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Technology -- if used correctly --- should provide positive impact to every area of your event from registration to feedback. It is meant to save time, resources and amplify content. Yet, many planners still are not using it because they don't want to change the status quo, are uncomfortable with technology or are unsure of what they need. 

Let's take a look at some of the old and new ways of running a typical meeting and the benefits the right technology can offer to you. 

OLD WAY: Gather testimonials from paper surveys about your meeting and post them on your website several days or weeks later. 

NEW WAY: Rent iPads for attendees -- preloaded with social media -- that allows attendees to amplify the content, speakers and post testimonials on a real time basis.

BENEFITS: Rather than waiting on your webmaster to post "old" data, attendees are providing fresh, conversational postings themselves which lend to more credibility for your event. 

OLD WAY: Print paper conference binders that attendees have to lug around --  in addition to their laptop and smartphone. 

NEW WAY: Utilize meeting apps that allow attendees to BYOD to the meeting or rent Tablet PCs that are light and easy for attendees to carry around at the conference. 

BENEFITS: Major savings on printing, assembling, shipping and storing binders. In addition, content can be updated and changed instantaneously. 

OLD WAY: Complete paper surveys and have staff members enter them into an Excel spreadsheet. 

NEW WAY: Secure Audience Response System rental units where attendees can answer questions instantly, anonymously and the data can be retained for further analysis. 

BENEFITS: Your staff is freed up to do other event related tasks, participation is greatly improved and it is very easy for attendees to complete the survey. 

OLD WAY: Gather leads by collecting business cards at your booth. 

NEW WAY: Rent a lead retrieval system that can capture accurate data about the attendee in a few seconds. 

BENEFIT: More qualified and accurate leads will be collected because you will know exactly what product information each attendee wants.  

OLD WAY: Rely on the venue's Wi-Fi system, even if it doesn't have enough bandwidth. 

NEW WAY: Understand the apps, uses and devices for your meeting and plan Wi-Fi use accordingly including the possibility of renting a network array. 

BENEFIT: Before the meeting starts, you will have a good handle on bandwidth needs and have the right solution implemented. 

OLD WAY: Let the presenter do all the talking and keep your sessions long. 

NEW WAY: Keep your sessions short and let the attendees drive the meeting through their questions and comments generated from their mobile devices. 

BENEFIT: Attendees are driving content direction thus making them feel it is their meeting, not yours. 

OLD WAY: The meeting will either be face-to-face or a webinar. 

NEW WAY: Hybrid meetings allow the best of both worlds. 

BENEFIT: Attendees who really want to be at the meeting, but cannot be due to workload or budgetary demands, can view and participate in the event on a real-time basis. 

AV Event Solutions has state-of-the art interactive technology tool rentals and a full grasp of how technology benefits meeting organizers, attendees, sponsors and exhibitors. They are ready and willing to help you deliver better, technology driven events. 

I don't think most meeting planners equate their words as power statements -- but they are.

Because you often are the "go-to" person for attendees, sponsors, venues and exhibitors, it is important that the following words be banned and replaced with more positive statements in order to keep your meetings thriving and growing. 

Here are the words, what they mean to the recipient and the replacement statements that can work in your favor.

1. "Never."  When you use the word never, it means final and there is no hope for change. It is an "all-or-nothing" phrase and should be taken out of your vocabulary for two reasons: First, the landscape of meetings and events is changing rapidly. Second, you might change your mind. Instead say the following when approached with a proposal or opportunity: 
   
   "I will look into it and get back to you." This opens you up to new possibilities and shows you are open to listening, compromise and creating good will. The important thing in this process is to keep the communication going and let them know where you are in the process. Even if the answer is no, you did your best and opened the door for change. 
    
2. "Always". Using this word, shows rigidity and righteousness. You are saying to your sponsors, partners or exhibitors that you are right, they are wrong and you really don't care if things have changed for them or their business.  A better option would be:
   
   "What would you like to change? How can I help?" This shows understanding and the ability to learn. If your primary sponsor always paid $10,000 for your meeting and this year they can only afford $8,000, try to find out what has changed and how you can work with them. Don't discount their loyalty to your organization or meeting, it might be they are just having a very difficult financial year. 
    
3. "But." This word shows a lack of integrity and insincerity. You negate whatever was said before. For example, an attendee comes to you and complains that the meeting room is too cold. Your response is, "I'm sorry that you are uncomfortable BUT the temperature is not something I can control." This simple little word does not lend itself to building trust or credibility. This is much better: 
   
   "I'm sorry. I will do everything in my power to fix it." Then fix it and follow up. Don't blame others for the problem -- attendees don't want to hear it. They want to know that you understand what is bothering them and you are doing everything in your power to make things better. Communicating with them via mobile devices is one way to keep them up-to-date. 

Take the time to think about the impact of your words before you speak them to meeting participants. Find words that are conducive to creating trust. In the end, attendees and partners alike want to be heard and appreciated. Are you doing everything in your power to create this type of environment? 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, has interactive technology tools rentals such as iPads, computer kiosks and wireless Audience Response Systems. Give them a call at 888.249.4903 to get your AV process started and be assured they do not have the three words above in their vocabulary! 

The Millennial Generation, or commonly referred to as "Gen Y" consists of individuals born between 1980 - 1995 (ages 18 to 33 years old). This is the group of individuals most business organizations are focused on because they will be running our corporations, government entities and meetings in a few years. 

PwC, in conjunction with the University of Southern California and London Business School, conducted a global generational study of 1,000 Millennials from 18 global territories. Because 66% of PwC's workforce consists of Millennials, it was important for them to find out if the stereotypes were accurate. 

As the summer heats up, an employee appreciation event is a great way to get everyone together in a social, casual setting. Whether you host a company picnic on your grounds or you have a networking reception at a local restaurant, getting employees together in a non-work setting, shows them your organization cares and is willing to go the extra mile. 

