Everyone knows that the economy has been very poor the last couple of years. In general, people who want to hire corporate entertainment today have less money to spend on that entertainment than they did not too long ago. However, just because they have less money doesn’t mean they don’t want to create a boomingly successful event. But how is it possible to book top entertainers with a smaller budget? If you’re planning a corporate event, and are restricted by your budget, be sure to follow guidelines as described below. By following these time-test guidelines you can create a memorable event without needing to take out a loan.
In most situations, you’ll want to lock in your entertainment first. Most people make the mistake of taking care of everything else first, such as the venue, food, table decorations, promotional items, invitations, and other miscellaneous items. Then, once they know how much money is left over, they’ll start looking for entertainment that won’t cost any more than the money they’ve got left. This is absolutely the wrong approach. If you’re spending more money on your appetizers and cheese and cracker plates, you’re making a big mistake. It’s always the event entertainment that makes or breaks a party, and move people to action, which is why your first priority is not the hors d’oeuvres, but the entertainment. You should first track down the best entertainment you can find, and then use the remaining money for the other items on your list. You can always scale back on your allowable food budget, or even eliminate the table centerpieces altogether, but hiring poor quality entertainers because you don’t have quite enough money is the best way to ruin any event.
You may want to book a band for your event, but find that the money is just not there for it. Instead of booking a band, try hiring a one-entertainer show. A live band consists of 5 to 8 people on average, and every one of them has to make money. But a comedy magician, aerialist, or comic juggler can entertain a crowd for far less money.
Instead of booking established and popular entertainers, look for unknown talent. Rising stars may have just as much talent, but have not yet been discovered by the mainstream. Some performers will entertain just as well as the most famous entertainers, but will cost far less because they are still unknowns. The best place to find these performing artists is by contacting a booking agent that knows what talent is available. Finding a lot of bang for the buck is not as hard as you think – just ask a good booking agent for some options and you’re almost home free.