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Lecterns and Podiums Buyers Guide

How to Choose the Perfect Lectern or Podium

Whether you are speaking at an exhibition, school prize giving, church service or large corporate event, choosing the best lectern or podium for your stage area is essential to setting the right tone, connecting with the audience and putting the speaker completely at ease.

Finished with an angled top which is the perfect place to rest books and organise notes, some modern lecterns and podiums also have space for pens, microphones, AV equipment, cables and props. Finding an effective yet affordable podium or lectern to meet your organisation or business’s requirements is an important building block to your event being a success.

Our Lectern and Podium Buying Guide is designed to help you find the best lectern – UK based portable lecterns, permanent podiums or exhibition lecterns are ready for fast delivery.

Where Will It Be Used?

The first consideration when you buy podiums or lecterns is where it is going to be used. The requirements for a classroom or seminar podium will be very different from those for a church lectern.

Step one is deciding whether you are looking for a stationary lectern or the best portable podium for moving between event spaces.

Stationary podiums are usually floor standing podiums, designed for long term placement. If you need a stationary lectern, you will need to consider strength, quality of construction and durability.
- Advantages: Usually strong and solid. No adjustment or setup time before each speaker.
- Disadvantages: No flexibility if you wish to present from a different stage or space.

Portable podiums are ideal for trade shows, temporary exhibitions and shared office spaces, and are often designed with wheels or castors, or constructed to be easily collapsed.
- Advantages: Cost effective solution for use across multiple events and spaces. Fast set up and easy mobility.
- Disadvantages: Require relocation or set up before each event. Not usually as solid and sturdy as stationary podiums.

Types of Lectern and Podium

The style and design of the podium or lectern you choose will affect the feel of your event, making it essential that you choose the best podium for your particular needs. Our range of high quality podiums and lecterns breaks down into 3 broad types:

Full Podium

A full, floor standing podium is an impressive, professional-looking addition to any stage. Holding notes and books at standing height, many speakers prefer a full podium when speaking to large audiences, as the protection of a full lectern to stand behind eases nerves and boosts confidence. Available in a wide variety of styles, full podiums are often heavier than the other styles of lectern, and are available with wheels or castors or as a more permanent stationary solution. Perfect for churches, school assembly halls and conference centres.

Advantages: No set up time, solid construction, professional finish.

Disadvantages: Less portable, heavy, fixed reading height.

Desktop Podium

Offering more flexibility than a floor standing podium, a desktop or tabletop lectern is smaller, lighter and easier to move between desks, rooms and venues, while still offering a relatively solid space for speaker notes, books and brochures. Ideal for offices and events with limited space, desktop lecterns can be placed on any flat surface, and are equally suitable for speaking events or displaying media. Ideal for trade shows, seminars and exhibition spaces.

Advantages: Minimal set up time, solid construction, professional finish, portable design.

Disadvantages: No height adjustment, requires a suitable flat surface.

Post Lecterns

Offering the height of a full podium with the flexibility of a portable lectern, our floor standing speaker lecterns have a small footprint, and are easy to move between spaces and events. More lightweight and easy to transport, speaker stands are perfect for more casual events or smaller audiences and can be used a simple display stand for brochures, menus and more. Suitable for exhibition stands, reception areas and restaurants.

Advantages: Lightweight, easily portable, suitable for small spaces.

Disadvantages: Less solid, less impressive for large events.

How to Choose the Perfect Lectern or Podium

Whether you are speaking at an exhibition, school prize giving, church service or large corporate event, choosing the best lectern or podium for your stage area is essential to setting the right tone, connecting with the audience and putting the speaker completely at ease.

Finished with an angled top which is the perfect place to rest books and organise notes, some modern lecterns and podiums also have space for pens, microphones, AV equipment, cables and props. Finding an effective yet affordable podium or lectern to meet your organisation or business’s requirements is an important building block to your event being a success.

Our Lectern and Podium Buying Guide is designed to help you find the best lectern – UK based portable lecterns, permanent podiums or exhibition lecterns are ready for fast delivery.

What Material Should You Choose?

Wood

Wooden podiums and lecterns are available in a wide range of tones and styles, from traditional looking dark wood to modern lighter tones. Wood is a strong and durable choice for an event lectern, and gives a polished and professional looking finish.

Advantages: Premium professional finish, strong and durable, timeless traditional styling.

Disadvantages: Can look old fashioned in ultra-modern settings, heavier than alternative materials.

Acrylic

Perfect for contemporary and industrial settings, acrylic lecterns are sleek, streamlined and provide an unobstructed view, making them less obtrusive in smaller spaces.

Advantages: Modern finish, strong and lightweight, coordinate with any colour scheme.

Disadvantages: Can look out of place in more traditional settings, no potential for brochure storage or hiding cables.

Metal

Ideal for events with a modern, high tech or industrial style, metal lecterns and podiums feature clean lines and a striking, sophisticated finish.

Advantages: Contemporary finish, strong and durable, clean simple lines.

Disadvantages: May look out of place in more traditional settings, heavier than plastic.

Podium & Lectern Features

Adjustable Height

If your event speakers are going to cover a range of ages or heights, choosing an adjustable height podium allows you to customize the setup between talks. Designed to be raised or lowered in seconds, an adjustable height lectern will effortlessly adjust the reading surface level so it is never too high or low, and your speaker is always easily visible to the audience.

Interior Storage

Many of our event lecterns and podiums feature one or more internal shelves, which can be used for storing speaker notes, a laptop, personal belongings or marketing materials for audience distribution. Some lecterns and podiums are also lockable, meaning valuables can be safely stored at events.

Wheels or Castors

Floor standing podiums with wheels offer easier mobility, making even the larger and heavier styles of podium relatively portable. While wheeled mobile podiums are less portable than folding or desktop lecterns, they are ideal for spaces where the lectern will only be used occasionally, and a permanent full lectern isn’t suitable, such as school stages.

Folding Design

Offering the style and professionality of a full podium with the convenience of a portable lectern, folding podiums are designed for easy transportation and storage. Collapsing down flat in minutes to fit easily in a car or storage cupboard, folding lecterns are convenient, lightweight, and ideal for repeated use at a wide range of events.

Illuminated Finish

Some of our lecterns and podiums have the option of built in LED lights, which illuminate the podium and attract attention to the speaker. Providing a clear focal point in larger event spaces, illuminated podiums are an eye catching addition to any modern event space, while lecterns with reading lights allow speakers to follow their notes in darker rooms.

Customizable

A number of lecterns and podiums offer the option of adding a logo or marketing graphics to the front panel. A great way to reinforce your brand, celebrate specific events or let the audience know who is speaking at larger exhibitions and conferences, customizable podium fronts add a professional and personal touch to any event.

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