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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. 

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! 

With all the sights, sounds and visual stimulation we are bombarded with everyday, have you ever wondered what the most effective method is for retention of your conference information?  You aren't the only one --- and a recent PCMA article by Barbara Palmer titled "Audio/Visual Neurological" identifies the best ways attendees learn and retain information. 

Andrea Sullivan, Organizational Performance Consultant for BrainStrength Systems aptly put it this way, "With meetings and events, there is a big question: How do we actually go to these things and retain anything? Knowing what we know now about how the brain processes information and how we experience events, AV really needs to be a part of a learning design and a strategy."

• 83% of learning occurs visually
• 17% of learning happens through sound, smell, taste and touch combined

Retention and Visual Imagery

• 65% of attendees retain the speaker's message when it is combined with their words and visual imagery
• 10% of attendees retain the speaker's message when it is words only

Learning and AV -- The ways to learn from best to worst:

• Hearing and graphics
• Graphics alone
• Reading and graphics
• Hearing, reading and graphics
• Hearing and reading
• Reading text
• Hearing the spoken word

Here are three additional takeaways from the research: 

• Even though sight is the most dominate sense, do not throw away your PowerPoint presentation equipment! According to Sullivan, PowerPoint is used improperly because it has too much text on each slide. Sullivan states, "Our brains process text by first translating it into spoken words, but images don't go through that step." Bottom line: Less text and more images. 
   
• Music in your meeting helps set the mood. According to Sullivan, one form of audio sensory input that starts nearly every region of our brain is music. If it ties into the message on the slides or is integrated into the video presentation, it can be very effective because it triggers an emotional response. Bottom line: Music matters.
   
• Color influences our mood, too. Sullivan states, "Warm colors, such as reds and oranges, produce animated states while blue creates a quiet, inward focus. If I am doing brainstorming or strategic planning, I will definitely bring in blue. I do project management trainings...I will use red." Bottom line: Color counts. 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment provider, can help you with all your AV rental needs to make your meeting more impactful with your attendees. From presentation services audio visual equipment to sound and lighting rentals, they have it all! Give them a call at 888.249.4903 to get the process started! 

Planning your next meeting or conference and need to send out a series of RFPs from the food and beverage to renting audio visual equipment? You are not alone! Meeting planners, no matter the size of the meeting, desire to obtain high quality responses so they can move forward to the next part of the logistical process.

What is the best way to make this happen? Here are four steps that should make it easier for your vendors to respond and give you better quality quotes in the process. 

1. Provide a complete RFP.
   
   Give yourself enough time to develop a complete spec sheet of what you are looking for. Have multiple people from your team review it to make certain you have left "no stone unturned." 
   
   If you are new to the RFP process, check out the CIC APEX form. You can download it for free from the website. To get started: http://www.conventionindustry.org/StandardsPractices/APEX/RFPWorkbook.aspx
    
2. Give your vendors enough time to provide you with a well thought, quality response. 
   
   To obtain a professional response, you need to give your suppliers enough time to complete the RFP. If the request is simple, 1-3 business days should be enough but if the request is complex, give potential partners more time to prepare a creative and complete quote. Many vendors put your RFP in the trash because they are not given enough time to give a thorough response. Several days to weeks may be the right amount of time to allow for this process. 
    
3. Be aware of the canned response. 
   
   If your give your suppliers enough time to respond and they still give you an "also ran" proposal, this may be an indicator of a company you do not want to do business with. They are reading your request at a surface level, pulling up their last response and just changing the information to include your name and telephone number. 
   
   In addition, be leery of an organization that asks no questions or very few. They are either in the business of cranking out RFPs or they just do not want to take the time to get to know more about your event business.  
    
4. Encourage conversation. 
   
   The best RFP process allows vendors to ask questions and provide creative responses. Remember that one question may lead to several others so it is best to leave time for adequate dialog back and forth. This will also help your vendor put their best foot forward and respond accordingly. So much information can be cleared up in a simple telephone call or meeting. 

AV Event Solutions wants to provide you with the best RFP response! Based in California and now part of SmartSource Rentals, a national Total Technology firm, they can offer your organization creative AV solutions. Get the process started with their express quote form today! 

Are you looking for a better meeting? You want to enhance the meeting experience for your participants and you know you need to do it in order to keep attendees coming back, your trade show thriving and sponsors satisfied. So how can you do it -- given the fact that you have so little time and no budget increase? 

