Entertainment speakers can provide the punch that many event planners look for when trying to pull off a landmark event. A great entertainer can help salvage an otherwise forgettable weekend by breaking a run of dry, stale seminars on bland topics. A comedian or a musical act, for example, can make audiences forget all about their Six Sigma streamlining tips and set the crowd at ease.

Obviously, hiring the right entertainment for an event depends largely on the type of event in question. Even well-known celebrity entertainers ought to be able to tie their performances in with the purpose of the convention. A comedian should be good enough to whip up a few marketing jokes on the fly or do a five-minute riff on cellular technology--whatever's appropriate.

Choices in Entertainment Speakers

Forget about the A-list actors and musicians of the world. Unless you're sponsoring an event that has some personal resonance for the entertainment speakers on your wish list, the Tom Hanks' and Bill Cosbys of the world are unlikely to respond to your inquiries, even those that are accompanied by impressively large deposits. James Lipton will always beat you out by getting an Oscar-winning actor to address his live crowd of young thespians on Inside the Actors Studio, even if you dangle a round of golf at Pebble Beach or some other first-rate enticement.

That doesn't mean a lot of former A-list entertainment speakers won't honor your request. Stars from the Golden Age of television or '60s- and '70s-era film may have few, if any, promising leads and therefore take your bait, but again, it depends on the nature of your convention. Getting Leonard Nimoy to discuss his career for your private Star Trek club is a long shot. Getting him to do a high-profile charity event by reading from one of his books is far more likely.