(Newswire.net — August 17, 2018) — Whether a party for employees or clients, a party starts the moment people enter the room.
“Most people make the mistake of thinking that the band, DJ or after dinner entertainment will get people to loosen up and have fun, but you shouldn’t wait that long”, says Houston corporate entertainer Harry Maurer. “People need to have fun the moment they walk into the room!”
As a professional entertainer performing on deluxe cruise ships, casinos and high-profile company dinners and events, Houston comedy magician Harry Maurer knows what makes dinners and parties successful. He has seen the best and most exclusive dinner events, but he has also experienced events that could have been wonderful, but tiny little things that could have been addressed early on made the party fall flat.
A typical Holiday party lasts 4-6 hours. If you wait until the end of dinner to plan you fun and festivities, you will have wasted half of the time allotted to you. By that time, people have already made an indelible impression of you and your event.
It’s easy to think of planning a company party as fun – after all, you get to pick out the venue, the decorations, the entertainment, the food and drinks and you can envision everything going over well in your minds. But the reality is that if people don’t feel included or made to feel welcome right at the start of the evening, the party can easily become a disappointing affair!
A ballroom or restaurant dining room, as beautiful as it may appear, can seem cold and intimidating for those first entering the room. People feel uncomfortable and a bit awkward in a new environment, and like it or not, if they are not having fun and don’t feel included quickly, they will start judging you and your company badly from that first impression.
So how do you get people to feel happy and included?
One way, is to assign people from your company to act as silent “hosts”. They don’t have to have a formal position, but their job should be to greet people entering the party, saying hello, starting a conversation and introducing them to other people at the party.
It is a simple thing and just takes a little planning — but it works wonders!
As an entertainer, Harry Maurer is often hired to present a real “Las Vegas” style show at the end of dinner, but what he also provides is comedy and magic entertainment at the very start of the evening! Check out what Harry had to say on NBC.
“When people first arrive they really are not sure of what to do”, Harry says, “so I approach groups, welcome them, and then using my skills as a professional entertainer, I get them laughing and surprise them with magic – something impossible happening right in their own hands! Although I am only there for a few minutes at each group, it makes them forget their discomfort, allows them to focus on something fun as a group, gets them interacting with each other and gives them something interesting to talk about when I move on to entertain the next group!”
When your guests are happy and feel included, the food tastes better, the music is more enjoyable, people seem more charming — and even the speeches and presentations are more engaging and appreciated.
Want some more easy tips to make your company party run smoothly along with some common pitfalls to avoid?
Check out and get the “7 Keys to a Successful Event” to make your upcoming Holiday party the very best it can be!