So you have booked your venue, spent months deciding on the agenda, built presentations, been to try taster menus and sent your invitations, but have you booked your AV company?
It is so often the case that you have invested thousands on the event already, but have not considered your event production needs. Many clients often leave it to the in-house company to provide this service, or pick the first company off the internet. But is this your best and most cost effective way to achieve a successful event? The technical side of the event can be as important as booking your venue. We hear from clients that are regularly let down by poor service, low quality equipment and uninspiring designs. Here at Swooshed we have developed some helpful tips to help you get more from your next event.
Find a production company that you trust - Don’t be afraid to ask other companies for a referral; this is the way most AV companies get new business. Go and meet them; most companies would be more than happy to meet in advance to show you their business and how they operate.
Costs – Don’t always go with the cheapest quote unless you know exactly what you are getting. If something is too good to be true it probably is! Some companies often appear cheap to start with, but watch out for hidden extras that may soon rack up on the final bill. Go with a company that is transparent and open about costs. Cheap costs may reflect the company’s quality especially with equipment and crew, don’t get fooled with a substandard service. AV elements might seem to be expensive, however, working on a cost per delegate, it’s not as expensive as you may think. If your CEO is on stage presenting and something goes wrong because you went cheap, is it worth it?
All in the detail - Does your AV/Production company provide you with detailed plans and visuals of what they are proposing to do? Have you ever arrived to find the stage takes up half of your venue and you cannot get all your delegates seated? Detailed planning will avoid this. Showing computer visuals of how the event space can look is often the best way to understand what’s intended for the event; this eliminates any nasty surprises on the day. We often talk in technical terms so if you are unsure what it all means, just ask, it’s not intended to confuse.
People are key - Relationships with people are the key to producing great events. Having the trust and building relationships certainly helps with rapport at all levels of staff. Having a happy team all working together to produce the same goal, from technicians to CEO’s is what we all want to achieve.
Relax - Remember you have paid for a service, so relax and let them do their job. If you have done your homework and picked a great AV/Production company, then let them do what they do best.