TL;DR

In a world of rising venue costs, labor shortages, and tighter budgets, getting value from your AV partner comes down to asking the right questions. Vet firms on experience, portfolio, and references first, then dig into their streaming capabilities, equipment ownership, and process. From there, negotiate. The first quote is never final. The wants-vs-needs conversation is where real savings happen.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Event production and value tie together more now than ever.

Audio visual and event production companies experienced a wild ride since COVID. It revolved — and evolved — around changing client needs.

AV pros bravely faced cancelled or postponed face-to-face meetings. They then served their clients’ demands by pivoting to virtual gatherings. They adapted yet again to produce hybridized events.

Even in the face of daunting business challenges, audio visual professionals delivered value.

Today, event production companies and their clients face the ongoing tests in the form of limited venue availability, higher hotel costs, labor shortages, and generally more expensive everything.

This is where value can reach an even higher level. Event production pros are more than mere vendors. They understand partnership and collaborate with clients to save on and reduce event production costs where possible, no matter the economic environment.

If you’re and event planner and new to working with professional-grade audio visual companies or contemplating a change, getting answers to remedial questions, or satisfying solutions to previous points of pain, will help you make more informed decisions.

First, for general inquiries to event production companies, go broad with questions like these:

• Years in business. Longer tenured firms have likely dealt with every possible challenge imaginable.

• Experience with events like the one you’re planning, e.g., size, type, and industry.

• Number of events produced. The number should be well into the thousands. Literally.

• Review portfolio. Seeing examples of past production can give you a better understanding of capabilities and style.

• References from past clients. These should be immediately available.

Then, get into specifics:

• Can you handle live streaming or virtual event components? As we referred at the beginning, this is now an industry standard. But inquire about preferred streaming platforms and which are used for specific meeting types.

• Do you offer other services like lighting, staging, and décor? Understand the true scope of a firm’s offerings.

• What is your process for collaborating with clients and ensuring their vision is met? Firms working with Fortune 500 company-level events will have built-from-the-ground-up processes.

• What equipment do you own and maintain? This question rarely gets formally asked, but the high-end event producers are always upgrading their equipment inventory.

Once those questions are satisfactorily answered, start drilling down to more granular requirements and potential cost saving questions.

• Is there room to discuss project estimates? The first price quote from your AV provider will not be the final word. This is where conversation about “wants” vs. “needs” crystallizes event scope.

• What’s essential? The established baseline is when adding or subtracting elements help you establish a price you’re comfortable with, while executing an event that meets corporate objectives and C-Suite expectations.

• Are there ways to economize? Look at previous events regarding attendees and space utilization. A shorter event or fewer breakout rooms could save budget on equipment and manpower.

Out of these discussions, the event production company will also detail other items, such as experience working with the venue; setup; teardown; and logistics on the day(s) of the event.

There’s no avoiding the economic realities of planning and executing live and hybrid events in 2024. The right questions, an open dialogue and realistic expectations will help you secure the best possible value for your event production investment.