Benjamin Franklin may not have been famous for being an event planner, but his quote could be applied to every live event regardless of its scale or purpose.
Benjamin Franklin: “By failing to plan, you are preparing to fail”
Effective planning is critical to ensure that all aspects of the event run smoothly, and this requires careful consideration of various key factors. When planning a live event, it’s important to have all the necessary information at your fingertips to ensure a smooth and successful event. This information is the end result of hours of production meetings, content generation and vendor coordination. Here are some key things to consider and questions to ask before you start planning:
- Venue: The first thing you need to consider is the venue. You’ll need to know the location, the size of the space, and any technical requirements or limitations. It’s also important to consider the layout of the venue and how it will affect your production, such as the availability of rigging points or the position of the stage. Our partners at The Everly, an elegant event venue, are experts at the logistics of planning the perfect Wedding, Corporate event or Gala to help you create you next experience.
- Audience: How many people will be attending the event? What type of seating arrangement will be used? This will help determine the size of the stage, the number of microphones needed, and the size of the projection screens or monitors. Messaging and visual content is the driving force behind any event, so knowing your audience and their expectation is vital to a successful event.
- Sound: Will you need sound for your event? If so, what type of sound system will you need? Do you need wireless microphones, audio from a computer or video, or wireless microphones in the audience for asking questions to the host? Will you be live streaming your event? if so you may need to have members of your online audience involved in the production meetings. Many corporate events viewed online have a greater impact when the viewing audience participates in a group. You may also want guest speakers to login in remotely to be a guest speaker for you event. Never underestimate the importance of reliable sound from a professional vendor.
- Visuals: Will you need projection screens or large monitors for the audience? Do you need a confidence monitor for everyone on stage? Consider the size and placement of the screens or monitors, and if you’ll need multiple screens for a larger audience or to cover a wider room.
- Stage decor: Will you need drapery for behind the stage or the entryway? Consider the style of the drapery, as well as any branding or logos that need to be incorporated. having a theme for your event or visuals that represent the company brand are simple way to make a big impact on your audience.
- Lighting: How is the room lighting, and will you need additional stage lighting? Consider the mood you want to create and any specific lighting requirements for speakers or performers as well as lighting to dress-up your meeting space.
“Kevin and team did an excellent job with our company’s convention. They familiarized themselves with our venue, helped advise us on how to get what we were looking for, had great communication along the way and it all paid off with an excellent result. Thank you! We look forward to working with you again.”
By considering these factors and answering these questions, you’ll be better equipped to plan your live event with an AV production company. A good production company will also know the right questions to ask and will work with you to ensure your event runs smoothly and successfully.
Contact LighthouseMedia Services to review your event needs and give you a no-cost estimate for planning your next event. We also have multiple partners we work with to make your event a success.
