In some ways, you can consider whether a service provider is “professional” by which organizations they belong to. But I think that being “a professional” is far more than that: I think it’s about meeting your clients’ expectations & delivering work that you can be proud of.

So why should things be any different in the entertainment industry? Remember that when your company hosts an event or function, everything about that party creates an impression on your clients & customers. That means that if you are considering bringing in an entertainer, that person (or group) can influence how your clients (or prospective clients) feel about doing business with you.

Even if the event is an internal one, like a year-end ‘staff appreciation’ party, what message do you send if you use an amateur performer? Or if the performance is offensive? Or if it’s just plain inappropriate? I’d go as far as to suggest that if you’re hiring the ‘cheapest’ entertainer you can, then you should save the money and rather give your staff a small cash bonus – they’ll appreciate that more than having to sit through bad entertainment.

The fact is, a good entertainer is going to cost you – how do you know that he or she is going to be worth it?

So let’s assume you want to use the services of a performer or entertainer who is ‘worth his/her salt’ – what should you look out for?

Here are some key indicators that indicate that the entertainer you’re speaking to will deliver a professional, consistent & reliable service:

• The entertainer is a full-time performer. In order to make a living in the entertainment world (especially in South Africa), you need to be consistently performing & working. A part-time performer may not be able to give you 100% commitment, nor may they have enough enquiries to keep working. Caveat: I know several professional entertainers who choose to have a full-time job in a different industry – this does not mean they’re not fantastic!
• The entertainer has an extensive list of corporate clients. If the performer is good, he/she will keep getting referrals & will continue to work for big companies. 
• The entertainer has a collection of testimonial letters. A true professional asks his clients to send their feedback. The fact that a client has taken the time to put a recommendation on paper proves that they found the performance to be satisfactory (at least). 
• The entertainer’s marketing material is up-to-date. You should be able to watch videos or view photographs to get a sense of what the performance is like. Expect to receive brochures or a ‘one sheet’ with updated biographical information, recent clients, comments and feedback. Bonus – is his/her website up-to-date, and is it comprehensive?
• The entertainer belongs to professional industry associations. Association membership indicates that he/she wishes to grow & improv their business or standing within the industry. Examples are the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa and the Performing Arts Network of South Africa.  
• The entertainer is represented by a reputable agent. A reputable agency will do all the checks to make sure the performer actually delivers consistently professional service. Caveat : beware that there are great agents and there are terrible agents! Similar indicators apply.
• If the entertainer is self-represented, he/she owns a registered company. This means that you will get proper invoices and that you’re working with someone who takes their professional seriously. Bonus – if the performer is VAT-registered!
• The performer has a good contract. Because an entertainer can make or break an event, how can you ensure that you are protected against injuries, damage or even if he/she doesn’t pitch up? The contract is super important as it covers the details of your agreement – be vary wary if the performer does not at least send you a document with the terms of your agreement.  Bonus – does the entertainer offer you a “money back” satisfaction guarantee?
• “The Devil’s in the details”. Are your calls returned? Do you receive prompt replies to questions? Does the marketing material give you a sense of confidence? Does he/she really understand your needs and answer your questions? Do you get a sense of confidence? A large component of your decision has to come down to your ‘gut’!

In our experience of working with first-time clients who rarely hire entertainment, they’re often surprised that it takes a little bit of time to make the right decision! However, there is absolutely no doubt that if you work with an enthusiastic and committed professional entertainer that people will remember how much they enjoyed your enjoyed and thank you for choosing the perfect corporate event entertainment!

• Are you or a colleague planning your company’s year-end events?
• Would you like your guests to walk away with fantatic memories of the event?
• Do you prefer to work with a fun, versatile and reliable presenter who’ll keep everyone captivated, laughing and talking about you & your company for months to come?

Because of our experience in providing world-class “corporate friendly” entertainment for over 150 companies in 10 years, we believe that we can work together to make your event extra special in 2010!

How Can We Help?

Start off by reading our free event planning advice articles:

• Year-End Functions – Good Marketing Opportunity, or Waste of Money?
• Advice for Hiring Live Entertainment For Your Corporate Event Or Party
• Advice For Hiring Corporate Event Entertainment
• Sound Advice For Event & Meeting Planners
• … and so much more!

Or download our FREE “Event Planning Templates For Corporate Events”!