Just like anything else in life, your meeting or event requires a plan that will focus on the attendee, exhibitors, sponsors, presenters and suppliers. How can you make your meeting plan better? Follow the 3 D's for success. Here they are:

DEFINE

What are the goals and objectives of the meeting?

Do you need to have a meeting or can the action required be handled through an email, teleconference or webinar?

Make certain to answer the following questions early on:

• ​What will be presented and who will present it?
• Who will be invited to attend the meeting?
• When will you hold it?
• Where will the event be held?
• How will attendees get there?

The more focused you are on the goals, objectives and content of the event, the more likely you will choose the right format. 

DESIGN

Having the right meeting space that encourages engagement is important; along with the use of all 5 senses in that space. The meeting room should be viewed as comfortable and stylish. Here are some things to consider: 

• The right sound and lighting rental options will help you welcome attendees and keep them engaged. Make certain everyone can see and hear the presentation. 
• Touch technology delivered through tablets, smartphones and computer kiosks provide that tactical feel that keeps attendees interacting with content. 
• Food and beverages in the meeting room summon the attendee's smell and taste senses. 
• And remember to provide a meeting room that is neither too hot or too cold.  Keeping your attendee's comfortable will keep them focused on your message.

Spending time designing the space -- especially with the right lighting, sound and presentation services audio visual equipment -- will help set the stage for a great conference with your attendees. All along the planning process, ask this question "Would I feel welcome and engaged in this environment?"

DO

Now that you have defined and designed your meeting, you need to execute it. So what will keep attendees happy? Here are a few ideas:

• Have Fun. Create ways for attendees to laugh and learn. It can be anything from gamification to a scavenger hunt to really interesting speakers. Think of ways to keep people smiling.
• Provide Fresh Content. This is probably one the biggest challenges event planners have...making sure their speakers are providing attendees with the most current and relevant information. 
• Constantly poll attendees. Either through a wireless Audience Response System (ARS) or a mobile app, taking the temperature of the attendee at all times is the key to your long-term success and responding to their real-time needs. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, can help you design, execute, attract and engage with as many attendees as possible at your next event! 

Your event has been in the works for months and even though February and March can be iffy travel months due to weather, you have planned plenty of time for your attendees and presenters to arrive, right? Maybe so and maybe not.

According to FlightStats.com, an estimated 36,680 global flights were canceled and over 560,000 were delayed in just the last 30 days --- mostly due to weather. So what can you do if a significant number of your speakers and attendees get stuck either at home or at the airport? Just like the saying goes, "Make lemonade out of lemons". Turn your face-to-face meeting into a hybrid meeting. 

Here is a checklist of what to do if your speaker is stranded, your attendees are delayed or worst case scenario -- both your speaker and attendees are not going to make it. 

HYBRID SCENARIO #1: Your Presenter or Presenters Are Not Coming. 

First, always get your speaker's presentations days in advance and pre-load them onto your presentation services audio visual equipment. The audio visual technician can test and make certain everything is set up and ready to go. 

Second, select a platform for backup. Will you use Skype, Google Hangout or some other platform to allow the presenter to video conference into the meeting? Having Plasma TV rentals available for the audience to view will help them connect to the speaker while they are talking. 

Third, ask your speakers to come in a full-day early. Making this a requirement of your conference can potentially alleviate this issue and allow them to network naturally with attendees. 

Fourth, have an onsite facilitator that can be a conduit between the speaker and the audience. One thing is for sure, the presenter sitting in an airport lounge will not be able to read the body language and gage the interest level of attendees -- but a live facilitator will. That person can guide the virtual speaker and help them remain connected to the audience. 

HYBRID SCENARIO #2: Some of Your Attendees Are Not Going to Make it. 

First, know where your attendees are coming from and check the weather pattern one to three days in advance. It is not a matter of if bad weather is coming, it is just a matter of when it will hit. Knowing how many of your attendees are going to be effected by a snowstorm, hurricane or fog can help you determine what you need to do. 

Second, select a platform and check your bandwidth. If 200 attendees are going to be virtually connected to the meeting, you will need to have a more sophisticated bridge available to prevent buffering or lag time. Utilizing a wireless network array rental can boost your bandwidth and provide local and remote attendees with a fast, secure and robust connection. 

