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

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

If this quote is true: 

• Once you gather the basic information and what the attendee is interested in learning more about, you can easily organize the data and import it into a spreadsheet or database software for sales reps to follow up on after the conference is over. 
   
• Because Lead Retrieval Systems work with most CRM systems, you can assign which rep will follow up with the attendee after the show and have a process to see when and how often they followed up with each lead. 
   
• A Lead Retrieval System will help your team close business started on the show floor because the data will be correct and the follow-up will be timely and tailored to the attendee's need. 

Shoo out the old way of gathering leads and welcome the new way with Lead Generation tools from Smartsource Rentals (the parent company of AV Event Solutions). With 21 locations nationwide, they can provide you will all your technology needs including kiosks, touch panel displays, charging stations, and iPads. Give them a call at 800-888-8686. 

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! 

Have you ever wondered, "Why is my meeting not growing in attendance?" or "Why aren't attendees excited and engaged in the event?"

If you have thought one or both of these questions, you are not alone. Below six meeting problems and their fixes aimed to help you with meeting growth and attendee engagement. 

Reason #1: Your event is stale. 

If you are producing a meeting or tradeshow the same way you were 3-5 years ago, something is wrong. It says to your attendees that you have not adapted to change because you are either afraid of it or you feel "if it isn't broke, don't fix it".

Embrace change. Ask attendees what changes they want and why they want it. Much of your change will come in the form of interactive technology tool rentals. If you are uncomfortable with technology, by all means recruit someone from your team to help you with it.

Reason #2: Your event provides no value to the attendee.

Do not have a meeting just to have a meeting. If attendees fly or drive long distances, you don't want them saying to themselves and others, "That was a waste of my time!"

Your event needs to provide attendees with fresh and valuable content. By asking your audience what they want to hear and who they want to hear it from, you can be assured that you are addressing the age-old adage, "What's in it for me?" 

Reason #3: Black and white printing abounds with no imagery. 

Your handouts and surveys are black and white with many words and no visuals. 

In 2013, we are a very color-orientated, visual world. Videos, photographs and color can be delivered effectively through digital signage, video wall rentals and touch screen kiosks. Not only are you cutting down on the amount of paper, but with these technology tools you have eliminated shipping and storage of your paper, and your organization is presenting a greener, cleaner image to attendees.  

Reason #4: Too many sponsors and exhibitors. 

Meeting planners rarely turn away sponsors or exhibitors even when these organizations have little to do with the meeting theme or demographics of the attendee. 

Having too many sponsors or exhibitors can overwhelm your attendees and allow your message to be lost in the process. It is all about balance. 

Reason #4: No social sharing. 

Your conference does not allow attendees to post information to social backchannels. 

Rent iPads and have the social channels already preloaded onto the systems. Create a hashtag for the conference and promote it to attendees well in advance. Encourage participants to post before, during and after the conference. Respond in a timely manner when they post a question, comment or complaint to social. 

Reason #5: No comment. 

You are not surveying attendees to find out what they like and dislike about the conference.

Wireless Audience Response Systems provide an easy way to take the pulse of your attendees in a quick and confidential manner. 

Reason #6: Comments are ignored. 

The worst possible scenario for your meeting is to question your attendees and then, ignore their feedback. 

Once the data is gathered and analyzed, post on your social media channels what is going to be different at next year's conference. Or better yet, consolidate the comments and recommendations in a visually-based report that attendees can review and download from your website. 

Are you event planning in California? Contact AV Event Solutions for all your audio visual needs! 

Pinterest is a photo sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests and hobbies. Users can browse other pinboards for inspiration, 're-pin' images to their own pinboards or 'like' photos. With over ten million unique U.S. visitors, it is by far the fastest growing social media channel. 

If you are not familiar with Pinterest, it allows you to create or contribute to a series of boards. In the audio visual world, one such board might be "computer kiosks". You can complete a search on that term and find out what has already been pinned and re-pin the ideas you like onto this board. In addition, you can upload your own photos and videos. 

How can this tool help promote your next event? Here are four ways you can use Pinterest effectively as originally presented by Arwin Adriano, Founder and Editor at EventChecklist.net and with added thoughts by myself, an active Pinterest user.  

Brainstorm

If you are looking for fresh and innovative design ideas, Pinterest is for you. If you type in the word "meetings" and click on boards, you will find over 150 boards that contain over 1,000 pins! You can re-pin ideas on your event boards and start to follow pinners of interest. 

