Hiring a live band or that “adult” hypnotist for your event is a good idea. Maybe you were thinking of hiring a magician. Another good idea.
But those entertainment ideas don’t exactly break the creativity bank. Are they entertaining? Yes, we guess so. But will they impress your guests? Not necessarily.
Event planners know that every detail is important to ensure that your function goes smoothly.
Whether you’re looking for corporate event entertainment or something for a smaller gathering, it needs to be perfect.
Fortunately, we’ve got some tips to help you narrow your options and 12 event entertainment ideas that will definitely impress your guests.
Why Your Event Needs Entertainment
Hiring entertainment for your event is more than just keeping guests happy.
Certainly, there are some events that won’t require much in the way of entertainment. For example, if you are hosting a single day event that centers around a motivational speaker, that individual, more or less, is your entertainment.
But, many events can use a little fun added into the mix. More than offering a flashy or an immersive experience to your guests, the right entertainment can help improve the success of your event across several key metrics.
Event entertainment can:
Help you sell more tickets by creating a point of interest for your audience
Reinforce event branding and messaging to improve brand engagement
Improve guest satisfaction by giving them something to connect with
But before you go out and hire the biggest, baddest act in town, there are some things you need to think about.
Tips for Planning Event Entertainment
The best entertainment in the world won’t do much if it isn’t right for your event. A country music festival wouldn’t book a hip hop artist to headline, right? Engaging your audience will take a little more consideration than going with what’s expected or what’s trending.
To help choose the proper event entertainment options, consider the following:
Your Audience. Think carefully about your audience and what they may be interested in seeing. One of the best ways to find this out is to conduct a pre-event survey. Or, you can read the feedback from previous events to get a sense of what people want.
Event Agenda. Before you book your entertainment, consider your overall event agenda. Will your guests and attendees be sitting all day? If yes, you should consider something active and interactive rather than expecting guests to sit through what, at this point, will amount to another ‘presentation.’
Venue. Whatever you plan, the venue needs to be able to accommodate it. Think about the event space and seating plan, if you have one. The entertainment has to be able to function in the space.
Budget. Entertainment costs can add up so make sure that whatever you plan fits the budget. Entertainers can cost more than just their fee. Remember, they may require equipment, like A/V gear, that you may be responsible for procuring. Make sure you know the full costs before you move forward.
Event Goals/Concept. Don’t just plan for the latest entertainment trend, consider what your event is trying to ‘say’ and ‘do.’ Use the entertainment to better deliver this message or establish this goal. Entertainment that does not fit the event as a whole will feel disjointed and strange Go URL.
projection / lighting / stage
Client: Sanoma Bliasak Bulgaria
Date: December 2013
Location: Betahaus Sofia
Technical Realization: proTechnica EVENT
