05 Jul Some Do’s and Dont’s when booking your corporate entertainment!

Picking the right kind of corporate entertainment to entertain clients is a tricky affair. You have probably hit up all the theatres in Melbourne for the latest musicals and plays and seen all the local performances that Melbourne has to offer, and if you’re lucky, you can score tickets to a famous musician or band on the latest leg of their Sydney tour. It’s quite challenging trying to find unique entertainment for events where the people you are trying to impress could make or break your business!

Whether you’re looking to book a mellow house band or a hysterical corporate comedian, here are a few general guidelines that you can follow to help you narrow down your choices and make sure your clients walk away with a smile on their face:

DO: Book early – the better something is, the quicker it will sell out. This might seem like a no-brainer but it’s surprising how many people leave things like booking entertainment for annual client dinners and year end functions to the last minute. Unless you think your clients are content with having a takeaway dinner at Nandos in your offices, make sure you book your venue, event entertainment, and catering early.

DON’T: Exceed your budget – know what you can afford to spend and stick to it. Exceeded budgets usually result in an event that is amazing in some areas and terrible in the next. Consistency is key. An event with good corporate entertainment, good catering, and a good venue is better than an event where the entertainment is really amazing, but the catering is terrible and the venue adequate. It’s also helpful to know what your client’s respond best to when deciding what you want the core focus of the event to be, and shape your budget around that.

DO: Decide on your theme – when you are unsure what you would like to do, a theme can help you narrow down your choices, and inform everything from the type of entertainment you use to the food you plan on serving. It will give your clients something to look forward to, and if you extend this to the dress code, provides a fun way to participate. Just remember that the event is corporate, so anything too risqué or childish probably will not be received with enthusiasm.

DON’T: Hire without referrals – when you are under time and budget pressure, it’s tempting to hire the first supplier you come across that can offer you your decorations, menu or venue at a price you can afford. Always ask for referrals or the contact details of previous clients. If the supplier is a quality one, they should have no problem producing this.

By following these guidelines, your next client event will be significantly easier to pull off successfully. And if you’re still stuck on finding the evening’s entertainment, Joe Avati is available to offer comedic relief for all corporate events.