Third, ask virtual attendees to go to a quiet place. If they are at the airport, go into the lounge. At a hotel, stay in their room. And if they are at home, ask them to be somewhere away from the telephone, TV and dog. 

Need help with Wi-Fi network arrays and interactive technology tool rentals? Look no further than AV Event Solutions to be your California meeting equipment supplier! Check out their Facebook page for great tips on Wi-Fi connections and other meeting ideas! 

Think back to your last meeting or event: Were attendees confused or frustrated with your signage? Were they constantly getting lost and asking others for help in locating breakout rooms or finding a particular trade show floor exhibitor? 

You can spend the time, money, and effort on printed signage -- but in the end, most attendees do not see it because it is not vibrant or visible enough to get noticed. In our real-time interactive world, do you really want to trust those posters and banners to meet your attendees needs? They were created to direct and inform the attendee somewhere or toward something. Why spend hundreds -- if not thousands of dollars --- to be ignored when a digital signage rental can bring life to your signs?

Here are the four reasons why you need to invest in digital signage today:

Reason #1: Your messaging can be dynamic. 

Digital signage can display a twitter feed one moment and information about a change in programming the next. Because this signage can display colorful text and imagery, attendees are more likely to notice it versus a printed piece that is static. 

Reason #2: You do not have to ship, uncurl and hang your signage. 

Most printed signage comes in a tube or large cardboard box. If it is a banner, you have to uncurl it and either hang it yourself or wait for the venue staff to hang it for you (which by the way, their time may end up on your master bill). 

A local conference equipment rental company can provide you digital signage that they will set up, maintain and remove after your meeting is over. Digital signage is also a great environmental solution because there is no waste and it can used over and over again. 

Reason #3: You can get creative with your messaging. 

Because digital signage is real-time, the display options are endless. You can have live video streaming from the general session, twitter feeds, speaker bios displaying their photos videos and copy, a trade show map, sponsor information and your organization's logo just to name a few.  

No more directional arrows velcroed to a poster or engaging multitudes of volunteers to get attendees where they need to be. Digital signage is the better alternative. 

Reason #4: You do not have to worry about typos or misprints. 

Have you ever received your signage and found a typo? If yes, then you had to decide: a) to display it anyway, b) try to correct it or c) trash it. These are not great options because they can affect your organization's professional image or leave attendees with no signage at all. 

Digital signage is very easy to fix -- if there is a typo, it can be corrected in a matter of a few moments.   

Use an audio visual vendor you can trust. Rely on the experts at AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rental family, to advise you on the best digital signage configuration to meet your event needs. They have the audio visual experts across the country that can walk you through the entire process. To learn more, give them a call at 888-249-4903 today! 

Even though we are seeing better economic times, many meeting and event planners are still faced with stagnant budgets. With certain revenue opportunities in question, such as sponsorships and trade show participation, planners are constantly looking for ways to cut costs AND keep attendees satisfied.

Below are seven simple, yet effective ways to cut costs out of your budget that should have minimal impact on the attendee:  

BEVERAGES

Eliminate individual servings of water and soda. 

Providing water and soda stations is not only more economical but it also has ecological benefits. By providing these stations in tactical locations and using a 2:1 ratio of water to soda, you will have a positive effect on your beverage bill. 

Cancel receptions, limit the hours or make it a cash bar. 

Alcohol can be a very costly line item on your BEO (Banquet Event Order). If the reception has been apart of your event for a very long time, eliminating it may cause attendee dissatisfaction. One way to avoid this is to have a limited happy hour with limited selections, such as beer and wine only. Or providing one drink for free and the rest on a cash basis. 

FOOD

Be creative about conference start and end times. 

Start an all-day meeting after breakfast and end it before dinner. If you cannot afford to provide lunch for attendees, give them enough time to explore the city, have lunch and come back refreshed. If you choose to have lunch onsite, reduce the cost by providing boxed lunches or a buffet-style serving option. 

SPEAKERS & PRESENTERS

Negotiate reduced fees by allowing them to promote and sell their materials. 

Many presenters will speak for free or a heavily discounted rate if they can sell their books, CDs or DVDs during your event. However, do not lose sight of the fact that your speakers still need to be subject matter experts and engage with your audience. A free speaker that is lousy or off-topic cannot make up for attendee dissatisfaction. So be careful because once you lose that attendee, it will be hard to get them back to your conference. 

CONTRACTS

Consider a multi-year and/or multi-event contract with your suppliers. 

