Event Planning in California

Mashable, the largest independent news source dedicated to covering digital culture, social media, and technology, had its annual conference last week with about 300 attendees at Walt Disney World's Contempory Resort.

This year was different, however. No presentation was allowed to go over 30 minutes and some were as short as 10 minutes. They managed 32 speakers in their 20 general sessions. On the first day, they were able to pack 4 different presentations into the first 90 minutes! 

"Our speakers have strong points to get across, and often the shorter the presentation, the more powerful it is. We also wanted to steer presenters away from talking too much about themselves. And I think the less time we gave them encouraged them to get right to the point and talk about what matters most," said Jennifer Diamond, Marketing Director at Mashable. 

In order to keep the attendees interactive and engaged, the conference services committee did several things right, including the following:
 

1. One Fell Swoop. They loaded all the presentations for the day onto the Powerpoint presentation equipment in the room, so there was fluidity between speakers with minimum set up time. 
    
2. Mixed it Up. If they had a 30-minute presentation, it was followed by a 10-minute one, followed by a 20-minute segment. The format varied too. Sometimes it was a single speaker on stage and other times a small panel. 
    
3. Obtained a Variety of Speakers. They had individuals from Harvard, TED, American Express, MTV, and Klout -- just to name a few. This made the program more diverse and engaging because they were bringing together several prospectives and opinions about digital topics and trends. 
    
4. Lots of Time for Meals and Deals. The dinners were 2 hours, every break was at least 30 minutes, and they even had a speed networking event at the beginning of the conference that was 90 minutes long. 
   
   
5. Encouraged Social Media Sharing. Event organizers encouraged attendees to use Social Media to share updates, photos, and videos. They had banners like this one  to the right, posted at various locations at the conference, reminding attendees to share. 
    
6. Combined Fun with Learning. At the end of the conference they had a scavenger hunt at Epcot Park, allowing attendees to enjoy Walt Disney World, while continuing to network with each other. 

Are you event planning in California? Contact AV Event Solutions for all your conference or meeting needs. A provider of LCD and screen rentals, as well as, other state-of-the-art technloogy tools, make AV Event Solutions a sought after audio visual provider. Give them a call today!

Ah..spring! The daffodils are out, the days are longer, and baseball season is in full swing. When I think of baseball, my mind often gravitates to great players such as Sandy Alamar, Johnny Bench, and Cal Ripkin, Jr.. But one player that probably is quoted the most often is Yogi Berra. Believe it or not, the funny sayings below can provide useful event meeting services insights. Here are 7 of his best quotes and how they relate to the industry.

1. "You can observe a lot by just watching." Before deciding on a meeting destination or venue, ask to watch a meeting about the size of the one you are planning in action. Checking out the parking lot, restrooms, kitchen, and how responsive the staff is to the client they are serving can speak volumes to how they will treat you during your event. Don't forget to observe the partners as well. How well did the event audio visual rental company perform? The caterer? The ground transportation company?
    
2. "It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much." Do a thorough vetting of your speakers. Do they have too many PowerPoint slides? Do they insist on questions and answers to be held until the end of the program? Make sure there is plenty of time for conversations in your sessions. Make certain the speaker is a great listener as well as a dynamic presenter. 
    
3. "If the fans don't come out to the ballpark, you can't stop them." Are attendees consistently coming back to your association meetings year in, year out? Is attendance trending up or down? You can't make people come to your meeting (unless it is a mandatory company event) so you need to entice them to come to it and make them feel welcome. 
    
4. "If you ask me anything I don't know, I'm not going to answer." There are going to be questions at your meeting that you will not know the answer to. Make certain to obtain the name, cell number, and email address of the person asking and tell them when you will get back to them with an answer. Then do it! Being open and honest isn't a good policy, it should be your only policy. 
    
5. "Never answer anonymous letters." Meeting planners want to gather evaluations about the event via paper or email surveys. The problem with this is it is cumbersome and time consuming. By using wireless audience response systems, planners can poll attendees anonymously and instantly. It isn't so much about an individual response as it is about the overall feeling about the event. 
    
6. "It ain't the heat, it's the humility." Don't assume you know what attendee's want to hear about at your next conference. Ask, ask, and ask again. About destinations, hotels, speakers, and agenda items. It's not about your organization being right, it's about making the event attractive to the attendee. Be humble and assume they are the expert because when it comes to their own professional development, they are!
    
7. "Even Napoleon had his Watergate." Every meeting can potentially have a crisis; natural or man-made. It is important to have a crisis plan, communicate it to the team, and then follow through on it in the event of a catastrophe. 

Are you event planning in California? Call on AV Event Solutions to provide you with Audience Response rentals as well as other state-of-the-art audio visual equipment. Give them a call today at 888.249.4903 for more information. 

When an attendee walks into a meeting space, they have certain assumptions about what should be available to them based on their experience at home and work. In their home, they probably have lightning fast Wi-Fi, a large HDTV and Blu-Ray system with surround sound, and a smartphone with a multitude of apps loaded on it. A Facebook post or tweet is just a click away. Photos are taken with ease and uploaded instantaneously.

At work, the Wi-Fi network might be a little slower, but it is still pretty quick. Emails, social media, and internal meetings are fast-paced and intention driven. Everyone is busy, busy, busy. And this visual stimulation is just going to continue to increase with the broad application of 3D technology and innovative interactive technology tool rentals. 

Andrea Sullivan, President of BrainStrength Systems said, "Young people today have different brain wiring than older people who used different technologies that were dominate in earlier decades. For instance, older generations who are used to print media read from left to right and top to bottom, while younger people, who are used to reading screens, pick out boxes and colors, and bounce around the viewing area with their eyes to absorb information." 

1. The lifespan of a meeting has changed. For many years, planners mailed and emailed invitations to their events directly to potential attendees. They usually had a 2nd or 3rd mailing, followed by a telephone call. Once the event was over and the post-event analysis completed, most planners took a few days off and didn't give that meeting another thought until the planning began for the following year's conference. 
   
