It is questions like these that prompted me to write this report.  Having been in the professional entertainment industry since 1972, I have seen event planners make MAJOR mistakes that could have very easily been avoided by asking a few simple questions up front. BEFORE the day of the event!

What follows is my list of the top ten things you should thoroughly check before you hire an entertainer, of ANY kind for ANY event!!!

1) Begin by contacting an real, honest Entertainment Agency that has been in business longer than a few years.  This is your number one resource by far! If you haven't personally seen an entertainer that meets your needs, then contact a quality agency that represents true professionals.
It is much better to get someone you can trust right from the start.

Recommended Agency: Musication Incorporated - 785-260-6040

They have been in business for over 35 years and I have personally been with this agency since 1999.  They are the real deal and will be glad to assist you with any needs whether you need my services or not, they have everything including all the major national stars, acts, bands and attractions.

 2) Ask for references, if the act doesn't have any, forget them!  If the performer wasn't personally
recommended to you, by all means do your research!  Ask them for references, speak with the agency representative. If they can't provide you with some real references or have some excuse as to why they can't give out names or some ridiculous thing like that, DO NOT engage that entertainer.
To be quite honest there is a never ending list of beginners, amateurs and hobbyists that via the internet represent themselves to be professionals when in reality they are not.  They place quotes from clients they have never worked with and make claims of their prowess and accolades they have not earned.  They do not make their living as a professional entertainer and are not suitable for your needs.  They are just trying to make a buck by copying the web sites and promotional materials of the professionals.  Are they certified?  I am a Certified Professional Entertainer with the credentials to back it up. The amateurs are not and can not produce the goods.  Ask for them.

T.A. Hamilton is a Member of: IBM - International Brotherhood of Magicians, FCM - The Fellowship of Christian Magicians, IVA - International Ventriloquial Association, ICPEA - International Certified Professional Entertainers Association.

I know of an entertainer in my area that works a lot.  He does quite a few shows, but never at the same place twice!  RED FLAG!!! He's a great marketer/salesman, but it ends there.  Look at their references and spend some time speaking to the Agency who represents them.

3) The next step beyond references is experience.  Think of yourself as a Human Resource Director.  After all, you are considering hiring this person, even if for a short time.  Where have they performed before? What awards or accolades have they received?  Are they a beginner or a seasoned professional? Are they represented by a "REAL" Entertainment Agency or are they representing themselves as Professionals when they really are just amateurs?

4) Is it age appropriate?  This is a question that rarely gets asked but is supremely important!  Is the entertainer used to working with your type of audience?  Example:  He/She may be a wonderful magician and did a great job at little Johnny's 4th Birthday Party, but this material will not work for your corporate clients.  And visa versa, let's say he is a great sleight-of-hand artist but if he doesn't have any experience entertaining children, they will eat him alive!

One other HUGE pet peeve of mine is the use of "blue" material. ("Blue" is Entertainment Industry jargon for "Dirty" or "Vulgar" Humor.)

Honestly, this is never appropriate, regardless of the age of the audience.
What makes it worse though is the entertainer that thinks it's OK to throw some stuff in, just for the "big kids" that is absolutely inappropriate for children to hear no matter their age, whether they understand it or not.  Ask your prospective entertainer about this and voice your concerns.

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen this happen and it amazes me at the total disregard some entertainers have for their audiences. We live in a politically correct environment and entertainers need to step up to the times! (Okay, okay, I'll get off my soapbox now.)

5) What type of set-up is needed?  I hate to tell you but, most of this falls on the event planner.  It amazes me, at how many events I've been to where the planner has paid BIG bucks on entertainment, food, drink, etc.  Everything is top-notch but they drop the ball on simple coordination.  I've seen sound systems not big enough for the room.  I've seen Improper lighting and staging mistakes that seriously distracted from the event.  Granted, a true entertainment professional should be able to guide you in the right direction for their needs and what will work best for the facility.  Take their advice.

