You have everything set for your employee appreciation event or customer appreciation event. Your CEO introduces the entertainment for the evening and then, slowly, everything comes crashing to a halt. Instead of the laughter and applause that you hoped to hear, you hear silence and heavy sighs. The talent, which you thought was the perfect corporate entertainer for your group, panics and starts insulting the audience. You slowly slink down into your chair and wonder if your resume is up-to-date.As Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said and forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” While the food may be great and the room looks beautiful, these will be quickly forgotten. What your group won’t forget is how miserable they felt watching the entertainer you chose to add some “fun” and excitement” to your event. It’s odd that, sometimes, an events manager will spend months on planning certain aspects of an event – food, hotel, decorations, etc – but wait to the last minute to book the proper corporate event entertainment.Here are a few corporate event entertainment ideas that will help you to make the right choice of a corporate entertainer for your next meeting or event.1) Hit Your Homework – Stop relying on a speaker’s agency or entertainment agency to always book your talent. Many leading corporate entertainers don’t necessarily work with agents and, therefore, you can miss out on some great talent. While agents can be a good source for talent, they are not the only way to go. Don’t think that just because a corporate entertainer is on the agent’s roster that the agent has actually worked with that talent. Should you be willing to “broaden your options,” do a Google search for terms like funny motivational speaker or entertaining motivational speaker. Here you will find many corporate entertainers that can help you add the “WOW” factor to your event.2) Delve into the Demos – Once you have chosen an entertainer or two, carefully watch the talent’s demo and see if he/she is a good fit for your group. This is the fastest way to confirm that the particular entertainer will work for you and saves you time – because if you don’t like the video, you can quickly move on to your next candidate. While watching the demo, see if the talent has worked for similar groups. Notice the demographics of the group. Does the video reveal crowd reactions? Is the laughter and applause real or is it canned? Are there multiple performance clips or is the video mostly one performance? Did the corporate entertainer receive multiple standing ovations or just one?3) Survey the Site – If you like the demo, peruse the talent’s site to see exactly what type of corporate entertainment he/she provides. Observe if the corporate entertainer has a number of program options. Additionally, look at the companies for which the talent has worked and then read those company’s testimonials. Many corporate entertainers flash logos of companies on their site; however, when checking for testimonials from those companies on the talent’s site, those testimonials may not be present. If a talent is showing a logo of a company, it delivers the assumption that he/she has worked with that company and, therefore, logically, the talent should have a testimonial to back up that claim. If they don’t, then what should you assume?4) Testimonials are Tops – Video testimonials have taken the place of referrals. Instead of having to call someone to get a referral on a talent, a video testimonial will tell you everything you need to know. What you should look for in a video testimonial is who is giving the testimonial and what they said. The testimonial should be from the person who booked the talent and – for corporate event entertainment – that should be from an events manager, marketing or sales executive or higher. Audience member testimonials are fine; however, you want to hear from someone in corporate who actually booked the talent. Since most corporate entertainers who are good at their job have been doing it for some time, the written testimonials will, undoubtedly, outweigh those on video. However, there should be enough video testimonials to provide you with solid information as to the quality of the service you can expect from the entertainer.5) Talk to the Talent – Once you have accessed that a particular corporate entertainer may be perfect for your employee appreciation event or client appreciation event, then contact the talent directly. A few minutes on the phone will shed some light on how well the talent will not only work for your group, but also work with you. As with all events, flexibility is the key. If your talent has too many demands or needs, then you may need to look elsewhere. After all, you are dealing with the demands and needs of your group and your executives. You don’t need a “needy” entertainer, as well. During your call discuss fees, staging requirements and, most importantly, how the entertainer can help you add the “WOW” factor to your event.Bottom line: Taking the time to find the right corporate entertainer for your corporate event entertainment does require “time.” However, event managers take the time to: plan multiple site visits; make copious calls to hotel catering; agonize over decorations, strategize hotel bookings and loads more to make sure the event is a success. Don’t let your decision for your corporate event entertainment be one of the last things you do, and don’t always leave it up to one source. Remember, your group probably won’t remember exactly what they ate or the details of the decorations on the table, but they will never forget how miserable they felt watching a lousy corporate entertainer.
How to Choose the Right Corporate Entertainer for Your Corporate Event Entertainment
5 Tips for Buying an Office Chair for the First Time
Since office chairs come in a lot of styles, shapes, and materials, making a choice can be quite overwhelming. For instance, some of them are made for accessional use, while others are more suitable for routine use. Aside from this, there are other factors to consider, such as price, finish, color, and style. Given below are some tips to help you make a better choice.
1. Consider your usage
These units are designed for a variety of purposes. For instance, if you get an executive chair, it will allow you to talk to your senior employees comfortably. On the other, if you are suffering from back issues, it is better that you opt for a chair designed to make your back feel comfortable. Basically, these units are designed in order to provide more support for your back and body. The good thing is that you can adjust these chairs based on your sitting posture.
If you are a heavy computer user and spend a lot of time working on your computer, we suggest that you consider an ergonomic chair.
2. Consider your desired parts
The majority of office chairs have some common major components such as armrests, the seat, and the backrest. For backrest, it all boils down to the lumbar support. Ideally, it should match the natural curve of your back so that you can relax your lower back. It is even better if the chair allows you to recline without any problem.