This free manual includes 9 basic event planning templates that you can print as many times as you require — just mark what is appropriate to your function requirements and you’ve got a basic event proposal!

Included in the “Event Planning Templates For Corporate Events”:

• Pre-Planning template,
• Guests, Venue & Catering template,
• Decor & Flowers template,
• Table Planner template,
• Entertainer quotation/service template,
• Presentations, Technical & Recording template,
• Delegation of Tasks template,
• Service Providers quotation/brief/service template, and
• Post-Event Evaluation template!

Need more information before you make a decision? Visit our comprehensive website for more information about …

• Our entertainment & speaking services : regardless of where your event is large or small, our services will help you get everyone laughing and having a great time!
• Testimonial videos & letters: Because what our previous clients have to say is so much more important than what we say!
• Video demonstrations, video galleries & media reports: See for yourself why so many of our clients rave about our services!
• Profile information & documentation: Download & share the right information with your event planning committee or key decision maker!

Contact us today & we’ll give you a FREE 20min Event Planning Consultation!

This form of entertainment is based on the classic ‘parlour magic’ updated for today’s cocktail parties, dinners and banquets.

Using his expert sense of timing, witty and comical humour, and audience-tested sleight-of-hand, Marcel will leave your guests astonished and in awe.

Objects change inexplicably in your hands, watches are ‘stolen’, forks melt and twist, minds are read … indelible memories are created that your guests will talk about and thank you for

Whether your guests are seated, or standing in groups, Marcel travels through your venue unleashing powerful reactions of laughter and shock during an interactive performance that includes more audience participation than ever seen before.

With over 10 years of professional magic experience, Marcel has an incredible talent to interact and personally entertain your guests.He caters for individual tastes and actively encourages your guests to take part in the show, without leaving their seats or standing in-front of the group (perfect for those that are shy!).

Over the past few years, I’ve observed the difference between a successful event planner & someone who is clearly not a regular event organizer.  What is becoming apparent is that many people are looking for the ”secret” online. They’re like the many people who approach me after a show, telling me that they’ve tried Googling for the methods to my magic, but could not find a suitable solution!

Well, here’s what I’ve learnt from my experiences: the biggest & best events are planned & organised early, from the early budget stages right down to the last minute.  Events can be planned & held in a very short time, but unfortunately most people can experience quite a lot of stress if they forget how vital the planning stage is.

So I decided to create a basic tool to help initiate the planning stage so that an event planner, just like you, would be able to know that you’re getting off to a good start.  It’s a basic guide for how to plan a function,  and will definitely help you avoid the common mistake that most event planners make!

A few years back, I posted a short list of free event planning software and templatesdiscovered that many people would like an event planning template manual that would making planning an event easier: a simple, easy to use, “connect the dots & fill-in the blanks” guide that will get your successful event started!

Best of all, I wanted to make this shareable so I’ve licensed it under Creative Commons so that it’s open-source.

This free manual includes 9 basic event planning templates that you can print as many times as you require — just mark what is appropriate to your function requirements & you’ve got a basic event proposal!

Here’s what is included in the ”Event Planning Templates For Corporate Events”:

• Pre-Planning template,
• Guests, Venue & Catering template,
• Decor & Flowers template,
• Table Planner template,
• Entertainer quotation/service template,
• Presentations, Technical & Recording template,
• Delegation of Tasks template,
• Service Providers quotation/brief/service template, and
• Post-Event Evaluation template!

Whether you decide to use any other free event planning software or not, we hope that we can give you some inspiration to help you create the kind of event that your bosses, colleagues, friends and family will thank you for!

Update 20th September 2010:

I am involved in a small Valentine’s Day event estimated 200 people. I am ex-military with event planning experience, but none over the past ten years the first thought was a template for success. I have embedded in me that failure to plan is the reason most plans fail and your guide is an excellent planning tool. I viewed several on internet and yours is a true gift of exceptional value. I had minutes before the first meeting a quickly printed two copies. At the first meeting I provided them to to two key organisers they were estatic! A third wanted to know where his copy was! They have the complete printed copy with your contact information. One stated this was perfect for some other project – just what he needed! The categories are excellent the pitfalls to avoid are excellent. This is detailed and clear like military documents exactly formatted as I like it. I haven’t made a mark on this, but know it will lead to success. Thanks!
Benjamin H. Johnson III

I’ve just received this email & I thought it would be particularly interesting to year-end event coordinators …

The Pavilion Conference Centre
Deliberate Conferencing Pleasure

YEAR-END SPECIAL:
Zero Rand Venue Hire

“Looking for ideas for your year-end customer or staff party? This upcoming December and January [2009] we offer you any one of five beautiful rooms with stunning view for free when you book your dinner or evening cocktail party with us.  Experience our amazing cuisine and attentive service.

