Ask anyone in AV sales and they’ll tell you that “I’d Like To Hire A Microphone” is one of the most common opening questions from clients over the phone.
But what about everything else on the other side of that microphone?
These tips will help you get an accurate and cost effective quote from your suppliers and ensure you get the best result for your needs:
- How many people in the audience?
When designing a sound system for an event it is easy to bring the levels down for a smaller audience, but if the system is too small you simply can’t bring it up for a larger one. Always estimate the maximum number of people you hope to attend and you can be sure that the sound system will be adequate for your needs. This wont break your budget, but it will ensure you get a good result!
- Where is it?
Room layouts, structure and floor/wall coverings all affect sound. A good, experienced AV supplier will have a library of information for every venue they’ve ever worked in so if you can provide a venue and room name hopefully they will already know the type of equipment that will work best in that specific room or venue.
- When is it?
Believe it or not, AV pricing can be seasonal in nature. Long lead times or off-peak dates can result in a better price for you, but short notice during peak periods can sometimes result in a premium price in order to cope with increased outgoing costs. A good supplier however will partner with you on all your events – and a good relationship should help them to smooth out the bumps and troughs.
- What is going INTO the microphone?
Do you have a band or DJ? Are there going to be people singing? Or is it only spoken word? Are you playing video’s from a computer? All these things impact on the type of equipment. If you have a band or a performer, ask them for a ‘Rider’ – this is a standardised list that any good performer / band will already have that you can pass on to your AV supplier. Get it from the band first and you can be sure that if you are comparing prices, you are getting an ‘apples for apples’ quote, rather than each quote being based on different assumptions. There’s more to “hire a microphone” than meets the eye!
- And what if I don’t know any / all of these?
Fake it! Well don’t fake it, just set a base line so you can fairly and intelligently compare quotes. So for example, if you are not sure of any of the above points just pick something close, and provide that brief to all the AV suppliers you are working with. Again – this is so that you can get consistent pricing based on a standard model. No one will care if you change the numbers or location or any other details before locking down the quote – but everyone you deal with will appreciate have a fair and reasonable shot at winning your business!
So when you want to hire a microphone, talk to us! We would appreciate the opportunity share our expertise with you and submit a quote for your next event so please click here to contact us with your needs.