Event Planning Services – That’s Entertainment!

Photo courtesy of yoshiboshi on flickr

Everyone is looking for that WOW moment at an event. Something memorable that stays with the delegates long after the conference is over. The moment can be academic, political or business related. But those moments are often out of our control. So to create a WOW moment, many planners turn to entertainment.

Entertainment is an extremely varied category and the possibilities are limitless. On WTTC.com alone, there are thousands of different entertainment companies in 24 different cities. So what type of entertainment is best suited for your event?

Event Planning Services – Music That Will Rock Your Event!

Thoreau, and later John Denver, (and countless others) said that music brings people together. And it does. The right music can make an ordinary night extraordinary.

Musically, the world is at your fingertips. You can book a big name band for a gala event, a jazz trio for a cocktail reception or a Broadway tribute show designed to entertain. Often the evening’s entertainment will suspend discussion and force your delegates to sit back, relax and have fun.

Event Planning Services – Guest Speakers That Talk the Talk

A good guest speaker can have a significant effect. They can inspire and impact. Make you laugh and cry. For many delegates, a great speaker can be the highlight of an event.

Having a famous guest speaker can really create a buzz, but you have to be careful. While everyone loves a celebrity, not everyone loves the same celebrity. Rutgers University recently came under fire for paying Nicole “Snookie” Pollizzi, a reality TV star from MTV’s Jersey Shore, $32,000 to make an appearance. Students were both enraged and excited with different factions speaking out. Instead of merely entertaining, it became a polarizing issue with officials having no way of making everyone happy.

Event Planning Services – Strolling Entertainers

Strolling entertainers are the buskers of corporate entertainment. They include, but aren’t limited to jugglers, magicians, impersonators, costumed actors, and celebrity look-a-likes. And while corporate mascots strike a balance between goofy and iconic, they also act as a subtle reminder of why your delegates are there.

I remember one event when a presidential look-a-like, complete with body guards was hired. During cocktail hour attendees were treated to fleeting glimpses of the look-a-like, just enough to create a buzz. By the time he came out to do a set, the audience knew he wasn’t the real deal. But they didn’t care. He killed it and delivered a hysterical, and extremely memorable show that the delegates raved about until their departures (and probably beyond).