   This is not the way of the world any longer. Attendees no longer want direct mail and younger attendees don't even check their email accounts. They want to know who is coming to the event and have an online community to connect with others, before, during, and after the event. Facebook friends, LinkedIn connections, and Twitter followers are the way attendees connect and stay connected.  
    
2. Sound and lighting rentals are extremely important. Sound and light set the mood for the meeting. Most attendees want to "feel" something when they go to a conference. They want to be moved in someway. No better way to do this than through a stimulating and welcoming environment with staging, lighting, sound, and displays, such as computer kiosks, that compel the attendee to take notice. 
    
3. AV and IT are converging. In order to have interactive technology tool rentals work well in the meeting environment, the right equipment needs to be synced with a fast, robust, and secure Wi-Fi network. Many venues offer Wi-Fi access, but it isn't going to meet the needs of 1,000 attendees due to limited access points and bandwidth. Renting a Wi-Fi network array can boost the bandwidth significantly and can be obtained through AV Event Solutions! 

Give your attendees that "living room" feeling with HD Plasma TV rentals, innovative sound and lighting options, and state-of-the-art AV technology. If you are event planning in California, contact AV Event Solutions for the total meeting equipment package! 

When event planners book a hotel or conference center, they are often told that they are required or encouraged to use their in-house AV company for the meeting. The pitch goes something like this:

"We would like you to use XYZ Company for your event because they have all their equipment onsite, their pricing is available to you right now, and they are very familiar with our venue." 

Sounds good, right? Maybe yes and maybe no. Here are 6 things to consider when engaging with any AV provider, from an equipment, budget, and resource prospective. 

Check the employee turnover rate of the providers you are considering. 

If the in-house supplier has a large turnover rate, especially their AV technicians, the playing field is level with any outside provider. That in-house supplier may actually have LESS experience at the meeting facility than the outside vendor. Ask this question of all your potential providers because long-term employment with minimum turnover shows stability within the organization. 

The in-house supplier is working for the hotel, not for you.

Sad, but true. The in-house AV company is most interested in keeping the people at the hotel happy; where an outside partner is contracted directly with you, the event planner. The outside company wants you to call on them again and again for business, so they will do everything in their power to keep you satisfied. "Just because an AV company has a good relationship with a hotel (or pays them a fat commission) doesn't mean I or my client gets the best service," said James Maynard, Director at Adventure Sports. 

Send out at least 3 RFPs, including one to the in-house company. 

Merle Klein, Director of Meeting Operations at MFM Lamey Group said, "Bids from in-house companies are almost always WAY over the top." Remember, a cut of what the in-house provider charges you is going directly to the venue. 

Feeling overwhelmed by your technology options when planning a meeting or event? You are not alone! With the ever-changing pace of technological choices and applications, it can leave the most experienced planner perplexed about their options.

Below are a few apps that Julius Solaris, Editor of Event Manager Blog, feels are good ones to help organize, promote, and allow for maximum interaction with your attendees. 

EVENT COLLABORATION

Gantto

Create an online Gantt Chart in just a few minutes with this highly intuitive system. This app allows for real-time collaboration of the event, especially if you have a lot of individuals on the committee who may be in different parts of the country. It is a web based application so it can run on either a PC or Mac platform. 

Plan.ner

Remove the need for long email threads when planning your event. Invite all the people connected to your event to join the group, ask questions, and then make decisions. Share your event plans via Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. During and after the event, post pictures in a private gallery. 

EVENT PROMOTION

Timekiwi

This service allows you to create an interactive timeline about your event. It has a customization interface that allows you to change your profile information and add a background image.Every timeline automatically gets its own RSS feed and can connect to social media sites. 

eContact.me

Allows you to post new events in minutes, manage ticket sales, and provides real-time attendee management. It also has a customizable URL for event registration, allows attendees to save eCards for new contacts, and organize the conference's event content. 

PRESENTATIONS

SlideDog

This app puts all presentations into a playlist that can seamlessly switch between PowerPoint, Word, Excel, web pages, video, images, and PDF files without the presenter having to fumble through it. It works on a Windows platform and should be a part of your Powerpoint presentation equipment configuration. SlideDog works well for meetings, sales presentations, conferences, and trainings where there may be many presenters and/or many apps within the presentation. 

ATTENDEE CHECK-IN

VenueWize

Rent iPads and check-in meeting participants easily with real-time guest information.This app also has a social media element, online ticketing, and a team collaboration component. 

PRODUCT LAUNCHING EVENT

Social Pix

Event planners set up a photo activation area where the brand or product logo drop is behind the attendees, while they are getting their picture taken. The photographer then sends the photo to one of the kiosk rentals. Attendees connect with Facebook to upload their photo their wall and ask their friends to "like" the Facebook Fan Page of the new product. Social Pix automatically triggers a story to the fan's wall. 

ATTENDEE APPLICATION

DoubleDutch Flock

Rent Tablet PCs for this social app that provides an interactive experience for event attendees, organizers, and sponsors. Flock provides the entire event program on the tablet, engages attendees, and provides a gaming element. It pushes all updates about the event to social networks from the app. Flock also provides real-time analytics to the event organizer. 

AV Event Solutions is your California meeting equipment provider! They have iPad rental, Tablet PC rentals, rent computer kiosks, and LCD projector and screens. Give them a call today!

As a meeting professional, we are often overwhelmed with all the to-do's associated with our meeting or conference, so the last thing we want to do is focus on all the technology advancements associated with AV. But let's get real for a moment, audio visual equipment can "make or break" our meeting, and we know it. From sound and lighting rentals to the Wi-Fi array to working with a reputable AV company and negotiating a "win-win" contract, it all boils down to saving money and keeping our attendees happy. 

Here are 6 tips to help you negotiate with your conference equipment rental company:

Tip #1: Establish presenter needs and budget parameters.

Make certain you have in writing what equipment your speaker or speakers need and what equipment they are planning on bringing to the conference. Encourage them to leave their Mac or Laptop at home, but to load the presentation onto a USB drive or DVD. Having all the equipment from one source makes compatibility issues non-existent and giving your vendor a budget range allows them to quote good, better, and best options for the conference. 