If you have a lot of small meetings, perhaps create a board for each meeting. You can create as many boards as you like and they are easy to delete if you find that too many were originally created. 

Crowdsource Ideas

You can create different boards for your event including: Lighting, Meeting Room Layout, Audience Response Systems, Food, Beverage, Presenters and so on. You can re-pin ideas on these boards as well as upload your own pins. The owner of the board can designate as many pinners onto each board as they would like. Once there are a series of pins on each board, you can ask attendees to vote on the visual ideas they like.  

This process not only engages your attendees, it also allows them to see how the lighting, room and food will look well before the event take place. 

Linking to other Social Channels

When someone looks at a pin, they can like it on their Facebook page, Tweet about the pin or email the pin to someone else. Every time you pin something, your web or blog address should be below the pin to drive more traffic to these entities.  
 

During and After the Event

Attendees can post photos and videos on the Pinterest site during and after the event if they have smartphones or if you rent iPads with the camera integrated into the tablet. Next year's potential attendees can see a visual summary of the event that can stay up on Pinterest long after the meeting is over. Attendees can also re-pin photos to their own boards. 

Here are some other interesting facts about Pinterest as reported in the Huffington Post: 

• 80% of all American Pinterest users are women
• Over 80% of all pins are re-pinned
• 57% of the users interact with food-related categories
• The average user spends 16 minutes on the site per visit

AV Event Solutions, now part of the SmartSource Rental company, wants to help you with state-of-the-art interactive technology tool rentals for your next meeting or event. Get started with our express quote form and an experienced Account Executive will return your inquiry within four business hours! And don't forget to check out their Pinterest Boards for great AV ideas! 

Who would have thought 10 years ago a 29-year old, Harvard drop out would run a phenomenally successful organization with over 1 billion users? Certainly not me and probably not you. But here we are in 2013 and almost everyone knows the name of Mark Zuckerberg. Even though Facebook had a rough IPO start, it now seems to be on the path of stability as its stock price continues to rise. 

Ekaterina Walter, Social Media Innovator and Author of Think Like Zuck: The Five Business Secrets of Facebook's Improbably Brilliant CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has identified some of the keys to Facebook's success. While they are fairly basic in nature, I think this is a good time to review how event meeting services organizations can use these principles (P's) in their every day interactions with attendees, partners and sponsors. 

What is a proprietary event? Very simply it has only one focus -- your brand, company or association. It is all about your messaging with no distractions from one-off sponsors, exhibitors or other brand managers in the organization. It is about YOUR message -- all the time. And as we go into 2013, event meeting services organizations will see more and more of this type of event. 

In fact, according to Sparks, a global event marketing agency, proprietary events are expected to double in 2013. Below are the 5 benefits of this type of event and why is they are happening.  

CONTROL

This event allows you to be in the driver's seat. You select the speakers, sponsors and exhibitors you want at your meeting.  

"You have full control over the experience your audience receives -- everything from the event environment to the way content is delivered," said Lucy Bassert, Vice President Strategic Accounts at Sparks Exhibits and Environments. 

BUSINESS DRIVEN

Proprietary events are awareness and sales driven. The goal is to get as many customers and prospects in one room -- F2F as well as virtually --- and sell them on the content of the event. Whether it is a product launching event and you want "x" number of the new product sold or increasing sales with existing products and services, the idea is to get the attendees excited about and positioned to buy whatever is presented.

Live streaming and recording the event has two major benefits: 1) You can address a virtual audience you may never have been able to reach before and 2) The presentations can be available for attendees to watch at a later date for clarification of content. 

DEEP DIVE CONTENT

At SAP's SAPPHIRE NOW conference, they set up their speakers in meeting rooms and had them repeat their content over and over again during the 3-day event. In addition, they had each speaker in a discussion area so attendees could ask questions. This allowed attendees to come back and revisit content they may have missed from the previous day or ask questions that may not have come to them the day before. 

During the discussion time, speakers worked off an outline but went in the direction of attendee questions thus allowing for free flowing interaction. 

DEMONSTRATIONS ABOUND

By controlling the exhibitor floor, you will probably end up with fewer exhibitors but will be left with the ones that tie directly into your business. You can make it a requirement that they demonstrate their offerings in detail to the attendees. Demonstrations can occur through video if your exhibitors rent iPads or through simulation software. 

