Comedy Conference Planner – Who Doesn’t Enjoy a Laugh or Two…

Photo courtesy of Bill Gracey on flickr

Planning conferences is serious business, but planning the meeting part of conferences and conventions can be a tough gig. Getting and holding the attention and interest of attendees while providing the key essential educational content can be tricky. There isn’t a meeting planner out there that doesn’t cringe at the thought of walk-outs or a bit of snoring here and there.

Content, content, content is the key. But content can at times, lean towards the less exciting, somewhat tame and even a tad mind numbing. I have been on both sides of the spectrum, a meeting planner preparing and executing meetings and conferences where the educational portion is the central conference motive. And I have also been an attendee at industry conferences with exactly the same purpose. Each situation will sometimes make one pause and ponder, to attend the session or not?

So the question remains, as a meeting, event and or conference planner, how we can spice things up, bring a little entertainment and enjoyment along with a couple of laughs and actually retain a thing or two while we’re at it.

Comedy Conference Planner – Hit or Miss?

I am a huge fan of comedy and infusing it into conferences and conventions. It really is a great way to entertain and keep your attendees attention. However, be warned, my team and I have been known to include comedy bits, comedy acts and comedic MC’s into our general sessions, meetings and meal breaks. While I am pleased to say the majority of acts worked within the scope of our meetings and were a hit with our attendees, there have been a few that didn’t work so well. Okay, I mean failed, flopped and flat out BOMBED! So as I have said, while I am a fan and will always, always, go back to comedy when appropriate remember; they can’t all be gems.

Comedy Conference Planner – First Consider, Second Plan!

In the effort to liven things up, there are lots of great ideas entertainment ideas out there. There are loads of web sites and corporate companies with helpful and amazing suggestions. Performances can be basic, crazy or even customized depending on the conference requirements. As with all options, there are a few basic things to take into consideration. When determining you’re entertainment you must consider the reason for the meeting, the time of day, the age range as well as the gender. Keeping these items front and center will help you create the atmosphere you want for your attendees and your conference.

When planning a conference or convention, don’t forget to contemplate comedy. It is the ideal amusement and an entertaining answer for conference and convention planners. A perfect solution to hold the attention of even the most challenging attendee.