Rule #3 for planning your fundraiser or corporate event: Audiovisual do's and don'ts

Do: use well prepared, high quality A.V. materials.

Don’t: use tacky ones.

No further questions your honor. There are the basics. You must feel relived this is free advice. Visuals are very strong, but ones that are not crisp, clear, and well thought out can be completely ignored, and I will add, “should be.”

We live in a world of High Def details. We see 100’s of graphically amazing messages every day. We have retina screens on our phones…not having a comparable look can instantly relegate you to "wanna be” status…and we wanna be a professional event...

Videos should be short, professionally done, and considered carefully when placing them in the flow of the event. I have had to follow heart wrenching, manipulative videos. The shift can be awkward and glaring…

What no performers wants is something like, "Here is a Polar Bear with an ingrown hair wincing in pain, she may not have the strength to nurse her three newborn cubs. Now Bill Arnold.”

A good act will assist the client in rationing out the emotional material and track the crowds energy. It is important to know when to go live and when to hit them with the Polar Bear video. PS. I made up the Polar bear video.

Have a designated, smart IT type person run the equipment...also known as the computer. Don’t think you should run it. You have other responsibilities…like being front and center for your guests or customers. You are doing a great job.

Plan to share with key folks videos that are being considered for the event in advance of it! The criteria should be well produced and to the point. To paraphrase Dick Caveat, “it’s a rare person that wants to hear what they don’t want to hear.”

The goal is flow. The goal is build to a peak. Do these visuals contribute to this objective? People can watch videos anytime. You have a live crowd…cherish the audiences attention! They will feel it.