Corporate Event Entertainment Ideas: How to Get It Right

Planning a corporate event is about much more than finding a venue, arranging the catering and putting a running order together.

The best corporate events have a sense of purpose. They give people a reason to be there, make it easier for guests to interact, reflect positively on the organisation behind the event and, ideally, leave people talking about the experience afterwards.

Entertainment can play an important part in that — but only when it is chosen and timed properly.

As a professional close-up magician, I've performed at corporate events ranging from networking functions and conferences to awards evenings, product launches, hospitality events and company celebrations. What I've learned is that there isn't one type of corporate entertainment that works for every event.

The right choice depends on your guests, your objectives, your venue, the format of the event and how you want people to feel while they're there.

In this guide, I'll look at some of the most effective corporate event entertainment ideas, where they work best and what to consider before booking.

If you're specifically looking for a corporate event magician, you can find more information about ACMAGIC's corporate event services here.

What Makes Good Corporate Event Entertainment?

Corporate entertainment has a slightly different job to entertainment at a private party.

In a business environment, your entertainment needs to be engaging without becoming intrusive. It needs to fit the tone of the event and, in many cases, work alongside conversations, networking, presentations, food or speeches.

That's why I believe the best corporate entertainment is not necessarily the biggest or loudest option.

It is the entertainment that fits naturally into the event.

For some events, that might be live music. For others, a band or DJ will be the right choice. There are also occasions where interactive entertainment works particularly well because it gives guests something immediate to experience together.

Close-up magic is particularly useful in this respect because it can move with the event rather than requiring everyone to stop what they are doing.

Corporate Event Entertainment Ideas for Different Types of Events

One of the first questions I ask when discussing a corporate booking is:

What is the event actually trying to achieve?

The answer can make a big difference to the type of entertainment that will work.

Networking Events

Networking events can be brilliant opportunities for businesses, but they can also be awkward.

Guests may arrive not knowing anybody. Conversations can be difficult to start, particularly when people are meeting potential clients, suppliers or colleagues for the first time.#

Close-up magic can provide an immediate shared experience.

Instead of approaching somebody with the usual "What do you do?", guests suddenly have something unexpected to talk about.

I've seen this work particularly well during drinks receptions, where people are already standing and moving between groups.

Where appropriate, corporate magic can also be customised around a company's products, services or messaging through branded corporate entertainment.

Conferences and Business Events

Conferences often have natural periods where attention needs to reset.

Guests may have spent the morning listening to presentations, moving between sessions or talking to exhibitors. Entertainment can provide a change of pace without necessarily becoming the main attraction.

Close-up magic can work particularly well during:

• registration and arrival

• coffee breaks

• lunch

• networking sessions

• exhibition periods

• transitions between formal parts of the event

The key is timing.

You don't want entertainment competing with a keynote speaker or an important presentation.

Exhibitions and Trade Events

At exhibitions, one of the biggest challenges can be getting people to stop and engage.

Interactive entertainment can create a reason for people to pause and can sometimes provide a natural opening for conversation around the stand or brand.

The entertainment still needs to support the event rather than distract from the exhibitor's purpose.

Where appropriate, corporate magic can also be customised around a company's products, services or messaging.

If you're organising an event with a detailed running order, my guide to corporate event planning and entertainment advice goes into more detail on how planners can choose and manage entertainment.

Product Launches

Product launches are another situation where bespoke entertainment can work particularly well.

The objective isn't simply to entertain guests. It's to create an experience that fits the product and the occasion.

Depending on the event, magic can incorporate:

• a product or service

• a company message

• a launch theme

• a particular story or concept

• branded props or materials

The important word is relevant.

Customisation should have a reason to be there. It shouldn't feel like a logo has simply been added to an otherwise unrelated magic trick.

Awards Evenings

Awards events have their own rhythm.

There are arrivals, drinks, dinner, presentations, speeches and award announcements, followed perhaps by music or dancing.

Close-up magic can work particularly well around the edges of those formal moments.

It can entertain guests during a drinks reception, provide something engaging between parts of the evening or give people something to enjoy while the room is being reset.

The important thing is knowing when not to perform.

That ability to read the running order and the room is just as important as the magic itself.

Client and VIP Entertainment

Client hospitality is another area where I believe the quality and personality of the entertainer matter enormously.

VIP guests don't necessarily want something that feels like generic entertainment.

They want something polished, appropriate and personal.

For smaller groups or hospitality areas, close-up magic can provide a more individual experience, allowing guests to interact directly rather than watching from a distance.

Why Is Close-Up Magic Effective at Corporate Events?

Close-up magic has one major advantage over many forms of entertainment:

it goes to the guests rather than asking the guests to go somewhere else.

That makes it particularly flexible.

I can perform for a small group, move to another group and continue throughout the room while conversations and networking continue around me.

For a corporate organiser, that can mean entertainment without having to restructure the entire event.

For the guests, it feels more personal.

They are not simply watching a performance. They are part of it.

That interaction can create laughter, surprise and — importantly at business events — something people can talk about together.

When Is the Best Time to Have Entertainment at a Corporate Event?

Timing is one of the things I discuss most often with organisers.

There isn't a universal answer.

For close-up magic, drinks receptions are often particularly effective because guests are already standing, moving around and talking.

