The first step in planning the entertainment for your party is to decide on as many of the specific details of the party as possible. This includes date, time, location, approximate number invited, approximate number expected to attend, will there be other entertainers, etc. These are the kinds of items that will be asked of you when first speaking with the potential entertainer.

Hiring an entertainer should not be a nightmarish struggle. It should be something that requires very little effort on your part and yet yields potentially the greatest amount of guest enjoyment.

What type of event are you planning? Is this a corporate trade show, a lavish black-tie evening affair, or your child's 7th birthday party?

Regardless of the event, your entertainer is representing you at the party. This can be a great opportunity to show off without lifting a finger! People go to social functions – parties – for lots of reasons – mingling, networking, food and beverage, and being entertained.

Strolling entertainment can be effective in situations where many people are mingling who don't know each other very well, or where the situation is just warming up and the "ice needs to be broken."

Stage shows (magic/illusions, mentalism, juggling, sideshow) are great for after dinner or after the speakers/award ceremonies. These larger shows are a great way to cap off an evening before dancing the night away.

Who is your audience? If the primary audience is business associates, a strolling magician or juggler might be perfect for a cocktail hour, but a balloon sculptor/clown might not. If there are going to be children, maybe a clown would be a good idea.

Remember, not everyone has the same tastes: some people love magic, others do not. The same applies to mimes, jugglers, clowns, etc. Listen to the entertainer's (or agents') suggestions about what might suit the event you are planning.

Who are you going to call? Before you go reaching for those yellow pages and begin calling one number after another, let's narrow this down a bit.

Let's suppose you know that you want a magician. Have you seen one before that was particularly good? Did someone give you the name or business card of a magician?

Can you imagine this magician performing for your event? Then ask him for his card! Even if he is not available for your event, he will be able to supply you with a few other names that would do just as well! (Entertainers know how to network, too!)

OK... so you don't know any magicians and have no one's card. What now? If you do reach for the yellow pages, you may want to take your time and look thoroughly. Often, a magician will list under magicians, entertainers, or entertainment bureaus. Other places you might look are family and parents' magazines or your local newspaper classified sections.

Then you have the question of whether to call a magician directly or go through an event/party planning agency. Both have their pros and cons; either can be effective.

Party planners and entertainment bureaus can be found in most cities and surrounding regions. Look first for ads that specifically list the type of entertainment you are looking for, but don't hesitate to call DJ services and caterers as they sometimes have magicians or other entertainers that they can specifically recommend.

A good thing about using agencies is that they specialize in hiring entertainment and will almost always be able to find you an entertainer for your event. Someone will definitely show up, and everything should run very smoothly and professionally. The down side to using agencies is that many party-planning bureaus will send you just a "generic magician" who may be good, but will not always be top-quality. There are of course exceptions: sometimes you may get a magician who is a first-rate entertainer, and there are many high-end corporate agents who will book "name" acts and better quality entertainment in general. (These of course will cost more.)

Booking an entertainer directly can be very effective. Sometimes you will find that the performer's price is slightly lower than if you went to an agency, but not always. Remember that an agent typically takes a fee from the entertainer for doing the work of getting the show.

When you see an entertainer advertising in the yellow pages (or on the internet!) it is a good sign that they are professional and very serious about their career. Typically the people who advertise do so because they do a lot of shows. In this business, experience is the key. The down side to direct booking is that there isn't quite the secure feeling of dealing with an office of professional event-managers. While most full-time solo professional entertainers are just as (if not more) professional than many party planners, you do run a small risk of running into a hack entertainer (who incidentally is often the lowest price you'll find, too.)

Time to pick up the phone. Typically when the agent or performer answers the phone they will introduce themselves or their agency in a professional and courteous tone. If the person answering the phone doesn't sound professional, there's a good chance that they're not.

Going back to step one, they are probably going to ask you what kind of entertainment you are looking for, as well the date and time of the event. They may ask you how many people will be there, and how long a timeframe you need to fill.

They will ask you for a contact number and mailing information (to send out a "contract" and confirmation letter) and will ask for a phone number of the party place (or a cell phone number) in case of emergency.

Most magicians and clowns will sell a slot of time between 45 minutes and 75 minutes for their "show." Make sure that the entertainer can cater to everyone you wish. If it's an audience of all adults, it's a very different story than if it's a mixed crowd of children and adults or just children.

So what should you ask? Good question. You will want to know what time the performer will arrive and how much space he or she is going to need.

If there is something special about your guests that is important for the performer to know (anything from high achievements to physical impairments), be sure to mention it to the agent... and again to the performer. (as a side note: one thing to be cautious of is that agents don't always pass along all such details to the performer. Good agents do. However, if you book the performer directly, they get the information first hand.)