Appreciation events have been shown to improve employee loyalty, reduce attrition and create or maintain a positive work environment. Knowing the benefits of this type of event are great, but what do you need to know in order to pull one off? Below is a planning checklist of things to consider: 

What is the goal of the event? 

Other than getting everyone together in a social setting, what is the goal? Here are a few examples of appreciation goals:

• Hold an event where all employees, their spouses and children are invited to attend so everyone can get to know each other on a more social basis. 
   
• Host an exclusive meeting for the top 10% sales performers. 
   
• Put together a fun team building session for all employees. 
   
• Hold a 1/2 day business meeting with employees and the remaining 1/2 day go to an amusement park with employees and their families. 

When will you hold it?

Holding it during the business day may be best for employees and they can view it as a paid day off from work. However, during the evening or on the weekend will allow spouses and family members to attend. Again, look at the culture of the company and the goal of the event to determine the day of the week and the time of the event. 

The summer months are particularly popular because the business climate is usually more casual, the weather is warmer and children are off from school. 

Where will you hold the event? 

If budget is a particular concern for your organization, holding the event on site will be the most cost effective. However, employees will feel more appreciated if they are taken off-site, especially to somewhere new and exciting. 

Whether you hold the event onsite or off, consider the age, gender and interests of your employees. Try to find somewhere that will work for everyone and has multiple things for individuals to do. 

If there is going to be recognition involved, consider renting audio visual equipment that includes LCD projector and screen rental and sound and lighting rental so everyone can see and hear what is being said. . 

What will the employees do? 

The size, ages and interests of the group, whether children and/or spouses are invited, whether it is held onsite or off and the event goal, will dictate what the group will do. 

In the end, you want employees to feel special and appreciated. Taking the time to put together a well thought out appreciation event will keep employees talking days and weeks after it is over. This type of event is money well spent! 

AV Event Solutions will partner with you to develop and execute a custom tailored appreciation program for your staff. They have experienced professionals to brainstorm and create innovative programs that can be enhanced with interactive technology tool rentals. Fill out their express quote form to get the process started! 

Whether your organization has one large national convention per year or several smaller meetings throughout the year, the purpose of bringing sales professionals together is to train, motivate and reward them for their hard work. However, due to the nature of sales theses days (larger territories, quotas and remote support staff), many sales meetings are suffering from dwindling attendance. 

The key to a successful sales meeting is to create an agenda and environment where reps WANT to attend it. Here are 6 tips to help you create a buzz worthy environment for your staff: 

Technique #1: Get the stakeholders involved. 

By asking the sales personnel, managers and C-Suite what they desire out of the meeting and the good, bad and ugly of your previous meeting, you will create an environment where they know you care about their input. Using wireless Audience Response Systems (ARS) is one way you can easily poll attendees about the meeting content, speakers and test their knowledge about the subject matter. 

Technique #2: Create compelling content. 

Salespeople are all about learning from the "best of the best" in the company, the industry and the world. Providing them with access to motivating presenters and creating an interactive process, is the best way to drive attendance at your event. All sales reps are hungry for knowledge and if you give them the right topics, speakers and interactive technology tool rentals to make the meeting interesting, they will show up. 

Technique #3: Keep focused on your messaging. 

What is the purpose of your meeting? Is it to train your reps on a new product prior to the product launching event? Is it all about motivating the troops? Whatever the goal, keep focused on creative and compelling ways to deliver the message. Provide the theme on both printed and digital materials as they will help visually reinforce the message. 

Technique #4: Consider whether or not a hybrid event makes sense. 

If your sales team is global and your live meeting is large enough, it may make sense to offer a virtual component of your meeting. Remote attendees will be able to communicate with you, your staff and the presenters via social channels or texting, making them feel part of the action. Hybrid meetings take planning and will have an impact on your budget, so take enough time to plan accordingly. A Wi-Fi network array rental system may be needed if bandwidth will be taxed due to local and remote usage.

Technique #5:  If you are doing a recognition event, figure out a way to involve everyone. 

The last thing sales people want, is to sit in the audience and watch 5-10% of attendees get recognized for their achievements. While it is great for those in the spotlight, it is deflating for the rest of the sales force as a line of individuals stream up front to get their award. The bottom line: figure out a way to make everyone feel like a winner while recognizing the achievements of those at the top.

Technique #6: Use technology to garner a "wow" effect.

Especially for an awards event, using Plasma displays instead of screen rentals, installing digital signage instead of posters and providing videos, photos and gamification on mobile devices are ways to create a HD environment for your attendees. 

AV Event Solutions wants to make your next sales meeting rock! Give them a call at 888.249.4903 to get the ball rolling! 

In corporations and government agencies across the country, it is pretty much mainstay for employees to be issued on their first day of work the following items: 

1. A uniform cell phone with a homogeneous talk/text/data plan; 
2. A desktop with an operating system and apps the IT department supports and;
3. A laptop for those individuals who travel or are part of the C-Suite. 

Usually the employee's monthly cell bill is paid for by the organization and when the employee departs, they have to turn in both the phone and the laptop. Life is easy for purchasing and IT personnel alike. But the future is looking a lot murkier as employees become more tech savvy and the price of said technology continues to decrease. 

According to Gartner, Inc., an information technology research and advisory company, in the not-so-distant-future Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is going to be prevalent in the workplace. Their research states the following will occur: 

• 50% of all employees will be using their own mobile devices at work by 2017
• 38% of organizations will stop providing mobile devices to their employees by 2016
• 22% of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) say they have already made a strong case for this option. 

"If you are offering BYOD, take advantage of the opportunity to show the rest of the organization the benefits it will bring to them and to the business," stated David Willis, Chief of Research, Mobility and Communications at Gartner. 