TECHNOLOGY TOOLS ARE EVERYWHERE

The right interactive technology tool rentals can enhance the attendee experience. Here are some ways technology can be used effectively at a proprietary event: 

• Digital signage can be displayed via video wall rental units or computer kiosks. This allows you to display in a real-time fashion any room, time and speaker changes. You can also live stream one of the speakers onto the wall and/or post the Twitter feed. 
   
• Immersive projection is a way to create a 3D environment from projectors and light equipment rentals. It can allow you to create a street, vehicle or building all with the use of 3D projectors and lighting. 
   
• Implementing touch technology will enhance your message. Touch panel kiosks, iPads and interactive tables help enforce your brand and message with the attendee. 

AV Event Solutions is your corporate audio visual partner ready to help with your proprietary event. Check out their express quote page to get your technology rental process started! 

An event services company's dream is to hold a great event where everyone is extremely happy with the outcome. The attendees all rave about the event, the speakers can easily engage with their audience, the exhibitors are getting valuable leads and the sponsors are seeing real value in the dollars they spent. 

A recent newsletter by etouches, an event software company, stated that technology on many fronts can assist event planners with this process. Many of us think of technology as a cold, hard piece of equipment that is a necessary evil in our lives. But what if you started to think about technology as the way to tailor and enhance everyone's experience at your next event? Can technology really do this? Yes it can -- on so many fronts.

This blog will explore and position the highlights from the etouches piece, as well as, ways AV Event Solutions can assist you in technology options. 

PRE-EVENT

According to etouches, the pre-event activation starts from the very first time a potential attendee encounters your brand. So from an event awareness prospective you need to do the following: 

• Make certain your organization's social profiles are complete and updated on a regular basis. Have your event or organizational logo prominently displayed on each channel. Consistency is the key to getting your attendees to feel comfortable with your company and event. 
   
• Build your online community. 
  • Have every staff member, volunteer, sponsor and exhibitor ask their Facebook friends to like your fan page.
  • Follow your attendees on Twitter and ask them to follow you back. 
  • Connect with all your event shareholders on LinkedIn. 
  • Ask engaging questions and post relevant information about your event on all the social channels regularly -- at least 2-3 times per week.  
• Post an attendee listing complete with social channels.  Encourage attendees to interact with each other, make appointments and/or set up meetings. 
   
• Let attendees create their own personalized real-time agenda. 

AT THE EVENT

• Rather than having attendees stand in long registration lines, have them go to a computer kiosk, scan the barcode from their registration confirmation and print their badge. 
   
• If you rent iPads, all your conference materials can preloaded onto the tablet complete with the attendee's agenda, social backchannels, tailored meeting apps, reminders, and survey information. Encourage attendees to post regularly on their social channels. 
   
• Video Wall rental units can display multiple things that are going on in the meeting or be a viewing site for one large image. Attendees can view live streaming or prerecorded videos of speakers, learn more about the event sponsors, see real-time changes to the meeting schedule, and/or look at the Twitter feed from the event. Often times, this video is a gathering point for attendees before or after the meeting or during breaks. 
   
• RFID chips embedded in the badges can help event organizers track all the movements of the attendees and allow them to tailor the event more specifically to them in the future. 

POST-EVENT

Based on the data you collected at the event and by reviewing online and website analytics, you should be able to start very tailored communication with your stakeholders. Keeping that communication line open all year long is the key to building better relationships, according to etouches. 

AV Event Solutions has a slew of interactive technology tool rentals available to help you build those long-term relationships with meeting  attendees. Check out their express quote page to get started on your journey! 

Last May, Rutgers University hosted "The Big Ideas in Higher Education Conference" which was produced by Tony Doody, Director of Programs and Leadership at the university. According to attendees and sponsors, it was a wonderful event because it had great content, the production was fantastic and the venue was perfect. 

So what made this event so special? What can other planners learn from Tony? Here is a summary of what speaker Mike Brown, a blogger for Brainzooming, believes other event planners can learn from this conference. 

1. Research conferences outside of your industry. 
   
   Tony and his team wanted to build a buzz-worthy conference and looked at many meetings outside of the educational sector for inspiration. They chose a variety of speakers that addressed non-educational issues but the message was still valuable to this niche. 
   
   They also looked at how the event was produced (sound and lighting rentals, presentation services audio visual equipment, seating arrangements, etc.) in order to spark creativity and bring something new to the conference. 
    
