Corporate events are some of the highest-paying opportunities for entertainers and vendors, and they often lead to repeat bookings. If you're wondering how to get corporate gigs, learning from vendors who regularly book these events can be incredibly helpful.
We caught up with three successful vendors to learn how they get visibility to corporate clients and secure corporate gigs.
1. Get Visibility to Corporate Clients
Utilize online marketplaces to advertise
The vendors we heard from use The Bash to advertise their services and meet new clients they otherwise might not have connected with. By customizing their profile and listing their business in relevant vendor categories and locations, they have been able to increase their visibility with corporate clients and expand their business.
Share your work on social media
Sharing business updates, client testimonials, examples of past work, and more on social media is another way vendors get in front of prospective corporate clients. It helps demonstrate that they are actively booking corporate gigs while also highlighting customer satisfaction.
Leverage client referrals
Providing a positive experience for clients and keeping an open line of communication after the event helps these vendors get rebooked and referred for additional corporate gigs.
2. Respond Quickly to Corporate Event Planners
Each vendor we spoke with said they respond to inquiries as quickly as possible—often within a few hours of receiving a lead. A fast response helps them secure the booking over other vendors and ensures they aren’t forgotten during the party planner’s search.
For corporate events, the planner is often an employee balancing multiple responsibilities and priorities. Responding quickly helps ensure your business remains top of mind. Tools like The Bash’s saved response feature can also help vendors reply quickly without starting from scratch each time.
“I send the first email the same day I receive my lead. I've found that when planners are making requests, the event is top of mind. By the next day, they are on to a new problem to solve."
- Jean Briese | Motivational Speaker
3. Follow Up Consistently With Corporate Planners
Consistency and communication play a major role in securing corporate gigs. Continuing to follow up with corporate planners throughout the booking process shows professionalism, reliability, and genuine interest in providing your service.
Even a simple follow-up message can help keep the conversation going and reinforce your commitment to the event.
4. Showcase Examples of Your Past Corporate Work
Providing samples of past work—especially from other corporate events—can help build trust with potential clients. Including photos, short videos, or testimonials from recognizable companies can help corporate planners feel more confident booking your services.
Sharing positive feedback from past corporate clients also reinforces credibility and shows that other businesses have been happy with your services.
5. Prepare for Corporate Events Like a Pro
Focus on logistics
When preparing for corporate events, vendors prioritize logistics such as the theme, venue environment, number of guests, event timing, and setup requirements. They often plan for extra time to account for unexpected delays, technical difficulties, and other setbacks that may arise. Establishing a single point of contact for the event is also important, especially on the day of the event when the planner may be managing several moving parts.
“Often these types of events have presentations, unexpected delays, logistical/technical challenges, etc. If I am idle doing nothing because of these situations, I often will not start charging for my services up to 45 mins after my original start time. My clients appreciate this and often rehire me and refer me to other businesses and organizations.”
- Alex Your Fortune Teller | Fortune Teller
6. Tailor Your Performance for Corporate Audiences
It’s important to connect with the audience and be able to deliver a performance they can resonate with—whether it's life or work-related. These vendors adjust their content, messaging, and interactions depending on the type of audience they’re speaking to or performing for. Personalizing the experience helps guests feel more engaged and makes the event more memorable.
"I’ll customize the stories, references, examples, and challenges I share to reflect that specific group.... Speaking to corporate leaders? I’ll hit on productivity, leadership, and culture. It’s not about changing the core message — it’s about making sure every example hits home for that particular room.
- Mike Breeze | Motivational Speaker
7. Communicate Professionally With Corporate Clients
Be responsive and communicate clearly
Ensuring you’re easy to reach and maintaining clear communication with your clients can greatly improve the planning experience. Vendors often check in multiple times leading up to the event and confirm day-of details to avoid any last-minute surprises.
This level of communication helps make the planning process easier for corporate planners and builds confidence in your professionalism.
Be flexible with client requests
Every corporate event is different. Being flexible with requests and offering thoughtful suggestions can help create a memorable experience for both the planner and attendees.
Corporate clients often appreciate vendors who are willing to collaborate and adapt to make their event successful.
"I try to maintain a positive, upbeat attitude and figure out how I can help them. Typically their number one goal is impressing the attendees and helping set the atmosphere. I try to pay attention to what's going on before I perform so I can figure out how to help the flow of things."
- Kimberly Alana | Acoustic Guitar
8. Invest in Your Business and Stay Professional
Invest in your business
Making improvements to your services, expanding your offerings, or investing in marketing opportunities can help attract new clients and grow your business.
Be professional
Professionalism throughout the entire event process—from responding to requests and getting booked to following up after the event—makes planning easier for corporate clients and often leads to repeat business.
Go the extra mile or offer alternatives
Providing an experience beyond what’s expected can leave a lasting impression. When possible, accommodating special requests or suggesting alternatives can help create a better experience for the client.
Be passionate about what you do
Believing in your business and the service you provide helps build trust with clients. When you’re passionate about your work, it naturally comes through in your marketing and performances.
Start Booking More Corporate Gigs
Corporate events can be some of the most valuable opportunities for entertainers and vendors. By increasing your visibility, responding quickly to leads, showcasing past work, and delivering a professional experience, you can build strong relationships with corporate planners and secure repeat bookings.
If you’re ready to start connecting with corporate clients, create your profile on The Bash today and connect with corporate clients looking for entertainers like you.
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