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A fast, reliable and secure Internet connection is probably the most crucial part of an event's success and yet, it is probably the most misunderstood metric. And it isn't becoming an easier. Just like a gallon of coffee is priced differently from city to city and venue to venue, so are Internet charges. But unlike coffee where you can have a pretty good estimation of the amount you need based on the number of attendees at your event, Wi-Fi is much harder to understand. 

Here are four ways corporate meeting planners can use to help keep event  Wi-Fi costs under control:

1. Stop Being an Ostrich. 
   
   All the things that make good planners great, like negotiating the right amount of F&B and a competitive room block, are now parlayed with the need to negotiate and understand Wi-Fi services. You don't need to be an expert, but it is important that you have the knowledge to ask the right questions of the venue and supplier in order to meet your attendees' needs.
    
2. Know Your Bandwidth Needs. 
   
   The concept of bandwidth is relatively easy. Think of a pipe pushing something through it. The larger the pipe, the simplier the flow (such as water) and the less pipes coming into the major pipe from different sources, the easier and faster it is for the water to get from Point A to Point B .
   
   Same with bandwidth.The larger the pipe, the less connections to the Internet and the simplier the data packet are all elements of making the transportation of data fast. But this is where you have to be clear and understand exactly what devices your event participants are bringing and how they will use those devices. For example, free Wi-Fi is usually shared among all the venue's guests and if your event attendees are streaming video and connecting mulitple devices to the network, you can see how the system could slow down or even break. 
   
   Chances are you will need to rent a Wi-Fi network array especially if your event is large and the data transmission is complex. 
    
3. Start Your Bandwidth Negotiations Early in Your Planning Process.
   
   Once you know what you need,  now you need to put a contract in place. Just like anything else associated with a event -- guest rooms, food and renting audio visual equipment -- this requires time, patience and understanding. Negotiation is just that...going back and forth in order to get what you want at the price point that will work for your budget. 
    
4. Go with a Wi-Fi Expert. 
   
   Many organizations and venues claim to be Wi-Fi experts, but in the end, they really don't have the experience to know what to do with your requirements. Ask probing questions and make certain to obtain referrals highlighting events that are simular to yours. Most important, ask how they will manage the "peaks and valleys" of bandwidth demand. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, has been delivering successful Wi-Fi network arrays to events since 2011. They have both the knowledge and equipment to make certain your Internet connection is fast, robust and secure. Check out their Facebook Fan Page for great tips on how to manage your WiFi at events! 

With four generations -- Mature, Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y (or commonly referred to as Millennials) --- in the workplace today, it can be a marketing puzzler for exhibitors to determine what will attract each generation to the show and the exhibitor's booth. Of particular concern to event planners are Millennials. Because of their technological savvy, one might ask if trade shows are going "bye-bye" in the next few years.

According to a recent study by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) where they interviewed 9,000 attendees and 800 exhibitors, trade shows are going to be more viable than ever before. 

Here are the highlights of the survey and the many ways technology can help in your quest to keep and obtain more attendees. 

• 90% of the respondents indicated the value of exhibitions today is the same or greater than it was in 2011. 
  This is great news! This means attendees are getting real value out of attending a show and can justify the expense and time away from the office.
   
• 53% of respondents between 18-27 years old (Gen Y) indicated they plan to attend more exhibitions in the next two years. 
  Again, great news! The youngest generation is seeing a clear-cut value in trade show attendance. 
   
• 50% of Millennials indicated their primary reason for attending a trade show was for inspiration and motivation. 
  So, how can you inspire and motivate? Perhaps having C-Suite management in your booth or connecting them live with attendees through a video wall. Or hiring motivational speakers that can give a brief talk and autograph their book. Brainstorm ways to do both and make certain to use interactive technology tool rentals such as iPads and computer kiosks to tell your story. 
   
• 31% of Millennials indicated that online interaction before the trade show increased their participation in the event. 
  Using a social backchannel or online community to allow attendees to mingle and interact before the event,  is what Gen Yers are interested in. How are you getting them interested in your event? Are you asking for their input and feedback? Getting them conversational before the event and then keeping the conversation going is important to your success. 
   
