There’s a lot to think about. After all, you want the best possible entertainer to ensure your guests stay engaged, focused, and happy with the entertainment, but it can be tough to decide if you’re going to get that by just simply reading a website. Before you sign any contracts, you may want to take the following tips into account.
One of the first things you should do before you select the right corporate entertainer to meet your needs is take a look at a few different videos. Many corporate entertainers post videos on their sites or on sites like YouTube so people can get a feel for their style and what they’re capable of. These videos are a great way to see if an entertainer’s style is going to meet your needs.
Second, and you may want to do this while you’re actually watching the video, make certain the entertainer you’re thinking about hiring actually has some experience in the corporate setting. A comedian, for example, may be hilarious in a night club, but can they hack it in front of your staff members and still keep things funny?
Finally, make certain the entertainer you’re considering can offer you a personalized show.
You want someone who can literally customize the show to meet your needs, adding in special keywords or even the names of staff members to help your guests truly connect with the event. The last thing you want at your next event is generic entertainment your guests could see by sitting at home in front of the television. Selecting someone who will customize the show just for you ensures that you get a one-of-a-kind show your guests simply can’t see anywhere else.
As you work through your list of potential entertainers, make certain they offer a no obligation consultation call to help you determine if they’re the act to meet your needs. Don’t sign a contract until you've actually spoken with your potential act!
Corporate Event Planning Concepts
To Save Your Event From Ruin
You spend the time to find a great corporate entertainer. They are highly recommended, their video is incredible and you've gotten rave recommendations from their past clients. You just know your guests will love them too!
But things don't go as planned. The entertainer doesn't click with your guests. People aren't paying and some are even walking out the door. You've paid a lot of money and the act totally bombed.
WHY?
Entertainment MUST be framed properly or it WILL fail.
Event planners often place their event entertainers in a no-win situation. It is important to understand exactly what your entertainment needs to succeed. Let us give you some examples:
Audiences need to be close to feel like they are part of the experience. Often event planners will place a dance floor in front of the stage, or leave a wide gap between the stage and the tables. When that happens the entertainer and guests are unable to form a connection. So keep tables and chairs close to the stage!
Guests need to be able to see the stage. If they can't, they won't pay attention. If your room has columns, plan the seating so everyone has a clear view of the stage. Don't allow the centerpieces to obstruct site lines either!
Plan for a sound system that is designed to handle the room and your guest capacity. Nothing is worse than trying to understand muffled ceiling speakers. If your entertainment can't be heard, you've wasted your budget.
Put Your Entertainment On Immediately After Dinner.
The evening is about your guests! Once the CEO has spoken, or the awards are presented, phones come out to check emails, people realize the babysitter is on the clock, and they begin thinking about other things. Suddenly your group starts to unravel. Now let's bring the entertainer into this environment and expect them to succeed. It could happen, but the odds are not in their favor.
When your entertainment hits the stage immediately following dinner, the energy in the room rises. People are laughing, having fun and by the time the show is over, they eagerly anticipate the awards and speeches. Everything seems to move faster when your guests in a great mood.
So how do you want people to remember your event? As a fun time, or a time drag? Follow this advice and make your next corporate event one they will remember!
When planning your next corporate event, contact our office for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will help you find corporate entertainment that your guests will love!
For More Corporate Event Planning Concepts, Tips and Ideas, check out the suggested articles below:
As a corporate event planner, it is important to make your event stand out. Building buzz will get people in the door, so creating excitement around your event needs to be considered at every phase of planning.
A couple of years ago, one corporate event planner was putting together a parking lot picnic with a summer beach theme. She wanted a uniform look and needed an event logo to brand the party. Instead of going to a designer, she decided to announce the event by launching a company wide logo contest. Even the outer offices were invited to participate.
News quickly spread as employees shared the contest with the most artistic and original thinkers on the staff. Dozens of logos were submitted and the IT department created a web page where everyone could vote for their favorites. Within a few days, everyone knew about the picnic and everyone was looking forward to it.
The winning logo was selected and the promotional product vendor provided a special silk screened gift for the contest winner.
Talk about Corporate Event Branding Impact!
The contest allowed employees to be creative. Everyone had fun with the process. And the entire company knew about the upcoming event.
When you attend a corporate event, chances are you will notice some common features that are shared by almost every one.
These Common Traits Include:
Mingling – Happy Hours or Cocktails that give guests a chance to arrive and unwind.
Addresses By Management – from a simple welcome to a pivotal speech.
Incentives and Recognition – Awards, certificates or simply thanking people.
and
Rewards – these can include corporate entertainment, gifts or bonuses.
So if almost every corporate event has these features in common, the question becomes, how to make your event different and memorable.
Content Is The Key!
During planning, make certain every phase of the event will reinforce your content and message. Then find a distinctive approach to style these components so they enhance instead of detract from the overall message and theme.
Instead of networking Happy Hours, turn the activity into team building games. Incorporate social media like twitter and LinkedIn to create ways for guests to connect and grow their circles.
Anyone who addresses the guests should be kept informed and on topic as your event draws closer. By using audio, video and interactivity your speakers can bridge the audience gap and offer information in a more exciting manner, while building personal connections with the audience.
Acknowledgements and awards should be limited to highlight achievements within the content focus. This helps you to avoid long speeches or sending mixed messages that can ruin the flow of your event.
Rewards, includingcorporate entertainment, should be tailored to emphasize your content too. Find a corporate entertainer that can easily adapt to your message and audience. This makes the event fun, while offering a unique perspective to help reinforce your message and theme.