When renting audio visual equipment, meeting space and other entities, know that most suppliers are able to give you greater discounts if they can look at the total dollar value of your business. 

If your business revenue is large enough, be sure to ask for comps. 

Depending on the business you are bringing to the venue or supplier, ask if there are fees they are willing to waive or items they can "throw in" for free. 

LOCAL SOURCING

By hiring local speakers, entertainment and suppliers, you are saving money on transportation, accommodations and supporting the local economy. Local conference equipment rental companies are more knowledgeable about the event venue and can most likely meet your needs in a tight timeframe. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, provides interactive technology tool rentals in California, New York and 20 other locations around the United States. They offer more than AV; it is all about the complete customer experience! Contact them today at 888-249-4903 to speak to an experienced Account Executive about their meeting equipment rental options. 

The ASAE Foundation, Exhibition Industry Foundation, Freeman, Gaylord Entertainment and the PCMA Education Foundation recently completed research about the future of convention exhibits and tradeshows. They gathered data from a variety of forums including LinkedIn discussion groups, PCMA Leader Summits in Toronto and Nashville and the PCMA Master Series where they interviewed over 300 industry professionals about what they predict the tradeshow arena will look like in 2016. 

Scenarios for the Future: Convention Exhibits & Tradeshows of 2016 is the 36-page report consolidating their findings. Below, is a summary of three of the major takeaways and my thoughts on how interactive technology tool rentals can play a part in this process. 
 

1. Stay on Digital Alert and Implement Technology

The event team needs to be early adapters to technology, be aware of changes taking place in their exhibitors space and be ready to defend their event or increase their competitive posture with said technology. 

THOUGHTS: It is hard to say what new gadgets will be available in three years and how they will alter the exhibitor floor, but the point is trade shows are going to have to constantly evolve through technological offerings. It will no longer be an option to say "no thanks" or "not this year" to the technology that attendees want. You must have it or they will stay home. 

2. Data, Data, Data. 

"Big Data" as marketing researchers call it, will help guide the successful design and execution of an event -- for exhibitors, attendees and organizers. Having a way to collect, analyze and respond to the data will need to happen at the event to make real-time changes. 

THOUGHTS: Because there is so much data available at our fingertips now, it is easy to imagine that event organizers will have much more powerful mobile devices with apps to give instantness trending and prediction markets. This data should shape the planning and implementation of trade shows thus making the process attendee driven and very fluid. 
 

3. Determine What You Need and Plan for it. 
   
   In 2016, event planners and exhibitors will complete a capabilities audit to determine if they have the resources and expertise in-house or they need to outsource it. If a decision is made to outsource, the vendors will need to be trustworthy and be able to respond to event needs in a fast and efficient manner. 

THOUGHTS: Now is the time for event planners to build relationships and trust with their suppliers, including conference equipment rental organizations. Finding suppliers that are going to be around in the long-haul and ones that can provide solutions in a fast and efficient manner will be important for trade show success. 

​Deborah Sexton, President and CEO of PCMA sums up these findings in the following way, " The convention exhibits and tradeshows professional needs new options versus the current model. So the goal of this investigation was to...envision what the future may look like and provide some guidance for discussions and actions that can happen to help our industry position (itself) for success." 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rental family, can provide you with great meeting equipment with competitive pricing and will be here to work with you through 2016! Give them a call at 888-249-4903 to speak with one of their Account Executives!

Last Sunday's Big Game is probably one of the most hyped, talked about, and watched sports game on TV. It is bigger than the World Series® and the NBA® Finals. It has broad mass appeal and it provides something for everyone. It is a reason to gather at someone's home or a local establishment. Even if you do not understand football very well, it is a game you would go to, just so you could scratch it off your bucket list. 

What is it about last Sunday's football game that is so great and what can meeting planners learn from it? Here are five analogies we can use in the industry: 

Truth #1: There are Fans in the Stands and the Teams Play Before a Sold-Out Crowd.

The Big Game has very high ticket prices along with costly accommodations BUT they always sell out. The fans are very passionate and excited to be part of the experience. 

Is your meeting always sold out? Are your attendees excited and passionate to be there? Are they rooting for a successful meeting? If not, perhaps your meeting needs an overhaul. Poll your attendees at each meeting with Wireless Audience Response Systems and find out what will make them excited to be there. 

Truth #2: The Ravens and 49ers Earned Their Spot Through a System of Playoffs. 