• 20% of Baby Boomers and 19% of Gen Xers ranked "making a purchase" as the top reason for attending. 
  The morale of the story: Don't hard sell your products or services. Make an impression and by all means follow-up! It is so much easier to follow-up with attendees on an automated Lead Retrieval System! 

"The good news is that face-to-face interactions at exhibitions are highly valued by professionals of all generations, including younger professionals. The fear that the relevance of this medium will wane with younger professionals is not evidenced in this study," said Nancy Drapeau, Research Director at CEIR. 

For more helpful insights what the future holds for trade shows, check out this AVES blog as to how they might look in 2016. 

Hosted Buyer programs have been catching some traction over the last couple of years. Rather than luring attendees to your booth with giveaways and contests, this system allows "buyers"  (attendees) and "sellers" (exhibitors) to sit across from each other and talk one-on-one for an allotted time period. 

• Brian Perkins a Partner at Highliner Events, LLC stated that two exhibitors at his hosted buyer seafood event closed $8 million of business. 
• Gregg Herning, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Peabody Hotels said his sales team expects to close up to $8 million in business from MPI's WEC hosted buyer program. 

• Because they are small in scope, they allow buyers and sellers to forge a real connection. 
   
• There is no traditional trade show floor, just timed face-to-face meetings. 
  "Long before the actual face-to-face meetings, both planners and suppliers can see what products and services work best for them and they can set up appointments, so they can prepare and speak accordingly," said Meaghan Ferrazza, Event Operations Manager for MPI. 
   
• Exhibitors save money because the cost of the booth is reduced and they only have to ship a limited amount of marketing collateral and giveaways. 
  If exhibitors rent iPads, their costs go down even further because all information can be accessed from the mobile device and sent directly to the buyer's email account. 
   
• ROI is easier to justify because exhibitors know in advance the buyers they will be meeting with and what they are looking for from the seller. Business won can be traced directly back to the program. 
   
• Buyers are pre-qualified and have to have "x" amount of business planned in the next 12-18 months. Because of this prequalification, sellers take the buyers very seriously. 

AV Event Solutions is a professional, affordable, experienced California-based event services company that is now part of the SmartSource Rentals national family! They can offer state-of-the-art interactive technology tool rentals for your next hosted buyer program. Get the process started today through their Express Quote form! 

With a growing world population, increased concern about global warming and landfill limitations, it is in the best interest of the meeting industry to limit all resources used at any event. One of the ways to get everyone on board and involved is to announce that from now on, all of your meetings and events will be "green". If you have already adapted green policies, great! But if you are looking for ways to improve the ecofriendliness of your event, here are 20 simple ideas that will make a difference.

RECYCLE

1. Ask the venue to put recycling stations everywhere a trash container is located. Encourage attendees to recycle their plastic, glass and aluminum containers.
2. Recycle plastic badge holders for future use. 
3. Donate meeting banners to organizations that will recycle them into message bags, file folders, wallets or attendee goody bags. 

REDUCE

4. Eliminate all paper by using interactive technology tool rentals such as iPads, computer kiosks, touch screens, and wireless Audience Response Systems.
5. Drop print advertising.  Shift those dollars to a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaign for your event. 
6. Eliminate paper registration. Manage attendee registration process through online booking engines, such as Cvent, Eventbrite or Constant Contact. 
7. Provide session video recordings online. If attendees want to review a speaker after the session, provide a URL link to YouTube. No jump drives or DVDs mean no shipping costs, no materials to be purchased and most importantly, no hassle. 
8. Eliminate bottled water and replace with pitchers of water. 
9. Obtain an accurate meeting count. This will allow you to have the right amount of food and beverage.  
10. Turn off all the light switches when you leave the meeting rooms. 
11. Understand all the transportation options attendees have to get to your meeting and promote those ways on your website.
12. Utilize bus shuttle service to get attendees to and from the airport.
13. If they must rent a car, let them know where to rent hybrid or electric cars.
14. If your destination has a high walkability score, use that information in your marketing efforts.
15. Encourage attendees to walk to local restaurants and attractions or share a cab.
16. Go local for everything. Sourcing everything local from the food to renting audio visual equipment  saves money on transportation and shipping. 

