(1888PressRelease)
October 26, 2006 - Have you ever had your professional reputation put on the line? Have you ever been responsible to hire the entertainment for your corporate event? Perhaps you have experienced the tension and stress that begins to build up in the room as all eyes are upon on you throughout the meal, waiting to see what you have organized for their entertainment pleasure that evening. Would it not be great to learn what the hidden caveats are when hiring entertainment? What is it worth to be able to avoid any extremely intimidating and ultimately very embarrassing episodes for you, your organizing committee and the company? Listed below are some brief summarized guidelines to save your reputation and make you look great at your valued Corporate Christmas Party.
1. Know your budget.
Identify how much you are willing to spend on entertainment before approaching entertainers or entertainment agencies to find out about their acts. What you are able to spend on an entertainer will dictate the professional level of entertainment you get.
2. Prepare to discuss your budget.
Be prepared to discuss your event goals and your budget with the entertainer.
Any professional entertainer will ask you questions about your event, such as: What type of event it is? How many guests you are expecting? Is there is a theme and can you share your draft agenda of the event? By inquiring about these logistics, the performer is then able to determine if their act is a suitable match for your goals and verbally provide you their price.
Discuss your budget openly with the artist to allow for a win-win negotiated price range (the range can be calculated as a price per hour, price per head or per performance). After negotiating a “performance fee range” that fits within your budget, then you can move on to the next step of the hiring process, if not, you are best to move on to the next performer and save yourself a lot of wasted “non-productive negotiating” time.
3. Check their insurance and request a Promotional Package.
If after your initial contact with the entertainer you feel comfortable with them and they are within your budget range, then request a copy of their insurance certificate and their promotional material. If they are a professional act, then they will carry third party liability coverage or obtain it for their (and ultimately your) peace of mind.
The promotional material you request should contain: Letters of Recommendation from similar corporations like yourself, a Promotional Video providing highlights of the show, and a Sales Sheet containing information about the show. Make sure to check the references and confirm that the entertainer or speaker is “corporate friendly” – using no racial, sexual or religious material in their act or speech. Does this really happen in today’s corporate world? You bet it does…I have seen first hand, a performer (comedic speaker) who begins to bomb, becomes unsure or insecure at an event, and desperately tries to save their act…they pull out all the stops and fall back on their traditional bar /comedy club training. They will utilize inappropriate material for “shock” value to stir up the bored audience and try to get the show back on track. Now this may work at a pub, but more often than not, it ruins your event and may offend some of your guests, staff and peers. It certainly is entertainment, but may not be suitable for your reputable company.
4. Prepare questions for the Entertainer
After reviewing the promotional material, you will have specific evening logistical questions for the entertainer. Give them a call and get your specific concerns addressed and all your questions answered. When you have obtained the satisfactory answers to your questions, then it is time to have them addressed in a written agreement.
5. Request an agreement
The entertainer should provide you with a very basic agreement outlining the: who, what, where and when of your event and also state what physical items you will be required to provide for the event (such as a sound system, wired or wireless mic, lighting requirements, a change room, power outlets, and tables for sale of products etc) and of course the agreement should also spell out what the entertainer will be responsible for at the event.
The agreement should address the “extra” costs an entertainer may incur such as travel fees, hotel costs, per diem charges, and deposits to reserve the dates. Consideration should be given to a “release” statement that allows you to take pictures of the event and/or video it to re-kindle the fun memories in the future. Take the time to do the due diligence and review your agreement in detail to protect yourself from potential embarrassment before, during or after your special event.
6. Stay in touch with your Entertainer
Your entertainer should be there to ENHANCE your event. Keeping him or her involved in the changes of your event agenda will assist them in providing you the show you expect, especially if they are incorporating any customized material for you to drive home a corporate theme or message.
7. Sit back, relax and enjoy the Shrimp Cocktail!
The bottom line is that no one will be returning to work after your Christmas Party to talk about how great the Shrimp Cocktail was. They will be laughing and re-living the entertainment or scorning the lack of it!
You will be able to sit back and relax knowing that the entertainer you have invested in is a professional and that you have avoided the caveats and protected your corporation (and your professional reputation) by following these helpful hiring guidelines.
To download the full Report on “What Entertainers don’t want you to know when hiring them!” please visit www.jerryenns.com.