So, how will BYOD inadvertently affect meetings and events? Here are three things to consider as you look to the future: 

APPLICATION COMPATIBILITY

With a plethora of mobile devices in the marketplace and even more to be announced in the next three years, it is important to recognize that not all mobile devices are alike. In fact with different screen sizes and pixel definitions, it will become increasingly difficult to find apps that run across multiple platforms. 

The Solution: Rent iPads which have thousands of apps ready to load onto the system. In addition, if you have one mobile platform versus several, hardware and software support become much easier to achieve.   

BANDWIDTH OVERLOAD

Many meeting venues have limited IP addresses, access points and bandwidth. Mobile devices have weaker antennas than laptops and require shorter interval access points. In addition, with the average attendee carrying three devices with them to a meeting, it is quite possible if you are not prepared adequately, your bandwidth can come to a crawl or even crash. 

The Solution: For many meeting planners, understanding your Internet needs is like trying to understand the workings of a computer. You know you need the computer to do your job, but you don't know (or for that matter want to know) the internal workings. The same goes for your Wi-Fi needs. When renting audio visual equipment, it is in your best interest to find a partner who understand IT and can determine whether or not you need a Wi-Fi network array rental in order to meet your bandwidth needs. 

SECURITY

Security is the top concern among CIOs when it comes to BYOD as it should be with any event organizer. 

The Solution: Having dedicated bandwidth at the venue, as well as, augmenting it with a Wi-Fi network array rental unit will help keep your data secure. 

AV Event Solutions is your meeting partner that provides interactive technology tool rentals for meetings, events and trade shows on a national level. 

Photo courtesy of Jamais Cascio

Even though the technology landscape has changed much since the introduction of the PC in 1981, have you ever considered the rapidity of this change and how it might evolve in the meetings industry?

Here's a quick look at the last 30 years of technology used at meetings and events:

1983. Most presentations were carried out in a dark room with an overhead projector and transparencies which were typed or handwritten. To change out the slide, someone (usually the speaker) had to take the current transparency down and put a new one up. Attendees took notes on the presentation and submitted a typewritten report back to management. When attendees arrived at the meeting, they were given large unwieldy conference binders. Email was being used a little for communications but event planners relied mainly on direct mail and telephone calls to confirm and register attendees. Face-to-face meetings were well-attended and often three or more days in length. 

1993. PowerPoint presentation equipment replaced the overhead projector and transparencies. Laptop PCs were becoming more available. Emails and websites were used for communication, but direct mail and telephone calls were still the mainstay for communicating with attendees. Face-to-Face meetings were growing and as more airline brands were being introduced due to deregulation, air transportation could be justified for national meetings. 

2003. PowerPoint was the most used method for presentations by far with Laptop, LCD Projector and Screen Rental as the typical AV bundle. Websites and Blogs were mainstay with most organizations. Email had taken over as the more preferred method of communication versus direct mail. Online registration was prevalent. Cell phones were becoming more of the norm, but they were just being used for telephone calls and limited texting. Face-to-face meetings were doing well, but with the introduction of reasonably priced video conferencing, smaller meetings were considering this as an alternative for travel. 

2013. While presentation services audio visual equipment is still being used, laptops are replaced with tablets, old LCD Projectors with newer ones, and screen rentals are being replaced with Plasma HDTV and Video Wall Rentals. Event organizers rent iPads so attendees have all the data in one location including speaker presentations, sponsor information and note taking capability. Social channels, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are the more prevalent way to communicate with attendees. Email campaigns are still in use, but direct mail and telephone follow-up are pretty much dead. Smartphones contain data plans so texting and social posting is part of the norm. No more dark rooms...attendees want to see and interact with one another and drive the conference takeaways. Face-to-face meetings are still important for driving interactivity of attendees and subject matter depth but are competing with hybrid options and webinars. 

The conclusion with all this? Technology is evolving at a rapid pace but you do not have to worry about keeping up with its use in the meetings industry when you partner with AV Event Solutions, a Total Technology Solutions Provider! They are constantly evaluating and purchasing new equipment, thus giving you the best rental choices for your budget! 

When was the last time you inquired about "the why" of your event or trade show? Sure, sure there are the basic responses such as education and networking. But with more virtual opportunities available to meet, your stakeholders are going to focus on bottom-line revenue and quantifiable opportunities associated with your face-to-face meeting. 

Here are 7 sequential steps that will help keep your team engaged, attendees happy and sponsorship dollars flowing:

Super Step #1: Identify the WHY

Put together an air-tight case as to why attendees need to come to your meeting versus getting the information via a conference call, video broadcast or email campaign. Keep drilling down until you have excellent reasons and can articulate those reasons to everyone involved in the meeting. 

Super Step #2: Identify the HOW

This is where you spend most of your time. Figuring out the logistics of the event from the meeting space to renting audio visual equipment. This is your "sweet spot" and often times, it is where you shine. But your team needs to move beyond this point in order to be successful by addressing the five remaining items. 

Super Step #3: Develop specific GOALS

Now that you have the why and how out of the way, your team needs to identify concrete objectives that are tied to  the meeting. Without goals, your meeting is like a ship without a rudder. Yes, you have the boat (attendees) in the water (meeting). But you have no destination, so you will not know whether or not your meeting is a success. 

Super Step #4: Measure PERFORMANCE

Here are three examples of measurable goals: 

GOAL: 90% of your attendees evaluate your meeting while they are at the meeting. By asking questions displayed on the PowerPoint presentation equipment, you can easily capture their responses with Audience Response System rentals. 

GOAL: Eliminate 85% of the paper at your meeting and to be viewed as a green company. Rent iPads for your attendees and load program materials, speaker bios and sponsorship information onto them. 

