[Opinion] An open letter to event organizers

Dear Event Organizers, please when you invite us (Creatives, ,MCs, Music Artistes, DJs, Comedians, Photographers, etc) to your event, ask us what our fee is, because this is what we do for a living, it’s not a hobby.

There’s so much that goes into that inspiring outing we put out that made you invite us, and not choose to engage others.

Like it’s said in my naija parlance, “Soup🍲 wey sweet, na better money kill am” 😂

Please understand that the space we occupy is called SHOW BIZ for a reason. Don’t press us for free gigs or keep offering to pay paltry sums, while you expect us to give our A-game at your events/programs.

We don’t have to start listing out everything we need to put in place, to maintain the Brand that you got attracted to. For instance, it’s unethical to repeat same outfits for different events. For some, because of how their brands are out there in people’s faces, there are certain important places that are basic to their daily survival as humans they can’t just go on their own anymore, there are certain stuff they cannot do for themselves anymore, not because they do not want to, but just to safeguard and preserve the brand. This is why they have to engage the services of Personal Assistants, Wardrobe managers, Managers for the brand’s activities, and these services are all paid for by the person you are inviting to render service at your event for free or for a paltry sum. How do you expect the bills they incure to be paid for?

Sometime ago, a prospective client reached out to me to handle MC duties for a 2-day event, and I stated my fee, which was already discounted by my team, because this person was referred by a mentor. It will amaze you that we went back and forth on the already discounted fee, till I didn’t have any excitement to MC the event anymore, because I had to start explaining myself, how it’s unethical to repeat outfits for stage appearances, etc, which I didn’t have to explain, and that was back then.

The truth is that these same event organizers know how good and grounded these persons they are inviting are, but for selfish reasons, they just don’t always see the need to spend so much, most likely due to some familiarity. No matter how familiar we are to people of value, when it comes to engaging their services it’s only appropriate to relate to the value they are bringing to your event or programme and not the fact that they may have been referred to you by people you are familiar with.

Everyone deserves to be adequately compensated for the value they bring to the table, irrespective of their Level or rating in your estimation. There’s a reason you chose to engage their services and not that of someone else, so focus on that and pay them what they are worth.

So, the next time you plan your event or programme, put it in front of your mind that the creatives you intend to invite to render their service in your event are not to be offered the remnants after you’ve happily paid exorbitantly for every other aspect of your event, like hall, food, drinks, etc. If your event could be successful with just the venue, food and drinks, then there’ll be no need to want to engage the services of a professional MC, DJ, Music Artistes, Dancers, Comedians or other creatives.

This is an open letter to event organizers. Reach out to the specific brands you intend to engage for your event, find out their fees and plan ahead for it. Having to go back and forth endlessly in bargaining for a gig could be draining and could even end up killing the desire to show up in your event.

Event and Show promoters, you feel me?

Sophia writes from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.