Have you been handed the responsibility of planning a corporate event? Don’t panic. Thousands of people have done it and so can you.
The good news is there are hundreds of entertainers to choose from but the bad news is also that there are hundreds of entertainers to choose from. But don’t worry; we’ve got the perfect guide to help you choose the perfect one.
Below, you’ll find our easy 10-step guide to help you choose the perfect corporate entertainer. All you have to do is follow it and think carefully about each one.
10 Steps to Hiring Perfect Corporate Event Entertainment
Corporate event entertainers have an important job. They have to lighten up the mood, create a festive atmosphere, and act as the “oomph factor” that makes people want to attend the event.
So, how do you make sure you find the perfect people?
1. Set a Goal
Before you call anyone or do any research, sit down and think about your main goal for the event. Picture the event and ask yourself these questions:
- Do you see a band playing music in the background to set a mood?
- Do you see a comedian coming onto the stage to make everyone laugh?
- Do you see a motivational speaker leaving everyone inspired at the end of the night?
What type of corporate event is this and how do you want everyone to feel at the end of the night?
2. Know Your Audience
Do you know who’s coming? Don’t just assume. See if you can get a list of the attendees. You might not be able to satisfy everyone on the list but you can aim to satisfy the majority.
Find out the attendees’ ages, job positions, and their connection to your company.
The right entertainer is the person or group that’ll fit the taste of the majority of the crowd, not yours.
3. Run Your Ideas Past Someone Else
Do you have team members whom you can run your ideas through? If so, ask them for feedback and suggestions. Sometimes, we can get so excited about our own ideas that we forget other important details.
Maybe someone on your team has planned something like this before. Or they’ve been to a similar event or know of an excellent entertainer themselves. The point is, you never know what you don’t know.
4. Consider Your Budget
If you are the person in charge of the budget, think about how much you’d like to dedicate to the entertainment portion. We’d recommend overestimating. You can always scale down but you can’t scale up last minute.
If someone else manages the budget for the event, definitely share your ideas with him or her to see if it’s possible. Great ideas are terrible ideas if your company doesn’t have the budget for it. Or who knows, you might be told to go bigger.
5. Research the Entertainers
Once you have an idea of what type of entertainer you’re looking for, try searching the web to see if you can find some names. If you have no idea where to start, try looking through an entertainment agency such as the Alive Network.
Other ways to find entertainment ideas:
- Call other people who’ve been in your position and ask them if they have any recommendations
- Look through past company events and see if there were any particular entertainers that everyone loved
- Ask friends or colleagues who’ve been to well-planned corporate events and ask them if they remember the entertainer
Use whatever information you have as leads to find more.
6. Book Early
Always try to book entertainers as early as possible. Entertainers who are in demand will have a waiting list of up to several months. If you have the time, put yourself on the waiting list. If you don’t, however, it’s still worth reaching out.
Sometimes, entertainers have last minute cancellations. You can also try asking if they have anyone they’d recommend who does something similar to them.
Entertainment circles are small and often, they’ll be more than happy to hand you off to an ally.
7. Check Them Out Live or Watch Demo Clips
Make sure you go see the entertainer live somewhere if possible. Or at least check out their videos or demo clips.
Aside from their performance, watch how they interact with the crowd and their mannerisms. Are they always smiling? Do they have a good energy level? Who’s in their audiences? These are all very important factors to consider.
8. Read Testimonials
See if you can find testimonials of the entertainers you’re interested in. See what their past clients say about them. If you want to take it a step further, call one of their past clients and see if they have any suggestion for you.
If the entertainer or group doesn’t have any testimonials, don’t dismiss them just yet. They might be new to the scene but if you really like them, maybe they’ll be worth giving a chance. You have to decide.
9. Have the Entertainer Sign a Contact
Experienced or not, you must have the entertainers or their representative sign a contract before booking them. Make sure to include the following:
- Event name and venue address
- Date and time of event and time you are hiring them for
- A statement of their responsibilities
- Expectations (do’s and don’ts)
- Deposit, final payment amount, and date of each payment
- Names of everyone involved in their group
- Consequences for if the group decides to cancel last minute
If they hand you a contract as well, make sure you read it thoroughly and find all the conditions agreeable before you sign.
10. Have a Backup Plan
Unfortunately, last minute cancellations do happen. Entertainers are real people with real problems that prevent them from following through. When this happens, make sure you have someone else in mind as a backup.
This is also why having a contract is imperative. If you are working with an entertainment booking agency, ask in the beginning if finding a backup entertainer is part of their service. If not, you have to be ready with your own backup.
Get Ready for the Event!
Once everything is set in place, let everyone know who your special guest is! Include a short summary of who they are on your invitations. It’ll help create a bigger turnout. Lastly, don’t forget, corporate parties and events are a time for people to mingle, learn from each other, and of course, have a little bit of fun!
For more resources on how to find the perfect corporate event entertainer, feel free to check out our website and directories!