GOAL: Have 75% of your attendees to register for the conference on-line. Put together a plan to promote this concept. You will know whether or not your met your target by conference start. 

Super Step #5: Improve EFFICIENCIES

By setting goals and measuring your success/failure of those objectives, you set your team up to evaluate what is working and what is not. If something is working very well, you don't have to expend your energy in that area. Conversely, by knowing where your meeting came up short, you can brainstorm about ways to make the next conference better. 

Super Step #6: Meet the DEMANDS of Attendees, Sponsors and Exhibitors

All of the above tips lead to knowing your audience very well. What is important to them and what is not. Now, your team is primed to know how to deliver a knock-out meeting to your stakeholders and you have the data to support the changes to management. 

Super Step #7: Get RESULTS

At the end of the day, everyone connected to your meeting wants more of something. More attendees. More leads. More business. With the logistical approach of these steps, you should be able to get the results that your team desires. But this is not a one-time process. You need to complete this process for each and every meeting you plan. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, is focused on making your next meeting, event or trade show a super success. Start the process today by filling out their Express Quote form and an experienced Account Executive will get back to you within four business hours! 

Millard “Mickey” Drexler brought a debt-drowning J. Crew back to profitability last year. He did so by implementing the following:

• Took the company off the stock market in 2011 via a $3 billion private equity buyout
• Cleaned house in the C-suite and 
• Retooled the brand’s merchandise by moving it upscale.

The results? In the second quarter of 2012, J. Crew reported net income topping $22 million compared with a $10.5 million loss in the same quarter of the year before.

Last week, he shared with Fast Company his 10 Creativity Tips and how they were instrumental in turning J. Crew around. Below are six of those tips and how they can be applied to the meetings and events industry. 

Drexler Quote #1: "Every business could be creative. In my own experience, whatever was a good idea was a bad idea to most people."

Meetings Industry Translation: Are you trying new things? Taking risks? Listening to your attendees? Creativity only occurs with change and change only occurs with conflict. Having a diverse team will help move along this change. 

Drexler Quote #2: "Most companies should have a rule about how big they get."

Meetings Industry Translation: Every planner wants large conventions because they represent more revenue for the organization and more recognition for them. However, a large unwieldy conference that doesn't allow for personal attention of the attendee, can make your event suffer in the long haul. Keep focused on getting your attendees to come back year-after-year. Incremental meeting growth is a solid strategy rather than trying to grow attendance exponentially. 

Drexler Quote #3: "You have to keep moving forward. What has (your) company done in the past five years that somebody's noticed?"

Meeting Industry Translation: How are you keeping up with attendee, exhibitor and sponsor demands? Are you showing innovation through mobile technology, and fast and secure Wi-Fi network arrays at your meeting? Are you using apps effectively? Is your conference different than most and in what ways?

Drexler Quote #4: "I'm a very proud micro manager. We need to speak the language of customers."

Meeting Industry Translation: Are you checking every last detail about your event, including what is displayed on your digital signage? Are your volunteers and staff smiling and warmly greeting your attendees as they arrive at the conference? Are you talking and listening "attendee speak"? An easy way to do to keep the conversation flowing, is to rent iPads and pre-load social channels such as Twitter onto them. Another way is through polling devices such as Audience Response rentals. 

Drexler Quote #5: "You can drown in data. You learn and then edit, edit, edit because there's a lot of junk mail in your head." 

Meeting Industry Translation: While Big Data is important, you can get caught up in the so many irrelevant details. Focus first on your attendees and exhibitors because they make your event go around. Then look at your sponsors and speakers. Determine trends in your industry, gleam the highlights and then just move forward.  

Drexler Quote #6: "Simplicity is very difficult to achieve."

Meeting Industry Translation: Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones, but something or someone gets in your way. How can you make your event easier for your attendees? 

AV Event Solutions is a creative, high quality California meeting equipment provider based in Los Angeles. Give them a call at 888.249.4903 to understand how they can help you! 

Every time your organization announces a new product or service, it helps differentiate you from the competition. And in today's "dog-eat-dog" world, it is important to do whatever you can to build brand awareness and customer loyalty.  

So, how do you make your product launch extra special and memorable? It starts with a plan that encompasses the guest list and ends with your conference equipment rental decision. Here is a checklist of the things you should do to get started on your launch:  

FIRST, THE GUEST LIST

Determine who you are going to invite to the event. There are 5 types of attendees to consider:

• Current and Past Customers
• Warm and Cold Prospects
• Investors
• Traditional and Digital Media Outlets and 
• Employees

Determining the total number individuals on your guest list will help you move forward on the next phase of your planning. 

• Will the event be at your location or a hotel, conference center or other facility? 
  Obviously, a meeting held at your location will be the least expensive option but you also need to consider the interruption such event will have on your day-to-day operation. A conference center or out-of-the-way location can bring out individuals who are curious to see a unique venue and have the time to tour it, such as a mansion, national park or country club. 
   
• Will it be indoors or outdoors?
  Due to technological and lighting improvements, an outdoor event is very feasible and can be an attractive option especially in the spring or summer months. 
   
• Will it be held during the day or in the evening?
   
• What sort of mood are you setting?
  Sound and lighting rental equipment will help you create the right atmosphere. Having the event at your company headquarters, indoors and during the day will set a different mood than holding it at a country club, outside and in the evening. 
   
• How will you highlight the product or service?
  Putting the product on stage with specialized light equipment rentals will keep continuous focus on the features you are launching. 

With so much change in the meetings industry, you may wonder who is really setting the pace in the marketplace. MPI recently identified "Chief Curators" who are considered thought leaders for the future. Here is a synopsis of what they bring to the table along with my key takeaways about what this all means. 

