Are you preparing for a new product launch? Maybe it’s time for an annual board meeting. Or maybe you’re meeting with investors from California in a teleconference. (Make sure you have the right time zone for the meeting time, if you are!)

Having the right audiovisual technology can make or break your corporate board meeting. Like any form of communication, the message is important, but so’s the delivery. (And coming from the mouth — er, fingers — of a blogger, you know that’s true.

Fortunately, with a few easy steps, you’ll find that leveraging your audio video systems to run a successful board meeting or teleconference in your conference room is even easier than maintaining your corporate blog. (We know a little about that, too…)

So, here’s JD Pro’s quick-and-easy guide to corporate conferences that make ’em say “Wow.”

1. Familiarize yourself with the system controls before the event. Learn how to switch projector inputs from your laptop to a document camera, DVD, Blu-Ray or anything else you might need. If the audiovisual contractor who designed and installed your systems offered training to anyone in your company, speak to that person to get the inside scoop. More and more today, the IT department works hand-in-hand with the AV team to get the audiovisual systems running. Someone in IT might be able to give you a crash course before the big meeting.

2. Do a trial run. – Plug in your PC, surf the Web, run a PowerPoint. Load up a DVD and make sure it plays when you hit play. Test sound levels. (Remember, sound echoes more in an empty room so if you sound loud and a little spooky, it’s probably okay.) Find out where all the equipment you might need is stored. In other words: Dress rehearsal! (Suit and tie optional.)

3. Know who to call if something goes wrong. – Again, this is probably someone in your IT department. Let that person know you’re running a big meeting, give them the date and the time, and let them know (nicely, of course) that if you need them, you will need them right away. Then, put the direct extension for the IT department in your phone and, if something goes wrong, don’t panic. Play it off with humor and grace, get the right people on the phone, and proceed as planned.