How to find music for your corporate event
This year your boss has requested to have live entertainment for upcoming party. You love music but have no idea where to start? The first party that I booked was similar to your situation. I was clueless. Thanks to Google I was ok, but the party not so much. Paid adds landed me the wrong band.
The goal was to find quality entertainment that will breathe life into the staff. After all, everyone has been working like dogs and could use some downtime. Let’s look at a couple of key areas that will help you prepare and organize your corporate event.
Event Planning
Let’s start off by creating a basic outline for the event. Don’t be scared….this will be less daunting than planning your wedding experience.
The very first thing you will want to do is decide on the style of music? If you’re thinking about your favorite grunge band , think again. Betty in HR will be all over that. Unless your company is that cool.
The first question you should ask is who are you trying to please? Is it for your boss or for the staff? If your boss plans on giving a long memorable speech then an instrumental jazz band will be perfect. If the boss wants to go in the opposite direction, then an engaging cover band will do the trick. If the boss wants to throw down, then let's take a look at hosting a dueling piano show. The trick is to find out what experience we need to create.
The more details you know about the party, the easier your search will be. So make sure you get the right insight.
Your next step should be putting all the details together so you can have a solid proposal for the band. These questions will save you a ton of back and forth emails.
These questions will also help you coordinate the rest of your event as well.
Will the event be held indoors or outdoors?
Location/ Date/ Time?
Will sound be provided?
Will lighting be provided?
How long will the event be?
How long would you like the band to play for? ( Most bands play 3 to 4 hours, max )
Will a stage be present?
If the gig is outside will the stage be covered in case of inclement weather?
What is your budget for the evening? Entertainment, Venue, Catering, Alcohol, Prizes.
Are you willing to cover travel expenses?
Would you like the band to make any announcements throughout the night?
How will the payment be received?
Now that we have gathered some basic information, let's get the ball rolling.
Coordinating your event or function can be painless if you make the right decisions. The first step should be Google Reviews. Pull up the Google search engine and see what comes up. On the right hand side of the page you should see some reviews. This will give you a better understanding of the band or agent. If you can’t find reviews on Google do some investigating on social media.
Here is a couple things to keep in mind. Does their landing site look professional? Do they have music videos you can view? Do they have current dates on the schedule? This is the best way to tell if the band is serious about their music. The quality of the content they are putting out will tell you if they take what they are doing seriously.
General contracts
This should be a no brainer. A contract protects both parties and should be used anytime you're hiring a service. Make sure that all the details that have been discussed are included in the contract.
Booking a band for a corporate event can be a lot of fun. How often do you get to sit at your desk and watch music videos? Make the process less painful by staying organized. If you do this, your company party will be an unforgettable experience.