According to Charles Mann, director of training for Hollander Consultants, “One of best parts of symposium is opportunity to sit down with individual practice owners and their staffs to isolate key problem areas that they have been unable to solve and then help them find solution. We provide very practice specific workshops that enable team members to handle situations they previously had trouble with.”

Internships, lectures, workshops and one-on-one consulting are part and parcel to a Hollander Consultants symposium, and this was entirely true in Florida.

First let me say that it interests me to see how much time money and effort is spent on arranging food, centerpieces and location and how secondary choice of entertainment seems to be. Let me state something important right now: THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN AFFECT THE SUCCESS OF YOUR PARTY, DINNER, CONVENTION, EVENT OR YOUR PERSONAL REPUTATION AS THE ENTERTAINMENT YOU CHOOSE -- so please make your choices carefully! To put it simply: Good entertainment will be remembered long after food is gone. (Don't believe me? When was last time you heard someone rave about a steak they had at an event three weeks ago?) For this reason, entertainment buying can be a daunting task. So just how do you find right entertainment to make your event successful?

I will not go into detail about hiring bands or DJ's -- although many of tips I will recommend here will apply to these entertainers as well. Generally, bands and DJ's are considered "dance and background" entertainment and although important, they will not affect outcome of your event as much as a professional act or solo entertainer can. People can still have fun with an "adequate" Band or DJ. As long as they play appropriate and pleasant music at right times, it will not seriously affect outcome of event. On other hand, an "entertainer" who presents consistent and successful shows can literally have your audience laughing, cheering, beaming with compliments and talking about your event WEEKS LATER and that is what I want to guide you to find. So let's discuss how to find best entertainer for your event.

There are two ways to find entertainment: One is to contact a reputable entertainment agency. The other is to hire an entertainer independently. You will find both entertainers and agents in same way -- either by recommendation, yellow page advertising, entertainment directories, internet sites or by direct contact. Choosing to use an agent or hiring an act directly can be done with equal success if approached properly.

I have worked with entertainment agencies for many years and have nothing but praise for reputable ones. A reputable agent has a list or "roster" of suitable entertainers. If you do not know what kind of entertainer you would like, a reputable agent can help direct you to right performer. Be warned though that agent will limit his suggestions to roster of entertainers he or she represent -- which may or may not include best or most appropriate entertainers. Because agent handles more than one performer, he will only have a "rough idea" of what each entertainer can do and because of vast number of entertainers he represents, it is not uncommon for him to unintentionally misrepresent what act is capable of doing. If you select right entertainment agency, an agency you can trust or have worked with successfully in past, you will be able to choose from a variety of different types of entertainers which will be suitable for your event.

If you know or have at least an idea of what type of entertainment you want, hiring a solo entertainer or an act (consisting of more than one performer) can be advantageous. Being able to speak with performer directly, he can tell you much more specific information about his act than an agent can. He can recommend specific routines for your particular audience and can let you know from experience where in your evening his entertainment would best fit. The entertainer can work closely with you to tailor show to fit your particular event. Please be aware though that as a rule, if you saw a performer entertain at a previous event where he was contracted through an agent and you wish to hire him or her for your event, ethically, he must go through that agency unless he has agreed with that agent otherwise.

Whether you choose to go through an entertainment agency or through act directly, ask to receive a COMPLETE PROMOTIONAL PACKET or at very least a brochure. This should include any or all of following: a photo (or photos), a biography, a list of credentials including places he or she has performed, a list of clients he or she has successfully entertained, a variety of newspaper reviews of their act and testimonials from past clients.

Look at all of these carefully, but be skeptical -- there are always acts and agents who lack integrity, and it is not uncommon in this business for them to list prestigious places act has supposedly entertained when in truth they haven't. If in doubt, don't be afraid to question them about places they say they have worked -- make sure they can back it up!

The most important item to ask for is a VIDEOTAPE of act. This is where act literally "speaks for itself". When you review tape, watch it as if you yourself were in audience and be sure to watch it more than once. If you are on a committee, watch it with others and discuss it. When viewing tape, listen not only to act, but to audience's response. Be wary of tapes that are performed in a studio without an audience and of tapes that only show tiny "snippets" of act assembled with slick editing. Seeing a series of clips containing only one punchline each is not as effective or important as watching a five minute routine with a laugh every 10 seconds!

Because entertainers and agents know that your time is valuable, it is common for a promotional videotape to not contain a "full show". It may consist of select routines which may or may not be shortened. This is acceptable, but you should be able to see some "meaty" routines with little or no editing so that you get a true feel for act. Be critical -- remember, success of your evening is depending on it!

I would not recommend considering acts that contain "blue" or "risque" material. Although audience on tape might be laughing, and although you might even think that it's funny, hiring an act with questionable material is bound to offend someone, and it can easily backfire on you and reflect badly on you, your company or organization.