There's a special feeling that comes with finishing a music project you've been working on. As you sit back and listen to your finished work of art, you just can't help but smile in satisfaction. But as you sit there savoring the moment, you know there's still work to do.

The next thing to worry about is getting your music to as many people as you can. What better way to do that than to have a club full of people dancing to your music? Imagine such a huge crowd falling in love with your music and you might as well be imagining heaven.

Getting a DJ to play your music is a smart move that could be huge for your music, but it can be tricky. The good news is that it can be done, and I'm here to tell you five things you must do if that DJ is ever going to pay attention to you.

Five Things You Must Do To Connect With DJ's

Make good music

Let's start with the basics. To get any DJ worth his salt to take you seriously, you first have to be good at what you do. It may seem like a good idea to just try your luck with some low-quality music, but it's not.

I know you're wondering why, so I'll tell you. It takes a massive effort to change the first impression, especially when it's a bad one. One terrible song and you might very well be on an unofficial blacklist.

So make sure your music is top quality. Let your team or inner circle critique it, and let your audience, no matter how small, listen to it. Use the reactions of these people to rate yourself.

You will either go back to the drawing board or gain even more confidence that your music might be about to blow up.

Do your research on the DJ

It's important to understand who your target DJ is. When writing an article, I first try to understand who it's meant for. This helps me understand exactly what to say, and how to say it for maximum effect.

That's exactly how it should work with you too. If you're a hip-hop artist, you have no business sending your music to a DJ who plays EDM. If they prefer to use Twitter, why would you send them an email?

Researching your target DJ is extremely important. It helps you understand exactly what you need to do to get their attention. Remember that these DJs receive an enormous amount of music every day from artists just like you.

To get more than a glance, you will have to stand out, but sending in a totally different genre is a tad too much. So pay attention. You might just find the secret to catching that DJ's eye or ear. Don't be a creepy stalker, but do your research.

Building a small network of reliable DJ's who will promote your music and put it into their rotation can do wonders for your career.

Format your submission properly

It's one thing for the DJ to open your message or email, and a completely different thing for them to actually go through it. One of the biggest turn-offs for DJs is bad formatting. If your submission is difficult to understand or access, they don't have the time to stay trying to figure it out. So ensure that your submission is well labeled, structured, and formatted.

I would advise you to have your song uploaded online in MP3 format or any other one suitable for DJs. Sending a single 45 MB file with its original raw name to a DJ won't do you any favors. You also want your cold email or message to be personalized and well-written.

It's your words that will get him to click on your song, after all. Arrange your songs with skill and tact to get an amazing sonic flow of your song too. DJs appreciate songs that are easy to fit into a mix.

One more thing you can do is add a DJ service pack. It's a set of different versions of the same song. Acapella, only instrumental, and dirty recordings are all examples of what you need in a DJ service pack.

Build relationships

This might surprise you, but DJs aren't robots. They are human, just like you. They have problems and things they care about too. Don't just throw your music at them like they're bots. That won't get you anywhere.

The best way to get them to listen is by building a relationship with them. I must warn you here that this step is the longest and hardest to achieve. But it gives stunning results. When the DJ knows you, your work is more than halfway done already.

Find the DJ on social media, follow them, and engage their posts regularly with sensible content. If they notice you and like what they see on your profile, that could be the start of a special relationship. And relationships like that could be the start of your success.

Bruno Mars, for example, never released a song under Motown but he met a group of producers there that he would later work with to release the hits that eventually threw him into the limelight.

There's a popular saying that "who you know is sometimes more important than what you know". I fully agree. Build relationships, they'll open doors you thought were sealed till eternity.

Don't just reach out to any DJ's. First do your research and find those DJ's that have a following and are open to working with new artists.

Do follow up

Having done everything on this list, you must follow up with the DJ. Whether they're too busy or just don't care so much about your song, it falls to you to follow up if you don't hear back. Be polite but persistent, humble but confident, and friendly but professional.

Final Thoughts

Let's recap. Make sure your music is good enough to be played, and research to know which DJ you should be targeting. Then build a relationship to gain their attention and make sure your submission format is proper. Once done, follow up to make sure they remember you. There are several other ways to get a DJ to play your song, but these are my top five.

Quick note: Some DJs will ask you to pay. I can't say I agree with that, but what should happen and what happens are two totally different things. To avoid this, don't be a total nobody. Try to build up a good social media following and healthy audience first so that you have some standing already.

The world of music is more competitive than ever, but these five tips will help you stand out. So now you know what to do, it's time to get to work. I'm rooting for you.