Tip #2: As part of the negotiations, secure a "not to exceed" final aggregate bill. 

When working with your AV partner on contract negotiations, ask that the final bill not exceed a certain percentage of the agreed upon pricing (10% comes to mind) without authorization. Engaging an AV Project Manager can help streamline this process and keep you in the loop if change orders are needed.

Tip #3: Remember, newer technology is going to cost more.

You want to rent iPads for all your attendees to replace binders? Swap out Plasma TVs for screen rentals? Implement 3D LCD projectors instead of the older technology? Everything has a price and the newer the technology, generally the higher the cost. That is not a reason to use it, you just need to be realistic.

Tip #4: Remove any AV exclusivity clause from your venue contract.

Some venues will say you have to use their in-house AV provider. Make certain to strike that clause from the contract BEFORE you sign it. For more information on this subject, read the blog post "Your AV Bill of Rights." 

Tip #5: Schedule speakers where the technology is. 

Arrange the speaker selection and timing based on WHAT technology is set up in each room. One set up. One tear down. Very cost efficient. 

Tip #6: Look hard at all your discount options. 

Here are some simple options that can yield a small, large or somewhere in between discount for your organization:

• Ask your AV provider when their slow months, days of the week, or times are for renting audiovisual equipment. Knowing this in advance can help negotiate a reasonable discount for your meeting.


• Secure your AV partner for several meetings and/or over several years. Knowing they are going to have business for a number of events or years allows them to plan for equipment availability and staff several months in advance.


• Negotiate reasonable labor rates. Often times, labor can be the one item that goes out of control at an event. Working with your AV provider to minimize overtime and weekend rates, can keep your budget under control.

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting supplier, is willing and ready to work with you on your next event and help keep your budget in line! Call or click today!

Even though the economy is on the upswing and most event planners are seeing a slight increase in meeting attendance and the number of meetings, the U.S. Travel Association has come out with a "Keep America Meeting" campaign to continue to shine a spotlight on the importance of meetings to the economic vibrancy of our country's economy. Below is a synopsis of their report. 

According the U.S. Travel Association, a meeting has 3 key components:

• It has a minimum length of 4 hours;
• It includes 10 participants or more;
• It is held within the United States.

Meetings are meant to educate, collaborate, or innovate. Here are two interesting statistics that put meetings in perspective:

• According to Convention Industry Council's 2009 Economic Significance of Meetings on the US Economy, meeting participants spend $145 billion a year at local businesses including hotels, restaurants, shops, and meeting vendors.


• 35% of all business travel is meeting related. Meetings provide the greatest financial return over any form of business marketing. For every $1 dollar spent on business travel, $10 to $15 is returned in business according to Oxford Economics USA. 

However, there are 3 things discouraging face-to-face meetings today making it harder to justify the time away from the office and the cost.

1. Due to tight budgets, "doing more with less", and fear of bad publicity, many organizations are discouraging meeting travel. President Obama issued an executive order reducing federal government travel spending by 20% in 2013. In April 2011, California implemented a ban on non-essential travel by state employees, including travel to conferences and professional development meetings.
    
2. Outdated transportation infrastructure, aging airports, and the struggling airline industry are having an impact on long-haul travel. Many cities lack mass transit connectivity to and from their airports. According to Frommers, the U.S. has 4 of the world's top 10 worst airport terminals. 
    
3. With high-tech options available on a person's laptop or tablet, meetings can now take place from the comfort of an office or living room. These include online communities, webinars, and live video streaming, such as Facetime and Skype. 

So, what can we, in the event meeting services industry do to combat these challenges?

1. Continue to communicate the value of face-to-face meetings to policymakers, business leaders, and individuals. Policymakers need to be armed with information about the economic impact, jobs, and tax revenue. Business leaders need to know about growth and individuals need to be proficent in the reasons why a face-to-face meeting makes sense when they are pitching it to their boss. For more information on the value of meetings to the U.S. economy, read our blog "The Value of Meetings, Part 1 and Part 2". 
    
2. Encourage our lawmakers to support a comprehensive transportation plan for air, rail, and surface travel including completing the NextGen Air Traffic Control System and modernizing our airports.  Airlines, airports, and the US government need to invest in alternative fuels, streamline the screening process, and work toward improving the US entry process for oversea visitors. 
    
3. Delineate when virtual meetings and face-to-face meetings make sense. Read our recent blog determining which format works best and why. 

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions can provide you with a comprehensive offering of interactive technology tool rentals for your next meeting or event. Face-to-face meetings are still important and they can help make yours shine! 

So you have convinced management to get rid of those binders and rent iPads for your next meeting. The sponsorship opportunities are abounding, and the attendees are excited to be using them. But what about the applications? Below are 4 applications that can get you started on selecting an app that's right for your event.

ChirpE Mobile and Social Media Platform

This web-based mobile application from a2z, Inc. includes the following features:

• Full conference agenda
• Personal agenda building
• Event alerts 
• Exhibitor guide for the trade show
• Exhibitor floor plan
• Social Media integration with LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and RSS Feeds.

In addition to iPads, this application can run on computer kiosks. Because this application is web-based, all devices at the conference will simultaneously update.  “For example, you can add an exhibitor to your agenda using ChirpE from your iPad and stop at a kiosk on the show floor and the update will appear simultaneously on all devices,” says Rajiv Jain, CEO of a2z, Inc.

EventKaddy

This native application includes the following features:

• Full conference agenda
• Personal agenda building
• Event alerts
• Attendee networking tools
• Interactive exhibitor floor plans and maps
• Multimedia exhibitor listings
• Digital brochures

EventKaddy has been used at the following conferences: Western Veterinary Conference; Autodesk; ACMSIGGRAPH; Electronic Security Expo; Exhibition & Convention Executives Forum.

