20 Jun
When organizing a corporate event entertainment, there are several types of things to be considered. Corporate events require a significant amount of preparation. Depending upon the type of event which is being organized, you will need to consider the possibility of the event, which is going to be attended by different types of people, the place, ambience, food and many other things. The entertainment hired for the occasion can make the difference either a grand appreciation or a depressing breakdown. What kind of performers should you hire? What will your audience appreciate? What might offend them? Each of these questions can play a major role in choosing the proper corporate event entertainment. The performances put forth by the performers can impact the success of your event and the type of entertainment you have organized, also matters how much your audience will remember and for how long.
When entertainment matters, the type of performers you hire will depend largely upon the type of crowd your event will attract. For certain events, like, an awards event that is held for an industry with a large older population may not be well-matched rather can’t accept a rock band. Likewise, on the other hand, if you have organized an event to celebrate your company’s product launch, you may consider using acrobats and magic as well to excite your audience.
If you want to create a different impact and make your corporate event a memorable one, you have to make your corporate event to go smoothly, of course. However, you can easily aspire higher and make your event memorable. When your guests are leaving your corporate event, they will surely have a long lasting impression of it. Within few days, the impression might dilute, until and unless there was something special that created an impression, a memory for them. An incredible light show, an amusing comedian, amazing magic by professional magicians or a professional speaker can each leave a constructive impression in your guests’ minds.
There are a number of reasons to hire live entertainment for your corporate affair and thereby making a great impression. A well-tuned performance can rejuvenate your guests and capture their attention.
Making great impressions is how a performer and the crew of characters gather attention — attention on television, in film, and at all kinds of corporate entertainment venues. By no means is a typical standup comedian, a unique performer, and experienced corporate event entertainment professional that will delight your audience while keeping a clear eye toward helping you to achieve your meeting’s goals and objectives.
The audience at your corporate entertainment event will be overjoyed and focused as a magician or a comedian brings the evening alive to entertain you, and to memorably deliver your important messaging. In such ways they help you to improve office communications. People at the gathering, know and remember the corporate event and its messages for a longer time, which results in greater enthusiasm and performance. So that’s what corporate entertainment is! Choosing the correct entertainment for the audience and the overall goals of the event is fifty-fifty percent of the solution. Each event is different and is treated on a different note and in a different manner on the basis to produce the very best performance, stage decorations and sound coverage.
Different corporate magicians give a different performance in different forms of events entertainment from corporate events, party entertainment and Christmas entertainment. All the entertainment is to the highest standard, is tried and time tested and comes highly recommended by all. All entertainment ranges from the best acts and entertainers. All corporate entertainment performers have one simple philosophy is to provide high class entertainment that suits the hosts needs and that will fully guarantee the success of their event.
14 Jun
For many years I have supplied music for and played in bands that
provide music for corporate entertainment. Clients have included Audi,
The Evening Standard, Sainsburys, P. C. World, Safeways, Large corporate
clients at Henley and Ascot, I. T. V. and H. M. Treasury. Because of this
experience I felt it would be relevant in putting down some pointers in
helping clients choose the right kind of music for their particular
corporate entertainment.
Interestingly enough, most corporate hospitality entertainment work
tends to require music as an ingredient to a larger recipe. What I mean
by this is a great deal of corporate events are offering a multi
service package. Typically an organization may be putting on an
evenings entertainment to thank its workforce for a particularly
successful year. They may be offering music, food, comedy, a close up
magician, a casino and a caricaturist. The corporate client organizing
needs to decide what part the music has to play in the days/evenings
entertainment.
Questions he or she needs to ask are:
Is the music specifically for entertainment or is the music for background listening?
Do we need one style of music early on in the proceedings and then a change of style later in the days/ evenings entertainment?
Do you expect the corporate clients to be networking and discussing business or are they just there for a good time?
What overall atmosphere do you want to project with the event?
Is there going to be a change of location for the music as the entertainment event unfolds?
Different styles of music bands lend themselves to different
corporate hospitality situations. Below are a number of typical
corporate hospitality events with music suggestions for suitable music
entertainment.
Corporate entertainment model 1. Evening reception with dinner and speeches.
In a situation such as this you will typically need music from the
outset as part of the meet and greet of the corporate evening. A
four-piece swing or Latin group is ideal with a larger ensemble for
particularly large gatherings. A professional outfit can pitch the
music at just the right decibel level so your guests can talk and enjoy
the entertainment without it encroaching on conversations. The
musicians would typically be dressed in Lounge Suits or Tuxedos (or the
female equivalent) to mirror what the guests are wearing themselves.
