ICC Entertainment

  Reprinted from PERFORMANCE Magazine.

Whatever It Is, It's Gotta Have WOW!
             by Bill Paddock, President, ICC Entertainment

We're blasted with information impressions every waking moment. Some we seek. Most we do not. But all are quickly forgotten and replaced by countless more unless they standout and attach themselves to our consciousness. How? WOW!

The principle is ancient. Giving flowers to win favor, for example, dates back to the 1700s when Charles II of Sweden introduced the originally Persian custom to Europe. Dating long before that, the Bible has many incidents of people, both for good and bad reasons and purposes, performing feats to make an impression.

So in this age of media gluttony, how do we make our mark? Create WOW!

Seemingly little and inexpensive things can set the stage and elevate your event. Signage shows preparation, and preparation signals importance. Are you hoisting a reception? Have greeters and baloon rainbows at each entrance. If there is a sign-in table, make sure it is well-stocked with name tags and pens and - very important - that your people workin g the tables are gregarious. Just as your receptionist makes an impression every time the phone is answered, every attendee can be affected by the person they meet at the registration table. The attendees should feel perfectly welcome and should sense an elevated degree of energy and excitement in the air. Holding a conference? Use audio and video to present your "show", even as guests are entering the meeting room. Don't settle for the standard curtain behind the speaker. Have a backdrop with your logo or a gobo to make a real impression. Staging a concert or sporting event? Think big. Launch or land a hot air balloon. Work with the local Air National Guard to arrange a fly-over. Provide entertainment even during a traditional downtime. Have a comedian or magician between sets or at halftime. Use fireworks. I once set off a traditional ten-minute fireworks display in three minutesafter a concert - just to create the WOW Factor. Where appropriate, balloon drops and confetti shoots are effective closers. And use music. There should never be "dead air" at any produced event, before, during or after.

Work the crowd. Trumpeter Rick Braun often enters his concerts from thbe back of the room while his band is playing on stage. Saxophonist Grady Nichols always takes a stroll through the crowd and plays one on one with people in the audience and they love it. Motivational speaker Jim Stovall goes down off the stage and into the crowd, especially impressive since he is blind! WOW!

So begin to think outside the box. Become the WOW!

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