How to have a great carpet affair!

I’ve been in the entertainment business for quite awhile. I really enjoy my job, I really do. It has been on my heart though to express some of the things I have experienced. I’m not going to put anybody on blast but felt as though I needed to let my readers know how to have a great carpet affair.Sometimes people just don’t know if they are doing a great job or not.

This year alone I’ve hosted 4 events and have attended 100’s.Two of the events that I hosted were ok and Two were not ok. If you know me, I try(I try really hard) to stay positive.  I have seen alot of events that were a hot mess. If you want to know how to have a great carpet affair keep reading.

• If you are not a people person, please find something else to do. Go hide in a cubicle somewhere!
• Please hire an event planner! I know money is tight for everyone, but it really makes a difference.
• If your funds are limited, you may want to wait, instead of looking like a jackass!
• Publicist are not event planners, they get you exposure….that is all! I’ve seen few who can toggle both jobs!
• Hire a promoter or marketing company. The event planner can only do so much.
• Location, Location, Location<<<<Need I say more!
• Details are so important, its the lil things that can make any event rememberable .
• Hire servers that are clean looking and have good personalities.
• Time Frame! Why do people keep having events at 5 or 6 pm on a weekday, in rush hour traffic?  You know Atlanta’s traffic is horrific, I will not be there! smh
• When sending out an invite, please stop sending it out the day before  or the day of. A proper invite needs to be in the mail or in someones inbox two weeks prior,with a follow up reminder. Please visit Jamahl King’s website: Steps Event Planning Co. He does a great job of sending out proper invites!
• Stop putting on your flyers or press releases that all these celebrities have confirmed to come, thats so old and played out! You will get talked about, we are not stupid!
• If you have listed celebs as coming and they don’t and your carpet is whack, most likely I will not post or show footage. I can’t do a whole 30 minute show with 3 minutes of footage, wth!
• If you are going to have a step n repeat, please have the proper lighting for photographers and camera crews. So many people forget about the media and stick us in the corner and don’t care about the space that is needed. If you want great coverage and photos, please think about us! Please visit I’na Saulberry’s website, she does fabulous events and thinks about the media: http://thestarfiregroup.blogspot.com/
• Please have a back up plan just in case mother nature is not cooperating. So many times I have gone to events and they have media outside and it rains. I will leave and so will others.Our camera equipment costs thousands of dollars, are you serious? smh
• Be nice and respectful to the media. We don’t want your drama,we do not work for you. So many think they are doing us a favor by allowing us to be there.No we are doing you a favor by burning our gas, standing around for hours and not being given any water or food for hours on end! Plus giving your clients free exposure, don’t get me started! Smh!
• If you have your  favorite media outlets, please try to be discreet about it. It’s very rude of you to show favoritism and it brings animosity. Set up private interviews with your clients before hand, that way no one is upset. I’ve seen this happen a gazillion times!
• All media outlets big or small are some form of exposure be it online, print,tv or radio, treat us all fairly and with respect. Any exposure is better than none, remember that!
• Dont Burn Bridges! You never know when you may need a favor later on!
• Don’t piss off the media, major mistake! We can rip you to shreds! Media friends are thick as thieves, and some of my media crew are not as friendly and ready to write up a juicy story on your behind! I know thousands across the country, you won’t win!
• Make sure your staff is dressed appropriately. I’ve seen so many staff members look like they are going to the club! Are you working the event or working the street, please stop it!
• Please have the proper equipment,microphones,dj, music, sound. Nothing like a horrible sound system, test everything!
• If you are going to be doing event planning for a living, please get a proper website with great pics to show your work. I do not want to see a myspace website,it looks unprofessional. Who goes on  myspace anymore?
• Most likely if you don’t see your event posted anywhere the next day, I can most definitely tell you it was an epic fail, try again! If the media didn’t post, then nobody else will care either.

*If you are going to hire a HOST or you are the Host,here are some great pointers:

• Do your research on the host to see if they fit your clients company or brand, so many don’t do this. You’re so busy trying to keep the cost down,stop being cheap!
• Make sure there is proper paper trail,documents, contracts,and email exchanges with the potential host/you. Just in case either party gets amnesia lmao!
• Read over the contracts and make sure everyone is on the right page and comfortable with what it states.
• Have your attorney’s number on speed dial! My Entertainment Attorney name is Juanita Vann, and she is a beast, she don’t play!
• I suggest for host/talent to get a deposit.  I have heard horror stories about talent/host not getting paid and sometimes thats why the public see’s a horrible show, something is usually fishy!
• Just because you have hired me for your event does not mean you will talk to me any kind of way! Some people get a lil bit of power and it goes to your head! I am confrontational and will get in your face…what did you say?
• If the planner gives you a check, please know in the state of Georgia, anything over 500.00 that bounces, is a federal offense. I will have a warrant out for your arrest! I prefer certified money orders or cash!
• Not all hosts are comedians. I am definitely not one. I’m not there to tell your guests jokes. I am there to do my job and keep the event moving. Refer back to line one in this section. Alot of people think that because I am on tv, I am suppose to know how to run the event,know whats next and so on. Hell to the No!
• Please have a script or agenda sheet for the Talent/Host. Have the proper information about whats going on in the show.Names with correct spellings would be great! Nothing like getting to an event, and they don’t know what to do with you. They  think you will know how to wing it.I don’t wing things on tv, we have SCRIPTS!
• Please have a director or runner as we like to say. That person communicates back and forth between the host and the event planner. It runs more smoothly that way, instead of looking like a dear in the headlights.
• Most people think that when an event is not going well, it’s the host fault. Why I don’t know, but they see me standing up there. They want to blame somebody. It’s very uncomfortable and you wouldn’t like it to be you. Think of it that way!
• If you plan on hiring entertainment for your event, please have them audition beforehand. My gosh this is important, I’ve seen acts on stage and said who hired them?
• Most likely if your event was a flop, your going to want to blame somebody. Im not that person, you need to learn from it and move on.
• I will not give you a refund! For my Experience,Time,Effort,Hair,Makeup,Wardrobe, and Travel, I feel as though I am worth every penny! Don’t ask me!
• Do what is ethically right and what feels good in your heart. Have some integrity. Everything is not always about money. Do it because you simply love it.

Thats all the pointers I have for now but just wanted you guys to know what’s going on. I am new to this field but not that new, I do have common sense and a business background. Alot of people think I am so nice and I am, but when it comes to professionalism and business, I can be a beast about that as well.  I’m 41, not as young as most of you think, I just have a young spirit.

I am going to try to do my best if you hire me or If I come to your event. I just don’t want you wasting my time. I get annoyed when things go wrong and could be home with my hubby and two kids, or on my laptop chatting on twitter, tee hee!

I have always worked for myself and had a successful business back in Cleveland way before the entertainment bug bit me. So please do not insult my intelligence or try to belittle me, It’s not cute! I want us all to excel in life and do well, thats what this is all about,right? Have a fab day and keep it pinky!

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