Hosted by the World Trade Center (WTC) Greater Philadelphia, the four-day event marked the Forum’s return to the United States after nearly a decade.

Synergetic was selected to provide all the production for the general session and the breakout rooms.

There were roughly 150 attendees. Not a massive convention. Not a stadium. Not a national sales meeting. But to the planner who hired us, and the board members responsible for the event, those 150 people mattered. They needed to look good in front of the attendees.

Like most association planners, they weren’t looking for the cheapest AV company they could find. They were looking for a team that could stay within budget while making the room feel professional, polished, and engaging.

And most importantly, they wanted a team they didn’t have to babysit.

Before the event ever started, they expected us to answer questions, return phone calls, offer recommendations, and help them make the right decisions.

They wanted experienced people who knew the venue, knew the room, and could simply tell them: “Here’s what we recommend, and here’s why.”

That’s exactly what we did.

For the General Session, we provided all audio, projection, draping, and a creative but simple lighting design that helped transform the room without transforming the budget.

We also livestreamed the General Session for attendees who couldn’t travel to the conference.

One thing we incorporated that often gets overlooked was the use of confidence monitors and speaker timers.

If you’ve ever watched a presenter constantly turn around to look at the projection screen behind them, you know exactly why these matter.

Not only does it break eye contact with the audience, but it slows down presentations, makes speakers look less prepared, and creates an awkward flow.

Confidence monitors allow presenters to see their content directly in front of them. Speaker timers help them stay on schedule without guessing how much time they have left.

The result?

More confident presenters. Better pacing. A smoother experience for attendees. And fewer event planners nervously looking at their watches.

We wanted to make the room feel larger than it was, while still maintaining the intimacy that makes association meetings valuable.

Big enough to feel important. Small enough to feel personal. And all while staying within budget. Of course, equipment is only half the story. The other half is the people operating it.

We provided a dedicated technical team for the entire event, including our Project Manager, who remained onsite from load-in through load-out.

That’s something our clients consistently tell us they appreciate.

They know the person who planned the show is still there when the show actually happens.

No handoffs.

No finger-pointing.

No “I’m not sure who handles that.

One comment from the event producer stood out to us.

While talking about one of our video engineers, she said:

“I’m going to bring him with me everywhere I go. He just gives me so much confidence, and I’m so much calmer when he’s here.”

We loved hearing that because it perfectly captures what we try to accomplish. The equipment matters. But the people supporting you matter even more. A planner shouldn’t spend their event worrying about technology. They should spend their event focusing on attendees, sponsors, speakers, and stakeholders.

We handle the rest.

Beyond the General Session, we also supported five breakout rooms.

And we did something a little different. Instead of treating the breakout rooms like an afterthought, we incorporated cameras so remote attendees could participate and see presenters more clearly.

Most breakout rooms are a projector, a screen, and a microphone. These rooms felt more connected, more engaging, and more personal for both in-person and virtual attendees.

It was a small addition that made a noticeable difference.

Another thing worth mentioning: Every piece of equipment used for this event came from our inventory.

No last-minute scrambling.

No wondering if rental gear will show up.

No surprises.

We started planning this event in January and spent months working alongside the client to make sure they felt comfortable every step of the way.

Plans changed.

Schedules shifted.

Needs evolved.

We adapted.

Because that’s what good partners do.

We showed up on time. We brought a smart, motivated crew. We did what we said we were going to do. Simple concept. Surprisingly uncommon.

If you’re planning an association meeting, conference, annual meeting, or member event, it may be worth seeing how we compare to your current AV provider.

Especially if you’ve ever found yourself saying:

• “I can’t get anyone to call me back.”
• “I never know who my point of contact is.”
• “The crew seems different every year.”
• “The technicians know the equipment less than I do.”
• “The proposal felt thrown together.”
• “We didn’t get much attention until the week before the event.”

If any of that sounds familiar, we’d love the opportunity to show you a different experience.

At Synergetic, our goal isn’t simply to provide audio visual equipment.

It’s to help you look great in front of a lot of important people.

And if we can do that while staying on budget, making your life easier, and helping you feel more confident about your event…

that’s a pretty good place to start.