If you’re an event planner, entertainment consultant, or producer, your best possible outcome is an event that turns out better than your client ever dreamed it would or could. Once you and your client share a vision for the event, it’s up to you, the professional, to get things from where they are to where you want them to be, helping your client spend money wisely along the way.

Over the years, we’ve learned to make sure that we are always on the same page as the client in terms of their event objectives and expectations. Here are a few tips to help you do the same:

• Do NOT let your client settle for less than what they really need in entertainment. The average customer only buys a band once or twice in their lifetime, and, as you know, musical entertainment can make or break the event. Completely review the band’s web site, videos, live performances and references. Don’t be afraid to utilize your entertainers available options to fill the entire event with the needed ambiance and energy.

• Prioritize your entertainment budget. Whether the entertainment is the most important or least important part of the event, spend accordingly. Clients often say, “As long as there is a great band and plenty to drink, it will be a great party.” Good entertainment is not something that can be skimped on, so while you’re planning with your client, portion the overall investment to make sure the entertainment is the lasting impression.

• Understand your goals. Whether you are doing a new product launch, or entertaining diverse guests at a reception, a great band will understand the nuances in taste of different crowds, and modify the show to suit your specific needs. All of our bands at Official Party Bands do just this to ensure that the right songs are played at the right time throughout the evening, to maximize audience fun and participation.

• Lay out your event properly. Energy management is a major part of event success. Properly locate the stage, dance floor, bars, buffets, tables, etc., for optimal effect. For example, if the band is in one room and the bar is in another, your guests will be forced to move back and forth, breaking up the party energy. At Official Party Bands, we often work with our clients pre-event, recommending layout, location, and timing.

• Know how you want your event to flow. Do you need a trio to play during dinner? Strings to perform outside as the guests arrive? A three-hour non-stop show so your guests never stop dancing?  Building and communicating the timeline to all involved will help everything flow smoothly and will allow you to handle last-minute additions or changes.

• Stay in touch! No detail is too small for a successful event. The better the communication before the event, the happier everyone will be after the event. Speak to the bandleader – even before you sign your contract – so that he or she can help you make the right decisions and think through how to make the event as wildly successful as possible.

Never forget, keeping the client happy is not only the key to a perfect party…but the key to future referrals and a growing your business.

Dennis Smith & Ed Duncan
Co-founders of Official Party Bands