INFLUENCER #1: Michael McAllen, Meeting and Event Production Warrior

Michael runs Grass Shack Media where he started up a website called AVForPlanners.com to help planners identify their audio visual needs and make better choices. He is also engaged in exploration of apps on mobile technologies -- such as Evernote which he states, "It is an event binder in your mobile device."

INFLUENCER #2: Joan Eisenstodt, Hospitality & Meetings Industry Trainer, Facilitator & Consultant

"Joan is a mentor to so many and a real advocate for the industry. She is one of the most recognized and respected people I know, has run and contributed to the most influential email lists in the industry and is a teacher to all," stated Eli Gorin, CMP, CMM, Vice President of Global Client Relations at ABTS Convention Services. 

Joan launched the Meetings Focus Website, a networking site for meeting professionals. "My passion is connecting people through ideas," said Eisenstodt.

INFLUENCER #3: Renee Radabaugh, President and CEO at Paragon Events

"Renee taught me to sit back and look at things from every single perspective when she had to respond to unexpected construction in one hotel and complete quick negotiations with another. She made it a real 'win, win, win' for both of the hotels and our organization," said Sharon Fisher, Owner of IdeaSparker.

Renee works with 16 colleges to attract for-credit internships into her organization. She desires to recruit top talent for the next generation meeting planner.

INFLUENCER #4:  Christina Coster, Founder of EventCamp

Coster launched EventCamp after planning an"unconference" in 2009 where participants drove the event by planning what they wanted to discuss at the meeting. 

INFLUENCER #5: Ruud Janssen, CMM, Online & Offline collaboration specialist at TNOC.ch

Janssen thinks it is essential for meeting organizers to adapt to on-line and off-line events. "What's surprising to me is that a lot of companies are not noticing this change or adapting to it fast enough," Janssen said. 

He co-created a new meeting format called "The Solution Room" where he tested this concept at EMEC where participants drove their own action plans for change. Here is a brief video on this concept: 

1. Provide planners with websites to make their decision process easier, especially when it comes to renting audio visual equipment. 
2. Mobile apps need to be constantly evaluated as to ways to save your attendees money and time. 
3. Social channels set up for meeting professionals to network is important. 
4. Continue to attract new talent into the industry through college internships.
5. Work toward innovative meeting styles such as EventCamp. 
6. Help individuals drive change through innovative meeting styles. 
7. Be a curator of information that help attendees learn, network and collaborate. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of SmartSource Rentals, is your total technology trend setting partner! Give them a call today at 888.249.4903 to learn more about their offerings! 

Have you ever planned an event where registration just trickles in? Every day you check your reg system -- only to find one or two additional attendees. With only six weeks until your event, you start to panic. "What is the hold up? Is it the price? Should I offer an incentive?" you might say to yourself. 

The truth of the matter is, just like any other purchase in life, attendees need to be motivated to make a decision and go to your event. Mariela McIlwraith, President of Meeting Change, recently shared her insights about this topic with MPI one+. Below are three of her key takeaways and my own food for thought. 

Behavior Barrier #1: TOO MANY CHOICES

When you give individuals too many choices, their eyes tend to gloss over and their brain begins to try to process the pros and cons of each choice. What happens is "analysis paralysis" and the participant puts the email or brochure away to look at another day. 

McIlwraith states, "Consider the number of choices you offer as part of your registration process; from the supplier perspective, consider the number of options you offer to your clients." 

Food for Thought: In one of my recent blogs, I wrote about Art Markman's "Role of 3" and that we can only really process and remember 3 things from any experience. This is true whether it be renting audio visual equipment or selecting a conference center for your meeting. Giving attendees, exhibitors or sponsors no more than 3 choices should expedite the process. 

Behavior Barrier #2: THERE IS NO DEFAULT OPTION

Even though individuals want and need change, they do have a bias toward the status quo. There is something comforting in knowing that some things about your meeting or event will remain the same. 

Food for Thought: Keeping some things the same while changing up others is probably the way to go. Perhaps you keep the dates of your conference the same and the registration pricing. Whatever you keep, it is something participants really like about your meeting. An easy and fast way to understand what they like is through polling with Audience Response System rental units. 

Behavior Barrier #3: POINT OF REFERENCE PRICING

Charging for something that used to be free, such as charging for Wi-Fi access or baggage on your airline trip, leaves a bad taste in your participant's mouth. With regards to Wi-Fi, most attendees see signs for "Free Wi-Fi" almost everywhere they go and do not understand why they need to pay for it at a meeting or event. 

Food for Thought: Even though attendees may expect free Wi-Fi when they come to your meeting, it is more important to them that the Wi-Fi be secure, fast and robust. Perhaps gaining a sponsor or set of sponsors to cover the Wi-Fi network array rental may be the solution but if this is not possible, education about the cost and why it is occurring is very important. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of SmartSource Rentals, is ready to work with you on your next meeting or trade show! Contact them today for creative ways to work interactive technology tool rentals into your next event! 

Technology options are growing at the fastest rate in history and it appears there will not be a slow down anytime soon. While hardware platforms may stabilize -- apps, social channels and online communities--  are going to continue to change and evolve. So, how does a meeting planner keep up with all these changes? 

Jackie Mulligan the Director of Enterprise and Principal Lecturer at the International Centre for Research, Reinhold Behringer a Professor of Creative Technology, and Samantha Dixon recently came us with a flow chart about the 7 questions you should ask when exploring technology options. Below is a more in depth review of two of the questions.  

• "Wow" Factor. Touch screen technology whether it be wall-mounted or you rent iPads, provides attendees with hi-resolution videos, photos and graphics that can bring your message to life. 
   
• Efficient and Saves Money. Loading your conference binder onto a tablet will not only be more efficient, but it will save your organization money in the areas of writing, printing, shipping and storing printed material. If last minute changes or typos are found, no problem! They can be changed digitally within minutes. 
   
