Event entertainment can be an effective way to bring enthusiasm and good memories to your next event…but do you really need it? Here are some of the best ways to tell (without wasting time or money beforehand).
Define Your Brand Goals
Think about what this event means to your brand. If you find yourself thinking about engagement, the wow factor, driving more interaction, encouraging conversions, and similar ideas – then that’s a good sign that entertainment at the event can help further your goals. But if your response is more, “We don’t really have many brand goals here, this event is more about corporate data or employee training,” then event entertainment should probably be a low priority on the list.
Define Your Corporate Goals
Also consider the event purpose in relation to corporate goals: Entertainment can be very effective at encouraging teamwork, coming up with new ideas, building rapport, and so on. And you don’t have to worry about dragging out the old standbys, either. Modern corporate event entertainment includes such varied options as iPad magic, robots, sand artists, corporate percussion groups, and much more. Just because the event is focused on your employees doesn’t mean it has to be boring!
Study Audience Profiles
This is a particularly important step when it comes to age and expectations. For example, if a corporate event includes families, then some kind of entertainment can be invaluable for kids and spouses. The age of your audience can also inform your entertainment options. If the even is primarily made of older executives, they probably don’t have as much desire for sidetracking and would rather get down to businesses. A younger crowd tends to have more emotional enthusiasm and can be energized by the right event entertainment.
Know Your Sponsor Relationships
Remember, entertainment projects will affect your sponsors, too! It can either help them, distract them, or keep them from being noticed altogether. Think carefully about what your sponsors need, where they or their materials will be located, and how this can synergize with any entertainment choices that you make. In the right circumstances and setups, sponsors can provide a lot of entertainment themselves, and nabbing two birds with one stone is always a good deal.
Look at Your Venue Space
Speaking of where sponsors are, take a look at your venue space as well. Some locations just won’t have enough space for the entertainment options you may have in mind. Scale down your ideas or change your plans to accommodate the space you have chosen.
Understand How Entertainment Underlines a Message
Ultimately, entertainment should always tie back into the original purpose of the event. It needs to bring focus to what you or your company do best. If the entertainment has absolutely no relation to the event, then it can actually war against your own goals and compete for attendee attention. That’s not a good situation! So look for options that make your key event points easier to remember.
Wondering if an entertainment idea will work for your event? Contact McVeigh Global Meetings and Events and let us help out!