Recently the Event Leadership Institute developed a quiz for event and meeting professionals to gauge their knowledge level when it comes to audio visual production. You can read a great summary of it at the link below.
With a score in the 80’s I tried not to fixate on the errors (muttering that I never really mastered multiple choice anyway). I assured myself we always surround ourselves with a great team who are even smarter than we are when it comes to production. But then the report showed only 9% of event and meeting professionals scored in that range (more than 1500 people took the test).
As the report points out technical meeting and event production is a “critical element in events, and is often one of the largest expense areas after the venue and catering.” This is why you want an event company that understands production. Here’s the top five reasons having an events company with production ‘know how’ will help you:
1. It’s what allows an event to stand apart from others. Content rules at events. The way that content is delivered, the production it’s wrapped up in – is what moves a meeting from ho-hum to outstanding. It’s what your audience will remember. With a grounding in production, your events company can guide you, looking for ways to tell your story in the most compelling way.
2. If your event company understands your content – they can help you work with executives. From multi-media, to incorporating social media and stage design – your events company will bring forth creative ideas. They will ensure executive slides and notes are formatted and at the ready for your executives when they arrive; help them become familiar with the stage set-up, provide stage direction and briefing. And with a solid team in place you become a valuable asset to your executives, a trusted advisor.
3. Your event company can provide guidance around value for money. They can help you read and understand those a/v quotes, offer advice on how to present your leadership in the best way. Tip: Pay attention to the question around 16:9 and 4:3 ratio and making sure your executive presentations are created accordingly. If you miss that one – you will see those dreaded black bars on the screen.
4. Your events company will surround you with technical advisors you can depend on. Even with our solid knowledge, for more complex shows, we bring in another producer and a technical lead. This is a lesson learned the hard way – ensuring you always have control of the content at your fingertips and can override any technical issues. You’re only as good as the solid technical team behind you. Your event production team will ensure you’ve allocated enough set-up time so you’re ready when your executives arrive.
5. Your events company will ensure they (and the crew) conduct a full technical cue to cue….after all the changes have taken place. It’s amazing how this is not given its full weight of importance and often seen as not quite necessary with that time over ridden to accommodate changing executive rehearsal schedules. How else will the slides and notes come up in sync, or that video play at just the right time, or the audience be able to hear all speakers and videos (all of which will have varying levels and need to be tested)? This becomes even more critical for multi-screen shows with different content on multiple screens. No it’s not magic, it takes rehearsals.
With your solid events team behind you, you can go into your show with the confidence your executives will be showcased professionally while elevating your company’s image in the eyes of the audience. You’ll have the time on your hands to deal with your executives’ needs efficiently, with the full knowledge you have a dedicated events team focused on flawless production.
After all, as we always say, an event is a production.
Click here for the summary of the quiz.
Trish Knox
Trish has been turning her clients' event vision into reality for 18 years. Known for continually pushing the envelope both strategically and creatively, she has set the bar for helping clients effectively engage with audiences. With more than 25 years in marketing, Trish's career includes a combination of both agency and client experience that proves invaluable when operating in the corporate environment. She has guided clients through some of their most sensitive and high profile programs. Trish applies a thoughtful, unique approach, while embracing new ideas and blending the latest industry trends to all event programs. She has developed event programs for leading corporations such as Avaya, Facebook, Canadian Tire, Dell, D2L, Microsoft, Salesforce and Softchoice. Her event experience crosses the corporate spectrum including the management of large scale conferences, national roadshows, trade show booth design, award galas and C-level customer engagement events. Trish works in conjunction with the client to position the company as forward thinkers and leaders in innovation.
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