• Reduces Carbon Footprint. Technology is becoming more efficient all the time and mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, take a fraction of the energy of a laptop. In addition, the process of loading information onto the cloud reduces the processing of paper, printing and the potential waste into a landfill. 
   
• Enhances Communication. The ability to livestream speaker video onto the trade show floor via a video wall rental unit and mobile devices allows attendees to feel connected no matter where they are. Attendees can network digitally as well as obtain instantaneous messages about the conference from their mobile devices. 
   
• Increases Flexibility. Need to move a meeting location, change hours or extend a networking event? No problem with technology! This can be displayed on digital signage or sent via an alert to attendees' smartphones. 
   
• Meet Attendee Requirements. Most meeting participants are demanding fast and secure Wi-Fi access because they will need to remain connected to the office at times throughout the conference. In addition, they expect the Wi-Fi to be available regardless of application bandwidth demands on the network.  

Should you Rent or Buy Technology? Here are the questions to ascertain: 

• What is the Total Cost of Ownership? In other words, determine how often throughout the year are you going to use the same technology for your meetings or events. If your meetings are national in nature, you also need to determine the shipping, drayage and maintenance cost of such equipment versus renting what you need when you need it. 
   
• Will you be able to keep up-to-date? Most organizations need to depreciate their equipment over a 3-5 year time period. Is your organization in a position to buy new technology every 3-5 years or even sooner if your meetings demand it? 
   
• Does your organization need or want the depreciation and tax benefits? Ownership does lend itself to tax benefits to an organization, however once you set up the depreciation schedule, you need to stay with it. Obviously, with renting you don't need to worry about any of this. 
   
• Does your organization have a place to secure, maintain and service your equipment? If you purchase the equipment, your organization needs a storage space that can be adequately secured. In addition, you will need someone on staff to maintain your equipment. 

Make your life a whole lot easier by renting audio visual equipment from AV Event Solutions! Check out their express quote page to get the process started! 

Trade shows have been around for years and are intended to showcase and demonstrate each exhibitor's latest products and services. While some trade shows are open to the public, most meeting professionals today plan "closed" shows where a finite number of attendees and members of the press are allowed on the floor. 

In the past, booth sales personnel used to give tchotchkes away in an attempt to lure attendees to their booth. Many would walk off the floor with a couple of bags stuffed with giveaways. But not anymore. Restrictions among the industry, budgetary concerns and attempts to be green are stopping or at least slowing down the purchase of promotional items. 

So, with no tchotchkes and a limited number of people to talk to, how can exhibitors' make the most of their time? The industry evolved to hosted buyer trade shows which are gaining some traction. However, there is a bit of an ethical dilemma because the exhibitor doesn't really know the quality of the lead they are sitting across from, only that they are a potential client that could possibly use their services. In addition, not every trade show can afford to fly-in and "wine and dine" attendees.

So, what is the future of trade shows? And are they eventually going to die off? 

Traci Browne, Author of The Social Trade Show: Leveraging Social Media and Virtual Events to Connect with Your Customers, stated in a recent PCMA Convene article that exhibitors need to find new ways to attract attendees to their booth. 

She states there are three effective ways to bring attendees to you: 

1. Provide valued expertise.
    
2. Design a solid digital strategy and then choose your social tools. 
    
3. Focus on quality over quantity. 

What interactive technology tool rentals can help you with this strategy? Let's take a closer look: 

VALUED EXPERTISE: Make certain you have individuals in your booth that are experts on your products and services or can connect the attendee to the expert back at the home office via an iPad or Touch Screen Display. A recent CEIR article stated that meeting participants would rather speak with your company's researcher than a sales rep. Why? Because they view researchers as experts who can explain what your organization is doing today, as well as, what is planned in the future. 

SOLID DIGITAL STRATEGY: Getting 100 Facebook likes on your Fan page is not a strategy, it is a tactic and a weak one at best. But connecting and conversing with 50 of your "A-lister" prospects via social is a strategy. Blogging about the trade show and posting it on social channels, including the show's hashtag, is another strategy that shows you are an industry thought leader. Whatever digital tools you use, make certain they are getting you closer to closing business with your prospects. 

FOCUS ON QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: One way to get attendees to your booth is to rent a charging station that allows them to take ten minutes and recharge their mobile devices. While they are in your booth, your team has the opportunity to ask engaging, qualifying questions. The truth of the matter is, not everyone is going to be interested in what you have to sell. Gather the leads that are a fit for your product niche and the sales team back home will be energized because they will be working with solid leads. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of SmartSource Rentals, is your Total Technology trade show solution provider that has 21 locations around the United States to serve you!

In Wednesday's post, we examined how event engagement is like dating and the four tips to try and engage your attendees prior to your meeting or conference. As you may recall, engagement cannot be forced, it has to flow organically and naturally throughout your event. However, it is important at all times to put your "best foot forward".

Here are four tips to help you along the way:

Engagement Tip #1: It All Starts with "Hello" 

Attendees are evaluating and absorbing your event from the time they get on the airplane until the time they land back home. The part of the meeting that is least appealing  to attendees is the registration area for the conference because the lines are usually long and there isn't much for attendees to do other than check messages on their cell phone. But what if you could make it  more interesting by doing one or more of the following:

• Allow for self-service check-in via computer kiosks where attendees can print their badge, itinerary and be provided with destination information. These kiosks can be available 24 hours a day and you can position one right in the hotel lobby allowing for easy access when your attendees check into the facility. 
   
• Volunteers can work the line and introduce themselves to attendees and encourage them to call if any questions arise about the conference. 
   
• It is important that everyone greets each attendee cheerfully and with a smile. 
   
• Digital Signage and Video Walls can provide a source of knowledge and entertainment about the conference as attendees stand in long lines.