Other possibilities include:

Arrival and registration Useful when guests are waiting for the main event to begin.

Drinks reception Often ideal for encouraging interaction between guests.

Networking breaks A natural fit when people are moving between conversations.

Exhibition periods Useful where appropriate for engaging people around stands.

After dinnerCan work when the formal part of the event has finished and guests are relaxed.

What I would avoid is treating entertainment as something that simply needs to be "fitted in".

The best result comes when it is considered as part of the overall event experience.

Can Corporate Magic Be Branded or Personalised?

Yes — when it is appropriate for the event.

I can sometimes incorporate company branding, products, services, themes or messages into the performance.

This might involve customised props, references to a product, company-specific material or other ideas designed around the event.

The important thing is that the magic should still feel like magic.

Good corporate branding is subtle enough to support the experience without turning the performance into a sales presentation.

For some companies, this can be particularly useful at launches, hospitality events or occasions where creating a memorable association with a product or brand is important.

What Should You Look for When Choosing Corporate Entertainment?

Not every entertainer is suited to a corporate audience.

I'd suggest considering:

Relevant experience

Has the entertainer actually worked at the type of event you're planning?

A wedding magician may be fantastic at weddings, but that doesn't automatically mean they're the right choice for a conference, awards evening or client hospitality event.

Professional communication

Corporate events often involve event planners, venues and multiple suppliers.

You want someone who communicates clearly, turns up prepared and understands that they are part of a much larger operation.

Flexibility

Corporate events rarely run exactly to the original schedule.

Speeches overrun. Dinner takes longer. Guests arrive late.

Your entertainer needs to be able to adapt without creating another problem for the organiser.

Guest interaction

Particularly with close-up magic, the ability to read the room matters.

Some guests will want to get involved immediately. Others will be more reserved.

A good performer should be able to adapt to both.

Evidence

Look at reviews, photographs and videos.

Ideally, you want to see evidence that the entertainer has worked in environments similar to yours.

Once you've decided that a magician is the right fit, my guide on how to choose the right corporate magician looks at experience, professionalism, flexibility and what questions to ask.

How Does Corporate Entertainment Add Value to an Event?

It's tempting to talk about entertainment in terms of "ROI", but I think that needs to be approached carefully.

Not every benefit of corporate entertainment can be reduced to a pound value.

Some things are easier to measure:

• attendee feedback

• participation

• networking activity

• engagement

• enquiries

• social interaction

• repeat attendance

Other benefits are harder to quantify but still matter:

• the atmosphere of the event

• how comfortable guests feel

• how memorable the experience is

• the conversations that continue afterwards

• the impression guests form of the organisation

That's why I prefer to think about value rather than promising a specific financial return.

If you're interested in exploring this further, I've written more about measuring the value of corporate event entertainment here:

If you're interested in exploring this further, I've written more about how to measure the value of corporate event entertainment here.

How Many Hours of Corporate Magic Do You Need?

There isn't a single answer.

It depends on the number of guests, the type of event, how long the reception or networking period lasts and what else is happening during the day.

For some events, one hour of concentrated entertainment can be ideal.

For larger events, two or three hours may make more sense, particularly if the entertainment is moving between different groups over a longer reception or hospitality period.

Rather than simply selling a fixed amount of time, I prefer to look at the event as a whole and recommend what I think will work best.

That way you're booking entertainment because it makes sense for the event — not because a package happens to contain a certain number of hours.

Corporate Entertainment Should Fit the Event — Not Take It Over

This is probably the most important thing I've learned from performing at corporate events.

Great entertainment doesn't need to dominate the room.

Sometimes its job is to energise a networking session.

Sometimes it's to give VIP guests a memorable experience.

Sometimes it's simply to create a moment of surprise and laughter during a busy day.

The best corporate entertainment works with the event.

It respects the running order, understands the audience and gives people something memorable without getting in the way of everything else the organiser has spent months planning.

That is one of the reasons I particularly enjoy close-up magic for corporate events. It can be personal, interactive and flexible while remaining professional.

Why ACMAGIC for Corporate Events?

I've performed for a wide variety of corporate clients and events, from networking functions and conferences to hospitality, company celebrations, product launches and awards evenings.

The approach I take is straightforward:

Understand the event. Understand the guests. Understand what the organiser needs. Then make the entertainment fit.

The magic itself is only part of that.

Professional communication, preparation, timing, flexibility and the ability to read the room all matter just as much when you're working in a corporate environment.

Final Thoughts

There are plenty of corporate event entertainment ideas to choose from, and close-up magic won't necessarily be the right answer for every event.

But when you want entertainment that encourages interaction, works alongside networking and can adapt to the flow of the event, it can be an extremely effective option.

Whether you're organising a conference, networking event, product launch, awards evening, client hospitality event or company celebration, the starting point should always be the same:

What do you want your guests to experience?

Once you know that, choosing the right entertainment becomes much easier.

If you're planning a corporate event in Manchester, Cheshire, the wider North West or elsewhere in the UK, I'd be happy to discuss your plans and suggest an approach that fits the event.

If you're planning a corporate event in Manchester, Cheshire, the wider North West or elsewhere in the UK, you can find out more about corporate event magician services in Manchester here.

Get in touch with ACMAGIC