How to prepare a stand-up set for a corporate event
The brief, the audience, content limits, set length, tech needs and where you sit in the programme: how comedians prepare a set for a company event.
5 min read
A corporate set works when you know who is in the room, what the client expects and what they don't want to hear. Get a proper brief: the occasion, the audience, the language, the length of the set, where it falls in the programme and any topics to avoid. Agree the technical needs and the timing in writing, write a few lines tailored to the company, and keep a clean reserve of tested material. A company audience didn't buy a ticket to see you; earning their attention in the first minutes is the job.
Getting the brief
- The occasion: an awards night, a conference, an annual party, a client dinner.
- The audience: how many, which roles, mixed seniority, shared language, guests from outside.
- The goal: to lighten a long day, to host an awards ceremony, to close the evening.
- Topics to avoid: recent redundancies, a merger, a sensitive product, individuals not to mention.
- Inside references: nicknames, a famous office habit, the theme of the year, cleared with the organiser.
Content limits
Ask the organiser directly how clean the set must be and whether there are words or subjects that are off limits. Some companies want a fully clean act; others accept edgier material for an evening event. Write down what was agreed. Jokes about named colleagues or the boss need explicit approval, and the safest teasing is the kind the target has agreed to in advance.
Timing and place in the programme
Agree the set length and stick to it; an event has speeches, dinner service and a venue curfew to respect. Ask exactly when you go on: after dinner when glasses are full works differently from straight after a sales presentation. Avoid going on while plates are being cleared or while half the room is at the bar. Ask who introduces you and give them a short introduction to read.
Hosting an awards night
If you host rather than perform a single set, you'll need the running order, names and pronunciations, the categories, and a link between each award. Rehearse names, keep the energy up, and let the winners shine rather than taking all the laughs yourself on their big night.
Technical needs
- A working microphone, ideally handheld with a stand, and a sound check before guests arrive.
- Light on your face and a little on the audience, so you can see reactions.
- A stage or a clear space where everyone can see you.
- No background music during the set, and the bar quiet if possible.
- A place to wait and a contact who tells you when to go on.
Writing for the room
A few lines that only work for this company show you prepared and win the room early. Keep them affectionate, check facts with the organiser, and don't build the whole set on them: if a reference falls flat, your tested material carries you. Have a cleaner version of your strongest bits ready if the room turns out more formal than the brief suggested.
What to agree in writing
- Date, venue address, arrival time, set time and length.
- Content limits and topics to avoid.
- Technical needs and the name of the contact on the night.
- Fee, travel, accommodation if needed, and what happens if the event is cancelled.
- Whether filming is allowed and how footage can be used.
Booking corporate shows with Book
On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Create a "Corporate event booking call" that organisers can book online to discuss a date, and services for your formats — "Corporate set", "Awards night hosting". When a date is agreed, open a slot for that service and book the client in yourself from your calendar, with the venue and the contact in the booking note; that evening is then no longer offered to others on your page. Add the organiser's email so they receive a confirmation with a calendar file containing the note.
| Service | Example slot | Example price |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate event booking call | 20 min | Free |
| Corporate stand-up set | 1 h | €800 |
| Awards night hosting | 3 h | €1,500 |
Durations and prices are examples: set your own. If the event moves, reschedule the booking from your bookings list and tell the organiser yourself, since Book doesn't email clients about changes. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.