REUSE

17. Replaced paper and plastic serving items with glass, china, and cloth napkins. 
18. Arrange for all leftover food and beverages to be transported to a local food kitchen.
19. Replace one-time use posters and signage with digital signage rental units.
20. Renting audio visual equipment provides you with all your meeting technology needs at a fraction of the cost it would be to purchase, maintain and store that equipment at your company site. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of SmartSource Rentals, is available to help you make your next meeting green! Give them a call today at 888.249.4903  to learn more about their total technology solutions.   

Every speaker wants to accomplish three things by the end of their talk:

1. Have great stage presence
2. Be well liked and accepted by their audience and
3. Obtain additional speaking gigs or be asked back to speak the following year

Chris Anderson, Curator of TED (Technology, Entertain and Design) stated in the latest edition of Harvard Business Review that most speakers miss the boat because they are uncomfortable giving presentations. His mission is to help inexperienced presenters to become polished speakers. Anderson said his tips can be used for any presentation -- whether it be a CEO addressing stakeholders at an annual meeting, a brand manager organizing a product launching event, or a start-up pitching their idea to a venue capitalist. 

His suggestions may seem common sense in nature but it is always good to review what works and what doesn't when it comes to delivering an effective presentation. 

FRAME THE STORY

Anderson stated the audience wants to listen to the presenter's story and be taken on a journey, so it is extremely important to know where to start and end the presentation. With TED, each speaker is given 18 precious minutes to tell their story.

First, start by asking two basic questions about the audience members:

1. What do they already know about your subject matter?
2. How much do they care about it? 

Anderson stated once you know the answer to these two questions, the goal of any speaker's presentation is to: 

• Introduce the topic, 
• Explain why they care so deeply about it by presenting in-depth, vivid details and
• Convince the audience they should do the same. 

BOTTOM LINE: Your speakers need to tell a deep-dive story they can effectively deliver in 18 minutes. 

PLAN THE DELIVERY

Anderson stated there are 3 ways to deliver a talk:

1. Read it from a script or teleprompter
2. Develop a set of bullet points and show it on PowerPoint presentation equipment or
3. Memorize it.

He stated the most effective talks were memorized, but he also realizes not everyone has the time to rehearse and remember. So the next best option above is #2 as long as your speaker doesn't read the slides. 

BOTTOM LINE: Choose a presentation platform that can aid in the delivery of your speaker's story, not detract from it. 

DEVELOP STAGE PRESENCE

There are many ways to keep the audience focused on the speaker. Here are four ways he said that can help any presenter increase their presence:

1. Keep their lower body motionless (many speakers move their body from side to side or shift their weight while on stage)
2. Make eye contact as often as possible with different parts of the room
3. Breathe deeply before going on stage to combat nervousness and
4. Be authentic. 

BOTTOM LINE: Speakers need to find ways to continually connect with their audience. 

PLAN FOR EFFECTIVE MULTIMEDIA

Here are Anderson's presentation services audio visual equipment tips: 

• Don't use a slide deck as a substitute for notes
• Don't read the slides
• Use photographs, graphics and illustrations
• Explore alternatives to PowerPoint, such as Prezi
• Automatically advance your slides after so many seconds or minutes so the speaker doesn't hurry through the ending slides
• Use silence to your benefit
• Videos are effective especially if they are 60 seconds or less in length
• Don't self-promote

BOTTOM LINE: Use visually orientated slides that help resonate your message with your audience. 

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

For TED, speakers need to prepare their talk for delivery 6 months before the TED conference and practice it in front of others for constructive feedback and criticism.

BOTTOM LINE: Practice before friends, family and smaller organizations. Take their criticism seriously and tailor the presentation to be more effective. 

Are you event planning in California? Call AV Event Solutions for a complete quote on PowerPoint equipment including LCD projectors and screen rentals. 

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! 

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

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

FIRST, THE GUEST LIST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

INFLUENCER #4:  Christina Coster, Founder of EventCamp

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

COMPELLING CONTENT WORKS

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

CONTENT WITH LEGS

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

FAST & RELIABLE WI-FI

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

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

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

INTERACTIVE PROGRAMS

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have you ever driven home and not remembered the trip? Been in a meeting and not remembered the presenter's name or topic? Or worse, come back from a three-day conference chalked full of education, only to remember a few tidbits? Why can't we remember the details when asked to recall them?  