Minimum booking numbers and conditions apply. This offer excludes the Theatre, Exhibitions Floor and Atlantic Deck, valid for all 5 rooms on first floor.”

Contact:

Lindsay Goslett
Sales & Marketing Manager
The Pavilion Conference Centre
lindsay@thepavilion.co.za
http://www.thepavilion.co.za

What a fantastic special offer!  I’m sure you’ll agree that while some companies are cutting back on their entertainment budget these days, when there is the chance to use a free venue for their event — particularly one as stunning at The Pavilion — it means that practically anyone can host a staff party or client event this year.

As you consider all the benefits of not having an additional venue hire cost, then I’m sure you’ll agree that you can now afford to hire the world-class quality corporate entertainment services that we offer.  Remember that if you book my performance within 20km of Cape Town CBD, there are no additional tranport or accomodation charges to our performance quotation!

I’m certain that many companies will wish to take this opportunity — but dates are limited & it’s best that you book now to avoid disappointment.  Don’t think twice! Contact The Pavilion Conference Centre to book your “Zero Rand Venue” & use our Online Bookings Enquiry Wizard to receive a performance quotation ASAP.

Being a magician was always something I wanted to do, but for 4 years after leaving school I couldn’t wrap my head around how I could make a good, sustainable living as an entertainer in South Africa.  Instead, I simply did what came naturally — I’d perform as often as possible, picking up the odd restaurant gig here and there, making tips, and occasionally being asked to perform at small company events. During the day I was a computer repairman; at night I’d get to express my passion for magic and entertainment!

As I become more experienced and confident, I was able to work at better venues and I was forced to improve my performances to match the audiences’ expectations.  It was only in July 2003 that a highly-respected colleague ( who has subsequently become my best friend) said to me, “Marcel, you have enough of the skills you need to  make a living from this!”.  And it finally struck me that I really could become a full-time magician. The next day I handed in my resignation letter and 3 months later I was self-employed…

Looking back today, I’m so extremely happy that I made that decision!  There are not many South Africans that get the opportunity to not only do what they love everyday, but also get to travel the world, meet influential people, work for some of the top-performing and respected companies, and get to experience real magic daily as part of their job.

Here’s just a few things that I’ve learnt over that past six years:

• You can never read enough — almost everything you need to know about anything is written down somewhere.
• You can’t afford to wait for things to happen — it takes daily self-disciplined action to get what you want.
• Always be ready to serve — opportunities are everywhere if you are willing to stop and lend a hand.
• Making sharing part of your routine, whether you teach, coach, donate money or simply give of your time. Everything you give comes back tenfold.
• Be trustworthy, say what you mean and mean what you say.  Keep your promises, including those to yourself.
• Be remarkable, literally remark-able, by being so congruent that people identify you as someone special and attractive.
• Enthusiasm and passion are highly-regarded qualities — you’ll need them both to become successful.

I’m thankful that I chose this career by leaving my old one behind, instead of becoming a magician straight out of school.  The few years that I spent in the ”corporate world” have given me so much appreciation for the challenges and opportunities that I face everyday.  I love the fact that I get to play in the corporate world, not only at corporate events and company functions, but also by sharing my ideas, attracting new customers, and providing the standards of service that companies expect. And it’s only going to get better and better …

For the six years that I’ve been supported by you, my friends, clients and family: THANK YOU! I couldn’t do it without you …

NOW LET’S SEE WHAT YEAR SEVEN BRINGS!!

A corporate event is the accepted way to show appreciation to either staff or clients, to provide an opportunity for your guests to get to know each other personally, and to create an unforgettable memory that your guests will not only remember fondly but also feel compelled to tell their friends and family.  Company functions should be considered to be a marketing opportunity since the success of your event can directly relate to the success of your business:  perhaps this why event co-ordinators are normally very nervous or stressed out during the planning stages of the function!