A very common problem is to have a stage on one side of the room, the audience on the other and a large dance floor separating the two.  This separation will kill a show!  There will be no interaction possible and the entertainer will have to come down from the stage to relate with the audience.

This will severely hurt timing as well as sight lines for those in the back.
A great idea is to have the event staff bring chairs to the dance floor and set-up a theater style setting. The chairs can quickly be removed or moved back after the show for dessert, awards, dancing etc.
Another very common mistake is to not have a stage at all.

**Rule-of-Thumb**- If you are expecting more than 50 guests, you will need at least a riser.  Many more than that, and a stage will be needed. Ask your potential entertainer what they need, what they supply, what they expect and, very importantly, what they think will be needed to make it the best event possible!  I want to say right here, that a real professional can make a show work under almost any circumstances, however, my advice is to stage the program such that all of the audience can see and hear the performance.  That translates to a little extra effort, but it is a huge factor in making sure your event is a "Big Success".

6) What do you charge?  This is a pretty obvious one.  It may be the first thing you ask a prospective entertainer.  Be certain to find out if that is the total fee! Some entertainers charge mileage, hotel room, meals and more which is fine, just so long as you know about it in advance and are prepared for it. Nothing will make your accounting department angrier than getting a bill for an expense account charge they knew nothing about and you unknowingly signed off on.  Worse yet, you end up paying for it. To avoid this type of nightmare, make sure you are fully aware of the fee charges. (Note: it is quite a normal practice in the entertainment booking process to request a room for the entertainer at the venue.  This provides a place for the entertainer to rest, prepare and dress properly for the program, thereby making said program much better than the alternative situation, where the entertainer is required to rush in, set up, change clothes in the bathroom or a closet and then try to present a professional program for your event.)

**Additional Tip** - Many entertainers offer discounts for local events, multiple bookings, non-profit groups, package deals, etc.  It never hurts to ask! You may save your organization some money and end up getting more service in the form of a package. Which brings us to....

7) Do you have any package specials?  Most professional entertainers will offer different entertainment packages. Every event is very different and this gives you a chance to match the entertainment to best suit your needs. Whether it be mingling entertainment during the "opening"  hour, special gifts from the performer for the attendees, or whatever; ask your entertainer what they can package together to make your event EXTRA special!

8) Hiring an entertainer on price alone.  OK, this may not be a question for you to necessarily ask, but it is a MAJOR tip for you in your planning.  Every event has a budget.  You need to stay within it and meet your needs. But, hiring an entertainer based solely on them being the lowest priced can lead to a disaster. There is an old adage that is very true in this situation and that is, "You get what you pay for!" Sure, some may be over-priced, some under priced, but it should NOT be your only consideration. If you ask the questions contained here, you should be able to judge whether it is a fair price or not.

9) Do you offer any guarantee?  If a performer presents a quality presentation and has enough experience, they should absolutely guarantee their services. Why wouldn't they?  As with any product, the producer should stand behind it! Ask them what they guarantee!

10) And finally, The Biggest Mistakes Event Planners Make When Booking Entertainment is this, not calling us first for a free event planning consultation!  We have been in the business of making events amazingly successful since 1972 and we know what it takes to make it
GREAT!  We understand how important it is and the pressures you are facing.

Our job is to put you at ease and present a program that will make you look great ? GUARANTEED!!!  We realize that every event has different needs and if we are not right for you, we'll tell you. If you'd like, we will recommend someone that is.
Call or email us today for your FREE consultation, there is absolutely NO OBLIGATION!

T.A. HAMILTON - Corporate Event Solutions Specialist
Author, Speaker & Magical Entertainer
"Making Events Amazingly Successful GUARANTEED!!!"
www.tahamilton.com
T.A. HAMILTON PRODUCTIONS LLC
P.O. Box 82
Tecumseh, Kansas 66542 USA