Focusing on your content allows you to make the “conventional” aspects “exceptional” aspects, creating a truly unique corporate event.
Looking for corporate entertainment in Baltimore, Maryland, DC, Virginia or Philadelphia?
Corporate comedian ventriloquist Tom Crowl of Baltimore, Maryland takes corporate entertainment in Baltimore to the next level. Crowl's comedy show has appeared as headline entertainment at corporate events throughout the United States. Tom has also traveled the globe entertaining on cruise ships and at 5-star resorts.
“The show is designed to keep people laughing. We want them to relax and enjoy themselves,” said Crowl. “My passion is figuring out what will make them laugh. That is why I find corporate events so fascinating.”
When companies hire a corporate entertainer, they usually have a specific goal. Entertainment for the sake of entertainment is seldom the reason. They may want to highlight a particular message or product. In some cases they want to create a highlight that features their cause or people.
“The real job is to take the client's goal and engage their people with comedy that makes their corporate entertainment memorable,” said Crowl.
Most of Tom's performances actually take place outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Corporate entertainment and speaker agencies hire him to make their clients look amazing. It isn't unusal for Tom to hop on a plane to travel across the country for a single appearance.
Most often, Crowl's corporate performances headlines entertainment for awards banquets, annual meetings, conferences and conventions. He is also brought in for customer appreciation events, luncheons, holiday parties and team building.
A comedian for team building?
Team building activities are often a essential part of company events. One of the best ways to generate camaraderie among co-workers is creating a memorable shared experience.
“Laughter fits that scenario perfectly,” says Crowl. “When you can generate convulsive laughter over something the audience deals with daily, they will recall and share that moment again and again, long after the event.”
Crowl's program also spurs the imagination. Ventriloquism allows the audience to set aside reality. “It is amazing to watch people become engrossed in a character interaction only to be jolted back to the reality that there is only one person on stage.” said Crowl.
Audience interaction plays a huge role in Tom's performances. “A corporate entertainer needs to keep the audience engaged. An audience consists of a bunch of individuals, each with their own likes, dislikes and train of thought. My job is to interact with them on a personal level and pull them into the performance. The show isn't about me, it is about them. They are the true stars of the show.”
Crowl is currently accepting corporate entertainment bookings in Baltimore, Maryland and internationally. If you'd like to make your next corporate event contact our office today. We'd be happy to hear about your plans and needs to see if Tom's style of corporate comedy would be a good fit.
Contact Tom now for Corporate Entertainment in Baltimore, DC, Delaware and Philadelphia.
Corporate Dinner Entertainment Ideas That Can Make Your Event Memorable
Tackling the task of planning entertainment for your company's awards, holiday party or client appreciation dinner?
While some planners try to play it safe by booking corporate entertainers they have used in the past, that can backfire. Even if the entertainer changes their act, it feels the same. The event becomes bland and interest starts to dwindle.
These corporate dinner entertainment ideas can help you keep things exciting.
Before You Book Entertainment:
Look at your objectives:
What is the purpose of the event? Is the entertainment just for fun? Or should they incorporate a message the management wants remembered?
Consider your audience:
Take a good look at your event. Has the company held this dinner before? What have they done for entertainment? What has been popular? What has failed? These insights will provide you with direction.
Is it a first time event? What other events does your company host? Do they use entertainment? Ask the same questions as above. This information will provide you with a working knowledge of company tastes.
Look at your venue:
Before you plan entertainment, get an idea of your event space. If it is small, a band may not be a viable option. Have columns that block views? A visual act like a magician may not be a good selection.
Dinner entertainment ideas & options:
Before dinner entertainment ideas:
If you are hosting a cocktail hour, are you encouraging networking? One way to do that is use a professional icebreaker. Magicians Mike Rose or David Ranalli are an excellent option for this. They'll get people laughing and interacting, making your cocktail hour into a party.
Perhaps your event is a bit more subdued. You need a more elegant before dinner entertainment solution. Try a harpist, or a classical music instrumentalists. They add a level of ambiance that elevates your evening.
During dinner entertainment ideas:
When people eat, they focus on the food and table conversation. This is a horrible time to have a speaker or stage entertainment. Your guests will divide their attention. You and your management will be unhappy with the results.
That said, during dinner entertainment can be successful if properly presented. One great example of this are Wacky Waiters. These physical clowns pose as regular wait staff. Their ineptness grows as the meal goes on. By the time the true insanity hits, everyone will enjoy a laugh knowing they were “had” by these imposters.
After dinner entertainment ideas:
When it comes time to contract the after dinner corporate entertainment, ask yourself how you can change things up while appealing to similar tastes.
Has your company hired a corporate comedian or magician in the past? If your audiences like to laugh, a ventriloquist may be the perfect solution!
Ventriloquists are visual, like magicians, and can rival any comic if you select the right one. Another benefit of the corporate ventriloquist is the fact they can tie your message and people into the program. This personalized comedy rivets your audience and makes them wonder what will happen next.
Perhaps your evening's entertainment will consist of a keynote speaker. Magician Nathan Coe Marsh works with companies to create amazing magical appearances. Your speaker, CEO or president could appear on-stage to excite the audience.
Looking for “Wow!” factor? Juggler Charles Peachock of America's Got Talent fame takes visuals to the next level. From amazing skill to exciting staging and audience participation, Charles never fails to deliver.
Let's talk about your event:
These are just a few corporate dinner entertainment ideas to help you get started. If you'd like to discuss your event we'd be happy to help make your company dinner memorable!
