Pro-Tip, Rock Stars
Giving your event presenters and performers the Rock Star treatment is less about budget and frills, and more about logistics.
In-Person Event PRO-TIP: treat everyone you book like a Rock Star.
This strategy applies to whomever you’re booking to perform or present at events, meetings, galas,Town Halls, conferences, Sales Summits, team-building functions, or fundraisers. And it’s irrelevant whether they’re actually Rock Stars, and regardless of whether or not they behave like a “Rock Star”.
Following this Pro-Tip will help you get more satisfaction out of the content they’ve prepared to share, and make the event experience more enjoyable for you and your event attendees.
Imagine an iconic celebrity Rock Star you would love to book for your next event. Here are just a few proof points for my advice:
ARRIVALS
Rock Stars prefer not to look foolish trying to open locked doors at the venue’s main entrance, which are ground to ceiling one-way, mirrored glass designed to entertain everyone inside who can see them bumbling, and then have to wander through the property landscaping to find the side, service entrance to the building where there’s a security guard who has no idea who you are or where to find you.
They prefer to have very specific directions on when and how to enter the event venue and a text from you that you or one of your team members are waiting to greet them.
Once inside, Rock Stars don’t want to chat briefly with any of your attendees or committee members while they hold their garment bag and computer gear. This is nothing personal, they're just wondering what their hair looks like after navigating the jet propulsion wind tunnel created by the venue HVAC as they entered.
They prefer to go directly to their green room where they can get composed before joining you and your team for warm introductions before the tech rehearsal.
SIDEBAR: Rock Stars prefer that the “Green Room” is not one of the venue bathrooms, or a space you’ve created for them in the corner beside the snack table in the temporary Admin. office where you’re storing all your prizes, lanyards and interns with their laptops.
MEALS
Rock Stars prefer not to eat at a table of event attendees, or sponsors in advance of their presentation or performance. It’s not that Rock Stars think these people are not important. It’s just not important for them to try and hear Rock Stars scream-talk from across the table with food in their teeth and soup on their shirts before they get up on-stage.
SIDEBAR: If the Rock Star asks to dine in advance with your sponsors or guests, fine.
SIDEBAR: They won’t ask to dine with your sponsors or guests.
Rock Stars are usually open to, and gracious about, mingling with people after they’ve presented or performed. The number of times that I’ve heard about sponsors who were unsatisfied with a VIP meet and greet with a Rock Star after their performance instead of in advance while they eat is, NEVER.
Back to that iconic celebrity rock star you would love to be able to book for your next event. Imagine allowing any of the above scenarios of discomfort happen to them. You can, but you wouldn't.
Whether you’re booking a bona fide celebrity Rock Star, or the VP of Sales from within your organization, the last thing you want when it’s time for the performance or presentation is for them to be tired or distracted, or worse: annoyed and frustrated. Avoiding these outcomes will elevate the content they're sharing and generate even more positive survey results from your attendees.
The number of times that I’ve heard about event presenters or performers being unhappy about receiving, or feeling it unnecessary to get, Rock Star treatment is, NEVER.