I am at an event and I want to focus and
learn from the speaker who is presenting but somehow I become caught up in the
medley of noise that comes from coffee cups or food being cleared away. The
noise is a distraction for both the speaker/entertainer and the other participants.
Only recently I was at a charity
fundraising dinner; the coffee had been served, the key speaker was talking
about her experiences of people and their moments of personal anguish, the
audience were captivated as they were on the emotional journey and just as the
speaker was reaching the key message of her speech along came the waiting staff
to clear away the coffee cups. The noise affected both the speaker and some of
the audience and I was left wondering why it had been allowed to happen?
Imagine that you are reaching the breath-taking
finale of your favourite film and in the background you hear some noise that has
no right to be there. Well it would be distracting and on a film production you
can be sure that the Director would have called CUT! The good news is that event
planners can do the same (and many are). Events are not films but they are still
productions and can be treated with the same professionalism of any great film
producer.
A clattering coffee cup has no place at any
event, especially when a hybrid event is being produced. Just think how quickly
your remote audience will turn off if all they can hear is the clinking
together of cups and cutlery? It is essential that the catering staff
understand that there are only certain times when they can deliver the food and
drinks to ensure that they don’t appear as extras.
Attention to detail is key to producing
professional events and let’s be honest no one wants to go to an event where
the coffee cup takes centre stage.
– Any comments? Email conferencenews@mashmedia.net