QuickMobile

This web-based application includes the following features:

• Full conference agenda
• Personal agenda builder
• City guide, with Frommer's integration
• Search capabilities, within the app, for attendees, speakers, or exhibitors
• Social Media Integration with Twitter, Facebook, and Pathable

QuickMobile has used the iPad application at the following conference and events: The PhoCusWright Conference; ASHRM Phoenix Conference; GBTA Convention; SAP Sapphire Now Conference; Cruise3Sixty Meeting; Hilton Worldwide Owners Meeting.

Zerista

This web-based application includes the following features:

• Full conference agenda
• Personal agenda builder
• Attendee directory with personal profiles
• Attendee matching based on experience and interests
• Social Media integration, including Twitter and Facebook
• City guide
• Exhibitor directory
• Booth locator
• Floor plans

So when choosing an application, what are some of the factors to consider?

1. You need to decide whether the application should be web-based or native. There are advantages and disadvantages to each one, but primarily the web-based solution allows for last-minute changes before and during the conference while native applications cannot be changed once the code is on the iPad. With a web-based solution, you will need to take a serious look at your Wi-Fi at the venue and perhaps rent a network array to boost the Wi-Fi bandwidth. 
    
2. Determine your budget impact. Each of the apps listed above are going to have a different price point to develop the app and support it during your conference. Know all your costs up front and the timeline to develop your custom solution. 
    
3. Get your attendees, exhibitors, and speakers involved in the decision. Don't make this decision in a vacuum. Get as many people involved as you can in the demonstration of the app and solicit feedback from all stakeholders on what features are most important to them. 

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions has a large selection of 1st and 2nd generation iPads, touch panel kiosks, and Wi-Fi network arrays for your next meeting. Give AV Event Solutions a call today!

The right brain is responsible for intuition and emotion while the left brain insists on just the facts. We need both sides of our brain to function in life, but how does this apply to event meeting planning professionals handle messaging at conference and meetings? Typically, we hire speakers and facilitators that evolve their messaging around the left brain. Why? Because that is the way we learned and processed information since we were in 1st grade. Teachers gave us the facts, we injested them, and then we spit it all back out on tests and quizzes. 

Powerpoint presentation equipment needs to evolve along with the attendee's needs and requirements. An endless array of facts and figures on black and white slides isn't going to cut it, even though speakers think this sort of "data dump" gives them credibility. It no longer does. When the speaker is up on the riser giving the attendee their speel, the attendee is googling them on their smartphone to determine whether or not this individual knows what they are talking about. 

In addition, when speakers give attendees too much left brain information, the information overload causes the brain to stress and become anxious which moves the experience to the subconcisous, and attendees slowly begin to shut out the information. The brain can only absorb complex data for about 7 to 10 minutes before it begins to move on.

So, how can we change? Here are a few ideas to consider when planning your next conference or meeting:

Garr Reynolds, Professor of Management at Kansai Gaidai, has come up with an interesting concept called Presentation Zen, which encourages speakers to follow 3 simple rules:

1. Restraint: Don't put too much information on a slide. A photo with a few words should do the trick. 
2. Simplicity: Speak only about the things that are important to the attendee, not what is important to you, the presenter. 
3. Naturalness: Pretend the audience is in your living room. You wouldn't dominate the conversation or your friends would never come back to your home. Ask questions, listen carefully, and respond appropriately.

Jamie Nast, Author, Consultant, and Trainer at NastGroup, Inc., uses toys and games to break through the learning process. She has attendees dressing up Mr. Potato Head, playing with Play-Doh, and drawing self-portraits in order to engage the right side of the brain.

Lynn Stadler Randall, Managing Director at Randall Insights LLC, uses crowdsourcing to help design the meetings in order to engage attendees before the event. Having the attendees suggest speakers and topics and then allowing them to vote on them, empowers the attendee and allows for more engaging and creative sessions. She even allows sessions to be developed at the conference itself. Rent iPads for attendee real-time communication with speakers and event management to share ideas, questions, and comments about session content.  

Great news! You won a large contract for a corporation or association annual meeting. You and your team are very excited to be working with this client, but when the event is over, what can you do to remain in the forefront of the client's mind?

Try these 6 simple tips to keep them coming back to you, year after year, event after event.

Tip #1: Really Get to Know Your Client. 

You know that age old adage, "We do business with people we know and like." How well do you know your client? Are you conversant with different levels of the team or does your business relationship rely on just one person? It is dangerous to build a long-term relationship with one person because that individual could retire, get fired, or quit. Get to know as many individuals on the management team as possible and keep those relationships going throughout the year.

Tip #2: Keep a Running File of Their Accomplishments.

Read trade publications and local and national newspapers your client might be mentioned in. Google their company often. Follow them on Twitter. Either mail or email them any mention of their company or key people in it. Enclose a business card with a brief note saying congratulations or great job. Everyone wants to have people take notice of their accomplishments, including your clients, and it helps keep your organization "top of mind".

Tip #3: Suggest Ways They can Make Their Event Better.

Maybe you noticed the registration area was really crowded and it took attendees a long time to check-in. You could suggest  renting touch panel kiosks for self-service check in, thus freeing up staff to do other things. Perhaps attendees were having a hard time juggling their binders and the session locations were confusing. Suggest they rent iPads and put all the event materials on the system with a map that includes GPS. Whenever you present these suggestions, make certain to have the cost/benefit analysis completed. 

Tip #4:  Ask for More Business. 

Chances are if your client is holding an annual meeting, they are also holding several smaller meetings. If you feel they are very happy with the work you have completed for them, don't be shy in asking for more business.

Tip #5: Be a Team Player. 

Try to solve whatever issue is at hand. Good communication skills rest on coming up with good alternatives, not finger pointing or blame shifting. Something is bound to go awry at the event, so jump in and see how you can help.

Tip #6: Always be Ethical. 

It doesn't matter if you do all the items above with ease, but if you lie or misrepresent your offerings, you can kiss that business good-bye. Part of developing long-term business relationships rest in the development of trust. Be honest, even if it means you lose a job. Clients will remember your integrity, above all things.

