Successful Meetings - July 2008 - (Page 32)

Planner’s Workshop > Pre-Event Keep the audience in the dark, and the a big portion of the audience isn’t comedian in the light. Audiences relax in blocked by the potted palm trees or the the anonymity of a dark room, which gives 14-foot Plywood Sales Projections chart. them the freedom to be themselves and Fill the comedians in on what they not have to watch the CEO for approval to need to know. Nothing can dig a hole for laugh. a comedian like calling the new CEO Check what’s going on in adjacent “Bill” when her name is Lilly. rooms. We once had to do our entire act Don’t introduce the comedian before separated from an Iranian wedding recepthe audience is paying attention. “Oh, tion by a six-inch airwall. We got lots of they’ll sit down and be quiet as soon as laughs doing improvisational dances to you come on,” is not a professional their music, but we wouldn’t care to do it approach. Nor is, “They’ll come in from again. the cocktail party as soon as they hear Give the comedian complete focus. Ask people laughing.” any comedian, and he or she will tell you Don’t allow any other activity in the that the quality of the silence and pauses room. A comedian’s success depends help deliver the laughs. If, during a pause, entirely on how many chuckles and gufyou hear someone’s cell phone conversafaws come out of the audience’s “Fill the comedians in on tion or a waiter calling for more coffee at mouths—which should not be plugged what they need to know. table nine, you’ve broken the spell and the with lunch, dinner, or dessert. Finish the laugh will fizzle. meal, clear the waitstaff, ask people to Nothing can dig a hole for Give the comedian as fresh an auditurn off cell phones, close up the craps a comedian like calling the ence as possible. Don’t “cap” a long, bortable in the back of the room—then intronew CEO ‘Bill’ when her ing session or awards presentation with a duce the comedian. name is Lilly.” comedian to leave ’em laughing. Don’t Don’t wear them out with amateur —MACK AND JAMIE expect a comedian to hold an audience comedy. Trust us. No comedian wants to that’s already 45 minutes late for lunch—or hear: “But before we introduce our enterhas already had three cocktails, and is ready to hit the sack. Stay tainment, we’ve got a little send-off for Dave, who’s retiring after 26 on schedule—use annoying bells, if you must. terrific years.” Check sound and sight lines. As with any speaker, have the Don’t put a dance floor between the comedian and the audience. comedian do a microphone check and walk the stage to make sure A vast expanse of parquet makes comedians feel as if they’re performing on a tarmac. More and more attendees are bringing their families to meetings. This can be problematic for comedians, so discourage parents from bringing kids to shows for grown-ups. We’re a clean act, but that doesn’t mean we’re a good fit for kids, and it’s unfair to expect us to do a Sesame Street set just because the CEO wants to show off his tykes in their dress-up clothes. Don’t allow comedians to shamelessly plug themselves— unless they’ve contributed a helpful article. Then simply follow the ultimate Do: Hire Mack and Jamie to ensure that your comedy show is a howling, stomping, clapping success. Diane Goodman, CMP, is founder and president of The Goodman Speakers Bureau. She is author of Survive the Search, a workbook Today’s motivational seminar is cancelled. The speaker just didn’t feel like getting out of bed.” to help streamline the professional speaker selection process. She can be reached at, diane@goodmanspeakersbureau.com. For more information on Mack and Jamie and other comedians, visit www.goodmanspeakersbureau.com. 32 mimegasite.com JULY 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS http://www.goodmanspeakersbureau.com http://mimegasite.com

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Successful Meetings - July 2008 Contents Editor's Note Industry Trends Suppliers Newsmakers On the Record Technology Newsmakers Calendar Planner Spotlight Management Matters Meetings Law Websites of the Month Mouth for Sale Pre-Event On Site Tools of the Trade Pre-Event Initial Success Strong Medicine Risky Business Places & Spaces Birmingham Kentucky Georgia & the Carolinas Hong Kong Melbourne Gurus

Successful Meetings - July 2008

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