Presentation venues – what you need to check before you present
Presentation venues – what you need to check before you present
It’s so easy when you’re invited to deliver a presentation to forget to check in advance the venue that you are going to be speaking at in terms of the size of the room, the equipment available and the seating for the audience.
I witnessed this firsthand recently at a business event. It was a big breakfast style event with 180 people squeezed into a rectangular space.
There were a few sponsor type speakers who in return for sponsoring the event had been offered a 5 to 10 minute slot.
I suspect none of them prior to the event checked the equipment that was going to be available to them, particularly in terms of the screen and the microphone.
The screen was a big TV on wheels which was fine if you were sitting close to the where the speaker was standing but for the rest of the roughly 80% present the screen wasn’t within their line of view.
So when the speakers used either slides or for one of them a couple of videos the vast majority of their audience could not see what they were showing and for the videos the audio was just coming out through the screen so able to be heard either.
Presentation venues – what you need to check before you present:
Screen size, positioning, video audio and clicker
Microphone
Speaking position in relation to audience.
You also need to check:
How you will be introduced
How any Q&A will work
And how much time you have for your presentation
Screen size is a massive factor when delivering and in person presentation at an event so do check what you’re going to be working with because unless all of the audience can see the screen then you really need to avoid using it
Likewise, if there is a microphone, you need to use it. I’ve met a number of people who are convinced they have a powerful voice that doesn’t need a microphone and then when they start to speak they realise that’s not the case when someone from the back of the room ask them to speak up stop being asked to speak up is the last thing you want when you’re an event? Speak and then finally the seating arrangements – ask the organiser to let you know how that’s going to look, ideally the setup of the event in advance.
If you are speaking at a business delivering a workshop or similar type of session then arrive early and be asked to be shown to the room so you can check all your set up and you can move the seats.
I like to have plenty of room to work with at the front of where the room is and I suspect that most of the time when I deliver in boardrooms and meeting rooms I end up moving some of the chairs usually because the front ones are just too close to me Dash on occasion I’ve rearranged the tables as well.
But you can only do that if you arrive early and let the organiser know that you plan to arrive early so that you can get set up in the room doing all these prevent venue checks will make a big big difference to the way you prepare your presentation but deliver it and the way ultimately therefore it is received by your audience
Click on these links if you want help with a key presentation or sales pitch
OnlinePresentationCourses.com – this is where you find courses which will help you become a better, more confident, more successful presenter at your own pace in your own time.
The main course is ‘Transform your Business Presentations‘ – flows the 7 Steps to Successful Presentations model with all modules in video, audio, summary notes, checklists and slide PDF formats. As a podcast listener you can enjoy a 50% reduction by using the code 7steps50 at the checkout.
There is also a free taster course which will help you deliver your first ‘big’ presentation.
To find out more Trevor’s sales and presentation skills services visit trevorjlee.com
Book a 15-20 minute informal no obligation no fee chat with Trevor Lee on Zoom. Simply click here: Trevor Lee 15 minute meeting
Check out Trevor’s latest book: 7 Steps to Successful Presentations – all the royalties received go to the Children’s Hospice South West
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