Another important component is the seat. Make sure that the edge of the seat is rounded and downward-sloping. This will help improve blood circulation to your legs. If you are a heavy, tall person, it is better that you go for a chair that features higher backs and wider seats.
While typing, armrests allow you to place your hands comfortably. Apart from this, an adjustable armrest is another great feature to have in your desired unit.
3. Consider the adjustment features
You should adjust the chair to perform your desired task without suffering an injury. It is easy to adjust the mentioned components using levers and knobs while you are sitting in the chair. For example, the chairs of today feature a lot of mechanisms, such as tilt angle control, adjustable lumbar support, and adjustable height control. Make sure that the unit you are looking for allows these adjustments.
4. Consider the material
If you go for an upholstered unit, you can enjoy a cushioned seat and a lot of color and style options. Apart from this, synthetic fabrics with stain resistance offer a higher level of durability. On the other hand, leather is known for comfort and durability. If you are looking for something easy to clean, faux leather is your best bet.
5. Consider the environment
Based on the type of floors you have in your workspace, you should decide on the dimensions, colors, and styles of the chair. For example, you should get a survival type if you have to move around your workspace to get access to different equipment.
If you have a small office, it is better that you opt for a chair that comes with a lower back. Lastly, you can go for a traditional or modern office chair based on your personal interest.
5 Tips to Choose the Right Conference Table
According to statistics, managers spend a lot of their time in business meetings. If you have a properly designed conference room, you can come up with great ideas and have great meetings and discussions. Apart from this, conference rooms may help create a business environment. Since no conference meeting can be complete without a conference table, make sure you invest in a good table. In this article, we are going to talk about 5 things that will help you make the best choice.
1. Room size
First of all, you may want to consider your room size. There should be plenty of room around the table. The idea is to allow everyone to walk about the room. Besides, make sure that doors and windows are also easily accessible. Similarly, if you have an audio-visual station in your office, make sure the room has enough space for it.
2. Seating
Another thing to consider is the seating capacity of the room. After all, you don’t want to end up with a conference table that won’t leave any space for chairs you need in the office. There should be enough elbow room for all of your clients and employees during a conference.
3. Power outlets
In a conference room, some common items include projectors, laptops, and mobile phones. Therefore, make sure that the power outlets in the room are in the right places. After all, you don’t want to end up with a lot of entangled wires and cords during a conference.
4. Design Aesthetic
You may want to consider the design aesthetic of your conference room before buying a conference table. Don’t forget to consider your current furniture articles as well. You can choose from a variety of table shapes, such as racetrack, boat-shape, rectangle, and circle, just to name a few.
Besides, you can ask yourself if you prefer classic or modern furniture. Color choices also matter. Therefore, you should either go for dark or bright colors.
5. Budget
Last but not least, make sure you stick to your budget limit when it comes to buying a conference table. You can choose from a variety of options based on your price range. Based on the size, material, and design of the table, you should make the right choice. Another way to make a choice is to check out review websites. These sites will allow you to check out a huge collection of furniture articles.
Long story short, if you are going to make a great conference room, we suggest that you follow the 5 things given in this article. This will help you choose something that will serve your needs and look great. Hope this helps.
You Can Start A Home Business Today
A successful home business takes careful planning. The information here will give you basic ideas that will help you get your home business off to a good start.
You need to be able to listen to your internal time clock if you work at home or own your own business. It’s true that there is very little that you can do about when your employer wants you to get up, but when you are in charge, try listening to your own body to determine when you should start your day.
Keep home and work communication separate. Don’t send work e-mails from your personal account. Consider getting a separate work phone line. If that is not an option, get caller ID. Don’t take personal calls while at work. Don’t take business calls after work hours. Politely ask friends and neighbors to call before coming to your door.
Before you venture into a home-based business, ask yourself why you want to start a business. Your reasons might include: you want to be your own boss; you want to express your own creativity; you want to supplement your income; or, it might be others. Your reasons for wanting to start a business will influence your decision on what type of business you start.
If you want to run a home business, you need the space to do it in. Make sure you have a quiet office, away from the noises of the rest of the house and family. Make sure your space includes a comfortable desk and chair, as well as adequate storage for your needs. Setting your office up right will make you a more effective worker.
Don’t walk into a home business blind! There are many online discussion forums designed for small business owners to discuss the unique obstacles in this field. Look locally for other small business and home business organizations that meet in person. Either way you go, networking with other business owners gives you an excellent support system.
If you want make some of the products you sell in your home business, take careful account of how much it costs to product it. Two times the cost of the raw material is typically the wholesale price of a product. Two times the cost of wholesale pricing is the cost of retail in many cases. If the final retail price is prohibitive you will struggle to shift the product.
While conducting business in your sleepwear can seem enjoyable at first, you may begin to miss the interaction that you had with coworkers and clients everyday at your previous job. Make plans to meet people at other places besides your home during the week to stay in touch, reinforce your personal connections and meet the need for interaction with others.
Learning from the valuable information above, you will increase your chances of achieving success in whatever home business you choose. Nowhere is it written that this will be easy, especially in the beginning, but hopefully, this article has given you a good jump-start toward success!
Kurt Tasche is an internet entrepreneur who writes articles on internet marketing tips, ways to make money online and personal development. You can read more articles like this on his blog: here