The key to a successful event is to ensure that your guests share an experience that is so fun, so personal & so completely unforgettable that they talk about your party for a long, long time afterwards. That’s why it’s so important to focus your attention on providing a comfortable environment to get your guests relaxed, talking to each other & laughing as quickly as possible! Be careful: many event co-ordinators make the mistake of spending too much attention, time and money organising things that are not going to make a considerable difference in making the function memorable.

Stop for a moment and think about the last corporate event you attended that you really enjoyed. Can you recall the venue and, if you can, was the venue the most important or memorable thing about the party?  Was it the food?  The drinks? I going to guess and say the most memorable thing about the entire event was how much you enjoyed the company of your friends around the table and possibly how much you talked and laughed, right?

So it’s not how elaborate the venue is, how ‘inventive’ the cuisine is, or how much there is to drink that defines the success of your event.  Yes, these things are still very important to ‘spark’ the kind of spirited atmosphere your guests need to have a great time – but I’m sure you have attended parties, both private and corporate, that were very simple but that were still tremendous amounts of fun!  A successful event is one where your guests are quickly able to create lively conversation that is fun and gets them relaxed and comfortable.

But hold on … how do you ‘break the ice’ so that your guests are keen to share an experience that creates this required level of personal interaction?

In my experience, working with professional event entertainers can be instrumental in creating the kind of atmosphere that will directly contribute your event’s success! By working with a performer who is dedicated to keeping your guests laughing, talking & relaxed, you will have the opportunity to sit down and also take part in the festivities.  The benefits of working with an entertainer who is a corporate event specialist far outweigh the potential problems you may encounter & need to deal with if you choose the ‘cheapest’ entertainment, or take on all the responsibility of interacting with the guests yourself.

Unfortunately, this is where an inexperienced event-planner starts making ‘rookie’ mistakes – mistakes that can cost your company time, money and the lost opportunity of a successful event.  Selecting and hiring professional entertainment can be quite daunting, particularly if you do not have a plan or enough information available.

How do you know if the entertainment will be value-for-money?  What if it’s inappropriate or the entertainment doesn’t arrive?  Selecting and hiring the right entertainment to ensure your event is a success can actually be very simple and easy.

Here are a few tips & suggestions to help you choose the right entertainment for your event:

• Have a plan for your event — even if it’s a rough plan.
  You must have a plan for your event – otherwise how will you know what you are trying to achieve?  Your plan can include the following information:

  
  

  • Date & time for your event
  • Venue
  • Theme
  • Rough budget (including allowing for at least 10% extra)
  • Timeline
  • Notes and special requests

• Start looking for entertainment options when you start your event planning.
  There are several good reasons for this: you can check if your choice of entertainer is available, advance bookings are often discounted, or you can create a theme that matches the entertainment.  The success of an event depends heavily on the quality of entertainment, yet many planners make the mistake of leave this important aspect to the last minute!

• Decide how important it is for your guests to interact with the entertainment.
  Do you want an entertainer that incorporates every guest into the performance, or do you want ‘background’ or ‘static’ entertainment?  Remember, since we can agree that interactivity is super important to create conversation, consider if you really need something that your audience will forget about after a few minutes.

• Be prepared to have several alternatives available.
  If your requested entertainers are not available, ask them who they recommend:  genuinely professional performers should know other entertainers who would be suitable for your event, & be able to give you suggestions & their recommendations.

• Credible & qualified entertainers will offer you testimonials & referral letters.
  Find these letters on your entertainer’s website and do a web search (e.g. Google their name) to find any additional positive or negative comments.  Taking a moment to read through your prospective entertainer’s list of previous clients gives you the best indication of the level of experience your entertainer has, and do not hesitate to call previous clients to ask them for a personal recommendation.  Or ask your friends & colleagues if they have recently seen an entertainer who they would recommend. Just doing this can save you a lot of time, money & trouble in the long run!

• Consider whether the entertainment is going to be suitable & appropriate for your guests.
  Not everyone enjoys listening to kwaito, has the same tolerance for ‘risqué’ humour, or wants to see an inexperienced or unskilled performer struggle & ‘die’ on stage!  Establish your company’s accepted policies with your performer very early in your enquiry process: if you need to short-list your entertainment, why not select entertainers that are certain to help you be remembered for all the right reasons?  Nobody wants their guests to tell their friends how rude or boring your entertainer was, and this can be prevented if you chose the right performer.