Engagement Tip #2: Make Every Moment Count

Rent iPads and encourage attendees to tweet, blog and post while they are at the conference. Create a Twitter hashtag and ask attendees to post comments or questions about the content, venue and city.  

Encourage them to take photos from their smartphones via Instagram and video from Vine. Post them up on a video wall rental unit and ask attendees to vote on the photo and video clip of the day. Have the live Twitter feed posted on the wall. This presents a visual depiction of your conference and can get attendees talking about it. 

Engagement Tip #3: No Forced Marches

Nothing is more of a nightmare for a shy, introverted attendee than putting them in a public speaking position. Making them say their name and occupation in front of a large group or making them share the findings from the table discussion is not what they want. So, make it easy for them to opt-out by allowing engagement on their terms, not yours. Greg Fuson from Artful Engagement stated the following about interaction, "Don't automatically go to interaction and say 'This is going to happen because we're not going to have speakers who just stand up and lecture at you the whole time.'" Bottom line: Make the interactions easy to opt-in or -out of and make them natural, not forced. 

Engagement Tip #4: Respect the Time Zones

If you publish that a session is 30- or 60-minutes in length, keep to it...but allow for extended interaction with the presenter. It seems in today's world, the shorter presentations are the most effective with 20-minutes being the most preferred. But whatever your format is, start and end the presentation on time and make sure your speakers stick around. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, wants to work with you to make your next meeting or event very exciting and engaging! Call us today at 888.249.4903 to schedule a date! We look forward to talking to you! 

Do you remember what it was like to date someone new? The first date you put on your best clothes, cologne and washed and waxed your car. You looked your best and put your best foot forward. And if you both liked each other, this "courtship" continued to the next date and so on. However, if the feelings were not mutual or if you thought the other person was a phony, the dating ended and you moved on. 

So it is with event engagement. You cannot force an attendee to engage in the content -- even if you give them every opportunity to do so. Greg Fuson, Conference Organizer, Content Curator and Writer probably said it best at PCMA's Convening Leaders Conference in January:

"Engagement is a term that is very much in danger of becoming a cliche. It is so overused with the meetings community I think that it's this sort of nice, warm and fuzzy term that we like to use because people want to hear it."

In Part 1 of this blog posting, lets examine what you can do initiate interest before the event (think online dating). In Part 2, which will run Friday, lets focus on the things you can do when your attendees are at the event. 

Engagement Tip #1: Community Counts

Creating an engaging online community where individuals can get to know each other before the conference is where the networking and collaboration begins. There are several free ones available including: a LinkedIn Group, Facebook Fan Page, Google+ Community or Twitter Hashtag. Posting value-driven content and asking questions in these locations should spark conversations and help individuals feel as if they belong to your event. 

Engagement Tip #2: Crowdsource Content

Asking your online community what they want to hear about, who they want to hear it from and giving them the capability to vote on the content and presenters is powerful stuff. But taking it a step further, David Serino, Strategist & Educator at Think Social Media says you need to ask your attendees the following, "What would it take to get people here? How should we develop the conference? What do you think is important?" 

Engagement Tip #3: Surprise Them by Changing Up the Meeting Pattern

Most attendees sign up for a meeting and expect it to be held in a hotel or conference center with the same seating and food that they have experienced hundreds of times. The problem is those meeting platforms are boring and stale. Meet somewhere completely new...such as a national park, college campus or botanical garden. Somewhere that can cue up a completely different responses than a cold and boring conference space. 

However, if you must meet in a traditional setting, take a meal or an afternoon to a unique location. I remember when I was in training at IBM, the trainers hired a bus company and escorted all 35 of us to a local park for a BBQ and fun games -- such as three-legged races and pie eating contests. That was the best time of the entire 4-week training period and it occurred over 30 years ago. My point: if the trainers would have told us about it, it would not have been as much fun. But surprising us stayed in our memory! 

Engagement Tip #4: Give Attendees What They Like

Complete attendee evaluations with Audience Response System rentals and invite the top three speakers back the following year. This creates a win-win because it allows presenters to book business 12 months in advance and it allows attendees to see the speakers that they loved the following year. 

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions can put some creative options together for you to keep your attendees in the ultimate engagement mode! Give them a call at 888-249-4903 to get the ball rolling! 

I can't imagine the life of a professional speaker nowadays. They have to compete constantly for the attention of their audience. They have to be a subject-matter expert, entertaining and present their message in short, bite-sized chunks. 

So, given all these demands, what can a presenter do to make certain they are memorable? Art Markman, Founding member at Maximizing Mind, LLC recently wrote a book called "Smart Thinking" where he presented "The Role of 3" --  meaning individuals can only remember three distinct things about any experience.

Here are some of the highlights from the book and three key takeaways of how interactive technology tool rentals can help any meeting planner.

1. PREPARE
   
   As a speaker in today's fast-paced world, a presenter need to ask the following questions of their event services organization: 
   
   How much time do I have? Whatever the length of time, the presenter should prepare to spend two minutes per slide if they are using PowerPoint presentation equipment.  For example, if they are allocated 30 minutes for their talk, they should have no more than 15 slides. 
   
   What does the audience want to know? Gathering as many facts about your attendees as possible, will help your speakers tailor their presentation to the needs of the attendees.  
   
   What is the demographic make-up of the attendees? Understanding who the attendees are and how they most effectively learn, can help your presenters shape a talk that will be the most impactful on your audience. 
    
2. REVIEW
   
   "Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them." 
   
   The first slide and last slide should be the same -- highlighting the three key points of the talk. The presentation unfolds a story about those points complete with photos, graphics and videos. Slides that are complicated, wordy or off-base will just confuse and ultimately lose the focus of the audience. Keep the messaging simple and repeatable. 
    
