Which Type Of Entertainment Is Best For Your Event?

If you're planning an event or researching entertainment options after a bad experience in the past, there are a few important factors you need to keep in mind.

Here's a short guide to determining which entertainment options are best for your next event:

Think About the Type of Event You're Planning

A new product launch has a very different feel and environment than a yearly board of directors meeting. The entertainment that you select should fit the "feel" of your event. For formal events it's appropriate to have something more conservative and low key. Having a small singing act or magic show is going to be a lot better received than something on the "spectacle" end of the spectrum.

Alternatively, if you are launching a new product, trying to get your audience excited and "pumped up," or wanting to bring a high level of excitement, you'll want to have entertainment to match. A cirque-style acrobatic show, a Broadway song and dance review or a high energy industrial rhythm show would fit the bill.

Consider Your Events Timeframe

Your entertainment should be the centerpiece of one night or afternoon during your multiple-day event. If you're running a one-day event, you'll need to have your entertainment on that same day. When you select an event entertainment option, you need to consider how long the show will last and whether you have room for it in your schedule. It may be better to book entertainment that takes a little less time if you've got your attendees on a jam-packed schedule.

As you consider entertainment options, ask the corporate event entertainment experts what they suggest. Many can customize their shows to meet your existing timeframe so you can get the quality of show that you want in the time that you have.

Understand Your Entertainment Budget

Your entertainment options will be affected by your budget, so it's important to get that nailed down as soon as possible. When you are creating your budget for your entire event, keep in mind that the entertainment can be the "make or break" part of your event plan. It's the thing that people are going to remember the most since it normally takes place at the end of the event.

If you want to keep your audience talking - and excited to come back the following year - it's important to create a budget for your event's entertainment. Don't leave your entertainment as the last item on your list. You can either get quotes from event entertainment companies and use that to create your budget, or set a price and shop around to find an event entertainment company that will work within your budget. Keep in mind that while you shop, you may need to adjust your budget to fit the actual costs of professional event entertainment.

Find Something Unique for Your Audience

Entertainment has to be memorable so it's important to find something unique. This is even more important if your event audience attends a lot of trade shows and other industry gatherings. Giving them something fresh and exciting can really make a difference in their appreciation of your event and their attendance next year.

Thinking outside of the box and trying something beyond a typical comedian or keynote speaker can pay off in the long run.