By | Papa CJ | Comedian • Executive Coach • Author • Oxford MBA • HBR Writer • papacj.com • WIT of the Week newsletter on LinkedIn, papacj.substack.com & papacj.medium.com • I uplift others & help them be the best version of themselves
Below are a few thoughts based purely on my experience of performing at over 500 corporate shows. I’m sure others will have suggestions based on their experience. Pick up whatever works for you!
1. Research
a. Understand who is going to be in the audience and the things that make them tick. Keep in mind that the age range in a corporate show can be quite broad and on average is higher than what you might find at a comedy club…so your material needs to adapt to that.
b. Understand the client’s objectives for the event.
c. Pick up on the industry and client jargon.
2. Customisation
a. Create content specific to the industry and the client.
b. Intermingle your content with the brand messaging and event objectives without being ‘sales-y’.
c. Censor your content to suit the sensibilities of the audience. When an audience comes to a comedy club they have come to your environment. At a corporate gig you need to cater to their environment (if you want repeat work 😉 )
3. Set-up
a. Educate the client on what is required for you to successfully execute a show and insist on making that set-up happen. I get there early and physically move chairs myself if I need to.
b. Do a sound check and factor in for when the room will be full. Ensure that the audience has line of sight to the stage.
c. Get a copy of the event flow and request to perform at a time when the audience will be most conducive to listening.
In India the comedy industry is still at a nascent stage so if a comedian has a bad corporate gig, the client doesn’t decide not to hire that particular comedian again. He/she tends to think that’s what stand-up comedy is and decides not to hire ANY comedian again. This hurts the industry as a whole. So if you’re new to corporate gigs it’s worth doing as much homework as possible and ensuring that you are best prepared to deal with all the challenges that might be thrown your way so that both you and the industry stand to gain in the long run.
Republished with permission and originally published at Papa CJ‘s LinkedIn
