Why book wedding music and wedding entertainment from a professional agency?
There are many advantages to booking entertainment for events, parties and weddings from a properly run specialist music and entertainment agency. The benefits of using an entertainment booking service are many and various!
Making it Easy for you
Your booking agent works with you and for you! A good agency will not only provide a booking service but will also ensure that the music or entertainment complies with your venues' demands in terms of insurance, electrical equipment PAT testing and, if require with Risk Assessments and work Method Statements. The first thing anyone who is intending to book a band, entertainer or musicians should do is to find a genuine, professional, reliable agency.
Reason 1 - Choice.
Most genuine agencies who work in the area of corporate events, private parties and weddings will have a wide range of available music and entertainment at various budget points and will offer options based on your expressed taste and ideas and your indicated budget. They will also advise which are cost effective options without compromising quality. Many agencies have special relationships with bands and artists
and get good rates. Also, a good agency can ensure that you get the best value from your entertainers. For example, it can be difficult for a private client to ask a band to perform three sets when they have only offered two but your agent can insist more easily as he will know the artists in question.
Reason Two - Convenience
A professional agency will be able to take care of all of your entertainment requirements. You may decide to book any or all of a Disco, a live Party Band , a classical or jazz group to play during your drinks reception and meal, music for your ceremony, a master of ceremonies, a comedian, a magician or a caricaturist . You will get a co-ordinated, flexible but structured proposal and will not have to keep several
balls in the air adding to the stress and complication of organizing your day, dealing with several different artists or smaller agencies.
Reason 3 - Free Advice and Consultancy.
An established professional agency has a lot of experience within the entertainment industry and providing entertainment and music for weddings, parties and corporate events. The agent will know what is available across a wide range of music and entertainment, what works, what does not work, which artists represent the best performance at a proscribed budget. In other words he can guide you in terms of quality and
value for money.!!
Reason 4 - Back Up and Contingency should things go wrong.
If there is a last minute hitch - sickness, mechanical breakdown or any unforeseen circumstance which will unavoidably prevent your chosen band or entertainer from appearing at your wedding or event, a committed professional agency will have a lot of resources which can be deployed to 'save the day'. They will have a note of artists' last minute availability and a huge artists database and will prioritize ensuring
your event is a success by making every effort to find a suitable substitute. We at Prima Artists have a sophisticated SMS utility which enables us to contact any number of our five thousand plus bands, musicians and entertainers at once and if needed can generally meet contingencies at short notice
Reason 5 - Clear Professional Paperwork and written assurances
When you make a decision on something as important as your entertainment and/or music for your wedding or any other event you need to have assurances that all you have asked for will be provided without fail, on time and in the most professional way. A professional entertainment agency will provide a written contract confirming all of the arrangements including, date, times location, payment terms and what is expected from
the band or artist and also from you, the client. The agency will also provide a copy of its terms of business. Prima Artists use Ace Professional Plus agency software to administer its contracts - these contracts are compliant with the relevant legislation. A
Reason 6 - Public Liability Insurance and PAT tests
A professional agency will carry public liability insurance to cover liabilities arising from its own business activity. In addition it will require that artists employed under contracts issued have their own Public Liability Insurance. Where the act uses electrical equipment as part of its act (most bands, discos, etc) the agency will require that the equipment is PAT Tested (Portable Appliance Test). Many venues
insist on this and it may be a condition of the venues own insurance. Artists without PAT test certification may not be allowed to perform.
Reason 7 - Handling of Monies for Artists and Clients advance payments.
Most properly run agencies (but not all) will have a Clients Bank Account to be used for funds belonging to Artists. Prima Artists also use this account to retain advanced payments and deposits paid by clients. Client monies are not passed to artists or used by the business in any way until the contract has been performed. MORE DETAILS
That's all fine but how much does the service cost?
That's the best bit! - Nothing! The booking agent earns a commission from the bands and artists they arrange work for. You will not pay a booking fee or anything extra for the booking service! Your booking agent will often save you money or, at the very least ensure that your budget is spent is the best way to get you what you want for your wedding ceremony and reception and the very best quality options are offered at the price you are able to pay. Often savings can be made by ensuring the best use of resources such as sound equipment. Your agency will be able to discuss with Bands, DJ's and Entertainers the best use of their equipment and the put the logistics in place not only to mange budget but to ensure there is everything needed to make the day's entertainment go smoothly
How to recognize a good professional agency!
All agencies should be run under The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 which are enforced by the department of Trade and Industry. Some so called agencies are sometimes little more than a 'shop front' for one band or entertainer selling their own services and perhaps those of a few friends and acquaintances and in these days of the world
wide web, it is all too easy to give the impression that this kind of business is a genuine agency offering a professional service. Many business like this are often not aware of the Regulations, some of which are very strict and specific regarding the conduct of the business and are in place to protect the interests of both the client booker and the entertainers.
How to select a good professional agency
A professional agency will publish its terms of business and details of its client account . If the agency
can not produce these as a matter of course it is almost certainly not operating in line with legislation.
If your chosen agency matches all of these criteria there should be no problems and you will have a successful event with quality entertainment delivered professionally
Prima Artists - The Bonuses!
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