Are you event planning in California? Contact AV Event Solutions for all your technology needs! Give them a call today!

 

When meeting planners start to focus on their next event, often times the conversation swirls around the benefit of flying people in versus holding the meeting virtually. The major concern management often has is regarding the cost of the meeting in comparison to the ROI. MPI Foundation and Maxvantage recently polled several meeting planners to determine what type of meeting works best --given the message the organization wants to convey. Below are the results:

Face-to-Face Meetings make sense for the following purposes:

• Networking - Most virtual platforms have limited or no networking capabilities. If part of your meeting includes a networking segment with an exchange of business cards, a face-to-face meeting makes the most sense.
   
• Sensitive Issues - Human Resource training, company mergers, layoffs, or a shake-up in the C-Suite team, should be handled in person so the message is not lost and questions can be answered. In addition, if there are any confidential issues, face-to-face will ensure the attendees are not sharing the information with other people in their home or office.
   
• Incentive Trips - When salespersons exceed their quotas, usually there are incentive trips to reward them for efforts. This usually involves their spouse and other entertainment opportunities. 
   
• Celebrations - Holiday parties, company outings, and the like are meant to allow employees to get to know each other "off the clock" in a fun environment.
   
• Client or Educational meetings -- New product launching events, educational conferences where many topics are covered in 2 or 3 days, and user conferences are ideal for in person contact. 
   
• Team Building -- Any type of exercise that builds communication and trust must be done in person. 

Virtual Meetings make sense in the following scenarios:

• Internal organizational meetings
   
• Daily meetings - such as the first or last 20 minutes of each business day.
   
• Project meetings -- this would be suited when the event meeting services company is updating the client on the progress of the event. It might start monthly, than weekly, and as the event closes in, daily. 
   
• Recruitment meetings -- When HR is considering candidates for a position, they may set up virtual interviews before they fly in the best ones for the face-to-face interview. 
   
• Product Updates -- A new release of software or minor updates to a product can be effectively handled virtually. 

Virtual meetings are utilized when the travel budget for the meeting has been significantly cut, management is looking to reduce out-of-office time, and the meeting is planned at the last-minute.

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment supplier, can assist you in making your next face-to-face meeting a smashing success. In most cases, the answer is: face-to-face! Give them a call today to learn more about their interactive technology tool rentals.

Benchmark Hospitality International, a U.S.-based hospitality management company that owns and operates 35 hotels and resorts announced its Top 10 Trends for this year, as observed by their property management and staff. In the style of David Letterman, here they are starting with the last trend to first. 

Top Trend #10: Socially Responsible Meetings

Corporate America is wanting to give back by integrating into the local meeting community (if your meeting is being held in a city other than your own) through service projects with non-profits, as well as, the continuation of green property initiatives.

Top Trend #9: Meeting Technology will be a Big Player

Rent iPads to download apps, take notes during the meeting, and even interface with LCD projector and screen rentals. Meetings will have dedicated Facebook fan pages to assist with registration, easy access to event intineraries, and offer a method to gain feedback from attendees post-event. Social media applications, such as Facebook and Twitter, can easily be accessed via the tablet. 

Top Trend #8: The Meeting Destination is as Important as the Venue. 

The designation experience is taking on a new meaning. Having affordable destinations that offer great value and a relaxed atmosphere, all the while, having a business atmosphere to the meeting is very important to the attendee. 

Top Trend #7: Training Budgets are On the Rise.

As the economy strengthens, having well trained sales teams is going to continue to be the focus this year. Training budgets are going to be ramped up as organizations realize their most competitive weapon is a well-informed sales person. 

Top Trend #6: It's All About Teambuilding.

Groups are looking for half-day onsite and offsite options with creative teambuilding opportunities. Volleyball, golf, cooking classes and the like are winning group business for properties. These budgets are also being increased in 2012.

Top Trend #5: The Meeting Package is Coming Back.

Offering the meeting planner an inclusive price for meeting space that includes the room rental, food and beverage, gratuities and taxes, is now being asked for as meeting planners are wanting to simplify their budgeting process. Planners still want options, so customization of the meeting package is to be expected. 

Top Trend #4: Meeting Space is Going to be Different.

The space will be more creative, with use of outdoor space, living room style for small gatherings and breakouts, and different seating, including oversized chairs, may be requested. 

Top Trend #3: Pricing is Going Up.

Due to the improving economy and increased demand for meeting space, price increases are going happen for the first time since 2008. 

Top Trend #2: Meeting Size is Up and Space is at a Premium.

Hotels and resorts are being more selective about the bookings they are taking and are electing to go after larger meetings at a higher rate. Planners are having a hard time booking preferred space with short-term notice, especially if it is a 30-day window or less.

And the #1 Trend that is driving all the other trends.....(drum roll please)

Top Trend #1: Meeting Demand is Up for the First Time Since 2008.

This demand is across all industry segments, but bookings will still be on a short-term cycle (90 days out or less).  

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions can provide your meeting, event, retreat, or conference with iPads and other technology tools to engage your attendees. Check out their express quote page for a response within 4 business hours!

According to an October 2011 TripAdvisor survey of 1,250 US travelers and 620 hotel owners and managers, 54% of travelers canceled reservations at a hotel because they found better amenities at a different property.

TripAdvisor asked survey participants to rank the top 5 most important hotel amenities. Here is what they found:
 

Most Important Hotel Amenities	Travelers	Hotel Owners & Managers
Wi-Fi Internet Access	85%	99%
Breakfast Included with Room	78%	79%
Guest Loyalty Points	72%	55%
Onsite Restaurant	71%	70%
Shuttle Service to Attractions and Airport	66%	41%

They also asked the travelers and hoteliers to rank the 5 least important amenities, which are listed below:
 

Least Important Hotel Amenities	Travelers	Hotel Owners & Managers
Turndown Service	87%	83%
Pets Allowed	85%	38%
Spa	79%	75%
Tours, Excursions, and Activities	76%	65%
Room Service	72%	49%

Hotel CEOs Weigh-In about Wi-Fi

In a recent USA TODAY article, J.W. Marriott, Jr., CEO of Marriott International, Richard Solomon, CEO of  InterContinental Hotels Group, and Eric Danziger, CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group were interviewed about Wi-Fi access and other technical issues facing their properties.