2. Short and sweet is the key. 
   
   Big Ideas mirrored much of what TED talks are about -- 20 minute presentations with no podium. This allowed them to host more presentations, add variety to the line up and kept the speakers laser focused on their topic. 
    
3. Create an enticing website. 
   
   They used images and language that created a buzz-worthy site complete with a listing of conference speakers, attendees and registration information.  
    
4. The physical setting is very important. 
   
   Big Ideas used more of a "living room" type of setting where the seats were placed on risers so the audience and the speaker were on the same level, which automatically increased engagement with attendees. They also used pipe and drape to shorten the room and give it a cozy, closed-in feeling. 
   
   Using as many of the 5 senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell) in your meeting can help elevate the attendee experience. Light equipment rentals can help create the mood for the meeting. Making certain that everyone can see and hear each other, as well as, the speaker is also important. Touch-based technology such as iPads or computer kiosks can also enhance the experience. And don't forget about food. Good food can both smell and taste terrific. 
    
5. Drive an emotional connection. 
   
   Rather than trying to make the conference stogie and boring, Tony and his team wanted heartfelt emotional responses to the presentations. By keeping the presentations brief, allowing for a variety of speakers and utilizing an interview-style when it made sense, the attendees became emotionally connected to the subject matter, 
    

AV Event Solutions wants to help you make your next meeting buzz worthy! Give them a call at 888-249-4903 to learn more about their innovative offerings! 

Everyone has heard the terms Wi-Fi, bandwidth, Internet browsing and video streaming. And you know these capabilities are important to the attendee, speaker and exhibitor. The problem is the process to deliver these offerings is complex and the terminology is well...technical. However, understanding the basic premise and terms of Wi-Fi and bandwidth will go a long way to determining your meeting needs as you look toward 2013 and beyond. 

This blog will define the terms Wi-Fi, Bandwidth and Mb/s, and why they are important when estimating your data load on the network.  

What is Wi-Fi? 

Wi-Fi is a wireless local area network that allows any electronic device to exchange data wirelessly over a computer network such as a high-speed Internet connection. A device that uses Wi-Fi in a meeting is a laptop, tablet, smartphone or computer kiosk connected to the network via an access point. 

What is Bandwidth? 

Bandwidth is the maximum data transfer rate for the Wi-Fi network. Think of it like a pipe -- if it is narrow and you are trying to transport a high volume of data such as video, the pipe is going to backup (buffer) or explode (go down). However, if you have a large pipe, many packets of data can go through it with multiple users and the transmission of data is much faster. 

Bandwidth can be shared or dedicated.

Shared is exactly that, it is what the hotel or conference center has set aside for use by any guest or meeting attendee. Shared bandwidth is not very secure and is not in control of the event meeting services company with regards to its use. 

Dedicated bandwidth, which can be provided to you when you rent Wi-Fi network array, is guaranteed for your use only and is recommended when you have a large meeting and/or when information shared at the meeting is sensitive or confidential. 

What is Mb/s? 

This is an acronym that stands for Megabits per second. It breaks down this way:

Mega = Millions
Bit = Smallest Unit of Data

For example, if your Wi-Fi network can transfer 100 Mb/s, that means it can transfer 100,000,000 pieces of data per second over your bandwidth. 

It is important to know and verify what speed you should expect. Although this is more of an art than a science, a good conference equipment rental company should be able to give you an estimate based on the number, type(s) and uses of the computing equipment. 

APEX has a Bandwidth Estimator which can be a start for the amount of Mb/s you will need for your event. But remember this is only an estimation and you will need to work with a qualified provider to be assured of the right configuration.  

WiFi Evaluation Recap - 

When evaluating Wi-Fi use with attendees, you need to determine: 

• How much bandwidth they will use for your meeting
• What they will use to access it (smartphones, iPads, tablets and/or laptops) and 
• What level of service is acceptable to them

When evaluating a venue's Wi-Fi system, you need to ask:

• How much bandwidth is available for your event?
• How is it managed (shared versus dedicated)?
• Who manages it?
• What is the age of the system?

Is your head still spinning from all this terminology? If so, contact AV Event Solutions! They offer Wi-Fi network arrays and the technical expertise to walk you through the best solution for your meeting. Give them a call today and check out their Wi-Fi tips on Facebook! 

