George Carlin: Brilliant comedian. Foul language. Inappropriate for corporate events

With so many year-end functions, Christmas parties & corporate events happening around this time of year, I thought I’d share something that’s been irritating me.  If you’re an event co-ordinator, or a party planner, you may have experienced this kind of frustration with corporate event entertainers before.

Occasionally I get the honour of sharing the stage with some of South Africa’s most well-know MCs, comedians, singers & other performance ‘artistes’, & so I relish to opportunity to watch their performances & learn from their experience & techniques.  However, I find it absolutely shocking that some of them use foul language or risqué material at the most inappropriate times.

I’d agree that in certain circumstances this may be considered acceptable by the audience – comedy club audiences have completely different level of tolerance for sexist, racist or sexual jokes & material.  But all performers at a client’s company event should be fully aware that they are not only damaging their own reputation (with potential repercussions) but the reputation of their client.

Corporate event entertainers are expected to assume that inappropriate language, humor or materials will not be tolerated; except under situations where the client’s representative has cleared this during the event briefing process.  In my humble opinion, even performers – particularly comedians – who have become established because of their extreme behaviour should be very careful when they consider what material they will be performing.

Foul language is ‘easy humour’ – but a true professional understands that event is not ‘about them’ & they are not the main feature of the event. The client’s guests are to be treated with the utmost respect, since it’s because of the guests’ support that event is happening at all.

If you have had the misfortune of working with an entertainer that made you cover your eyes out of embarresment, or had to deal with guests’ complaints, please comment & tell me your story.  Please do not mention the entertainer’s name: rather, let this be an opportunity to share your experience & what you learnt with other event planners & corporate function coordinators.

• 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!

Regardless of the size of the event, the purpose and objective of your year-end party must be clearly defined, or you won’t be able to judge the success (or failure) of your event. If the purpose is “to show the staff how much we appreciate their hard work“, then make sure that this message is made clear not only on the invitation, but also by the quality of the food and the venue.  Or perhaps you want to introduce your company to new prospective customers – does the decor, venue, hors d’œuvres, etc, give a good “first impression” of your company?

Of course, it would be easy if you were given an unlimited event budget!  The reality is that even the biggest, most outrageous events in the world are planned well in advance and the budget forms an integral part of that plan.  But is it the correct approach to plan the function exclusively around your budget? In my opinion, the answer is an emphatic “NO!”

There should always be an opportunity to meet your customers – and prospects – as often as possible. As marketing expert Joel Bauer says, “No matter how many times you click from place to place, it will never replace face to face”.  The fact is that you should never forget that an event or function, just like a meeting, is an opportunity for you to communicate a message, spread an idea, and strengthen a relationship with someone personally.

Here are 7 reasons how a year-end event can be beneficial to your company:

1. You have an opportunity to learn more about people outside of the typical ‘work’ environment.  This means you can get to understand the person better and have a better chance of relating to him or her in the future. (This is true for both staff and clients)
2. You can really show people how much you really appreciate their work or their support.  Even though you can say “thank you” on the ‘phone or via an email, demonstrating your appreciation is very powerful.
3. Your guests have the opportunity to discuss ideas, give feedback or make suggestions in an environment that is normally more ‘open’ than at ‘the office’.  When people are relaxed and having fun they’re more likely to offer an honest opinion, so keep your ears open for things that person would not normally say. You may learn a thing or two!
4. Use the event to re-affirm your company’s dedication to it’s purpose by ensuring that everyone is made aware of what you offer, and what the benefits of working with you are.  This can take the form of a speech, presentation or even a video.  Don’t waste this opportunity to capitalize on your audiences’ attention! Since you’ve already spent the money on hosting the event, you must make sure that everyone not only remembers how much they enjoyed themselves, but also who you are and the reason for the event.
5. Celebrate your achievements!  Use the opportunity to share results, like your sales figures, special projects you’ve completed, or client video testimonials.  Inspire your staff and clients by demonstrating the advantages of working with your company.  Remember that we live vicariously through others, so a few honest testimonials from satisfied customers will encourage clients to continue their relationship with you, prospects will see the value of doing business, and your staff will see the ‘bigger picture’ of how their work impacts on their customers.
6. Differentiate your company from your competition by making a special effort to give something personal and entertaining, so that everyone has fond memories of the event.  “Same is lame” and if you don’t make the effort to make your function at least a bit special, your guests are unlikely to have any recollection of even having attended.  Considering how much money you’re probably spending, you’ll agree that it is of utmost importance that everyone leaves with a special reason to remember you and your company.
7. Being part of an event is FUN! We know that happy employees are more productive and the idea of having a ‘company-sponsored celebration’ can be a good motivator for you and your staff.  It’s something to look forward to, and the promise of being able to experience something fun and different can be a good reason to reach your sales targets or to cut unnecessary expenses.  Remember, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”!

Of course, your event should not have to cost more than you’ve budgeted!  If you are particularly experienced in event planning, or are meticulous about planning a budget, you may very well work within the estimated figures; however, it is not unreasonable to plan for a 10 – 15% variance on your original budget.

Here are some ways that you can save money:

• Don’t overestimate the value of the venue: as long as everyone is comfortable, and the venue is professional, clean and appropriate, then you should be fine.  Unless your event is being hosted at a particularly exclusive venue, your guests are unlikely to rave about your event because of the venue.  The reality is that within 1 hour of arriving, most people “tune out” to the physical environment and it does not play a major role when recalling the event from memory.  This does not mean you should not demand great customer service! Rather, you probably shouldn’t be spending the bulk of your event planning budget on the venue.
• Don’t offer an open bar for all available liquor! There’s no need for your guests to be drinking expensive alcohol on your company’s bill.  You should be able to offer a range of soft drinks, beers, wine and perhaps a choice of whiskey and brandy (in South Africa).  A cash bar should prevent your guests from ‘abusing’ your bar tab.  Remember that the law is becoming much stricter about driving under the influence of alcohol: don’t encourage drinking to be a central part of your function.
• Book your service suppliers early and offer to pay the full amount ‘up front’.  This encourages them to give you a better rate than they normally would.  Last minute bookings are often quoted a slightly higher than normal fee because the provider knows that you’re desperate.
• Rather host a smaller, intimate event for a specially selected group of guests and spend more per person, than inviting everyone you know and hoping to make your event work on a limited budget.  The rule applies: quality over quantity.

Hosting an event can one of the most rewarding ways of marketing your company – just remember to set a realistic budget and spend it on the things that matter, while avoiding unnessary spending.

What’s the difference between a successful event planner and someone who is clearly not a regular event organizer?

The biggest & best events are planned and organised early, from the early budget stages right down to the last minute.  Events can be planned and 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.

We’ve created 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!

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!

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!

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

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.