3. PAY ATTENTION
   
   Presenters need to look out into their audience and read the facial expressions and body positioning of the group. Are they moving in and listening to the message or are they distracted? It is important to keep the attendees engaged in the message and it is easy to do through interactive technology tool rentals such as wireless Audience Response Systems, mobile device polling or social media conversations. Encourage attendees to interact at the session and make sure your speakers are constantly reading and reacting to their body language. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of SmartSource Rentals, has presentation services audio visual equipment, Audience Response rental units, iPads and much, much more to help your speakers connect with attendees. 

If you are like me, you have had a few brushes with the term "Big Data" over the last few months.  And even though I come from a technical background, I have never really understood this concept -- until now. Today's blog will explain what it is, how it works and why event planners need to pay attention to it at every meeting they hold. 

WHAT IS BIG DATA? 

Big Data is defined in the following way, as paraphrased from Wikipedia: 

Big data is a collection of data so large and complex that it is difficult to process using traditional data processing tools. The challenges include capture, curation, storage,search, sharing, transfer, and analysis of this data which allows individuals to spot business trends, determine quality of research, and determine real-time conditions. 

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

The majority of the data that exists in the world today has been created over the last few years. Everything that is connected to the Internet -- such as your smartphone, social networks and even your car --- is constantly producing data and transporting it to the cloud in the sky. 

The sheer amount of data could cause most meeting and event planners to simply ignore it because it is too big to tackle. But according to Brian Solis, Principal at Altimeter Group and author of What's the Future of Business: Changing the Way Businesses Create Experiences says that planners need to use Big Data to understand how attendees move through and are talking about their event.  

WHY PLANNERS NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT

According to Solis, technology is going to continue to evolve faster than our ability to adapt. That is why apps and hardware platforms come and go. However, three things are certain -- attendees are going to be...

• More connected
• More empowered and
• More informed 

...as technology continues to improve and social channels and online communities become more mainstream. Planners will need to pay attention to what  is happening in the digital stratosphere if they wish to stay on top of what attendees want and need.  

WHAT CAN PLANNERS DO TO ENABLE ATTENDEES TO BE MORE CONNECTED, EMPOWERED AND INFORMED?  

• Rent iPads and pre-load social platforms onto them such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Foursquare. Encourage attendees to connect with each other at the conference and post information about what they are experience on their social platforms to their connections. 
   
• Crowdsource all or part of your agenda through an online community where attendees can suggest potential speakers and topics. Allow them to vote on their preferences. Once attendees are at the conference, encourage them to post regularly on their social channels and have speakers, sponsor, exhibitors and staff monitor the social channels regularly to respond to questions, concerns and complaints. 
   
• Continue to push data about your meeting or event out to social channels before, during and after the meeting so conference goers can feel they have the information they need to be better leaders within their organization. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, is your national Total Technology Solution Provider! Give them a call at 888.249.4903 to get the process started! 

Until about five years ago, sponsorship of your meeting, event or trade show was as simple as taking candy from a baby. You had to do a brief pitch to the hotel, CVB or partner, give them a membership list and 5-minute commercial at the start of your meeting. However, over the last few years, sponsorship dollars have become harder and take more time to secure. This doesn't mean it is impossible, it just means your approach needs to change. 

In a recent edition of BizBash Magazine, they identified the things sponsors want right now. Below are four of the ways to work with potential sponsors and get them committed to your event every time. 

COMPELLING CONTENT WORKS

Do not approach sponsors until you have your agenda fully developed -- complete with speakers and key takeaways. When sponsors can get excited about your content and are jazzed to participate in your event, you know you have sold them. 

CONTENT WITH LEGS

The ability to promote your sponsors in the digital space is very important. How will you use social backchannels to promote your content and sponsors at the same time? Rent iPads for your attendees and encourage them to use Twitter as a way to stay connected to their followers. In addition, hosting a "Tweetup" where Twitter followers can meet one another face-to-face can energize attendees and encourage them to follow more individuals. Facebook, LinkedIn and blogs can also weave in sponsor messaging. The more buzz about the conference in the digital arena, the more likely sponsors are going to want to sign up for your session. 

FAST & RELIABLE WI-FI

Attendees, exhibitors, speakers and sponsors want robust Internet access when and where they need it. The ability for sponsors to respond to inquiries, hold contests or survey attendees on a real-time basis is what they expect. If there is any delay or inability to gain access the Wi-Fi, your ability to retain that sponsor is very low. 

"You can design and activate all the compelling online social media activations you could possibly imagine, but if your guests or patrons cannot access the information in a timely fashion -- or the sponsor cannot deliver all of the information that is created --- the content can be devalued from a performance and impression standpoint," stated Mark Yumkas, President at Angel City Designs. 

Wi-Fi network array rentals can help boost the bandwidth at the venue and serve as a sponsorship opportunity on your sign-in splash page. 

INTERACTIVE PROGRAMS

Attendees don't just want to look at meeting materials, they want to interact with the products or services. Sponsors want attendees to experience their brand because they know a great experience will help with retention when participants are ready to buy. 

"Experiential marketing has been a consistent and significant part of our arsenal. It's an element that is a cornerstone of our activations," said Adam Paige, Department Manager Brand Public Relations, Mercedes-Benz USA. 

Attendees can experience a sponsor's brand through photos, videos, games and simulations that can run on large touch screen displays, touch panel kiosks or iPads. 

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions has iPads, computer kiosks, touch screen displays and Wi-Fi network arrays to make your sponsors shine! 

From March 29 through April 7 (yes -- ten days), the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NYC hosted the New York Auto Show where about 1 million individuals attended. What is it about an auto show that gets people buzzing? And why does it attract the same individuals year-after-year? 

Chad Kaydo, Event Trend Expert recently wrote an article for BizBash highlighting some of the booth trends from this year's show. Below are his observations about some of the more trendy booths and my own translations about the mystic and allure of an auto show.