Professional Essentials for the Entertainment Business

As I’m growing in my business, I’m learning a few tools of the trade that one cannot live without as far as being a professional entertainer goes. I’ve made a quick list of the things that have stuck out most in my mind over the past week and included a short statement or two about each.

Insurance

This should go without saying, but any entertainer should have high-quality liability insurance. I use Bomba Insurance. If you give him a call, let him know Mr. Fudge sent you.

A Client / Event Database

Without a proper database, it is very difficult to keep track of your clients, events, income, email, phone numbers, etc. Once you have the database in place, use it. I cannot tell you how many people have come back to use my services again based solely on the fact that my system is more and more streamlined every day.

A Personal Calendar

This is what I have to work on right now. I’m training myself to use my calendar to keep track of everything in my life, from dates with the girlfriend, trips to the barber, and week-long events. Having everything consolidated in one place makes it very easy to see what needs to be done at a glance.

Professional Templates

If you do not already have professional templates for contracts, fax sheets, invoices, billing pages, or price sheets, you’re missing out. Professional templates speed up your life, make you look hundreds of times more professional, and can even get you to repeat bookings.

A W-9 Ready to Print Off, Sign, And Fax

This may not be as important for you as it has been, but I have sent out more W-9’s recently than anything else. I like to have paperwork like this ready to go so that I do not need to waste time filling it out any more than I need to. The longer it takes to fill out and return, the longer it takes to get paid from the client.

A Collection of Awesome Jokes, Lines, and Patter

This is more of a get-away for me. David Ginn has written a lot of different books that are absolutely amazing. Additionally, T Myers compiled some very nice bits as well. By keeping these things fresh on your mind, you can only improve your entertainment at an event.

A Great Website

Many of the others writing in the 100 article series have spoken of this, so I’ll say that you need one.

A Great Business Card

As before, this one has been covered too. Look for the other articles and apply what you’ve learned.

A Smile

Things are not always going to go your way, and times will get tough. Wear a smile, keep one in your back pocket, and always have a spare hidden around the house. Use it when you answer the phone, when you wake up in the morning, and when you head to bed at night.

Though many other items are necessary for a professional entertainer, these are the few that stuck out most in my mind while writing this article. I’d love to see comments about other things you have found important in your business. Fill out the form below and let the world know what you’ve found to be necessary.