book entertainment

5 Good Planning Steps to Book Entertainment for an Event?

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If you plan to book a band or some other form of entertainment for your next event, it’s best to use a booking agent. Having an agent book live entertainment for your next event can help save you time as well as money and resources. It is also one of the most efficient ways to book entertainment for your venue/event. But there are a few things that you should do in preparation before booking a band to make the process run smoothly for you as well as your booking agent.

What Budget Do You Have to Book Entertainment?

It all starts with a budget and plan. Knowing the total budget for your event is an important consideration prior to talking to your booking agent.  With a budget you will know how much you will be able to spend on booking entertainment for your live event. The total budget should include things like event rental space cost, production, catering, artist fees, decorations etc. If you’re unsure of how much you should be budgeting for the live entertainment at your event talk to your agent. Your budget goes hand in hand with deciding on what kind of act you want to book. From local cover bands, nationally acclaimed artists to anything in between, your budget can help you decide what sort of act you can afford. If you’re not quite sure what all you need to think about for your total budget, speak to your agent and they can help you to figure out what all you need to include.

Deciding Location and Date for Live Entertainment Events

Your budget should include venue rental costs unless you have your own venue. Getting pricing on venue rentals is part of the budgeting process. Selecting a location and date for your event is essential before your booking agent can reach out to artists or their representatives.

book entertainmentDeciding the venue and date is something that, if possible, needs to be done at least 9 months to a year in advance from the expected event date. Your agent will need to know this information far in advance so that they have time to make sure that the requested artist is available for that day and location.

It is also important to be somewhat flexible on dates to get the artists you want with backup options. When planning a live event, things happen so it’s good to be prepared as far as having backup dates and even backup locations for your event. If you’re able to plan as far as a year in advance, you can make sure that the artist would be available on those backup days as well as figuring out your total budget in advance.

Secure TSE as your Exclusive Buying Agent

Using a booking agent with TSE can help you greatly when trying to book entertainment for your next event. An agent can save you time by searching for the right acts for what you’re looking for. Instead of using online search browsers you’ll have an expert’s opinion who can find the best entertainment quickly for your event. They can also help by having prior knowledge on different kinds of acts that would be a great fit for the kind of event and the interests of people attending it. They can secure the right talent for you at the right performance price.

They can save you money by negotiating prices when you book entertainment. They have pricing knowledge of how much the entertainment should be costing you in your area and the artists you want. If you’re wanting to work with a booking agent but aren’t sure if your event can be accommodated you can read more about when to hire a booking agent, written by one of TSE’s agents.

Deciding on Which Act to Book

The next thing to do before booking your live entertainment is to decide on the type of act that you are wanting for your event. Whether you’re wanting a local cover band or a national act, deciding what kind of act you’re wanting is one of the first steps you should take in preparing to book. Once you’ve narrowed down the type of act, let your booking agent know and they can do the search for you. Your agent will help you to find the right fit for your event. Remember your act should be of great interest to the people you are targeting to attend your event.

Using an agent makes the booking process simple because instead of doing your own research online, you can let your agent know what you’re looking for and they can search for you. This saves you time on looking through hundreds of bands and their information. Your agent can send you exactly who is available and at what price for your specific event. They can also make sure the prices that you’re charged are exactly what they should be and nothing more because of their expert knowledge on the going rate for live entertainment.

Conclusion

When preparing to book entertainment for your next event, enlist TSE as your exclusive buying agent so that the process runs smoother for you. Figuring out the total budget is important in the preparation leading up to booking your band so that you can figure out exactly who you can book.

You should decide what kind of act you’d like to perform so that your booking agent can start the search for the perfect entertainment for your event. Figuring out the date and location for your event should be done well in advance, preferably a year in advance for major shows if possible. Lastly, If you’re planning a live entertainment event, contact one of our TSE agents.

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About the author

Picture of Olivia Hurtado

Olivia Hurtado

Olivia is a graduate of Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor’s in Music Business. She has a love for live music, songwriting and just an overall passion for music in general. She is excited about working in the music business and gaining experience and knowledge while on the TSE team.
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