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Planner Perils: The High Price of Cheap Entertainment

Dangerous Waters Ahead Corporate meeting and event planners navigate dangerous waters. Even in a great economy, event planners and producers are right to be cost-conscious. Experienced planners, though, know that there are always significant hidden costs and risks associated with putting low-fee, bargain-basement entertainers or speakers in front of their audience. It destroys the event’s effectiveness. It embarrasses the audience. It undermines the organization’s credibility. Sometimes it can even cost the planner his or her job or client. In the last decade and a half, I have helped numerous planners overcome “last year’s disaster” – cheesy, amateurish, or foul-mouthed ‘bargains’ that ultimately cost them much more than they thought they had saved. People who know that value considerations are at least as important as price concerns make great clients, but I always wish they could have avoided the painful lesson that got them there. Unfortunately, it took a bad experience — followed by a great experience with me! — for these good folks to learn what savvy consumers have known from time immemorial: You get what you pay for. Especially during tough times, I get calls for events where it is clear that the planner is dialing through a list of phone numbers looking for any breathing human who will stand on a stage in return for whatever budget remains after paying for the room, decor, and food… that is to say, for nearly nothing. In their quest to save money, these inexperienced planners are basing the single most focused and memorable part of the evening on ‘whomever we can find for what we have left.’   What They Remember Most Counts Most Your group will be talking to each other and interacting while having cocktails and dinner, but their full attention will be focused on the after-dinner performer for the better part of an hour. From the time the show starts until it ends, the quality of that performance doesn’t just affect the quality of the event – it is the quality of the event. That experience is what the audience really takes with them as their memory of the event – not the floral arrangement, gift bag, or logo-embossed desk accessory. Good or bad, that performance is going to be discussed more than any other element of the event. – If the food is mediocre and the entertainment is great, people will remember the entertainment. – If the decor is mediocre and the entertainment is great, people will remember the entertainment. – If the food is great, the decor is beautiful, the venue is breathtaking, and the entertainment is bad… people will remember the entertainment. No matter what else happens, people remember the entertainment because that is what holds their attention for the most time and with the most focus and intensity.   The 10% Non-Solution Some time ago, I got a call from an association that was planning an annual gala in a beautiful, trendy hotel in Atlanta. This was a small group of only a few hundred people, but they were business professionals from around the region, celebrating an important annual event with a nice dinner. They also wanted a professional after-dinner show, but the fee they proposed as an entertainment budget was literally about one-tenth of a reasonable starting price for that service. Many performers and speakers would have quickly ended the conversation and moved on. I took a different approach, though, because I want this group to have a successful event whether I’m there or not. Here’s what I shared with them: As much as I’d love to get your organization’s business immediately, I’m more interested in helping you have a successful event. That way, I’ll have earned your trust, and you’ll know that I’ll be honest and professional with you when you call me in the future and you have a realistic budget to work with. So here’s what you need to know to have a successful gala event this year: Do not proceed with this plan. The nature of the venue you have chosen demands more than the lowest-common-denominator. If $X is your real budget, you should not hire an entertainer this year. Get extra drinks, or decor, or music. Show a fun video montage of people in your organization. But do not use that money to hire an entertainer. Any performer you could get for that fee is not a performer you want to put in front of an audience of professional adults at an annual gala, especially in such a nice venue. That substandard performance will only cloud your interest in having a true professional at a future event when you could have afforded it. I have no doubt that you can use a phone book or a search engine to find someone who will do this for you at that fee. When you find that person, run as fast as you can in the other direction. You will have found an inexperienced, sub-par performer who is desperate to put the words ‘corporate events’ on his or her web site or résumé. This is not what you want for your audience. Better to save the money than hire anyone for that amount.   Hidden Costs and Unintended Consequences For professional audiences and events, cheap entertainment is an expensive, high-stakes wager on a losing proposition. The hidden costs – reduced effectiveness, diminished credibility, and lasting negative impact – far outweigh the tantalizing prospect of getting an imagined bargain on a speaker or entertainer. There are creative ways to achieve professional results on a wide range of budgets, and I love working with my clients to find those solutions. But you can always trust me to tell you where the real opportunities and the real limits are, and to be honest about what will work best for your event and your audience. Bottom line – the success of your meeting, conference, or gala is as important to me as it is to you. I look forward to working with you, whether

