Event Planner’s Toolkit
Best Practices
For incorporating a speaker and/or comedian into your event
Room Configuration
Space is the enemy of a speaker and/or comedian. You do NOT want to have big gaps of space between the stage and the audience. Have everyone seated as comfortably close to each other (and the stage) as possible.
Fill Up the Front
You always want to usher in or assign your audience seats from the front tables/rows to the back. Having empty tables/seats right up front creates a huge disconnect between the speaker/performer and the audience. Ideally, have as many seats available as attendees or close to it. If you’re in a large sanctuary or auditorium, rope off the back rows.
Sound
A good mic and PA is critical for the whole event. If possible, have a sound tech who is familiar with the equipment being used working your event.
Lighting
Have high quality and professional lighting for the stage. If the venue doesn’t have this, we’d highly recommend renting a large spotlight (which is very inexpensive). Also, the audience should be heavily dimmed or in the dark for the comedy portion. Or, if you’re just having a keynote speaker, the lights can be slightly dimmed on the audience.
Food
Another enemy of comedy specifically is food. If attendees are eating, they can’t laugh. This creates an atmosphere in the room where everyone thinks no one is laughing when they just have food in their mouths. Also, be aware that dishes clanking and being cleared can also create a huge distraction and potentially derail your speaker/comedian.
Energy in the Room
Before your speaker and/or comedian takes the stage, try to“reset the room” (especially if you’ve just covered heavy material) to get them ready to laugh and/or engage with a speaker. Have upbeat music playing if there’s a gap between the presentation and the speaker/comedian. And then, encourage the person who’s doing the intro to have some fun with the audience beforehand to transition them into the entertainment portion of the night.
Shawn's Intro
Our comedian/speaker tonight headlines events all over North America and he has appeared on multiple television networks. His DryBar Comedy special has amassed MILLIONS of views and he’s the founder of “Stand-Up For Adoption”; a comedy benefit series that has raised thousands of dollars for families trying to adopt children with special needs. Please welcome to the stage-Shawn Reynolds
Take Your Fundraising To The Next Level
Shawn has seen it all at fundraising events across the country; the good, the bad and the ugly! Subscribe to learn:
- Tips on Integrating Speakers & Entertainers Into Your Fundraiser
- Success Stories and What Made Them So Successful
- Avoidable Mistakes to Steer Clear Of
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