Each team needed to play well during the regular season and then, play extremely well during the playoffs. These two teams are the "best of the best" the NFL® has to offer. As the season and playoffs progressed, the fans became more and more excited and engaged in the hopes that their team would make it to the Big Game. 

One way to garner excitement about your event is to start small and build momentum. If you are planning a national product launching event later this year, maybe you start with a local meeting in your city, followed by a series of regional meetings and then finally, the national launch. By starting small, you can accomplish two things: 1) You can learn from your mistakes and 2) You can build  momentum about the event. 

Truth #3: Football has 11 people on Each Team, and Everyone Knows Their Position. 

At the line of scrimmage, every team member whether they are offense or defense knows their role in the game. 

Meeting planners are usually working with at least 11 different suppliers, including conference equipment rental providers. Does everyone know their place and more importantly, do they work as a team? 

Truth #4: Football has Only One Head Coach. 

Yes, there are assistant coaches guiding the head coach and team mates but when decisions need to be made, the head coach makes them. He listens, watches, and then makes the call based on the best information he has at the time. 

Are you acting like the head coach of your team? Are you directing your team toward a winning event, even under the threat of great competition? 

Truth #5: Football Provides a View from Top. 

A coach is positioned up in a box viewing all the action on the field. They can see all the activity, both offense and defense, and make recommendations to the head coach based on this view. 

Do you have someone that can help you call in the audibles? See what you cannot because you are too close to the action? Having an outside view can help improve your event because they are not "down on the field" running the day-to-day action. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource rental family, wants to be a member of your team when you are looking at renting audio visual equipment. Give them a call at 888-249-4903 to get started! 

Three short years ago, Blackberry was sitting pretty. They had roughly 40% of the smartphone market share and every business professional I know was carrying one. How the world changes in a flash of time. Just last year, Blackberry considered selling its RIM operating system to Amazon or Facebook as an attempt to save the company. A few days ago, they introduced a new version of RIM, but it is probably  too little, too late for the Canadian phone company. 

Palm was the darling of smartphone technology before Blackberry and are now defunct due to their acquisition by HP in 2010.  However, do you know anyone who owns a Palm or HP phone? Me neither. 

Here is the estimated global smartphone market share in 2010 and 2013:  

So what can event meeting services organizations take away from this information? Here are the four pertinent lessons all planners can observe from this market shift.

#1: Never rest on your laurels. 

Blackberry and Palm thought they had the greatest product going and no one would beat them out. They both had a small, easy-to-use phone that had great navigation. However, they were missing apps and touch screen technology -- a mainstay of today's smartphones. 

Are you resting on your meeting laurels? When is the last time you really looked at your meeting, conference, and convention and examined every aspect of it? 

#2: Pay attention to your customer's wants. 

Did Blackberry and Palm do everything a customer needed at a good price point? Absolutely! But did they do what the customer wanted? No! Individuals in 2013, want to connect to email, voicemail, social channels, apps, use their phone to upload pics and video and much, much more. And they want to touch the screen or use their voice to find information (although most would agree that Siri is a bust on the iPhone). The customer wants constant improvement and they are willing to pay for it. 

Do you pay great attention to what your meeting participants want? Are you expecting their wants or are you waiting until they scream for something new? 

#3: Customers are fickle. 

Most cell phone providers lock their customers into a 2-year contract so the best case scenario for a smartphone manufacturer is they have that customer for two years. Then, the customer goes to the store and looks at all their options. But before they enter the store, they have asked around to friends and family to see what others recommend. And over the last three years, many individuals have changed from their previous platform to try something new. 

Your attendees are fickle too. With all the options available to them -- face-to-face and virtual meetings, webinars, webcasts, or no meetings at all -- and associations and organizations competing for the business, now is not the time to take attendees for granted. If there is a better, cheaper, or more valuable way to learn they will take it. 

#4: Continual improvement is the name of the game. 

Apple and Google get it. They are constantly improving their operating system and apps in an effort to keep competitive. They are driven to achieve more market share. They listen to their development teams and customers. They won't stop until they have more. 

How are you constantly improving your meeting? Are you introducing more interactive technology tool rentals to make the meeting more engaging and visual? Are you hiring only the best speakers and the ones the attendees really want to hear from? Are you providing a warm and inviting meeting environment? 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, is your California meeting equipment supplier and they are ready and willing to work with you on your conference services needs! 

