Booking the right Corporate entertainment can make or break your corporate event. You have one night or weekend to get it right. With so many options to choose from how can you make sure you pick the perfect performer for your occasion?
To help, we have laid out some actionable steps you can take that will help you feel confident in your search to book the right corporate entertainment.
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Know Your Bottom Line
Before you start making phone calls, or even before you start doing your research you will want to know exactly how much you are able to spend on the entertainment for your corporate event. There are several things that may or may not be included with the performance fee for the entertainment you want. Your total budget will be allocated differently depending on the entertainer and what they require.
Then there is also the question of how much you are WILLING to spend on your corporate entertainment that include factors such as:
- The venue type and location
- The size of the audience for the show you want to book
- How well known the entertainers are?
- Whether you want a full band or acoustic show for musical acts
- Local production equipment that may be needed
Before you start reaching out to performers or booking agencies, know your allocated budget. This will help you eliminate many entertainment options which are outside your budget and create a solid first list of entertainers you can book for your corporate occasion.
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Decide on Entertainment Type
If you already know you are going with something unique like a magician, comedian, or dancers than this part is easy. However, if you are planning to have live music at your corporate event, there are a few more questions you need to ask yourself in order to book the right corporate entertainment that would be best suited for your guests.
You basically have three main options which are: original band or artist with their own music, cover bands that play a wide range of well-known music and songs, or a tribute band which will play music from the artist they are paying tribute to.
Knowing exactly what kind of experience you are looking for and starting your research early will allow you to explore all your options and decide which corporate entertainment is best suited for your event and theme. This will also insure that your entertainment will be available at the time you need them. The best entertainers always book up fast!
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Don’t Limit Yourself
Getting creative when booking corporate entertainment gives you the chance to show off your company/organization and stand out from your competition. If your budget and space allow for it, you can always book two or more diverse entertainers! Just imagine it… a live band, magician, or stuntman on one side, and a trapeze dancer on the other.
How about strolling entertainers within your audience or other types of entertainers. Match these entertainers who walk among your guests with your event theme. Or have event areas within the venue with different attractions. Think jugglers, carnival games, close up magic acts, Mariachi bands, or a caricature artist.
Don’t be scared to think out of the box! Get creative! `
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Do Your Research
When it comes to live music make sure you have a good idea in your head of what you are expecting and be sure to ask questions that will help paint a better picture of whether this band or performer will be able to deliver. You should always try to see if the performers you are interested in have experience with events like yours. Performing at various venues and clubs every weekend is a little different than putting on a show for corporate occasions.
If possible, it’s always best practice to go see your entertainers in person. However, that can be difficult, especially if they are coming from out of town. You can always ask for a good video of a recent live performance. Make sure if you are viewing a video that it is indeed a live performance and not a heavily edited video. These can sometimes be drastically different than how the band performs live.
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Start Contacting Entertainers or Booking Agencies
Now that you have a good idea of what you are looking for and should have already done some research to form an unofficial list of corporate entertainment prospects, it’s time to start contacting them or agencies who represent them.
When calling each agent, it is crucial to be completely open about what it is you are expecting so that you eliminate any performers that won’t be able to deliver. Give them details about your company, the venue, the audience characteristics they will be performing for, and what you have in mind for the event from beginning to end. Communicating as much information as possible upfront will allow you to narrow your list further and will enhance the experience of your event.
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Convey any Special Needs
If you have any special request or requirements that you would like to incorporate into the entertainment, make sure to communicate these clearly to make sure the performer will be able to accommodate you. This might include someone in the company that would like to do a song with the band or a couple of songs you would like to be played during your event. Most original artists or tribute bands can accommodate requests if they are discussed well enough in advance of the performance. Discuss these types of needs with each agent or band you contact to make sure they will be able to deliver.
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Get the Specifics
If you are choosing to have live music at your corporate event, the band or entertainers may need you to provide extra things such as:
- Sound equipment
- Lighting equipment
- Staging (If your venue doesn’t already have it)
Make sure to discuss these things beforehand so you can check with your venue to make sure they can accommodate the set-up needs for the entertainment you want.
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Find out What is Covered in the Fee
When booking corporate entertainment, there may be other fees involved including: local equipment needs, travel expense, transportation to the venue, as well as meals and accommodations. Make sure to ask what things are covered in the performance fee before you discuss anything further and especially before you sign any contracts. Having all these details ironed out prior to formally booking your event will eliminate any misunderstandings and insure a successful occasion with no hiccups.
- Booking the Right Corporate Entertainment: Contracts
At this point you should have narrowed down to a sound entertainer for your corporate event. All that is left is to handle paperwork and get a contract signed between your company and the entertainer’s agent. Although you should have a strong understanding as to what is expected after all your communicating, always put those understandings in writing in the form of a contract.
Make sure to go through your contract with a fine-tooth comb to make sure nothing is missing, and everything is covered.
Benefits of Working with a Professional Booking Agency
If you feel after reading this article that your company would be better off booking your corporate entertainment with a professional booking agency, TSE Entertainment can take care off this process for you from beginning to end. Since we are already in the entertainment booking business, we can pair you with the right corporate entertainment faster and more efficiently, all with little to no stress and work on your end. Because we do a lot of entertainment booking, we can usually get the artists you want cheaper than you can as a corporate buyer.
We book all kinds of entertainers and music genres. Whether it’s a local cover band, an up-and-coming original artist, a tribute act or a big-name entertainer, we can find the right entertainers for you corporate function.
We hope the tips we have highlighted in this article help you more efficiently book the perfect corporate entertainment for you event. However, if you prefer to work with a professional to handle your event entertainment, we would love to hear from you on the specifics of your event so that we can get started!
If you have any questions about the booking process or want to share more details your event with us, give us a call at (800) 765-8203, email us at tsebooking@tseentertainment.com or fill out our booking inquiry form here
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