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HOW TO GET THE BEST ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUR PARTY, DINNER OR EVENT

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This past week, I wrote in the weekly newsletter about how hard it is to find cool .....
As a professional entertainer with over 20 years experience

entertaining at prestigious events in which my audiences have

included Movie Stars, Celebrities, U.S. Presidents, Politicians,

International Royalty and the Social Elite, I have had the

opportunity to see what makes some of these "high end" events

successful and others flops, and I would like to share this

information with you.



First let me say that it interests me to see how much time money

and effort is spent on arranging the food, the centerpieces and

the location and how secondary the choice of entertainment seems

to be. Let me state something important right now: THERE IS

NOTHING THAT CAN AFFECT THE SUCCESS OF YOUR PARTY, DINNER,

CONVENTION, EVENT OR YOUR PERSONAL REPUTATION AS THE

ENTERTAINMENT YOU CHOOSE -- so please make your choices

carefully! To put it simply: Good entertainment will be

remembered long after the food is gone. (Don't believe me? When

was the last time you heard someone rave about a steak they had

at an event three weeks ago?) For this reason, entertainment

buying can be a daunting task. So just how do you find the right

entertainment to make your event successful?



I will not go into detail about hiring bands or DJ's -- although

many of the tips I will recommend here will apply to these

entertainers as well. Generally, bands and DJ's are considered

"dance and background" entertainment and although important,

they will not affect the outcome of your event as much as a

professional act or solo entertainer can. People can still have

fun with an "adequate" Band or DJ. As long as they play

appropriate and pleasant music at the right times, it will not

seriously affect the outcome of the event. On the other hand, an

"entertainer" who presents consistent and successful shows can

literally have your audience laughing, cheering, beaming with

compliments and talking about your event WEEKS LATER and that is

what I want to guide you to find. So let's discuss how to find

the best entertainer for your event.

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There are two ways to find entertainment: One is to contact a

reputable entertainment agency. The other is to hire an

entertainer independently. You will find both entertainers and

agents in the same way -- either by recommendation, yellow page

advertising, entertainment directories, internet sites or by

direct contact. Choosing to use an agent or hiring an act

directly can be done with equal success if approached properly.



I have worked with entertainment agencies for many years and

have nothing but praise for the reputable ones. A reputable

agent has a list or "roster" of suitable entertainers. If you do

not know what kind of entertainer you would like, a reputable

agent can help direct you to the right performer. Be warned

though that the agent will limit his suggestions to the roster

of entertainers he or she represent -- which may or may not

include the best or most appropriate entertainers. Because the

agent handles more than one performer, he will only have a

"rough idea" of what each entertainer can do and because of the

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vast number of entertainers he represents, it is not uncommon

for him to unintentionally misrepresent what the act is capable

of doing. If you select the right entertainment agency, an

agency you can trust or have worked with successfully in the

past, you will be able to choose from a variety of different

types of entertainers which will be suitable for your event.



If you know or have at least an idea of what type of

entertainment you want, hiring a solo entertainer or an act

(consisting of more than one performer) can be advantageous.

Being able to speak with the performer directly, he can tell you

much more specific information about his act than an agent can.

He can recommend specific routines for your particular audience

and can let you know from experience where in your evening his

entertainment would best fit. The entertainer can work closely

with you to tailor the show to fit your particular event. Please

be aware though that as a rule, if you saw a performer entertain

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at a previous event where he was contracted through an agent and

you wish to hire him or her for your event, ethically, he must

go through that agency unless he has agreed with that agent

otherwise.



Whether you choose to go through an entertainment agency or

through the act directly, ask to receive a COMPLETE PROMOTIONAL

PACKET or at the very least a brochure. This should include any

or all of the following: a photo (or photos), a biography, a

list of credentials including places he or she has performed, a

list of clients he or she has successfully entertained, a

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variety of newspaper reviews of their act and testimonials from

past clients.



Look at all of these carefully, but be skeptical -- there are

always acts and agents who lack integrity, and it is not

uncommon in this business for them to list prestigious places

the act has supposedly entertained when in truth they haven't.

If in doubt, don't be afraid to question them about the places

they say they have worked -- make sure they can back it up!



The most important item to ask for is a VIDEOTAPE of the act.

This is where the act literally "speaks for itself". When you

review the tape, watch it as if you yourself were in the

audience and be sure to watch it more than once. If you are on a

committee, watch it with others and discuss it. When viewing the

tape, listen not only to the act, but to the audience's

response. Be wary of tapes that are performed in a studio

without an audience and of tapes that only show tiny "snippets"

of the act assembled with slick editing. Seeing a series of

clips containing only one punchline each is not as effective or

important as watching a five minute routine with a laugh every

10 seconds!



Because entertainers and agents know that your time is valuable,

it is common for a promotional videotape to not contain a "full

show". It may consist of select routines which may or may not be

shortened. This is acceptable, but you should be able to see

some "meaty" routines with little or no editing so that you get

a true feel for the act. Be critical -- remember, the success of

your evening is depending on it!



I would not recommend considering acts that contain "blue" or

"risque" material. Although the audience on the tape might be

laughing, and although you might even think that it's funny,

hiring an act with questionable material is bound to offend

someone, and it can easily backfire on you and reflect badly on

you, your company or organization.