Meeting and Event Planner Personality Types: The Exorcists

This week we wrap up our exploration of meeting and event planner personality types. Last week we discussed the Expanders. Today: The Exorcists! Exorcists like to ask the question, “How can I just end this and avoid another horrible experience?” An unfortunate third possibility is that a client has worked with another provider in the past who delivered a low-quality program that did not inspire confidence in future use of mystery entertainment at all. They are the “Exorcists,” and they are actively excluding magic from consideration in their events. It’s not quite casting out demons, but this client has been burned by a bad experience and understandably wishes to avoid that in the future. Strangely, after a planner has a bad experience with a caterer or vocalist, he or she will not swear off caterers and singers forever. With magic, though, the fact is that a poor performer creates an obstacle that can be difficult for other providers to overcome, regardless of quality. While it can be a challenge to get in the door, these clients can become some of your most vocal cheerleaders when you deliver a successful new experience to overshadow the old. In future articles I will discuss a variety of creative ideas for incorporating magic and mentalism entertainment into different corporate environments. Planners who fall into each of the categories above will find ideas and insights that can help them use corporate magic, mentalism, and (sometimes) message-driven entertainment to ensure the success and lasting impact of their events.

Meeting and Event Planner Personality Types: The Expanders

This week we continue our exploration of meeting and event planner personality types. Last week we discussed the Explorers. Next up: The Expanders! Expanders like to ask the question, “Where else can I use this idea?” Another possibility is that a client has worked with a magician or mentalist on a previous event, but the client is only familiar with that single aspect of how mystery entertainment can be integrated into multiple parts of an event. The previous entertainer may have delivered a quality show for one venue, but did not indicate a level of versatility or creativity in providing a broader range of experiences. These planners are “Expanders,” ready to expand their understanding of what magic performance can bring to their events. Expanders are often enthusiastic about magic, and are excited to hear different ways that they can create exciting, high-impact experiences for their audiences. These clients are anxious to hear success stories about how a different approach worked at other events, and if you have a creative twist on that idea for them, so much the better! The risk, of course, is that given the open mind of an Expander, the over-enthusiastic provider will conclude that he has a hammer and the event is comprised of nothing but nails. Sometimes the Expander gets in on this game and also wants to add magic to every single element of the event. Experienced planners and providers will resist this temptation. Less is often more. Next week: Exorcists!

Social Media Magic: Radio Interview on MileHiRadio

“Social Media Magic” was the topic of my recent interview on Denver’s MileHiRadio. Host Deb Krier and I spent an hour discussing the effective use of social media to promote small businesses. Her title for the segment – “Social Media Magic” – was based partly on the nature of my entertainment and speaking business, and partly on the kinds of results that can be generated with the effective use of social media. Deb Krier, who is now based in Atlanta but still hosts her show on the Denver-based internet radio station, is an extremely knowledgeable social media consultant and it’s worth visiting her site to get to know her better. In this radio interview, we discussed a variety of topics including: Platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter Tools and apps such as HootSuite and Buffer Tips on content and what to share A description of my speaking and entertainment business You can listen below, or click here to visit the “Deb Krier: SociaLight” page and enjoy or download the interview there. [gn_media url=”https://milehiradio.com/archives/4251274D-D5ED-DCFE-022039D8F1D39A64_20130204.mp3″ width=”300″ height=”80″]

Meeting and Event Planner Personality Types: The Explorers

Event Planner Personality Types: The Explorers When meeting and event planners are considering magical entertainment or magic-enhanced keynote speaking as a possible addition to their event, they are often venturing into unfamiliar territory.  Though every situation is different, my experience is that most event or meeting planners who are considering a magical speaker or entertainer fall into one of the following three categories: Explorers, Expanders, and Exorcists.  Each group is asking a different kind of question. Explorers like to ask the question, “What new thing can I find?” The first group of clients are those who have never have worked with a professional magical entertainer in any venue.  Many times, these people have either devised a magic theme themselves, or they have been presented with an event theme (“The Magic of…” or “Vegas Night,” etc.) decided upon by their team or another event planner.  In the case of un-themed events or events without a specific magic theme, the use of a magician, mentalist, or magical keynote speaker has usually been recommended by another planner.  (And if you ever wanted a short summary of my business model, that’s it.) I find that these Explorers – companies, groups, and planners – are usually wide open on the creative side of applying magic to multiple events during a conference, though almost always with a careful eye to budget constraints.  These clients value experience, creativity, and cost-consciousness.  It’s a new world for them, and as a performer I appreciate the trust that these clients place in me to be their guide and navigator. Being the initial experience for an “Explorer” is also a big responsibility, because the result of this experience will transform this client into one of the other two types – either an Expander or an Exorcist.  It’s important to dream big and deliver for these Explorers, but it’s equally important to be realistic about what you can really do well and where your expertise lies.  Stretch your skills, not the truth. Next week: The Expanders!