• How your prospective entertainer treats you will be a great indication how he or she will treat your guests.
  When meeting with your entertainer, or during a telephonic conversation, ask as many questions as you like – do not hesitate to make specific requests – since your performer is going to representing your company to your guests.  If you feel that the entertainer doesn’t care about you or your event, you’re probably right: keep looking around until you find someone you really feel comfortable with.

If you know what qualities you’re looking for then selecting & booking the right entertainment for your event or function can a lot of fun!  You’ll be interacting with interesting personalities who love to laugh, are passionate about their work, and who are eager to be in front of an audience.  So when you’ve confirmed the right person for your event, you will not only relax — knowing that you’ll be working with a professional — but you’ll be certain to have just as much fun as your guests. You also deserve the type of event that you will remember and talk about for a long, long time!  Just remember – aim to make your event fun, personal & unforgettable & you can be sure that your event will be talked about for a long, long time afterwards.

Of course, it does rely on the presentation you request for your event  or seminar(my strolling entertainment performance is perfectly suited for intimate parties where I am close enough for normal conversation to take place).  But in order for me to be heard properly by everyone in the room, you need to make the additional investment of hiring the appropriate sound equipment;  there are few things worse than guests or delegates complaining that they cannot hear me.

Sound engineering is a technical field, and unless you are an event management company who regularly works with sound production companies, it can be a little confusing.  Don’t be too concerned: sound hire companies are eager to serve you and provide you with the best sound equipment based on their experience, so it’s almost always worthwhile to contact them for advice.

However, here are a few event ideas and tips about hiring the right sound equipment, based on my experience:

• 1. Wireless Microphones:

You need to provide a wireless microphone — if I was forced to speak from a static position I would lose the ability to present naturally and this causes great frustration.  Your audience will feel disappointed that they did not get the maximum energy from me & we can avoid that by making sure that you request the correct equipment.

My first choice is a ‘countryman’ microphone.  These microphones are fantastic and I am always thrilled when I get the opportunity to use this in my presentation.  The microphone is extremely light, comfortable and almost hidden from the audience.  The sound quality is superb and you virtually never have feedback issues (another BIG ‘NO NO’). This kind of microphone is on my ”wishlist”: they do cost more to hire, but you’ll agree after the presentation that you made the correct choice!

My next choice is a headset microphone, although I’m a bit hesitant to say so because I’ve recently experienced issues with a microphone like this.  They’re much bigger than countryman mics, are a bit loose so they’re less comfortable, and they’re quite visible to the audience.  The advantage is that the mic is directional so that I can turn my head and the microphone will (hopefully) remain near my mouth.  You’ll notice that it looks a bit like an orthodontic headgear, and I famously put it on incorrectly the first time I used one for my demo video.

Narrowly third is a lapel or lavalier microphone, and this kind is the one I most frequently given to use.  A lapel microphone is fairly discrete, light and works to my satisfaction. Because it’s not near my mouth however, I may still need to project my voice and it loses volume when I turn my head away from the mic.  The advantage is that you are more likely to hear the amplified comments of the volunteers on stage with me.  If your corporate event budget is limited, then this is the absolute minimum I would recommend.

The final type of microphone that I encounter is the wireless hand-held microphone.  This is an excellent tool for those trained in professional microphone technique — but it unfortunately does limit my own presentations.  I need to be able to use both hands and because I’d like to be heard, this can mean that I have to stand unnaturally, which detracts from the presentation. On the rare occasions that I am not using any props during my presentation, this is the microphone I prefer.  I can move the microphone around depending on the effect I wish to create with my voice (eg. excitement, stage whispers, comedic effects) and I can use its directional abilities to my advantage (like giving a volunteer an instruction that I only want her to hear). I would also need to be a movable microphone stand because I need to be able to place it anywhere on stage and adjust the height for different volunteers.  My performance is possible with a hand-held microphone, but it really isn’t a good choice and I’m always disappointed when I need to use one.

• 2. Suggested microphone brands

It’s unlikely that we’ll personally select the brand of microphone that is provided by the sound hire company, but if you get the opportunity I would suggest you ask for ”Shure“.  My brother, a professional sound engineer, insists that they are the best.  I’m shure he’s right.