With flatter organizations, an increase in responsibilities and technology improvements, some of your potential attendees may feel they don't have the time for long, multi-day meetings or are inclined to catch the presentation in the comfort of their office via a webcast. In addition, with the emergence of Gen Y attendees who are constantly multi-tasking, long drawn out meetings can have the connotation of being boring. 

But the overriding question is: How do you design a meeting that is long enough to meet the attendee's objectives but short enough to get them there and engaged?  Here are 8 tips to make certain your meeting is the right length of time. 

Short and Sweet Tip #1: Identify the core purpose of the meeting. 

Do you really need to have a meeting or can your message be conveyed via an email or conference call? If a face-to-face meeting makes the most sense, attendees need to know the purpose, key takeaways, speaker bio, and time allowed for the meeting. 

Short and Sweet Tip #2: Choose a presentation style that forces brevity. 

You can be creative in your approach, but here are the 3 most common short presentation options:  

• Pecha Kucha is a presentation methodology in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each. The total presentation is 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
• Ignite gives presenters 5 minutes to speak about their ideas on 20 slides where each slide is displayed for 15 seconds.
• TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) where speakers are given 18 minutes to present their ideas in the most innovative and engaging ways they can. 

If you have multiple speakers, be certain to load all the talks onto the presentation services audio visual equipment hours before the session starts. 

Short and Sweet Tip #3: Load all the presentations onto mobile devices. 

If you rent iPads, all the presentations can be loaded onto the tablet so attendees can review each presentation before the meeting and have their questions and comments prepared in advance.  

Short and Sweet Tip #4: Give them a hashtag.

Having the ability to communicate via Twitter or another online community, will keep all comments, questions, and complaints in a central location so attendees do not have to be redundant. In addition, event organizers and speakers can answer those questions before, during and after the session to save valuable time. 

Short and Sweet Tip #5: If you have multiple speakers for multiple days, consider a video wall rental unit. 

A video wall is a great way for attendees to gather and catch videos of your speakers, check to see if there have been any last minute changes to the schedule, view the conference twitter feed, or obtain directional signage to each break-out session. This can be a gathering place for attendees before the meeting starts and during breaks. 

Short and Sweet Tip #6: Provide plenty of networking time. 

Hold networking functions before and after your meeting and make it mandatory for your speakers to stay during this time. Attendees can ask questions of the presenters in a more informal setting thus helping the attendee feel more connected to your meeting. 

Short and Sweet Tip #7: Start and end your meeting on time.  

Short and Sweet Tip #8: If you have breakout sessions for brainstorming, hire a professional facilitator to keep the conversation on track and on schedule. 

AV Event Solutions can help make your next meeting short and sweet through their complete suite of interactive technology tool rentals, including iPads, video walls, and much, much more! Check out their express quote form to get started!

Many times, event meeting services organizations see the meeting world as black and white. Either attendees are local or remote. They are coming to the meeting or they are not. They are either paying attention to the speaker or they are glued to their smartphone. 

However in 2013, there are a lot of shades of gray when it comes to meetings. While face-to-face meetings are still effective and have great advantages, online backchannels are going to become more and more important to the attendee as they wish to stay connected to the meeting AND the office or home environment. 

Bizzabo, a social networking company, recently posted an infographic highlighting how face-to-face meetings and social media collide in a good way. Here are the highlights:

In the United States alone, the event meeting services industry generates or produces every year:

• $263 Billion in Direct Spending
• 1.7 Million Jobs
• 205 Million Attendees
• 1.8 Million Meetings

Face-to-Face Meetings are Still Very Important Because:

• There is better communication among attendees, presenters, exhibitors and sponsors
• The speaker can read the attendees' body language and facial expressions
• Whether it is at the exhibitor booth, in a meeting or at a networking function -- there are real-time, instant reactions
• Presenters can express humor better and
• Human contact builds trust. 
   
• 83% of businesspersons believe that developing personal relationships is the key to doing business and 
• 53% think that video conferencing and web-based meetings are a poor substitute for F2F meetings

Yet, Mobile Technology Use is Building

• There has been a 63% increase of smartphone shipments since 2011
• 74% of smartphone owners use location-based services to check-in or check-out nearby services such as restaurants and attractions and 
• 35% make purchases on them.

By 2015, more people will access the Internet from a mobile device than a PC. 