Magic and Government Spending: Waste or Real ROI?

What critics may call “gimmicks” are not a substitute for real content; at the same time, they are not to be dismissed out of hand. Having a unique and entertaining presentation is a proven path to increased retention. When wielded by people with legitimate content and relevant experience, tools such as magic, mentalism, and a host of other skills are not wasteful expenditures, but in fact good ways to incent attendance, boost engagement, and increase retention.

What is Mentalism?

My clients know that I perform a variety of illusions in different genres, depending on the specific needs and character of their event. Many of them have encountered the term “mentalism” in conversations with me, or they’ve heard it from others, or they’ve seen the popular show The Mentalist on CBS. Many people still approach me with the question: just what is mentalism, anyway? Per un trattamento adeguato una soluzione efficace c’è e consiste nell’utilizzare delle pillole davvero ottime come ad esempio quelle di cialis generico in farmacia senza ricetta pagamento alla consegna che in pratica è la versione economica commercializzata dalla sua casa produttrice che risponde al nome di Lilly. Il suo principio attivo Tadalafil ha l’effetto sicuro per, attenzione, intere 36 ore, il che è moltissimo per le medicine di questo tipo. Mentalism, simply put, is the branch of illusion arts that deals with psychological experiences more than visual ones, though there is sometimes some overlap. Mentalists present their audiences with experiences that seem like mind-reading, mental influence, predictions of future events, and occasionally the ability to move or affect physical objects with the power of the mind. Modern mentalism has roots in ancient times, where soothsayers and mediums performed acts that would be related to some kinds of mentalism today. In the 1800s, psychic entertainers became popular and some of the feats they performed would still be part of any mentalism performance today. Some mentalists strongly resist any comparison to magicians, preferring to think of the art as an entirely separate one with no pretended “supernatural” elements. Given that some mentalists have overtly made claims of “supernatural gifts” as the source of their abilities, that distinction holds little sway. Another common approach to performing mentalism today is to offer it in the context of using highly developed observational skills and an ability to read body language as the theatrical premise for the performance. This premise is, however, sometimes largely an illusion in its own right. It is generally a contrivance intended to persuade audiences that what they are experiencing is less a theatrical experience and more an actual ability to perceive people’s specific thoughts. While this claim is not supernatural in nature, in my view it is only slightly less dishonest. My personal approach to mentalism is to recognize it for what it really is: a truly mystifying branch of the illusion arts focused on experiences of the mind. Just as a skilled sleight-of-hand artist can make a coin appear to melt into nothingness, a skilled mentalist can seem to make a thought appear in your mind. The first illusion is visual; the second is psychological. They rely on some techniques that are similar, and some which are different. Likewise, the performer who makes a tiger appear on a stage relies on some techniques that are similar, and some which are different. All of the experiences are illusions to an audience. It can be fun to leave the line between reality and performance a little blurry for an audience. When that blurred line becomes a means by which someone attempts to sell products or services through the perception that the theatrical premise represents legitimate expertise on the part of the performer, then another line is also being blurred: the line between honest performer and scam artist. Interestingly, when the television show The Mentalist premiered, the Atlanta CBS affiliate contacted me about coming on the news for a feature on “Atlanta’s Real Life Mentalist.” In that segment they profiled me and my work as a speaker and mentalist. The interview itself is linked just below the image. Enjoy! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFl0fCs5wG0&w=420&h=315]

Media Hit: Top Business Consultant to Speak at Chamber Banquet

Here’s a nice media hit from a couple of weeks ago; it was promoting my appearance at the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce that happened last weekend. Somehow I missed it when it came out, but here it is. Thank you, Dyersburg, for a great evening! I am looking forward to visiting again and seeing the results of the great opportunities you have on the horizon for your city, county, and region. From Dyersburg State Gazette Top business consultant to speak at Chamber banquet Sunday, January 15, 2012 Special to the State Gazette Sometimes achieving success in challenging circumstances doesn’t just seem difficult – it can seem downright impossible. Remember, though: things aren’t always what they seem! On Saturday, Jan. 28, “Chief Impossibility Officer” Joe M. Turner brings a special presentation designed to inspire us to rethink the impossible in the coming year. … Turner was a manager in the global change management consulting practice at Accenture, and later a vice president of associate development in the Business Practices Integration division of Bank of America. Those years of experience in training, business communication, human performance development and change management initiatives at numerous Fortune 100 clients give Turner credibility and insight into the challenges that individuals, teams, and organizations face as they encounter changing environments. … Full article: https://www.stategazette.com/story/1804733.html