As we approach the holiday season, many of us are going to be
planning Christmas parties and holiday celebrations. Finding the right
entertainment for these events is a huge undertaking. Get it right and
you're a hero! Get it wrong and your guests have to suffer through a
boring program. No pressure, huh?
Don't worry! As a professional
speaker and entertainer, I have worked with some of the finest event
planners in the industry and have learned from them all. Follow this
guide to help you through the decision making process and guarantee that
you have a massively successful event.
1. Planning
One of
the very first steps when planning an event is to decide on as many of
the specific details as possible. These details should include date,
time, location, number of guests invited, etc. Most entertainers and
speakers will ask you these questions to get an idea of what you are
planning so they can adjust their performance to best fit your event.
2. Type of Program
The
type of event you are planning will also dictate what type of program
to consider. If you are planning a Christmas party, you will obviously
be looking for a different type of program than if you are planning your
child's birthday party. You must consider who your guests are and what
they will find entertaining.
Keep this in mind: your entertainer
is representing you at the party. Therefore, you have an excellent
opportunity to show off without lifting a finger! The person you choose
should be professional and have experience that gives you confidence in
them. You will know about an entertainer's or speaker's level of
experience by their resume, testimonials, references, and letters of
recommendation.
3. Choosing the Right Program
All savvy,
business-minded, professional entertainers and speakers have websites. A
well designed website allows your future entertainer to list their
specialties, describe exactly what they do and how they do it, as well
as post video clips, photos, letters of recommendation, etc. A good
website is the ultimate brochure for entertainers to inform potential
clients on who they are.
You should be able to see enough from an
entertainer's website to get a really good idea of whether he or she
will be able to do the job for you or not. Be sure to evaluate whether
or not the entertainer you are considering specializes in entertaining
groups like yours.
4. The Initial Contact
There are several
ways to make contact with your prospective entertainer or speaker. The
easiest is to just pick up the phone and call the entertainer's office.
Making contact with your prospective entertainer with a phone call is an
excellent way to get to know them. By actually speaking with your
entertainer you can learn things that you may not be able to tell
through other contact methods. A conversation allows you to hear the
person's voice and it allows you to get an impression about how
appropriate this person is for your event. A phone conversation also
allows your entertainer to ask you specific questions that they need
answered in order to quote a fee, check availability, and be sure that
they are the right fit for your event.
Another option is to send
the entertainer an email. Email is a great way to make first contact
with your prospective entertainer. If you choose to make contact through
email, try to give as many details about the event as possible. Include
your phone number and a window of time when you will be available to
talk so that the entertainer can call you back and ask additional
questions he or she may have.
An additional way to make contact
with your entertainer is to fill out a web form that is on his or her
website. A web form will have specific fields such as name, phone
number, your address, type of function, venue address, approximate
number of guests expected, etc. The web form is often a preferred method
of contact over email because it is designed to provide the entertainer
with specific information needed in order to quote a fee, check
availability, etc.
Price Shopping? Everyone is on some kind of
budget. The general rule of thumb is this: Do not go with the lowest
price. Going with the lowest price is likely a precursor to
disappointment. In the entertainment and speaking fields remember the
old adage "you get what you pay for."
5. Contracts, Confirmation Calls and Letters
Once
all the details have been decided on, you should expect to receive a
contract from your entertainer or speaker. This is not something to
stress over. It is normal operating procedure for any professional
entertainer or speaker. In fact, if you don't get a contract, you should
start to wonder.
The contract basically spells out all the
details that have been agreed upon when discussing your event. You
should take the time to review all of the details, including type of
program, start and end time, venue address, price, etc. The performance
agreement should set you at ease because you now know that your
entertainer has all the details correct and can prepare to deliver a
dynamic, appropriate program.
6. The Day of the Event
As far
as the program goes, you should have had several discussions with your
entertainer by now which would answer any and all questions that either
of you may have had. It should be clear, because of the previously
agreed upon details in the contract, what time your entertainer will
arrive, when and where they will set up, and what time the program will
begin. Be sure that you or the main contact person of the event is
carrying a cell phone in case your entertainer runs into any last minute
issues and needs to contact you.
7. Last Minute Details and Showtime!
You've
done your research and selected the best program for your event. At
this point, there should be nothing for you to worry about. Kick back,
relax and enjoy!
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