According to Gregory Berns' blog post titled "Neuroscience Sheds New Light on Creativity", the brain is lazy and ultimately our past experiences have a dramatic affect on our current ones. Here is an example -- because we attended a couple of meetings in a large ballroom set in theater-style with low lighting that were boring -- we think that all meetings set in this type of environment are...well...boring.  

Dr. Kathie F. Nunley, an educational psychologist, cites that we need to attend to the physical needs of the attendee first, then create novelty at the meeting and third, allow for self-made choices. Here are some of her insights as well as a few of my own. 

PHYSICAL NEED

The attendee has to have their basic needs met at the meeting. Is the room set at the right temperature? Are the seats comfortable and is there plenty of personal space available for the attendee to put their personal belongings? Are you providing enough and the right type of food and beverage? Can the attendee see and hear the presentation? 

NOVELTY

Nunley stated in her blog post, "The mind seems to gravitate toward novelty. Not only does a novel experience seem to capture our attention, it appears to be an essential need of the mind." Capture the interest of the attendee and make your meeting unpredictable. 

Put the keynote speaker in the middle of the conference agenda. Rent iPads instead of producing conference binders. Start with the Q and A and finish with the presentation. Stage the meeting room in a large circle instead of theater or classroom setting. Decorate the room like a party instead of a training session. Change the city, venue or time of day you meet. Have a meeting where everyone stands. Do anything and everything to "shake it up" so attendees do not say, "been there, done that". 

SELF-MADE CHOICES

Nunley believes attendee-centered meetings in an open learning environment allow participants to set their own pace, learn as they wish, when they wish and move on when a concept is mastered.

So how will this functionality transfer to a large meeting with thousands of attendees? Creating a Twitter hashtag for each meeting and asking attendees to submit questions and comments will help the event organizer and speaker to make changes on a real-time basis. Encourage presenters to go where the audience is, not what they want to present. Livestream the presentation so it can be viewed on an attendee's mobile device and a video wall display rental unit if the participant is called out of the room. 

If you are event planning in California, check out AV Event Solutions as a state-of-the-art provider in Total Technology Solutions! With offices throughout California, they are only minutes away to service your event with additional inventory, technical support and staff. 

Over the last three weeks, Washington has been busy with the government sequester, GSA's Meetings Management Program, and Senate Amendment 67. All these initiatives will have some impact on travel and the meetings industry. Below is a summary of each initiative, what impact it will have, plus how corporate meeting planners can create a strategy and have a voice in the process.

GOVERNMENT SEQUESTRATION

Failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in cuts to federal spending has triggered automatic cuts known as sequestration. Those cuts went into effect March 1, 2013 after Congress and the President failed to reach agreement on a plan to stop them.

Agencies are now going to more carefully scrutinize the need for travel and sometimes denying travel in favor of a webinar or no training at all. Attendees can expect airline flight delays and longer lines at security checkpoints due to this measure. 

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! 

Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials, launched a worldwide rebranding effort to all their employees over a two-day period in February 2010. Because of DSM's strategic and successful use of meetings and events to promote the new brand identity -- Bright Science. Brighter Living™ --  they received the 2012 Recognizing Industry Success and Excellence (RISE) Award for Organizational Achievement from MPI.

In the latest edition of MPI's One+ magazine, Alise Long, CMM who is the Manager of Corporate Events & Meetings at DSM was interviewed about the steps they took to make this happen. Here are three steps every meeting planner can use in launching a new product, service or brand initiative. 

Step #1: Realize every employee is important. 

Royal DSM set forth an event that had two primary goals: 1) Allow employees to socialize and get to know one another better and 2) Present the information on a local level with a global message in mind. They realized that a rebranding initiative delivered from the top and disseminated through the management chain could get lost in translation and take too long. Delivering important branding information to everyone in a relatively short duration validated the importance of each employee to the organizational structure. 