How Social Media Helps Networking

• 70% of #eventprofs tweets are during live events
• 61% of attendees use LinkedIn to keep in touch with their contacts and 
• The average user is logged onto social media 8.5 hours per month

Here are the Key Takeaways: 

1. Face-to-Face Meetings are still important because they build business relationships and allow speakers to shift their message based on attendee cues. 
2. Meetings help stimulate the local economy through jobs and taxes, and will continue to be produced and 
3. With the explosion of smartphones and mobile apps, these devices will be used for social media conversations, web based apps, and purchases -- which may mean that more attendees will register for conferences via their smartphones. 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment supplier, can provide you with interactive technology tool rentals for your next face-to-face meeting including iPads and Wi-Fi network arrays! Give them a call at (888) 249-4903 to get started!

Wouldn't it be great if your attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, employees and/or executive team left your meeting or event totally motivated and clamoring for more? It seems to be the latest trend in everything we see and do -- the "wow" factor. We expect it at the movies, at an amusement park and even now with meetings and events. 

With a limited budget and a conservative management team, how can you make your events seem more like a Hollywood production and less like a stilted presentation? Follow these 6 tips and you might just do it!

Spend Time Selecting the Right Location and Venue. 

Whether your meeting is on location or off, a local meeting or thousands of miles away, take the time to make the meeting location work for you. Learn all about the local attractions, food and customs. Sometimes the people who live the closest to the attractions are the ones who never take the time to see them. Choose a city, venue and/or space that you can get excited about and then spread that excitement to the other attendees. 

Hire Great Presenters and Entertainment and -- if Possible -- Entertaining Presenters. 

Really spend the time getting "the best of the best." With YouTube, live streaming of presentations and peer review communities, there is no excuse in a complete vetting of your speakers and entertainment. Today's attendees want to learn in an interactive and entertaining fashion. 

Great Food with a Flair for Presentation and Local Traditions Sell.

Contract a creative caterer that can tie local food choices into the menu. The food must be good, but presenting it well on the plate is also important. Attendees always talk about the food and most conference service organizations come up short because the choices are too bland, limited,or have no local influence. 

Let Lighting Set the Mood. 

Decorative, bold, and colorful light equipment rentals set the tone for the meeting. Even a company auditorium can be set up with creative lighting options. As attendees walk into the meeting room, make sure the lighting is giving off a warm and inviting atmosphere. 

First and Last Impressions Count. 

A friendly event meeting services team to greet attendees, sponsors and exhibitors when they arrive will make an impression on them. Don't forget to check the outside of the venue (including the parking lot), foyer and restrooms. Most individuals make an assumption about the venue based on what they see when they arrive on site. 

Start out with your best speaker and finish with your second-best presenter. People rarely remember the middle of a program but they will almost always remember the first and last part of it. 

Make it Fun and Interactive.

Having scavenger hunts, icebreakers, gamification, and tweet-ups creates a fun, learning environment. Rent iPads loaded with social channels and networking tools. Have great contest prizes and create some suspense and intrigue with your event. 

AV Event Solutions is a conference equipment rental company that can provide you with great technology options for your next meeting or event! Get started by filling out their express quote form and someone will get back to you within 4 business hours!

Everyone has heard the terms, "content matters" and "content is king". But what do these terms really mean for all of us in the event meeting services industry? It is hard to put your finger on what good content is, but just like a good book or great piece of art, you will know it when you see it. 

However, I like this definition from Search Engine Land (of which I tailored for the meeting industry): 

"Fresh, high-quality content is living content that is regularly updated and added to. It is delivered for attendees and it is presented well. It is shared through social media. It’s about what’s happening this week, today, right now." 

However, most presenters don't fit this bill and this may be one reason your attendance is falling off. 

So, what can you do about it? Today, we identify the 4 most egregious content killers and what you can do to fix them. Here they are: 

Content Killer #1: Your Attendees Are Not Engaged. 

Having a committee to select speakers and topics is old school. Ignoring attendee's wants and needs is not going to cut it any longer. 

Attendees want to be engaged in the content selection and creation at every level -- before, during and after the event. Allow them to crowdsource the agenda, vote on speakers, and even have a say of where and when to meet. This can all be handled through an online community. When onsite, rent iPads so attendees can make notes, send the presenter questions or comments and curate meeting content on their social channels. 

Content Killer #2: The Presentation is Out-of-Touch and Boring. 

