If you’ve never worked with an AV consultant before, you’re not alone! But if you’ve been a part of an event, there’s a good chance you’ve already benefited from the problems they solve.
But now it’s your event. You’ve locked in the venue. The agenda is drafted. The speakers are confirmed. And then – somewhere in the final weeks of planning – you realise…“have we properly thought through the AV?”
It’s not always the first thing on the list. But it’s one of those elements that quietly underpins everything else.
A microphone that drops out mid-keynote.
Slides that won’t display on the venue’s system.
A room of 250 people where the sound only reaches the first ten rows.
…These aren’t unusual problems. They’re just what can happen when the technical side of an event gets bolted on at the end, rather than built into the plan from the start.
That’s what AV consultancy is designed to support
So what actually is AV consultancy?
At its simplest, AV consultancy is independent, expert advice on the audio visual requirements of your event – given before a single piece of kit is hired or a supplier is briefed.
An AV consultant works with you to understand what you’re trying to achieve, assess whether your venue can support it, and specify the technology that will genuinely deliver it.
We promise, they’re not there to sell you a particular screen brand or push you towards a lighting package that benefits their margin. They’re there to make sure the brief is right before anyone starts building it.
Think of it like having an architect before you commission a builder. You could go straight to a contractor and let them decide – but you’d have less control, less transparency, and a much higher chance of expensive surprises further down the line.
So, what does an AV consultant do in practice?
Every event is different, but in a typical consultancy engagement, you’d expect:
- A needs assessment – understanding your format, audience size, content types, and what the experience should feel like in the room
- Venue analysis – reviewing the space for acoustics, sightlines, power availability, rigging points, and anything that might limit what’s technically possible
- Technical specification – recommending the right equipment and setup to meet your brief, without bias towards a particular supplier
- Supplier briefing or tender support – helping you go to market with a clear, accurate brief so you can compare quotes on a like-for-like basis
- Production oversight – some consultants remain involved on the day to make sure delivery matches what was specified
The result is a plan that everyone – venue, suppliers, and organiser – is working from together.
Is it the same as hiring an AV company?
Not quite, and the distinction is worth understanding.
- An AV company supplies and operates the equipment. They’re experts in execution, and a good one will also offer guidance – their recommendations are naturally shaped by what they stock, what they specialise in, and what works best for their operational model.
- An AV consultant takes it a step further. Their job is to act in your interest: specifying what you need and helping you find the right team to deliver it.
It’s a big reason why The Conference Works offer AV Consultancy alongside our standard AV production services. We want to help support customers with the right guidance for their specific event requirements.
It’s how we work – bringing both consultative expertise and technical delivery capability together under one roof. Every project starts with a conversation about what you’re trying to achieve – before we talk about anything else.
Do you actually need it?
To be honest, not every event does. A small internal meeting in a well-equipped venue with a simple presentation setup probably doesn’t need a formal consultancy process. But for anything more complex, the answer is usually yes.
You’re likely to benefit from AV consultancy if:
- Your event is large, multi-room, or running across more than one day
- You’re working in an unfamiliar or non-standard venue – a heritage building, outdoor setting, or unusual layout
- Your content is technically complex: live camera switching, hybrid streaming, interactive audience tools, simultaneous interpretation
- You’ve had AV problems at previous events and aren’t entirely sure why
- You’re working to a tight budget and need to prioritise spend carefully
- You’re managing multiple suppliers and need someone to hold the technical brief across all of them
…and in our opinion? Even for mid-sized events, having an experienced eye on the AV plan early on can save you from costly late changes, mis-specified equipment, or that sinking feeling on event morning that something wasn’t accounted for.
What should you look for?
Whether you’re looking for independent consultancy or a production partner who leads with a consultative approach, the things to look for are broadly the same:
- Event-specific experience – permanent installation AV and live event AV are very different disciplines
- Familiarity with the type of venue or format you’re working in
- A brief-led approach – they should ask about your event before they talk about equipment
- Transparency on costs – you should understand what you’re paying for and why
- References from events at a similar scale or format to yours
For us, the best AV is invisible
When the AV works, nobody notices. The audience is just present in the room – hearing every word clearly, seeing every slide sharply, fully focused on the content rather than the technology delivering it. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to.
If you’re planning an event and you’d like to talk through your AV requirements – whether you’re starting from scratch or reviewing a brief that’s already in progress – we’d love to hear from you.
