5 hours or 15 minutes? Here’s how to decide

One of the most common questions people ask when booking entertainment is, “How long is your show?”

The unsatisfying answer is, “As long as it needs to be.”  But that’s probably the best answer, too.

I’ve been on the road almost every week this year, and only two shows have been the same length because those shows were for exactly the same event for the same company on two different nights.

Every other show had a different purpose, audience, and venue, so each performance was slightly different.

• I did a five hour performance during a corporate hospitality event during a trade show in Las Vegas. There were roughly 600 people, and I did strolling magic to help the sales leadership develop trust and rapport with their salespeople and distributors.

• I did a three hour performance during a Member/Guest golf event, where we wanted to get everyone laughing and having fun together on the first night of the event to build camaraderie and create “a great hang” during rest of the tournament.

• I did 60 minutes after dinner in Texas for an association dinner to entertain guests and make the evening more than the usual cocktails, buffet dinner, speaker experience.

• I’m doing 15 minutes on stage in Hawaii next month to add some fun and excitement to a long awards dinner.

The old “plug-and-play” model from event agencies and talent networks doesn’t address your event’s real goals. Good entertainment is a lever to make your event more engaging, memorable, and revenue-generating.

That’s what real “customization” is all about: adapting the performance to suit your needs and objectives.

So next time you ask someone “how long is your show?” they really should reply with “as long as it needs to be.” 

Then they should ask questions like:

1. What did you do last year?
What was the experience like? Did it accomplish your goals? Your past event is the baseline you’re most likely to repeat, so it’s important to start there.

2. What do you want people to think, feel, and do?
Do you want them relaxed and mingling? Energized and unified? Deeply impressed? The emotions and outcomes drive the right format.

3. What does your ideal event look, feel, and sound like?
When you picture it in your head, where is the entertainment in the flow? Is it background, center‑stage, or the main attraction?

If your current entertainment isn’t asking questions like that… and you think they should… maybe we should talk.

Looking forward to next week

Mike

PS: Funny Masters Story:  The night before Ben was born, my flight from Atlanta to PBI was canceled, and I ended up driving 8 hours to make sure I was home in time for the anticipated event (and I made it).  This year, the night before Ben’s birthday party, my flight from Columbia to Atlanta was canceled, and I had to drive 3 hours to make it on time.  It was a great party, and we all had a great time. Thanks to Delta for reimbursing the additional rental car and fuel costs, too!

PPS: This year’s Masters events were a huge success.  We added a few really cool new golf-themed tricks, as well as the audience favorites.  Already looking forward to entertaining your guests against in 2027!

PPPS: Who do you know that would want to create this kind of experience for their event guests?  Whether they want more engagement, higher return on investment, or just more fun - don’t hesitate to pass along my information.  You’ll be a hero to someone who really needs your help, and together we’ll create an experience that will make them look like a star.