Many meeting planners hire "tried and true" speakers because they have worked for the group in the past. However, these speakers haven't updated their presentation in years and even though they are subject matter experts they are considered boring by today's standards. 

Attendees want speakers that are presenting fresh content that is relevant to their job, industry and/or life. Presenters have to keep up and let the attendee into the conversation through questions, comments and working in small groups. They also have to have some entertainment value either through humor or story telling. 

Content Killer #3: The Speaker is Long Winded and Has a Structured Q & A. 

Speakers utilize PowerPoint presentation equipment, talk for 60-90 minutes and then take questions from the floor. By the time Q&A happens, many attendees have forgotten what they were going to ask. 

What about trying to get the audience to converse with your speakers right from the start? Your presenters should ask well-researched, audience driven questions where answers can be obtained through wireless Audience Response Systems, tablets or smartphones. Keeping the conversation going throughout the meeting encourages learning and helps with retention down the road. 

Content Killer #4: Over Scheduled Attendees. 

Many conference services organizations have a "best bang for the buck" mentality when it comes to scheduling speakers. They want to make certain the attendee feels their ROI was achieved so they pack their day with session after session. 

Having short to-the-point presentations with a lot of discussion time and breaks is the key to content success. Making the attendee more relaxed by providing them with small "living room" type settings will allow them to discuss and absorb the material with others. Rather than having back-to-back sessions with 10-minute breaks, why not have 20-minute presentations with 20-minute discussion periods and 20-minute breaks? 

AV Event Solutions is a California meeting equipment supplier and can provide you with the interactive technology tool rentals to make your meeting come alive! 

Okay, maybe I am stretching the truth a bit. There is no way to have a completely stress-free event and most of the time, a little stress is a good thing. However, since the job of Event Planner is considered one of the most stressful jobs you can have, I thought it might be a good thing to try and identify some of the ways you can create a calmer environment as you move into the new year. 

Here are 4 tips that help me keep my work and personal life in balance and I hope they can help you. 

Tip #1: Be Honest and Realistic with All Your Stakeholders. 

The first thing any meeting planner needs to do is find out when the client wants to hold the meeting and their budget range for the whole event. If they want to hold a national sales meeting and are only giving you 90 days to pull it off, you need to either convince them you need more time or walk away from the business. In addition, if they are not willing to allocate the proper amount of dollars for meeting space, renting audio visual equipment, and a marketing campaign, the event will come off as half-baked. 

After all, you are the expert. Be confident in your assessment and be willing to walk away from the business if it will affect your personal reputation. 

Tip #2: Make Certain Your Time is Valued and Compensated. 

It doesn't matter if you are a corporate, association or independent planner -- the old saying "time is money" is very true. Often times when I am planning an event, 5 or 10 additional items need to be executed that neither the client or I anticipated. However, if I complete those things, I need to be compensated for them. Put a true value on your hourly rate and go back to the powers to be and say the following: 

"I will be happy to complete the additional tasks. However, I will need to increase my fee by $____. Is that alright with you or would you prefer to...(have someone else do the work, skip these steps, etc.). 

OR: 

"I will be happy to complete the following tasks. However, it will take me ____ hours to complete which will push the timeline for (another meeting, project, or day-to-day stuff) out further. Is that alright with you?"

Tip #3: Don't Blur Boundaries. 

As much as event planners would like to, we cannot plan and execute events by ourselves. We need to count on several partners to pull them off including: hotel and conference services staff, event audio visual rental companies, the client, sponsors, and exhibitors. The beginning of the planning cycle is a great time to be clear about the responsibilities and expectations of each partner. Trust that they will carry out their respective responsibilities and don't try to tell them how to run their business. 

Tip #4: Keep Everything in Perspective. 

Even if you think everything is going wrong, just remember it probably isn't as bad as you think it is.

I was knocked into reality this week when I was talking to a colleague about one of the meetings I was planning and how I was having a difficult time with the client because attendee numbers were not what they expected. I asked my friend how she was doing -- when she burst into tears and told me she had lost her job the day before. In a flash, all of my problems seemed insignificant in comparison to what she was going through.  

It is important to remember that it is just a meeting or event and yes, you will do your best to make it work. But executing a little patience, sensitivity and trust with all your partners will help build long term relationships with them.

AV Event Solutions is your one-stop partner for all your audio visual needs in the State of California!