Three Crucial Elements of Successful Meetings

All successful meetings and events have one thing in common: the proper use of audiovisual equipment and ancillary services. The common denominator stops there. Literally everything else is a variable – from venue to venue and event to event – every one varies in size and scope. So, since AV support is at the core of successful meetings, and that the equipment and support will vary in each instance, it’s evident that it’s your number one priority in planning your meeting.

Dissecting the AV element can be broken down into three crucial points:

1. Equipment
2. Technical Support
3. Overall Management

Equipment:

The equipment needed may be as simple as a screen, flip chart or projector. Or, it could be as complex as LED walls, line array audio, computers, printers, and scenic backgrounds.  Step one is to sit down and analyze your needs. Sometimes organizations have projectors or wireless presenters available in their office building that can be used (or rented) to support their event.

But here is the million-dollar question: Does the staff in your office know what the maintenance status of the projector is or even how to properly use it?  Does the technology include system redundancies to prevent embarrassing and complicated situations?  Highly rated companies like LPAV will have cutting edge technology that’s thoroughly checked and tested in their inventories to ensure your AV needs are met.

Technical Support:

Yes, someone in your organization may know PowerPoint and how to connect a projector. But they may not be your best choice for AV support.  Will they know what to do when a projector bulb burns out, or the sound system emits feedback or the computer freezes? If something happens, can they remedy the situation quickly? Probably not. This is where AV technicians come into play. They deliver, set up, and operate the equipment to ensure a smooth running event.

Overall Management:

You’ve secured the technology and have the technician, but do you have someone to manage it all? Overall management is the most important facet of the AV portion of your event.  Seasoned AV companies will begin by mapping the room you’ll be using for your meeting and then asking the right questions, like “How large is the room? How many people will be attending? What size equipment (audio and visual) will be needed?”

On the other hand, if you are planning to handle the AV arrangements yourself, what are you letting yourself into and how big of a mistake are you about to make? Attendees are bound to notice the lack of professionalism. This could create a cloud over your meeting before it even begins. Proven AV companies, like LPAV, will coordinate all the transitions, direct the AV staff, anticipate needs, and provide a single point of contact for your business’s team.  Hiring a reliable AV company to handle your conference technology saves your business time and money, freeing up valuable resources to focus attention on other key aspects of the meeting.