There are many performers in the world and some are good and some are bad. So how do you choose the right performer for your event? Some entertainers are easier to choose than others, for instance choosing a musical act, the song list would be a good place to start. You would find a band or DJ that plays the type of music you or your guests like and so on. Many folks choose entertainment based upon price and like the saying goes,” You get what you pay for!” Choosing entertainment on price or by art form alone can be very dangerous and I have seen many events ruined by bad entertainers. There was the DJ that had good music but didn’t talk or read the crowd and played music that didn’t get people dancing. There was the band that had a great song list, but showed up late and dressed inappropriately, or the band that took too many breaks over the evening, having people wondering if they were there to eat or play. Then there was the artist that did great pictures but was only able to handle four people per hour and didn’t talk. I am sure they were all very talented in their own right, but can still ruin a party or event.
Remember when you are planning your event you are planning for fun unless it is an overly formal event in which you may have a different focus for the event. Where I find many go wrong is that they hire entertainers in an attempt to show how well they can plan a party, to learn more about that read my post on having too much entertainment at your event. Focus on the guests, do you want people dancing, do you want to give them a keepsake of the event? Choose your entertainment accordingly, so to give your guests a good time you want entertainers that will interact with your guests. Whether it is the band, the DJ, the magician, or the caricature artist it is important they understand they are there to make sure your guests have a good time. So how do you choose a performer?
Personality is key! Read reviews from other clients, look at websites and so on to get a feel for the personality of the performer. Second choose based on art form such as a song list, artwork, or other performance criteria. Third choose based on price. make sure the performer is professional in their communication and work ethic. In hiring caricature artists an artist that can draw 15 people per hour, interacts with the crowd, and has decent artwork is a better hire than an artist that draws six people per hour, doesn’t interact with guests, but has amazing artwork. The second artist will cost you more, not give you as good an entertainment value, and probably won’t add much to your party. There are many great artists that don’t make good entertainers so be very careful. Don’t ruin your event by hiring the wrong performers.
About the Author
Bruce Outridge is a caricature artist from Burlington Ontario offering live caricature services through Ontario. He specializes in weddings and other events. For more information visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com
Bruce Outridge Productions 