Essentials in Contracting Entertainment
When purchasing entertainment you want to be able to make the process go as smoothly as possible. I’m not just talking about the nuts and bolts of signing agreements. But also knowing what you don’t want as much as realizing what you do desire when talking with the entertainer. Communicating is so important. The entertainer wants all to go as smoothly as you do.
So what follows are steps to make your booking …and entertainment experience a pleasant one.
- Decide the goal that you wish the entertainment to achieve.
- Purely entertainment
- To break the ice and get people interacting.
- To market or sell a product or service.
- What is the desired format?
- Stage / platform ( Band, various show formats, speaker )
- Roving (magicians, characters, clowns)
- Station (face painters, psychic readers, caricature artists, etc.)
- Ambiance ( band as background during dinner, characters)
- Ask about the entertainments requirements
- Stage/ platform?
- Technical needs (power requirements, backdrop, light and sound) Some entertainers provide their own equipment as part of a package. This often is less expensive than hiring from an outside source.
- Set- up time and load in specifics.
- Entertainment needs a captive audience! No food service during a stage show if it is a directly interactive style of performance. You want to get your bang for the buck without people being distracted.
- Booking the Entertainment
- Contact entertainment in a timely manner. (especially if wanting customization)
- Have your event facts ready so that the entertainer can be specific for you.
- Expect to pay a deposit
- Have day of show specifics organized
- Easy access for load in
- Parking for entertainer
- Green room or area so that entertainment can relax when not on.
- Name and phone of contact person on site the day of event
Posted in Corporate Entertainment, ESP Blog