The music portrays an atmosphere of sophistication, which again
hopefully reflects the evenings overall ambience.
It is rare for corporate clients to want to dance especially as
clients there relationship is business not pleasure! In most cases it
is more important that the band is flexible in when it is needed over
the course of the evening i. e. At the top of the night for the
reception, a smaller version of the band (The pianist maybe for the
dinner), stopping for speeches and then after the speeches to play
until other entertainment is put on for the corporate clients. In this
situation give the band a clear idea of how you expect the evening to
go. What to wear, when they will be needed, when they need to get their
instruments in the building and be set up, when breaks will be
required, let them know if it is convenient or not to feed them and
then finally how they can leave when finished so as not to disrupt the
rest of the entertainment.
Corporate entertainment model 2. Company Party.
Still corporate entertainment, still corporate hospitality but a
totally different set of requirements for the music. Ask yourself these
questions: Are your work force the type of workforce who will want to
dance at some point in the proceedings? If they are, then a
professional band with flexibility is essential. My experience is that
people of all ages will join together to dance to music from the
sixties and seventies. Whatever background music you require earlier in
the day/evening be it Latin, Swing, Rat Pack or Lounge, if you are
hoping to provide entertainment that will get people dancing remember
this fact. Sixties and Seventies. For some inexplicable reason this is
the music that gets people up on their feet.
When choosing your music ask the band if they can cover this part of
the corporate entertainment requirement. Get samples of their music if
need be. There is nothing worse than an ill equipped band struggling
through alien repertoire. However good the band is, if they do not play
the right repertoire, the right style of music then the corporate
entertainment will fall on deaf ears.
Let me at this point provide a caveat. Your workforce work together
They are not always going to be the best of friends however
professional their relationships are at work. Answer truthfully, will
they really want to dance together or is it asking too much? I would
say that in all the years of providing music for this kind of corporate
entertainment / hospitality , as long as the music is right, the
workforce tended to dance 30 or 40% of the time. It could be said that
a workforce who will enjoy each others company in this way is a
reflection on the talent of senior management to create a happy team!
Corporate entertainment model 3. Company Fun Day.
These come in two types. The type to entertain your own workforce or
the type to entertain prospective clients. Both types of corporate
entertainment require music that is fun. This means that the music must
be perceived as fun and the band must be perceived as fun. In both
cases Jolly Dixieland Jazz or the summer sounds of Latin music are most
suitable.
Ask yourself these questions: does the band need to be mobile?
Meaning do you want the music to move around the site at various points
in the proceedings? If so then the jolly jazz route is most suitable. A
good professional outfit of four or five players can play acoustically
and move around a site as directed.
If the band can be static and close to electrical power then either Jolly Jazz or Latin Music is suitable.
Is the event outdoors or indoors and do you have provision for bad
weather? This is England, never trust to luck, assume the worst! Any
band that needs power cannot play in the rain for health and safety
reasons. At the first hint of inclement weather a band will have to
breakdown their equipment. Build this situation into your corporate
entertainment music decisions.
How do you want the band to dress? It is a fun day after all! In the
past I and my musicians have dressed as Elvis, Cavemen, Circus Clowns,
in fact all manner of characters in the name of corporate entertainment
and corporate hospitality. Good bands will have suitable outfits for
most situations but don`t hesitate in providing something off the wall
for a special event. Most professional players have a strange urge to
jump into such costumes at the earliest possibility! As someone who has
played at a nudist camp and for a toga party, both dressed accordingly,
take my word for it!
To draw this article together let me say this. Choose the right kind
of music for the event. Brief the band accordingly but make sure you
have a professional and flexible outfit, things can change over the
course of the event and you want to make sure the band are both
co-operative and able to fulfill your needs. Don`t hesitate to ask the
band for any special requirements you have. Do it in plenty of time so
they have time to prepare.
The corporate entertainment and hospitality you offer to your guests
reflects directly onto your company. The music and musicians must be
the type who are aware of this. Dont go for second best just to save a
small amount of money. You need a well prepared, well dressed band who
are both polite and charming to your guests. They need to play the
right kind of music for the event in order to help make the day or
evenings corporate entertainment a resounding success!
About the author
Jeff Williams is a London based trombonist and vocalist who has worked
all over the world in most areas of the business. He also runs a
successful, specialist, live music agency using the best of London
musicians, servicing both private and corporate clients playing all
over the country. He would be happy to advise you with your own event
or party and offers bespoke solutions for the perfect occasion.