USA TODAY said Internet access is a top priority for travelers and bandwidth use is growing at a faster pace. What are you doing to respond?

Marriott stated, "We are working to try and get down to a few Internet suppliers because in the past, we had a bunch of suppliers, like 80 or 90. We have 3,700 hotels and everyone's hired their own supplier, so we are trying to narrow down the number so we can increase bandwidth and improve service. It's a huge problem. Everyone wants to download everything they can. It's getting to be quite a challenge."

"Wi-Fi speed is one of the biggest dissatisfiers that you see in a lot of hotels," said Solomon.

"You'd better have some dependability and relability because it will become the single source of complaints," said Danziger. 

All 3 CEOs agreed the increased use of iPads, Tablet PCs, and smartphones has had an impact on the network. 

So what are Meeting Planners to do with this information?

First, since Wi-Fi access is so important to attendees, having fast, robust, and secure Wi-Fi is going to make a huge difference with participant satisfaction. Utilizing AV Event Solutions' Wi-Fi checklist can help you determine whether the property can meet your needs or if you need to rent a wifi network array.  Remember, attendees will be dissatisfied if the Internet is slow or unavailable. 

Second, if you rent iPads, consider applications you will be preinstalling on the unit and the use of social media access, especially Twitter. Also, try and determine the number of smartphones and/or laptops attendees will be bringing to the conference. 

Third, if you are planning a large meeting at a convention center, make certain the Wi-Fi access at the hotel properties have the same level speed and security as the meeting facilities or convention center. Nothing will dissatisfy attendees more than to have great Internet access during the day and poor access at night. 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment supplier, can provide your next meeting with 1st and 2nd generation iPads, Wi-Fi Boosters, and other state-of-the-art audiovisual or computer equipment rentals to meet your meeting needs. Contact them today for more information!

        

As you are planning your conferences for 2012 and beyond? Now is the time to rent iPads and pre-install the app Evernote to replace those heavy binders event attendees usually carry around. So, why would you want to use Evernote over the old way of doing business?

Here are 6 great reasons to consider using Evernote at your next meeting or event:

1. It's FREE. 
    
2. It runs on multiple mobile platforms and can be synced to them. Evernote can run on an iPad, laptop PC, and/or smartphone. By installing the app on all 3 platforms, this app allows the notebook (see below), along with any changes to that notebook, to be easily synced on all devices. This can work well with last minute changes and updates.
    
3. The "Notebook" becomes your program binder. The notebook, is like a file folder on MS Office. You set up appropriate notebooks for your conference. For example, one might have the agenda, another might have the attendee listing, and another things to do and see in the host city. Each notebook could look something like this: 
   
   
    
4. Evernote has great search capabilities. As long as you tag your data, Evernote will know which notebook the information is in. It has a search bar at the top of the application. You can also search the Internet via Google at the top of each page.
    
5. It has a share button. This will allow the event meeting services organization, attendees, and speakers to share the following with each other: 
   
   • Notes
   • PDFs
   • Webpages and Links of Trade Show Exhibitors
   • Pictures of Event Staff, Speakers, and VIPs
   • Word Documents
   • PowerPoint presentations from the Speakers
   • Emails
   • Videos from the Sponsors
      
6. Get Skitch, while you are at it. When you rent iPads with Evernote, you should include this application, too. Skitch allows the iPad user to: 

• Add arrows, shapes, and text to existing images
• Draw something new
• Share sketches and annotations over Twitter and email
• Save everything to Evernote

AV Event Solutions, has plenty of 1st and 2nd generation iPads and Wi-Fi Boosters available to rent if you are event planning in California. Give them a call today or check out their convenient express rental quote for a quick turnaround response!

On Monday, we covered the interactive technology tools meeting planners can explore and use from A to M. Today's blog is dedicated to the latter half of the alphabet, N to Z.

NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION

This is going to allow mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to communicate with each other when they touch or are only a few centimeters away. It will be used for business card exchange, credit card payments, and distribution of conference materials and brochures. A fast and secure Wi-Fi Network Array will be the key to implementation of this technology.

ONSITE TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Having AV technicians onsite will enable you to keep the event going, if there is a product malfunction or a light or battery needs to be replaced. Onsite support also ensures adequate testing has occurred and provides for fast strike time, if needed.

PLASMA SCREENS

Flat panel Plasmas are great alternatives to the standard screen rentals. They provide high resolution and can be strategically placed throughout the conference.

QR CODES

These little black and white pixels make up Quick Response (QR) codes which are a great way to disseminate information to attendees. They are scanned by smartphones or tablets.

RECORDERS

These high-quality devices can capture the presentation, quickly transfer the recording to an USB drive, and allow for uploading onto the company website for future reference.

SCREEN RENTALS

There are many screen options including tripod, fastfold, and widescreen fastfold. An experienced AV supplier can help you choose the right screen for your meeting.

TABLET PC

Rent Tablet PCs, which are in high demand because they are lightweight, have a long battery life, and have a multitude of applications that can be easily preloaded onto the device.

UNIVERSAL OPTIONS

Regardless of how small or large your meeting is, you will need a LCD Projector and Screen rental, quality sound, and adequate lighting.

VIDEO

Providing video on computer kiosks and iPads will bring any presentation to life quickly and effectively. Video can also be used at the trade show booth level and provide a more memorable and professional presence for sponsors.

WI-FI NETWORK ARRAYS

Having Wi-Fi at a venue is different than providing it in a fast and secure network for 500 or 1,000 attendees. Utilize AV Event Solution's Wi-Fi checklist to make certain your network will be lightning fast!

X-FACTOR

Does your event have energy, buzz, and entertainment value? Providing this can give your event positive energy and can be created through sound and lighting rentals.

