The Most Common AV Mistakes at Corporate Events (And How to Avoid Them)
AV mistakes can affect any event — conferences, festivals, award nights, workshops, brand activations, community events and even end-of-year celebrations like Christmas parties. Poor sound, unclear visuals or badly placed lighting can instantly make an event feel unprofessional, even when everything else is planned perfectly.
Fortunately, these issues are easy to avoid when you understand where they come from and how to plan around them.
Poor Audio & Microphone Issues
Audio problems are the ones audiences notice immediately. Whether it’s a keynote speaker at a conference, a host at a festival or an announcement during a Christmas party, unclear sound instantly breaks attention.
Common Problems
Speech sounds muffled, distant or inconsistent across the audience.
Wireless microphones experience interference or dropouts.
These issues usually come from using the wrong microphone, relying on built-in venue speakers or not tuning the room properly. With correctly chosen microphones, a properly sized PA system and real-time monitoring during the event, speech remains clear and consistent everywhere in the room.
Screens That Are Too Small or Not Bright Enough
A screen may look fine during setup, but once the room fills, people sit further back and ambient light increases, visibility quickly becomes an issue. This affects conferences, product launches, awards nights, workshops and outdoor activations.
Common Problems
Guests can’t read slides or see details from a distance.
Low brightness projectors become washed out by room lighting or natural daylight.
Choosing the right screen size, display type and brightness for the space ensures everyone gets a clear view — whether that’s a large LED wall for daylight, a high-brightness projector or multiple repeat screens for wider venues.
Insufficient or Poorly Positioned Lighting
Lighting (/blog/event-lighting-hire-design) affects far more than atmosphere — it affects visibility, attention and camera quality.
Common Problems
Presenters or performers stand in shadow.
The room feels flat or unfocused.
Good lighting highlights the right areas, keeps faces visible for both audiences and cameras, and adds structure to the space. This applies at festivals, indoor conferences, awards nights and especially Christmas events where busy rooms need more controlled lighting.
Lack of On-Site Technical Support
Even high-quality equipment needs trained operators. Without technical support, issues go unnoticed until they disrupt the event.
Common Problems
Audio levels vary dramatically between speakers or performers.
Playback, slides or content stop working mid-show.
Having technicians run the AV ensures smooth transitions, consistent sound and instant troubleshooting — essential for both professional delivery and smoother event management.
Plan Your Event With Confidence
Whether you're organising a festival, conference, workshop, awards night, brand activation or Christmas party, professional AV planning prevents problems long before guests arrive.
For reliable AV hire, troubleshooting and expert event support across the UK, contact InDepth Creative via our contact page.