Best Practices for a Successful Presentation
Ballroom and Conference Center Presentations
Will your presentation make an impact? There are some common pitfalls you should avoid to make your Morris University Center presentation a success. The following "must know" information will help you build and practice your PowerPoint presentation and address.
PowerPoint Presentations
- Clients will be responsible for running their own PowerPoint (or other) presentations in all spaces; including The Meridian Ballroom - Presentations will be ran from a laptop set on a staged podium or head table on the Ballroom or Conference Center floor. The laptop's audio/video (A/V) will be sent to the house laser projector(s) and sound system via a provided HDMI cable. It is the presenter's responsibility to become familiar with using an external laptop display.
- Adding videos to PowerPoint - If your PowerPoint presentation has video, your best option is to download and manually insert the video into your PowerPoint presentation. This will cause your file size to be significantly larger but will ensure the video is available in the unlikely event of an unforeseen faulty network connection.
- Make sure your video has quality audio. If there are multiple listings of the same video, choose the file with a larger amount of data information (bigger file size). The larger file will likely have superior quality audio as well as video.
- If you have multiple videos in your presentation, make sure they are all consistent in volume. Failing to do so will have a negative impact on your presentation.
- It is a good practice to always bring your presentation on a thumb drive to upload onto the laptop you will be presenting from.
Addressing your Audience
While it's beneficial to have a vision of what your presentation will look and sound like, when it comes to addressing your audience, knowing what type of microphone to use and how it responds to its environment is another key to the success of your presentation. The Meridian Ballroom and Conference Center speaker systems are mounted from the ceilings and face downward. While this helps with the time alignment of sound, depending on the area you are presenting from, it could pose some challenges if you request the wrong type of microphone. The following types of microphones are available for use in the MUC. It is imperative to note some microphone types are not available in all spaces* and further limitations may be in place depending on staff availability.
MUC Microphones
- Podium Microphone - A lectern or "podium mic" is the most common microphone used for public addresses and is a staple of a MUC presentation. When using this microphone, clients must remain forward-facing and mostly stationary.
- Hand-held "wired" Microphone - This is a good choice for clients that want the option to move around a bit. Choosing a wired mic over the wireless option will present fewer possible technical-related issues. In larger spaces, these are often requested in addition to a podium mic.
- Hand-held "wireless" Microphone - The wireless version of the hand-held mic offers quite a bit more freedom of movement. These are often requested in addition to a podium mic.
- Lavalier Microphone - While the lavalier microphone can offer the presenter the ability to use both hands during their presentation, it sometimes produces less consistent sound than other mics. It offers the least amount of unwanted room noise but is more susceptible to feedback since it is clipped further away from the mouth. Presenters who cannot project their voices well and are soft-spoken should not request a lavalier microphone.
* Wireless hand-held microphones are available for FULL Conference Center and Meridian Ballroom events only. Lavalier microphones are available for Meridian Ballroom Events only. The use of a wireless microphone system requires an A/V production student staff member to be scheduled for the entirety of the event. Additional charges will apply.
Schedule a tech run-through prior to your event - If you are unsure how your presentation will go or want to get a feel for the space you will be presenting in, you may want to schedule a tech run-through**. At a tech run-through, the equipment you requested for your event will be set up for a test run. This is a good time to confirm all of your audio levels are sufficient and consistent. It is also a great time to practice the correct microphone technique and become aware of what your voice will sound like coming through the house sound system. Remember to project your voice and speak with confidence.
** A tech run-through is a fee-based service involving the MUC Multimedia Technician and must be scheduled by your Event Services coordinator. Please refer to the "Services and Fees" section of the Event Services Rate Sheet.