YOUTUBE

Posting some of your event video on YouTube is a great option, especially if you are looking to go viral in the process.

ZERO TOLERANCE

Yes, once in a blue moon, the equipment will break down or the sound system will go silent. But with qualified AV technicians and project management support onsite, any bump in the road can be readily resolved. Because great AV providers test and maintain their equipment, it is quite rare to see a problem during an event.

AV Event Solutions can provide you with great A to Z options for your next meeting or event! Give them a call today if you are event planning in California.

When putting together a conference with a lot of speakers, often times meeting planners put their faith in other staff members to select and prepare the presenters. Or worse, they let them wing it. Either way, meeting planners that get caught up in the aura of a name or are intimidated by the title behind the speaker are setting themselves up for potential failure.

Below are some common myths that speakers and event organizers alike, need to be aware of and be prepared to shatter at their next conference. 

Myth #1: Speakers don't need to tailor their presentation to your attendees, especially if their presentation is very short. 


Myth #2: Presenters should dress like audience members. 

Even if your conference attendees are dressed in khakis and t-shirts, the speakers should be, at a minimum, a notch above the audience's dress code. They need to set themselves a part and nothing like a beautiful dress or tailored suit will provide a good first impression. If you have any concerns about how they will dress, spell it out in their contract. 

Myth #3: The speaker will bring their own AV equipment and/or the venue will provide it. 

Don't leave anything to chance. Have the speaker specify exactly what presentation services audio visual equipment they need. When renting audio visual equipment, make certain your supplier is going to provide onsite technical assistance and have back up equipment, batteries, and supplies available in case of equipment malfunctions. Renting from an outside supplier also ensures equipment compatibility, setup, and proper testing well before the speaker goes on. 

Myth #4: A commanding speaker uses a lectern. 

Better interaction and rapport is built with audience members when there is nothing between them and the attendees. Using a wireless lavaliere microphone and slide advancer, allows great speakers to move about the room and interact with audience members.

Myth #5: Everyone wants to hear what the presenter says because they are an expert. 

Today's audience members have a lot of tools to keep them distracted from the speaker's message including their smartphone, tablets, and laptops. They can be on their email, social media accounts, or surfing the Net. It is very important that presenters keep the audience engaged and interactive. Even if a person is a subject matter expert, it doesn't matter if they are boring and don't meet attendee's needs. 

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions is a premier audio visual firm that can work with you and your speakers to make certain every need is met. Their project managers can be onsite to provide overall coordination of the event and accommodate last minute changes. Give them a call today!

On January 19th, President Obama signed an Executive Order pinpointed to increase international travel to the United States from 3 primary countries: China, Brazil, and India. What does this initiative mean for the event meeting services industry? Here is a breakdown of the Order and how it will translate into benefits for meeting planners and suppliers.

Currently, the U.S. travel and tourism industry represents 7.5 million jobs of which 1.2 million of those positions support international travel. It is expected that through the implementation of this strategy, 1.3 million more jobs will be created and $860 billion will be added to the economy over the next 10 years. 

John Bryson, Secretary of Commerce and Kenneth Salazar, Secretary of Interior are going to co-lead a task force to develop a National Travel & Tourism Strategy. This task force will focus on promoting our national parks, wildlife refuges, and historical sites as travel destinations. In addition, eco-tourism and outdoor recreation will be a part of their focus.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State and Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security are in charge of:

• Increasing non-immigrant visa processing in China and Brazil by 40% this year by ensuring that 80% of these visa applicants are interviewed within 3 weeks of receiving their application. Currently, the average wait time for interviews is 11 weeks.
• Expansion of the Visa Waiver program to Taiwan, which allows travelers to undergo background checks while in their home country and then breeze through customs because they don't require a visa. These stays must be for under 90 days.

John Bryson, Secretary of Commerce will be establishing and maintaining a publicly available website with key information to assist travelers in understanding the visa process and entry time into the United States. 

Lastly, the President has appointed 32 private sector CEOs to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board for 2012-14.  Their task is to address and make recommendations about:

• Travel Facilitation
• Visa Policy
• Improving the International Travel Experience
• Aviation Security
• Energy Security and
• Crisis Communications

What will this mean for the event meeting services industry?

• More Jobs in Every Sector. More jobs in the CVB, hospitality, and supplier market -- including event audio visual rentals. 


• More Money Infused in the Local Economy. The average Chinese tourist spends $6,000 on their US trip while the average Brazilian spends $5,000, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Think about that impact times 200 or 2,000 nationals in our country from an international conference.


• Our National Parks will get economic boost they need. With the focus internationally on our national parks, many of the hotels and lodges on location will receive the dollars they need to keep the parks prestine and beautiful for all to enjoy. In addition, the parks make great locations for small to medium sized events.


• CVBs and DMOs can start to focus their attention on China, Brazil, and India. Nationals from these countries contributed $15 billion and thousands of jobs to the U.S. economy in 2010. With visa processing improvements, CVBs and DMOs should spend time in these countries marketing the US over Europe as a meeting destination.

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions is ready and willing to help you with any of your audio visual needs. Give them a call today at 888.249.4903!

In Ronald Brown's book "Anticipate. The Architecture of Small Team Innovation and Product Success", he spells out the steps that we should go through in finding more customers. Many individuals think this process is a mystery, but Brown is quick to point out that customer discovery requires the 5 steps listed below. He also states as long as you are methodical in your approach, you will be successful. 

Here are the steps with an added bent toward the event meeting services industry. 

1. Market Segmentation

As the saying goes, "If you are everything to everyone, you are nothing to nobody." Understanding how your event services company aligns with the segments you wish to serve is important and essential to keeping your doors open. 

In our industry, planners usually fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Corporate
• Association
• Non-Profit
• Wedding or
• Party

But most great planners cannot service all these segments, usually just 1 or 2. The important thing is to figure out which markets you have the most competitive offerings AND will lead you to long-term financial gains. 

