Why Would I Hire a Professional Trivia Company?
You’re planning a company event. Maybe it’s an office party, or an all-hands, or perhaps a retreat or conference. It could even be a structured team building activity. The point is, you have an event you need to program with some fun and engaging content.
You meet with your planning committee, and trivia is floated as a possible idea – because trivia is fun, and people love it. The team is onboard, and everything is now in place. All that’s needed is a quizmaster to bring the fun.
But really, do we need to do that? Can’t we do this ourselves?
I mean, it can’t be THAT hard to write some questions and host it, plus it would be a heck of a lot cheaper than hiring a professional trivia host.
I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years, and have heard the above in some fashion or another at various points throughout that time. And it’s ALWAYS in the context of, “last year we tried to do this ourselves, and…well, this year we decided to bring in a pro.” Basically, it’s one of those ideas that looks good on paper, but in practice never flies.
Let’s explore why.
Writing Trivia is Harder Than it Looks
Anyone who call me and says they thought they could write the questions themselves last time, always comes back to this point. Writing queries is a creative skill, one which needs development and practice in order to be honed. It’s not unlike stand-up comedy in that sense. I remember one TrivWorks gig in New York City about 10 years ago I was working with comedian Christian Finnegan, where the client had an “open mic” before the trivia contest began. Bob from accounting or whoever gets up there, and bombs every line for what seemed like an eternity. Christian turned to me and said, “Everyone thinks it’s easy!”
For another article on the challenge of writing trivia questions, click here.
Not Everyone Can Command an Audience
Hosting a company trivia party yourself isn’t something just anyone can do. Like writing questions, being in front of an audience with a microphone is a skill. You need practice, you need training. This is also interactive entertainment, meaning you’re dealing with the audience as well as the material. The reality is, not everyone can handle that. More often than not, the person who’s been selected to lead the “homemade” trivia event was either selected because they seem funny, or have some sort of stage background. Perhaps they got the job because no one else wanted to do it. Either way, it’s no substitute for having someone who knows what they’re doing.
These Events Take a Lot of Time to Prepare
As mentioned above, “how hard could it be” is a popular refrain for those seeking the DIY trivia party option. Well, let me tell you from experience, it’s a lot of work. A LOT. From researching and writing the questions, to breaking down the teams, to securing pens, prizes and other materials, to printing and stapling, all of these details – they take time. LOTS of time, I guarantee much more than you are anticipating. Take it from me, unless this is an extremely small, informal affair, you’re going to be committing a huge chunk of your life to this event if you go it alone.
Bottom Line: Experience Matters
When should we send out RSVPs? What kind of prizes should we get? How many people should be on a team? What kind of questions should we ask? How hard should the questions be? How long should this go for?
These are just a few of the hundreds of things you’ll be thinking about while planning and running your event. If you’ve never done this before, you’ll be winging it, and hoping for the best. Is that really what you want to be relying on for an event attended by your boss, colleagues or clients?
It’s not unlike planning your own wedding. You could do everything yourself, inviting all the stress and uncertainty that comes with it. Or, you could hire a professional wedding planner who has years of experience doing this. Sure, one costs more – but which one will make your life a heck of a lot easier, and likely do a better job to boot?
Do yourself a favor: take the writing, hosting and entertaining off your plate, and hire a professional trivia company for your corporate event. It’ll be a huge weight off your shoulders, especially if you bring in a reputable, high-quality vendor!