Jeff Blackman, J.D., CSP, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame – speaking at National Speakers Association Cavett Institute at #Influence18 Convention

Glitch #2: Room Arrangement Issues.

When you speak at events glitches will happen. Our prior blog talks about A/V challenges during our all-day Cavett Institute.

This issue of Speech Glitches explores how the room is set up.

The way your room is arranged can be a hidden curse or your best friend. And you might not even realize you have a problem.

Room Issue #1: Chairs/tables set-up. (a subtle issue but an issue nonetheless)

This conference room could seat 200 and we had 100 attendees. IF you seat a room for 200 and half the seats are unused – your entire program will lack energy. BUT – if you rearrange the room – using round tables and do crescent-shape seating – only placing 6 shares FACING FORWARD – you can fill the room with the exact amount of chairs/registrants.

Whether you’re giving a speech at a hotel or you are convening your Board of Directors or you are having a meeting with your vendors, seat your conference room / hotel breakout session / your private office with the number of chairs needed for that specific audience.

Room Issue #2: Temperature. (a classic and frustrating issue!)

The night before our all-day Institute I attended a dinner in the same room that would be re-set for our event. During this banquet, the room could have substituted for a meat locker. Sub-zero temps. There must have been so many complaints that they turned off the AC. At 6:30am we arrived to the very same room that was now like the Sahara Desert. Hot, humid, you could almost see camels in the distance strutting across the sand. Miserable.

Solutions for Glitch #2 – Room Arrangement Issues:

1. Get to the venue early and pray that the temperature Gods can get the room temp right. Often this issue is not in your control. We did get the AC turned on.
2. Get to the venue early and move the room around to meet your needs. Having the room set up the way you want it can make or break your whole experience. You never want lots of extra chairs and tables. We got the room rearranged thanks to one of my keynote speakers, Jeff Blackman, J.D., CSP, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame. With grace he found the right hotel personnel and they began to take out tables and re-set each and every chair. The outcome created the feel of a full room with lots of energy.

While temperature issues may be out of your control, you can alter how the room is arranged.

Here are more great ideas on what to tell meeting organizers that will make all your programs successful.

Stay tuned for more glitches and how to handle them. The event was a huge success but the behind-the-scenes challenges continued!

© Karen Cortell Reisman, M.S., author of 3 books and President of Speak For Yourself®, works with decision makers on how to speak with gravitas. It’s all in how you speak for yourself. Karen also speaks about her cousin, Albert Einstein, in a message about hope, resilience and brassieres.

Read more at www.SpeakForYourself.com/blog.