Booking Entertainment
Whether you choose a band, DJ, soloist or other specialty act, our goal is to make the “booking” process simple for you. With literally hundreds of bands, DJ’s and other artists from which to choose the task can feel overwhelming to the novice entertainment buyer. However, we use our experience, contacts in the industry and advanced information systems to streamline and focus your search for just the right talent. Below you will find a brief summary of the steps involved in booking talent through the Entertainment Exchange.
Contact Us
By visiting this website you’ve already taken the first step towards finding the right talent for your event. Take a moment to fill out our request for an entertainment promo pack, e-mail us or call your local Entertainment Exchange office. Whichever method you choose, try to be specific about what special features you are seeking for your event. If you want a horn section, tell us. If you want your DJ to have a fancy light show tell us. If you want a lot of Motown, big band, or rock n’ roll, let us know. Also it is particularly helpful if you can share your planned investment for entertainment.
Once we have your information we scour every resource (other agencies, independent acts, musicians unions, nonprofit organizations, etc.) to find talent that meets your requirements in terms of your description, date and time of your event and your projected budget. We do this work for you so that you don’t have to. There is no need to call everyone in the area. Our goal is to be your one-stop place to shop for talent. THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE.
Preview the Acts
Once we have determined which acts are available for your event, we prepare custom-made electronic video and/or audio promo packs or press kits which we can email to you. Or, if you wish, you can come to any of our offices to audition acts in our comfortable viewing area. Of course, many of the acts have their promo posted on our website so you can review the information online as well.
We have recently opened our “Showcase Theater” so we may are now able to make arrangements for you to see some acts perform live. While browsing this site if you see an act that you would like to see perform, simply complete the information in the “Request A Showcase” tab on the act page and we’ll begin to arrange a showcase especially for you.
Make Your Selection
If you find an act that you like after the first attempt — great! If not, we will do additional research and prepare more information for you to review. Of course, as much feedback as you can provide from the first round of demos is helpful in allowing us to refine our search for your talent further. WE PLEDGE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU UNTIL YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IN YOUR SELECTION.
Sign a Contract
After you have made your selection we will send you a contract with all the details of the event including all relevant pricing information, date for which you have the act reserved, number of musicians, hours of performance and details about breaks. You also have the opportunity to include reasonable special additions to the contract. You will be required to send this contract back to us with a deposit to secure your selected talent.
In addition, the Entertainment Exchange requires each band, DJ musician or specialty act that we represent to sign their own copy of your contract. This provides you with peace of mind in knowing that your talent is secured for you and that there will be no last-minute mix-ups. Additionally, the Entertainment Exchange is fully bonded by the State of Maryland Department of Labor and Industry and is a member-in-good-standing of the Better Business Bureau. As such you have assurance that any problems with your talent can be worked out if the need arises.
Communicate with Your Artist
At the time you sign a contract you will also receive a “planning guide” specially designed for the type of event that you are having. You can fill this planner out on your own, or work with your event planner, banquet director, etc. When you have completed the planning guide mail it back to our office (we like to get it about 6-8 weeks before your event). We will then forward it to your act.
You will then get a call from your artist in the weeks prior to your event to go over all the details that you included on your planning guide. During this conversation you can tie up any loose ends, make any special requests and generally make sure that you and your talent are on the same page with regard to the performance at your event.
That’s It!
You’re done. It is now time to relax and know that you have done everything to ensure that you have selected just the right artists for your event.