A speaker can be completely prepared and still create a small production snafu by arriving with an updated slide deck, an embedded video that only works on their laptop, and no idea which microphone they want.
That does not make them difficult. Most speakers simply do not know what the AV team needs until someone asks.
A simple speaker AV checklist prevents most of those surprises. It gives the presenter time to think through how they want to speak, gives the production team some time to test the content, and keeps the planner from chasing files while doors are opening.
The conversation does not need to feel technical. It just needs to happen early enough in the process so everyone can align their expectations.
Get the presentation before show day
Start with the deck, but do not stop at asking someone to send their slides.
Confirm the file format, presentation size, embedded videos, custom fonts (this is huge), audio clips, and any links that need an internet connection. Ask whether the speaker plans to run the deck from their own laptop or hand control to the playback team. If several versions are floating around, agree on who owns the final file and how the approved version will be labeled.
The deadline should leave enough time for a real test. Opening the file is not the same as testing it. Videos need to play with sound, fonts need to display correctly, and slides should fit the screens without being cropped or stretched. When a speaker makes a late change, the updated file should go through the same check.
For a deeper look at decks, videos, logos, and other presentation files, MeyerPro has a separate AV file checklist for live events.
Ask how the speaker likes to present
Some speakers stay behind a lectern and advance their own slides. Others walk the full width of the stage, speak without notes, and expect someone else to follow their pace.
That affects the microphone, confidence monitor placement, camera plan, lighting, and powerpoint control.
A lavalier microphone can be a good fit for someone who wants both hands free. Handheld microphones work well for many presenters and make it easy to manage audience Q&A, but not everyone is comfortable holding one. Lectern microphones keep things simple when the speaker plans to remain in one place. But if they don’t stay right on top of it the audio levels can fluctuate.
There is no universally correct choice. The right microphone is the one that fits the speaker, the stage, and the program. Shure also has a useful guide to microphone types and techniques for presenters.
Remember to ask who advances the slides. A presenter using a clicker needs to know where the confidence monitor is and whether the clicker will reach from every part of the stage. When the playback operator is advancing, the team needs a cueing plan that feels natural to the speaker.
Find out what they want to see onstage
A confidence monitor can show the current slide, the next slide, speaker notes, a countdown timer, or a combination of those views. What helps one person may be completely distracting to another.
Executives who know the material well often want a clean current-and-next-slide view. A moderator may care more about timing and the order of the panelists. Someone delivering precise remarks could need notes, although a teleprompter may be a better fit when the wording has to be exact.
Ask the speaker what would make them comfortable, then make sure the text is readable from where they will actually stand. A monitor filled with tiny notes is not much help from six feet away.
Timing needs more than a session length
A 30-minute session rarely gives the speaker 30 minutes to talk.
Introductions take time. Videos, applause, transitions, and audience questions take time too. If another speaker is waiting in the wings, running long affects more than the clock.
Tell the presenter how much speaking time they truly have and how they will receive timing cues. Some people like a visible countdown. Others prefer a stage manager to give warnings at ten minutes, five minutes, and one minute.
It also helps to agree on what happens when the timer reaches zero. Is there room to finish the thought, or does the next segment have to begin immediately?
Nobody enjoys being surprised by a flashing red timer halfway through the closing story. And some people will be so deep in their presentation that they don’t even see it.
Use rehearsal to remove uncertainty
A speaker check is not just a chance to make sure the microphone turns on.
It lets the presenter stand in the real room, see the screens, try the slide control, check the confidence monitor, and understand how they will enter and exit the stage. The crew can confirm name pronunciation, title, walk-up music, lighting, camera positions, and any accessibility needs that affect the setup.
Even ten focused minutes can reveal something useful. Perhaps the lectern is too tall, the notes are too small, or the presenter prefers a handheld after trying the lavalier.
Those are easy fixes during rehearsal and difficult discoveries once the room is full.
Remote speakers need a different conversation
A remote presenter is still part of the show, but the room no longer controls every variable. Honestly, this creates more challenges than just having them in person.
Schedule a technical check from the same location and computer the person plans to use. Confirm the platform, camera, microphone, internet connection, slide-control method, and what they will see while speaking. Production should also have the deck in advance rather than relying entirely on screen sharing.
A backup path is worth discussing. That might be a phone number, a second device, a local recording, or a plan for the host to continue while the connection is restored. The right backup depends on how important the segment is and how much risk the program can tolerate.
The email you can send to every speaker
The easiest way to collect this information is to ask everyone the same core questions, then follow up where the answers require more detail.
Here is a starting point you can adapt:
Hi [Name],
We are getting the presentation and AV details organized for [Event Name]. Could you send us the following by [Date]?
- Your final slide deck and any separate video or audio files as well as custom fonts if applicable
- Your preferred microphone: lavalier, handheld, or lectern
- Whether you plan to move around the stage
- Who should advance your slides
- What you would like on the confidence monitor, such as the current slide, next slide, notes, or a timer
- Any remote guests, demos, internet needs, or accessibility requirements
- Your name, title, and pronunciation as you would like them introduced
Your session is scheduled for [Time], with [Number] minutes of speaking time and [Number] minutes for questions. Please arrive at [Time] for a quick rehearsal and sound check.
Thanks! We are looking forward to having you with us.
The email is intentionally simple. A keynote with videos and custom graphics will need more follow-up than a five-minute welcome, but starting with the same questions keeps important details from disappearing across separate email threads.
Good speaker support should feel easy
The audience should not see the file chase, microphone decisions, timing conversations, or last-minute checks behind a presentation. They should see a speaker who knows where to stand, can see what they need, and feels comfortable enough to focus on the room.
That usually comes from a series of ordinary questions asked at the right time.
Collect the deck. Confirm the microphone. Decide who runs the slides. Agree on timing. Rehearse the parts that could become awkward.
For conferences, executive meetings, galas, and live events in Seattle, Portland, and across the Pacific Northwest, thoughtful presenter support is part of a stronger live event AV plan.
Planning an event with several speakers?
MeyerPro can help organize the technical side of keynotes, panels, executive remarks, remote presenters, and general sessions so speakers arrive knowing what to expect.