A red carpet movie premiere event, where everyone was treated like a star, was planned. Over two days, DSM held 134 face-to-face events with about 170 persons at each meeting -- thus creating a more intimate setting versus having one event for 23,000 employees of which most of the message would have had to be handled virtually. 

Step #2: Develop a theme and team to deliver the message. 

DSM had the local, regional, corporate and global staff involved in delivering the theme "Bright Launch". This team worked for five months on the creative and logistical messaging for the meetings. They determined the number of meetings, locations and content necessary to disseminate the message.

Step #3: Measure message effectiveness. 

96% of the employees thought the meeting was effective and employees were able to explain the vision and direction of the company and its new brand. 

What are the key takeaways for meeting planners? 

• Whatever the purpose of the product launching event, treat all employees, customers and prospects as a vital component to the success of the launch. Rent iPads for attendees to take notes during the session, post on social backchannels and communicate with other attendees about the announcement.
   
• Create a diverse team to help with creative approaches to your messaging. 
   
• Measure meeting effectiveness by polling attendees with wireless Audience Response Systems (ARS), computer kiosks or through the attendees' mobile devices. Understanding if they got the message and can explain it, is important to calculating overall launch effectiveness. 

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rentals family, can provide you with many effective technology tools to aid you in a terrific launch! Do not get lost in translation, let them help you pull off a high quality product launch this year! 

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! 

Ah trade shows...they have been debated, depleted, virtualized, and finally revitalized. But why such debate over their value and how valuable are they really? Well that all depends on your point of view...whether you are the organizer, attendee or exhibitor. 

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) published a report called "The Role and Value of Face-to-Face Interaction" in 2012. It highlighted the following facts: 

• 71% of attendees placed a high importance on face-to-face interactions to build long term relationships with vendors
• 67% of attendees ranked interactions between themselves and exhibitors important in investigating, evaluating and narrowing down their buying choices
• 48% said face-to-face interactions at exhibitions, conventions and annual meetings are more important now than they were in 2010 and
• 43% expect that the trade show setting will be more valuable in 2014

While all of this information is good, what about ROI and the decision whether or not to participate in the show? CEIR recently came out with a ROI toolkit  for exhibitors that is free (however you do need to sign-in  to access it) that provides a pre- and post-event ROI calculator. 

The Pre-Event Calculator answers the following questions: 

• Should your organization exhibit at the trade show given the total number of attendees and percentage in your target market
• How many staff will you need to engage with attendees and
• How much space is required to accommodate your audience, including open space

The Post-Event Calculator helps measure the tradeshow's ROI through your input of the following information: 

• Total number of inquiries and leads you obtained
• Total number of staff on duty 
• Direct exhibitor costs, including staff travel and entertainment expenses
• Average conversion percentage of leads to sales
• Average revenue generated per order
• Your organization's gross margin

How can technology assist you with the ROI effort? Below are a few of the interactive technology tool rentals that both AV Event Solutions and SmartSource Rentals can assist with in getting more individuals to your booth and keeping them there.

• Rent iPads to replace all your marketing collateral. Not only is this a green solution, but you can save your organization money on writing, editing, printing, shipping and storing your printed materials. 
   
• Touch Panel Kiosks are a great solution to keep attendees interested in learning more about your products and services while they are waiting to speak to a sales person. With an intuitive navigation system, an attendee can view videos, photos and testimonials about your organization and email back to the home office your product information. 
   
• Lead Retrieval Systems can help you automate and disseminate leads while you are still on the trade show floor! By scanning the attendee's badge or a magnetic strip you can gather vital, accurate information about the attendee in a few seconds. 
   
• Charging stations are a great way to get attendees to your booth and keep them there for at least 10 minutes while their phone or tablet is charging. This is the perfect opportunity for exhibitors to gather the lead and qualify the attendee. 

AV Event Solutions, now part of SmartSource Rentals, is the largest Total Technology rental company in the United States with 22 full-service locations. They offer a complete range of cost-effective solutions from Lead Retrieval Systems, Audio Visual, Digital Document Libraries, Charging Stations, iPad solutions, Video Walls, and much, much more! All of this with 24/7 technical support. Let them help you make your next trade show fantastic! 

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!