DJ asks about your event tell you more than any answer they give about themselves.