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Sourcing Amusement – Extraordinary Entertainment

If booking the balloon-tying clown for your kid’s 6th birthday party was the last time you hired an act for an event, you might appreciate a little expert advice on sourcing entertainment for your corporate event. Whether your company gathering is live or hybrid, you want someone who knows that audience interaction encompasses more than knock-knock jokes. And meetingpages knows there is no better place to start than working with an entertainment agency to ensure your group experiences extraordinary entertainment this holiday party season. Below are 5 things to consider prior to sourcing amusement:

1. Who is your primary audience?

As a planner, it is your job to know this upfront to determine the best act to suit your group. You will then want to share this with the prospective entertainment agency or entertainer. Questions you should ask yourself include what type of event are you hosting? Who is the audience, e.g., corporate shareholders or the hourly staff? Is the gathering corporate and formal or relaxed and casual? How many attendees will be in attendance? What’s the venue? What’s the budget? What are they looking for? In other words, do they have something specific already in mind? Sharing this information as you are qualifying your entertainer is essential for event success.

2. Where can I view or experience a demo of the prospective act?

Request a recorded demo or opportunity to view a live event to get a good demonstration of the talent’s act. This way you know what exactly to expect from the entertainer without any surprises. Many offer a video demo on their websites, if outdated, ask them if they have a more recent video. Ask for current referrals as well as a bio.

3. For holiday gatherings, what’s the optimal time frame for booking talent?

Ask the agency or performer how far out you need to book to ensure them during prime dates, particularly weekend evenings. Is a few months out enough, or do you they require a booking in more advance?

4. Does the entertainer or entertainment agency offer assurance that the act will be clean?

After all, your boss nor employees or worse yet customers will not be very amused if the entertainer or entertainment is not going to be perfectly clean. This will ensure that there’s no reason to worry that anyone in your audience will be offended. It’s important that there be no profanity and nothing suggestive or questionable. You want to ensure that the talent understands the audience and exactly who they’ll be entertaining. Plus, many of the entertainers’ tailor their acts to the specific company or industry to which they’re providing the entertainment as well.

5. Have you performed in the venue I have booked? Are there any limitations?

The planner should make sure they know what they’re getting. Is this entertainer going to be right for this crowd? How long does the act last? Does the act work well in the venue space, a theater, for example? Will the act work well as an after-dinner show?

After all, it’s your job as an event planner to make sure you source the best amusement that fits these needs to ensure extraordinary entertainment at your event.

Casey Romano, Publisher | meetingpages | casey@meetingpages.com

Creator of digital platform meetingpages complete event planning directory and resource delivering leads and national, regional and local exposure for event venues, suppliers and destinations in MN, WI, IA & CO markets. In her free time, this 19 year industry veteran enjoys dance, group fitness, and training her young golden retriever dog in competition obedience and confirmation.