Let's talk about your entertainment budget.

I received an interesting inquiry the other day. The company was having a sit down meal for 375 – 400 people.

This event was to be held at a high end establishment in a major city.

We discussed the event, their audience, their goals and needs.

Then I asked the question …

What is your entertainment budget?

The event planner went silent, then asked me, well what do you charge?

I explained that each event is different.

I would need to check flights, rooms, ground transportation, and my schedule, before I could work up a quote.

If their budget was sufficient, I have no problem doing that.

If their budget wasn't large enough, I could make other recommendations and save us both time.

The planner told me she was not authorized to reveal her budget. Her employer was afraid someone would jack up their price and charge them the entire amount.

If you need a car and have the budget for a Honda, you would not walk into a Lamborghini dealership and look around. You couldn't afford it and it would be a waste of the dealer's and your time.

Corporate entertainment acts range from the inexpensive to the ultra high end. No two acts are the same. Different experience, different skills, different abilities.

I told the planner this, and she relented. They had an entertainment budget of: $500 available.

I can't recommend an act in that price range. I wouldn't be sure of the quality. Instead I recommended they contact an event professional in their area for assistance.

The amount certainly wouldn't cover my travel costs to their event.

This revelation saved us both time. And time is valuable.

They could continue their search for an act and I could continue serving my clients.

When I decided to write about this encounter, I did some checking. The venue where they were holding their event was high end.

They would be having a cocktail hour. For one hors d'oeuvres alone, they would be paying $2,160 or $5.40 per person.

A second hors d'oeuvers serving would be $5.80 per person.

The open bar for their event would cost around $32.50 per person.

Their dinner entree was listed as $38.00 per plate.

So the company's per person meal expense would be at least $81.70. I am sure they were having more than 2 hors d'oeuvers and I didn't add in dessert, gratuities, taxes and if any, room costs.

Their entire entertainment budget was only $1.25 per person.

Do you see the problem?

The entertainment was to follow the meal.

It would consume almost an hour of their event time. (As long as the sit down portion of their meal.)

It would be the last impression of the company's event.

And they were trying to save money on the one thing that can save their evening.

“He was great!  Going to be hard to beat next year.”

Steve O. Cumming County Feeders Association
Steve O.

“You will be hard to follow!! Everyone is still laughing about the
human puppets routine – loved it! Thanks again!”

Carma L. Hutchinson Mayrath
Carma L.

“He is incredible to work with and does a wonderful job
personalizing his routine to fit the need of the client!”

Shanna B. Oxy Permian, Midland, TX
Shanna B.

“Thank you so much – EVERYONE was raving about how great you were…”

Megan S. Lancashire Hall
Megan S.
I've been to high end meals where the food does not turn out as expected. Maybe things run over and the food sat in the warmer too long.

Dried out chicken or meat changes the desired effect on your guests.

And it happens.

When or if it happens, do you want to follow it with cheap entertainment?

A $500 act may be good for a fair or civic group, but when you are trying to impress your guests, you should invest in your corporate entertainment.

I am not the right act for every event, but I still want you to succeed.

Your success means that one day you may hold an event where I would be the right corporate entertainer to entertain your guests.

So if you are holding an event, reach out to me. Let's talk.

If I'm not a good fit, I will do my best to point you in the direction of someone who can help.

Thanks for reading this and I wish you an amazing event!

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