• 3. Microphone transmitter batteries

Please insist that fresh batteries will be placed in the microphone transmitter that I will be using.  I have been known to carry a spare 9v battery in my pocket just in case the battery does fail and I need to replace it on stage (besides, it keeps me on my toes).  It would be awful to get all the best sound equipment, only to be foiled by a flat battery!

• 4. Additional microphone

If high fidelity sound is important for your corporate event, then providing an additional wireless hand-held microphone with its own stand is highly recommended.  By using the extra microphone for my onstage volunteers, there will be no quiet gaps and I will not be required to repeat everything that was said (this means I have more time to do the presentation).

• 5. On-site sound technician

I have basic knowledge of sound equipment for professional speaking, but I am not a professional sound engineer.   I can turn a microphone on, change the volume and the batteries, but when I’m busy with my presentation I cannot make any adjustments.  Any failures will require that I make a major change to my presentation — it has happened that I needed to present to 300 people by projecting my voice because the microphone broke before I arrived.  You don’t want to worry about these kind of potential problems, so I suggest you work with a reputable sound company and retain the services of an on-site sound technician. This way, if anything goes wrong, there is going to be someone responsible to fix the problem.

Please note that DJs are not always sound engineers either — using the equipment to amplify music is very different to using it for voice amplification.  I’ve worked with DJs before and they are generally satisfactory when it comes to providing the right equipment for my presentation’s requirements, but I have experienced a few mishaps too.

• 6. Speakers

I’m afraid I don’t know much about speakers, but I hope somebody will provide some suggestions in the comments below.  I assume that spending more money on better speakers is probably a safer option.

• 7. Sound Check

Where possible, I would always like to do a sound check before the audience fills the room (at least 20 minutes before).  This way I can create a relationship with my sound technician for the day (he is ultimately responsible for the quality of my voice), and I can test all the equipment.  This is very important because I would rather discover problems during the sound check than in the middle of my presentation.  I also use the chance to find the right volume and equalization (it should sound like me, only louder) and find any feedback or low reception spots.  I would prefer the room to be empty, but I know that this is almost never the case, so please excuse my senseless babblings while I doing my sound tests!

• BONUS TIP:

Please provide sparkling water at room temperature — fresh water is essential to hydration and maintaining energy levels.  During my presentation, a drink of water helps keen my voice at optimum levels and gives me the opportunity to pause and gather my thoughts for the next section.  Cold or iced water is not recommended since this causes vocal chords to tighten and can cause damage over a long presentation (besides, it can give me ‘brain freeze’).  I enjoy sparkling water, there’s no special reason for that.

I think if you showed this list to any professional event speaker or performer, they would probably agree with most of these suggestions.  Remember this advice is from my personal experience only, so your mileage may vary. Follow the advice of your selected event management company and use the best equipment that you can afford.  Since a successful and memorable event can be such a great way to market your company and create long-lasting relationships, why risk your investment by using anything but the best?

Of course, I was absolutely thrilled to help!  This was my first national television interview & it’s not often that an entire TV show is dedicated to a magician, so this was a very important opportunity for me.

The following video is the full recording of the show.  It’s about 26 minutes long & includes some of the presenters’ “banter” & a quick brainteaser (see if you can guess the answer!), but it’s well worth watching.

The interview with Ayanda was recorded at Rhodes Memorial a few weeks before this programme was broadcast. However, most of the show was recorded & broadcast live at the Clockwork Zoo studios in Cape Town on Monday 17th August 2009 on SABC2.

To be honest, I’m absolutely “over the moon” with how well this went!  Yes, I was a little nervous about performing my tricks live — remember, my tricks never go wrong, they just have different endings.  But I was more concerned about length of each effect so that the show would run on time.  I don’t normally have to be too concerned about the length of my performance, but I only had about 3 minutes per trick, so I had to do some quick thinking before the show started.

As I watched this video this morning, I was relieved to see that everything worked out almost exactly as planned.  The videography on the interview was awesome, the segways had me amused (remember, I didn’t know when he was filming), and the live performance delivered a great punch.

I’d like to thank everybody for their emails, telephone calls, Facebook comments & SMSs!  An extra big thank you to Phillip Santos for assisting with this video clip, I really appreciate it.