2. Test Your Hypothesis

How do you know that your product or service is desired by the client? You need to identify the customer's urgent and important "pain points" in order to create a competitive advantage.  Here are some ways to identify your client's problems:

• Study the competition's offerings and determine how they are fairing;
• Set up personal meetings with senior executives;
• Hire a consulting firm to conduct one-on-one interviews with all your clients;
• Conduct focus groups and;
• Talk to your suppliers, like the hotel and conference services managers, as well as, event audio visual rental companies

According to Brown, from all of this data you should be able to determine a meaningful competitive edge and the essential service features you must add to your offerings. 

3. Step Into The Client's Shoes

Look at your service offering through the lens of the client by spending a significant amount of time with them as they use your services. Procter & Gamble, uses a program called "Living It", where company employees live with consumers for a period of time to learn what they need. This goes way beyond talking, it starts to embrace their way of life to see their pain points first hand. 

4. Get Testimonials in the Form of Stories

Everyone has testimonials, but the really good ones are delivered in the form of a story. An example might be how an interactive technology tool rental company took their client's annual meeting from a real snoozer with low attendance to a vibrant event with interactivity and buzz. Stories sell, testimonials don't. 

5. See if it will Stick

Rather than spending a lot of time and money on a new product or service offering, send the prototype to the client. Get feedback, improve, and send it back to them. Asking clients and prospects to be part of your service development team makes them feel special and appreciated. They will take the time to give you honest feedback if they see you are making changes in the offering. 

Are you event planning in California? Contact AV Event Solutions for state-of-the-art interactive technology tool rentals including iPads, audience polling units, and interactive kiosks. 

As the saying goes, "It's tough out there." This can be especially true when it comes to morale of sales professionals who are experiencing a higher than normal rejection ratio. Many salespeople are also nervous about the job security, especially if 2011 wasn't a particularly spectacular year.

As sales managers prepare to talk to the troops, here are some simple things they can do with the presentation, room setting, and environment, especially with event audio visual rental equipment, that will leave the staff motivated to succeed.  

When preparing the PowerPoint presentation, here are some ideas for consideration:

• Have a clear message and takeaway. If you want each sales person to sell 10% more, gain 5 new customers, and have a 85% retention rate with clients, then SAY THAT. Don't give salespeople vague expectations for the year, because then you are setting yourself up for vague results. Be crystal clear on what you want and why you need it.


• Be optimistic. Yes, there are many obstacles to closing the deal, but let your sales staff know it is important to remain positive, both in the office and at client locations. Let them know you are available to help them brainstorm solutions and make calls with them. Ask them what resources they would need to make their job easier and then follow through on the tools that make sense. 


• Focus on customer service. Let them know you expect them to do everything in their power to keep the customer happy. Lay out a plan to resolve customer issues expediently and let the sales staff know you are always available to help. 


• Inspire, inspire, and inspire some more. As you close out the meeting, tell them about success stories, best practices, and/or motivational quotes. Let the salespeople know they are the lifeblood of the organization and you really appreciate what they are doing for the organization.

The room setting and seating should have the following:

• Make the room warm with the right sound and lighting rental units. Before the meeting, play music. During the meeting, keep the lighting soft and inviting. 


• Watch the temperature. A room that is too hot or cold can take the focus off the message and be very distracting.


• Remove the tables and have everyone in a circle. This environment says, "We are all equal." It also encourages peer-to-peer discussion. 

When renting audio visual equipment:

• Request state-of-the-art presentation services audio visuals. High lumen LCD projectors displayed on Plasma TVs, exhibit more warmth, color, and higher resolution photos and videos than older LCD equipment. 


• Record the session. Renting a recorder can allow easy transfer to a jump drive or website so you can utilize what was discussed as a jumping off point in future meetings throughout the year. 


• Provide plenty of time for set up and testing. Giving the AV team time to set up, test, and review the equipment with you. This will create positive energy when the sales team arrives because there will be no need to hurry up and set everything up. 

AV Event Solutions is a California event equipment provider for sales meetings. Give them a call today or check out their 4-hour express quote page!

In 2009, when the recession came into full tilt, many associations and corporations saw a significant drop in their annual meeting attendance. Some organizations, including the Newspaper Association of America even canceled their meeting that year. Others, like the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) saw an attendance reduction of 40 percent. 

As a result, many associations knew they had to add innovation and change into their program in order to survive. At PCMA's Annual Meeting last week, Lisa Block, Vice President of Meetings and Conferences at SHRM, and Don Neal, President of 360 Live Media presented their case study detailing ideas to bring the Annual Meeting back to life. Here is a synopsis of their thoughts:

• Look at the physical location. What sort of energy does the venue provide? Is it open and cold or intimate and friendly? Is it in a scenic area? Will attendees be excited to go there?


• Offer wellness options. Blood-pressure testing, a massage station, gaming options, along with healthy food choices and exercise options can go a long way to making the attendee feel relaxed and refreshed at the conference. 


• Examine the physiological components. What do the guest rooms look like? Are the beds comfortable? Are you feeding attendees healthy food that will increase their stamina?


• Analyze your speakers. Do the speakers appeal to the intellectual and emotional makeup of your audience?  What is their speaking style? There are many unique ways they can utilize their PowerPoint presentation equipment and style, including TED, Ignite, or Pecha Kucha (read 7 trends to make your message stand out)


• Improve the promotional message. Try different methods of getting participants excited and involved in your conference, including advertising, public relations, social media, email, and direct mail. 


• Make everyone responsible for the success of the conference. Crowdsourcing the agenda and letting everyone vote on speakers, topics, and networking ideas will allow members to be more involved in the conference. They are more likely to be excited and come to the event.


• Keep it fresh. Just because something works this year, doesn't mean it will next. Looking for continual innovation and trying to bring in unique conference equipment rentals that will contribute to attendee engagement and enjoyment will be instrumental to your success. 

If you are event planning in California, look to AV Event Solutions to provide your association with state-of-the-art interactive technology tool rentals that will help bring your annual meeting to life! Click or call today for more information!