Once you have found the entertainment you desire, you should

sign a CONTRACT with them as soon as possible. The best acts

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will book their yearly calendars quickly -- especially for dates

around prime times of the year like the Holiday Season -- so

don't delay! Asking the act or agent to merely "hold" a

particular date is not enough -- without a signed contract they

are not obligated to your engagement and are free to accept a

"sure thing" should it come along. Remember, you are hiring the

best -- others will be looking for the best as well!



The cost of an entertainer varies according to the quality,

experience and notoriety of the performer. As a rule, the best

performers will be more expensive -- as it should be. Don't make

the mistake of hiring two inexpensive acts of lesser quality

instead of one expensive act. Two adequate acts will never

compare to one great act, and the money you spent two acts of

lesser quality will have been wasted. This is simply an issue of

quality, not quantity.



If for some reason the act is beyond your budget, be truthful

and open to the act or agent and let them know what your budget

is. They might be able to make concessions or suggest ways of

saving you money -- perhaps presenting only a 20 minute show

instead of a 30 minute show, or perhaps presenting an

alternative act instead of the one they had originally planned.

Other than small concessions though, don't expect them to reduce

their price considerably. They know what they are worth and to

maintain their reputation in the industry, they must maintain a

consistent market price. To charge your group less than they

charged their last group is simply bad business.



Once the act is contracted, make sure the entertainer or agent

provides you with a list of PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS -- things

that the act needs to make the show run smoothly. This may

include things like a dressing area, the size of the stage or

dance floor they will require to present the act properly,

microphone or sound requirements, the time they will need in

advance to set up the show, etc. Having this list of

requirements in advance will save you from last minute surprises

like "not knowing that the act required a cassette tape player",

or that "the audience should not have been seated at the sides

of the performer". This list tells you what is needed to make

the act run smoothly. If you cannot meet one or more of these

requirements, let the act or agent know as soon as possible so

they can adjust the show accordingly.



Once the show requirements are provided for, you can be assured

that the show will run smoothly, and you can relax knowing that

you have the best professional entertainer in the right

environment which will make your event an event to remember!



________________________________________________________



CHECKLIST:



Things you need to know in advance before contacting an

entertainer or agency:



___ 1. The location of the event ___ 2. The number of people you

expect to attend the event. ___ 3. What performance area will be

available at the location? (dance floor, stage, etc.) ___ 4.

Does the location provide a sound system and or lighting? ___ 5.

Do you plan to have other entertainment at the event? ___ 6.

What time would you like the performance to start? ___ 7. Are

you planning to have award presentations or speeches?



Things to find out when speaking with a prospective entertainer

or agency:



___ 1. How many years has the agency or entertainer been in

business? ___ 2. What kind of experience does the entertainer

have? ___ 3. What professional credentials or awards has the

entertainer won? ___ 4. Is the entertainer available for your

engagement? ___ 5. Ask to receive for your review: ___ A. A

complete promotional packet of the entertainer ___ B. A

promotional videotape ___ C. Testimonials from previous clients



When reviewing an entertainer on tape, consider:



1. How polished and professional is the performer? 2. How does

the act look (consider the dress of the performer, and the props

he or she is using) 3. Does the audience on the tape sound like

they are being entertained? 3. If you were in that audience

seeing that show, would you be entertained? 4. Does the

entertainer's style compliment your company or company's ideals?

5. Is the tape complete enough to give you an idea of the act?

(You don't want to see short "snippets" of the act)



Things to do once the entertainer has been selected:



___ 1. Send the performer directions to the event along with any

program or event information along with the returned contract.



___ 2. Ask to receive a copy of any "Performance Requirements"

and pass a copy of them along to the people handling the

technical aspects of the show (lighting and sound people, hotel

AV department, etc.)



___ 3. A final call a week or two before the event to go over

last minute details is always helpful and appreciated --

especially when last minute changes have been made (like the

addition of an "awards presentation", a "speech by the company

President" etc.)



_____________________________________________________________



Harry Maurer is a professional entertainer who performs

regularly in the showrooms of Las Vegas and Atlantic City. With

over 20 years of experience, he provides comedy magical

entertainment tailored to the needs of his corporate clientele.

He resides in Houston and can be reached toll free at (877)

223-6291 or on the world-wide web at: hmmagic@aol.com.



If you are looking for great entertainment, please take a moment

to visit The Comedy & Magic of Harry Maurer web site at:



www.hmmagic.com



The site describes the types of shows he presents, lists his

professional credentials, provides a list of past clients, press

reviews, testimonials from satisfied clients and displays his

"online performance Calendar" so that you can instantly

determine his availability -- everything you need conveniently

located to let you know that he is your best entertainment

choice.



Located on the site are also a variety of "online forms" where

both entertainment agents or individuals can request promotional

material or a quote for a particular event with no obligation!



If you have any additional questions or comments about this

report or about The Comedy & Magic of Harry Maurer, we invite

you to contact us by e-mail at: sales@hmmagic.com -- we'd love

to hear from you!



_____________________________________________________________



About the author:

Award winning Comedian Magician Harry Maurer is an entertainer

of US Presidents, Celebrities and International Royalty and he

would like to do the same for you!