I decided to take a look at the post to see if I could find any new resources so that I could compile a  new list that would have helpful hints, tips, resources or free software that would be appropriate to South African event planners & event management companies.  I have found a number of great NEW resources that I will compile into a list to post here soon, but as I started working my way through the list, I visited Event Manager Blog.

Well, did I find a WEALTH of information there!  I was looking for ”South African’-friendly posts so that I could link to them and I realized something … in my work, I present and perform all the time at events and functions, and I almost never see half the technology they’re describing on that site.

Now, I don’t mean just the technology that is used at the actual event  — like the Twitterfountain used at #Netprophet, or liveblogging.  Although using intelligent lighting, specialized sound equipment or using a visual facilitator are great ways to use technology to augment your event, for most of the events that I am requested to attend these would be too expensive. That’s OK: the market for this is developing in South Africa. But when you look Event Manager Blog, you’ll see that there’s a plethora of online services that event planners can use to plan the agenda, budget, manage registrations & perhaps most importantly: how to market an event (virtually) free using Social Media.

Here’s what I found:

• Many of the web-based applications that handle event registration require either a Paypal Seller account or a credit card payment gateway.  Unfortunately, due to the South Africa foreign exchange control laws, South Africans may still not register for a Paypal Seller account (as I understand it).  That means that you cannot accept credit cards for payment.  The work-around is that you register the event as ’Free’ but charge tickets at the door; that’s a little disappointing, knowing that it could be so much easier.Why is there no South African company offering online event registration management like Amiando, Eventbrite or Ticketleap?  I believe there is a South African online ticketing solutions but I wasn’t confident enough to register for it.  There’s a definite gap in the market here.
  [UPDATE: This is now possible through First National Bank. However, you can only charge in US$ and not in ZAR]
• There seems to be far more co-ordination in sharing the material presented during the event and sadly, that lack of planning was evident at this year’s Internetix conference.  Don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate that I was able to learn from expert speakers, enjoy meals and drinks, AND receive a bag full of goodies (thank you Internet Solutions!!).  But in the ’gift pack’ I received a CD with all the speakers’ presentations on it … why? It looked fancy and it was useful, but for that small amount of data why wasn’t it posted to Slideshare?  A whole extra piece of plastic had to be printed for something that has been designed to be thrown away.  That was not cool of Internet Solutions, but here is a suggestion: next year, don’t doubt that those attending take away great value from the event.  We wouldn’t be disappointed if there was less “stuff” in our free bags and you know what? Sending us to a website encourages traffic and interaction, so everyone wins.It just makes sense: find a community website for your event (like Ning), use an email auto-responder (like ActOn Software), use a Wordpress blog, or create an event page on Slideshare, and share the resources and material electronically.  It’s faster, it saves on printing expenses, and it’s better for the environment.I think there’s a real opportunity here is for a South African communications company to handle the whole Social Media account purely for the pre- and post-event interaction.
• Suddenly there’s this new “buzz” in my industry about “marketing with Social Media”, and being an early-adopter I see that local event planners are only now beginning to ask questions.  By far the majority of event invitations I receive are either by (a) email invitation and/or spam, or (b) Facebook Event invitations.  As you would expect, the 27Dinners are entirely marketed by using Social Media, but that’s the only consistent event that I know that runs smoothly using this technology.  Let’s go back to Event Manager Blog’s slideshow and see what they suggest are “15 Different Ways To Market Your Event OFFLINE“:

  Hmmm. If you’ve spent any time organising or attending events in South Africa, you might have seen at most 5 of these suggestions used for any event.  How many South Africans use meetup.com, would accept proximity marketing, have advanced knowledge of LinkedIn, or know what a vcard is?

In order to get the competitive edge, event organisers these days are more and more interested in using cost-effective and time-efficient techniques to market their clients’ events.  Yet, there doesn’t seem to be anyone giving them the shortcuts and existing resources!

I’ve become more active in presenting live marketing seminars, so I’m considering hosting a 1-day event, “Social Media For Event Planners 101“, to be held in Cape Town.  If 10 people are even vaguely interested, I’ll post you each more information.  But I’m hoping that I can get an opportunity to show at least 10 people during 1 full day how to use existing and free resources to plan, market and organise an event.

If you know that understanding how to use Social Media in event management would be a huge competitive advantage, post a comment below and I’ll reply with more information!