Price-shopping? Rule of thumb: don't go with the lowest price. You will be disappointed. You don't have to go with the highest price either. It just goes back to the adage "you get what you pay for." Typically, the lowest price in the phone book is a high-school kid or third-rate magician who learned a couple of tricks and is trying to make a few extra bucks. The number one problem with this (as I rant for a sentence or two) is that this guy really hurts the rest of the magician/entertainer community, because now you subconsciously perceive all magicians (or clowns or jugglers) as being like him. And on top of it all, he's ripping you off.

When considering which agency or entertainer to go with, pay attention to the professionalism in their voice and conversation. They don't have to sound like a corporate business executive (I try to keep my conversation proper but relaxed and casual at the same time) but they should "sound like they know what they're doing."

On the flip side, because a performer has the highest price doesn't mean he's the best. He may be, but you may want to ask for more information about him. (Ask if he has a website that you can look at!)

Above all, you have to feel comfortable in talking with the entertainer (or representing company) enough so that you would readily have him or her entertaining your guests as a reflection of you.

There are two schools of thought that entertainers (and agencies) have when it comes to taking a security deposit: do it or don't.

Almost every agent will take a non-refundable deposit from you that ends up being some reasonable but significant portion of the total cost of the entertainer for your event. Some agents take more of a deposit than others (as much as 50%) others take just a flat sum $50-100.

The deposit is basically a protective monetary agreement that assures that you are indeed serious and definite about having this entertainer for your event, and guarantees you that (because we have your money) you will indeed definitely have an entertainer for the time and date you requested. This prevents questionable situations where the entertainer may be tempted to take a higher-paying show in place of yours. He's committed.

Not all entertainers take deposits when booking directly. It often depends on the norm that entertainers and agents set in certain areas. In my opinion deposits don't say one way or another just how professional an entertainer is. (I know average professional magicians who take deposits always, and I know top-notch respected entertainers who never do.)

Not much to say here. Your performer or agent should send you something in writing by mail fairly soon after you've booked the entertainer, just to confirm all the details and price agreed upon. This usually arrives within a week or two of booking the show.

Within one week of the show (usually a couple days before) either the entertainer or the representing agent should call you to confirm that they will be there. It is just a courtesy call to be sure that their directions and details are straight.

If you don't hear from your entertainer (or agent) and it's the day before the event, you may want to place a quick call, on the outside chance that they had the phone number wrong or simply couldn't reach you

So the plans have been set, the entertainment booked, the guests invited... you are nervously biting your nails and running around like mad thinking that this is the worst day of your life and everything is bound to go wrong somehow.

First off, don't stress! If by chance something(s) doesn't go the way you had planned, most cases you're the only one who will even notice. Relax.

Regarding guest arrival, sometimes the entertainer shows up first, in other cases you may not want him or her until later in the event. Regardless, make sure that you will be comfortable with where and when the entertainer arrives and sets up. Some magicians require not to be watched as they set up, others don't need such privacy and set up relatively quickly. Just make sure you've discussed this with the performer before the day of the event.

There should be nothing here for you to worry about. The only thing you may be asked to do is to introduce the performer (if it is to be a stage show) in which case the performer should already have a note-card or such with a brief introduction for you to read.

Once in a while the performer will ask you prior to the show if there are any particular guests he or she should mention or pick as a volunteer during the show. Also, you may wish to ask them about good photo opportunities. Additionally, you should check with the performer regarding their policy and feelings about whether or not videotaping is allowed during their performance.

Other than that, sit back and enjoy the show like a guest!

Some entertainers and agencies request that you pay up front before the show begins, others are comfortable accepting pay at the end. My opinion: it really doesn't matter. If the agency or performer doesn't specify which they prefer, then do whatever is comfortable for you. Some people (and often many corporations) choose to pay in full up front before the actual show date.

Should you tip? Tipping is naturally not required and should never be expected by the performer. Use your judgment. Did you enjoy the performance? More importantly, did your guests enjoy it? Did the entertainer do an exceptional job or exceed your expectations? Or are you just feeling particularly happy and generous? Then yes, by all means tip!

Generally, tipping is a custom that is sometimes followed at private shows (picnics, anniversaries, birthday parties) and not so much at major corporate events.

As far as how much, there is no percentage scale that people follow as far as I can figure out. It is simply whatever you feel like adding as a "little something extra" to show your appreciation to the entertainer. Generally tips are in the range of $20-50, but can always be much, much higher!

Most times, entertainers will ask you at the end of the evening, "Did everything go OK? Were you satisfied with how things went?" and so forth. Please, be honest! If there was something that you didn't like or thought should have been different, let the entertainer know. Otherwise, it may continue to disappoint or upset other people that he entertains.

On the flip side, if there was something exceptionally wonderful that took you by surprise or you were just plain happy with how things went, mention that, too. We like to hear feedback (preferably good, but any kind is helpful!)

The best form of showing your appreciation for the entertainer is to pass his name and number along to your friends and fellow business associates. (And of course, you could book me back anytime!)

So now you know how it works. I hope this tutorial proves helpful in answering questions that you may not have known you had. Why don't you go and try what you know, and book yourself an entertainer!