3 Audio Visual Tips for Event Planners


Event AV, audio visual, is a technical component of a meeting or event, but one that often has an event planner dreading. Most planners will tell you that AV equipment can chew up a budget rather quickly. While it’s true that certain equipment does not come cheap, all audio visual doesn’t need to be considered expensive. It really boils down to spending the time, up front, to determine one’s needs and then consulting with an expert. There are many trusted audio visual companies.

Types of AV, Audio Visual, Equipment

I recently connected with Event Audio Visual, located in New England, who provided me with information and tips that can make the AV process that much easier for meeting planners.

Related: Selecting Audio Visual Production Services for your Events

The most requested AV equipment for corporate meetings are screens, projectors and wireless microphones. Other types of audio video equipment are; two-way radios, computer services, conference recording, digital signage, event staging, multimedia and video production, plasma/LCD displays, subcutaneous interpreters, sound and light, translation equipment and video and web casting.

3 Audio Visual Tips to Keep Things in Check

Being organized and asking the right questions are key to receiving the right AV equipment and keeping costs in check.

  1. Always ask for a professional discount. If you’re bringing a considerable amount of business, or repeat business, it’ll be worth it for the AV company to provide a discount based on the group’s overall needs. It can never hurt to ask.
  2. Get a second quote. It always surprises me that an event planner will get second or third quotes for hotels and flights etc. but then quite often will only get a single quotes from many of his or her other event suppliers, including AV companies. There is nothing wrong with asking a couple of companies to bid on a piece of work. We do it for hotels and airlines. Just be fair to those companies and tell them that you are getting multiple bids and when they can expect a decision.
  3. If you don’t understand the technicalities, talk to somebody who does. A meeting or event planner isn’t expected to know all of the technical aspects of the meeting. If you’re not sure what type of equipment would be best suited to your meeting why not seek out and ask someone who does. The biggest and the shiniest aren’t always the best.

Many venues may have in-house audio visual services. And that makes sense for a number of reasons. Working with a company exclusive to a particular venue ensures that they understand what works and what doesn’t work in the spaces provided. But check with your venue contact as not all venues require you to work with their in-house AV supplier. Getting a meeting’s audio visual requirements right doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking. You just have to know what questions to ask and, sometimes, who to ask.

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