Well, it’s big news at the moment: as we head into elections in the UK, Gordon Brown PM, was caught saying what he ‘really thought’ about someone he’d just been speaking to – thinking he was amongst friends, but forgetting that his radio mic was not only on, but live (and attached to a recording device).
Nice one, Gordon? Errmm… No.
Rule number one for using mics during presentations: if it’s plugged in, it’s dangerous.
By co-incidence I’d been attending a presentation this morning by a professional sales trainer who was also using a radio mic. As she got excited by her presentation, she became more animated and started to move towards and amongst the audience. That might have been fine, except for the fact that to do this she (repeatedly!) walked in front of a speaker. The feedback was unpleasant.
The sound guys were good, but there wasn’t much they could do, especially as she just stood there.
Rule number two of using a mic in a presentation: if it’s plugged in it’s dangerous.
Later in the same session, one of the presenters rushed to get back into place, a little panicked after leaving the stage, and the wire connecting the microphone to the battery- pack caught on something, yanking the plug out and stopping her being heard until she was re-connected…
Rule number three of using a mic in a presentation: if it’s unplugged it’s dangerous! :)
C’mon folks – it’s not rocket science. You wouldn’t go skiing without making sure you knew how to fasten your ski boots, would you? So why start to make a presentation without knowing how your microphone works?
You wouldn’t go rock climbing without checking your ropes, would you? No? So why do people go onstage without checking their microphones?
You wouldn’t …. You get the idea!
If a venue’s big enough to need a microphone (and just because you’re offered one doesn’t mean you need to use it!) it’s big enough to have someone there who knows how to use it. Talk to them. They’re there for a reason – and the reason is that they’re experts in what they do.
Just as you’re an expert in whatever it is you’re talking about, so they’re experts in using the equipment.
They should be your new best friends.
Gordon – with friends like yours, who needs enemies?
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