Every presenter fears it and almost every presenter has had it happen…the dreaded and embarrassing AV failure. You’re setting up or getting ready to start your presentation when suddenly the projector shuts down or there’s buzzing in the speakers. You scramble to fix the issue, struggle to find the problem, and by the time you’ve resolved it, your presentation is running 20 minutes late and your guests are getting restless. No matter how much you prepare, you can never be ready for everything, especially when the content of your presentation is first priority.
There are many solutions to prevent this mishap and below we narrow it down to a few basic tips to help alleviate the stress of any unwanted embarrassment.
1. Hire an AVÂ technician
Hire a quality technician to take care of your AV needs when your budget allows it.  A technician can setup and test the gear you will be using as well as train you on how to use it during your presentation.
Hired techs can also stay on-site so if any problems arise they can jump in and take care of it without much delay. If you have multiple events at the same location, hiring the same technician every time helps to build a partnership in which you can rely on and trust.
2. Perform a site survey
Perform a site survey when you need to know venue details but are unable to see the location in-person.  A hired technician can travel to the site and make sure the gear and layout you are hoping to use will work within the space, as well as test any internet and power connections in the room.
A technician can also offer suggestions on how to best make the space work for you after going through the steps to ensure it is a fit for your needs.
3. Make presentations available ahead of time
This will make a technician’s job easier when preparing for your event. They can test the presentation on their gear as well as make sure their gear is up to the specs you need, and if not, make the adjustments to better serve you.
4. Book the room early
Book the room the day before your event and have a floor plan ready to go. This will benefit making sure everything goes well the day of your presentation. If you choose to have a technician setup they can have all the gear ready and waiting for you when you arrive and if any adjustments need to be made it will only take a few minutes.
5. Have backup gear onsite
Many times you can have everything set up, tested and ready to go and still have a failure. Gear wears over time and the more it is used the better chance you have for failure.
Having backup gear, such as a projectors, microphones and laptops, on hand will make fixing the failure a snap. Swapping out rather than troubleshooting will not only save time, but save the embarrassment of standing in front of a group of people with nothing to show.
6. Hire the right AV provider
Hire the right AV company to do all the logistics, technician hiring, and gear setup for you. No matter if your meeting is big or small, having someone take care of all the details makes it easier for you to concentrate on the presentation rather than the prep. Also, if the AV company is good, they can catch the problems before they happen and before you notice them.
Browse case studies detailing how an AV company such as Meeting Tomorrow can help with all your AV needs. Meeting Tomorrow provides onsite audio visual support nationwide. Call 1-877-633-8866 to speak to an AV expert about the equipment and services we can provide for your next corporate event.
