Many parents have lots of questions about hiring a children’s birthday party entertainer.
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- How can I find a good one?
- How much do they cost?
- Will the kids like the magic show?
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In this article we’ll share some ways you can increase your confidence in making a good hiring decision.
Recommendations:
Does the birthday party magician or other entertainer come recommended by someone that you know and trust? This kind of recommendation will give you the most comfort. In it’s absence, ask the following questions.
Guarantee:
Does she or he offer a satisfaction GUARANTEE of their show?
Magicians and other kids entertainers who are confident in the quality of their product will stand behind what they offer.
This advice will help you even if you are looking to hire a clown, juggler, princess, or other entertainment professional.
Website:
Does the kids entertainer have a website and does it show video and pictures so that you can get a feel for their show?
A professional will invest to represent themselves well on the internet. If you can’t go and see the kids entertainer perform a live show to know what you’re getting, then the next best thing is easy-to-access video and pictures on his or her website. The lack of a website doesn’t necessarily mean they are a poor performer. It might just mean that they are a poor marketer of their services.
For first rate entertainment at your child’s birthday party or other special event, contact Mr. Fantastic by calling 919-391-8113 or you can use this Contact Page.
Experience:
Does the children’s birthday party entertainer perform every week or is this just a hobby they do every now and then?
Don’t get me wrong here. The person you hire for a birthday party doesn’t have to be a full-time kids entertainer. However, I would suggest that you hire someone who is doing shows on a frequent basis. The more often they perform, the better chances you’ll have that they’ve worked out most of the kinks in their show. This results in a much smoother running and highly entertaining presentation. If she or he performs frequently, then it is likely that they know how to maintain the right balance of having fun but not letting the children bounce off the walls. That skill only comes with experience…. lots of experience as a children’s entertainer.
Reviews:
An experienced children’s birthday party entertainer should have lots of favorable online reviews.
Google the performer for reviews like this “reviews for magician Michael Douglas”. Again, the lack of online reviews may mean that she or her is not very good at reminding their clients to give them an online review. However, reviews tell you how other parents and event planners feel about the performance and/or the professionalism of the person you are considering. Google and Yelp are the most common places to find reviews, but there are other sites also. Read all of them. There usually aren’t that many. If there are some unfavorable ones, there shouldn’t be very many. And hopefully all of the recent ones are good. Trust your gut here.
Hey, it might even be a good idea to ask about a time or two when they didn’t get a great review of a show. Ask what happened and how they resolved the issue. Anyone who says they’ve never had a review that wasn’t all that great is not very self-aware, or less than honest. It’s the mistakes of mediocrity that enable the conscientious performer to grow from an amateur into a first rate professional entertainer.
Entertainment Skill vs. Business Skill:
As you evaluate a children’s birthday party entertainer keep another thought in mind. There are some professionals in this industry who are very ethical and are great performers. But, they are not highly organized business people. Some of these people are worth hiring. In these cases, it just puts more responsibility on you to verify their skills as well as for you to document the agreement you have in emails or text messages, etc.
Price:
Is price the best measure of the performers worth? Let’s be careful here. Yes, price is important. However, be sure to find out everything that’s included in the price. In the context of a kids birthday party, does the price include goodie bags or a gift for the birthday child? If so, be sure to ask how many bags are included. Also, check to see how long the show lasts. Don’t forget to ask if the they charge you separately for mileage.
A children’s birthday party entertainer with a lower price could be a reflection of the amount of experience the performer has. Generally speaking, the better the quality of the show, the more it will cost. A teenager may offer you a great price. Even so, be careful that you don’t risk having a boring show and restless kids just to save a few dollars. After all, birthdays are supposed to be one of the most fun days of the year for your child.
Deposit:
Does the entertainer request a deposit to reserve your date and time slot? I’d be skeptical of those who don’t ask for this. Why? Once they receive money from you they are less likely to cancel on you. There are some in this industry who will quickly cancel your show if someone else comes along and offers to hire them for a larger show at a higher price.
Get the details of your agreement in writing.
Professionalism:
One indicator of an entertainers professionalism is whether he or she has obtained a business license AND liability insurance.
If the person you are considering performs part-time, then they may not have chosen to invest in a license and insurance. Just note that it is a strong sign of a serious business person who takes the time and money to register his or her business with the government and to provide insurance protection for their clients in the unlikely case that something becomes damaged or goes wrong.
A good price is important, but great value is essential.
Contract:
I know. The word “contract” when we’re simply talking about a kid’s birthday party sounds a bit serious. I get that.
However, a higher level of professionalism will lead the children’s birthday party entertainer to accurately set your expectations in writing. This helps minimize misunderstandings.
And, misunderstandings can happen. An incorrect address results in a show starting late. You don’t get enough goodie bags. You thought the price included ballon animals or face painting after the show. Or worse: they show up at the wrong time or they have you on the wrong date in his or her calendar.
Are deposits refundable? What happens if the weather is bad? A word to the wise is get everything in writing. The higher the level of professionalism of the children’s birthday party entertainer, the more they have thought through all of these things and provided them to you in writing.
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