The intense planning that goes into organizing, and hosting, an event wouldn’t be complete if you left out the aspect of entertainment. It’s more than just hiring the services of a performer, a band, or a DJ and taking a step back to watch the chips fall into place.
However, you can go ahead and hire any entertainer that strikes your fancy if you don’t mind your guests counting the minutes until they are out of your dry and boring event.
Entertainment is an important aspect of all kinds of events, it’s something that will remain in the memory of your guests long after the show is long over. It’s something that will come up in their conversations about you and, of course, you won’t be getting any flattery if the entertainment was flat.
It goes without saying then, that the entertainment option you choose can make or break your event. It’s different entertainers for different events, and not one entertainer for every event. You can only put together the perfect entertainment for your event when you consider the kind of event you’re hosting.
Entertainment that’s suitable for a corporate party might not go down so well at an awards function. For your entertainment to complement your event as it should, you need to take these eight factors into account:
- Your budget
How much money can you allocate for entertainment expenses? If you don’t consider this, you will end up wallowing in regret, instead of basking in the euphoria of the compliments that your attendees shower you with. It’s very easy to go overboard while planning corporate events, and you can only be saved by the suitable budget you’ve crafted in advance.
Also, the kind of celebration to be had at your event greatly depends on your budget. If you have trouble deciding the kind of entertainment that your budget can cover, you can always hire the services of a professional event planner. A professional will take a look at your budget and help you get the best entertainers that you can afford.
- The theme of your event
Any entertainment you choose has to complement, and reinforce, the theme of your event. Themes are part of what makes an event memorable, and they relate to the event you’re hosting. When it comes to choosing themes that will highlight your event, and entertainment options that will elicit reactions from your guests, you shouldn’t always go with the latest trend. Take the time to think about the feeling you want your guests to go home with, before settling on suitable entertainment for your theme.
- The tastes of your guests
This is another factor that has a huge bearing on the kind of entertainment you choose. How well do you know the tastes of those you’re trying to impress or excite? It’s best to select multiple kinds of entertainers if the event is a public gala. Go for music genres that will appeal to the age range of your target audience. Circus and fire acts might appeal to the younger generation, but the older generation might find them unpleasant. Considering the taste of your target audience will help you create a customized atmosphere.
- Agencies
Hiring an entertainment agency to help you take care of all the groundwork involved in hiring entertainers will save you a lot of time. You won’t have to go through the process of searching for, booking, or interviewing entertainers. That time will be spent on other preparations for your event. These agencies will ensure you only get well-trained professionals, because they won’t want to tarnish their reputation.
- Insurance
Make sure the professional entertainers you hire have liability insurance. You don’t want to be held liable for any accidental injury they incur while performing at your event. Ask for a copy of their insurance certificate, and make sure their insurance policy covers you.
- Fees
Get your facts straight before hiring anyone. Will you have to pay set-up fees, take care of their food, accommodation and flight fees? Not knowing all these could mean you’ll have to pay double the amount you intended to pay for their performance—an unpleasant shock! You hardly ever miss a trick when you ask the right questions.
- A detailed contract
There must be a written contract to be signed, if the entertainers do not provide any, write one up. The contract should be very detailed, covering everything from date, time, payment and relevant information about the performers to the actual playlist. Nothing of importance should be left out.
- A back-up plan
Always plan ahead for unfortunate circumstances that could put a stop to the show. Issues like traffic accidents, illnesses, and faulty instruments may arise. You’ll be covered if you already have a backup entertainer in mind. The show must go on no matter what.
When you take all these factors into account, your entertainment options will always complete your events in a seamless manner.
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