Every event planner has to do it...those dreaded solicitation calls to potential sponsors for your next conference or meeting. It is really the last think planners want to do, but just like many things we have to do in life, it is one of those tasks you need to do for the fiscal health of your meeting. 

However, 5 or 10 years ago, sponsorships were easy to come by. Suppliers seemed to be waiting with baited breath to be called and were honored to plunk down $10,000 to introduce your keynote speaker or say a few words about their destination or venue. 

This is no longer the case and event meeting services organizations are having a harder time getting those designated dollars. Why? Because sponsorship rules have changed and many times their budgets are just as tight as yours. 

The solution? Start with looking at the selling process through the lens of the of the sponsor. Here are 3 things you can do to get you there.  

Surefire Solution #1: Start with your previous sponsors. 

Gather the list of of all event sponsors from the last 3 years and approach them about sponsoring next year's event. Find out what they liked and didn't like about your meeting and what changes they want. Give them a great rate if they will sign up early. It takes a lot more effort to garner a new sponsor rather than keeping an existing one. Be accommodating and keep your existing sponsors happy. 

Surefire Solution #2: Build your business case. 

Find out what organizations are interested in spending time with your attendees, VIPs, and/or speakers. Here are some questions to investigate when doing your homework: 

• Do your attendees match the profile your sponsor wants to spend time with? 
• How does your event relate to the potential sponsor's business and their goals? 
• Tell them everything about your attendees including, but not limited to:
  • The number of attendees
  • The breakdown of age ranges
  • Gender mix
  • Positions
  • Buying power and 
  • Whether or not they are the decision maker for their organization
• Let them know who else is sponsoring the event and 
• Be prepared with sponsor testimonials and the business they generated from your event

Surefire Solution #3: Send a tailored letter or email to your targeted companies. 

Find out the right person in the organization to approach and start out with a personalized salutation of either  Dear Dede or Dear Ms. Mulligan -- depending on your relationship with the planner. If you use a mail merge system, check and double check that the person in your mailing list is: a) still with the company  b) still has the same responsibility and c) their first and last name is spelled correctly. 

It is better to send out 25 qualified and tailored letters rather than 250 random, impersonalized emails. Know who you are targeting and make the appropriate pitch as to why their organization needs to be there! 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment company can help you create unique sponsorship opportunities through splash pages for Wi-Fi access if you rent iPads, photos and videos on video wall rentals or on computer kiosks. Check out their website today to learn more about their unique technological offerings! 

If you are looking to take your meeting to the next level by allowing your attendees maximum portability and efficient, fast connections -- look no further than to the versatility of Apple iPads and the reliability of Wi-Fi network rentals that can support up to 1,000 devices. When an event offers iPad rentals and attendees use their own smartphones, event venues need more access points to handle all these devices. Adding a Wi-Fi network array ensures that the event has the best connectivity and portability option. 

Here are the key benefits of renting iPads and wireless network arrays for your event:

The network can be customized to your meeting needs and allow for web-based apps. 

Many planners are nervous running web apps on an iPad system because they think the app may not be available in a timely basis...especially if they have 700 individuals trying to access the information all at the same time. The key is to work with your AV provider to test, analyze and customize the Wi-Fi system to meet your needs. A "one size fits all" mentality with Wi-Fi is no longer necessary.  

All attendees can simultaneously see the same digital information on their iPads. 

Imagine having hundreds, if not thousands of attendees strewn all over a convention center and hotel. You need to get a message to all of them...RIGHT NOW. It might be about an impending session or an alert about the weather. Whatever it is, having iPads and the right network array allows everyone to see the same information at the same time. 

Meeting your bandwidth needs -- including seamless roaming and video streaming. 

Most attendees are going to expect the same level of Wi-Fi speed and security they have at home or the office. They don't want to run into "dead zones" and they don't want to suffer from what might seem like endless buffering. The Wi-Fi network array allows for more access points, both inside and out, and boosts the bandwidth allowing for a network configuration that will keep your attendees happy with the network. 

Administer on-site surveys and centralize the data for instant analysis.

The iPad has great survey apps that can be integrated right into the presentation to allow for more flexibility with the speakers, sponsors or conference services staff. This solution allows planners and speakers to change things up as needed and create a meeting environment that is more geared to real-time attendee wants and needs. 

Wi-Fi network arrays provide for a multi-level secure environment. 

Free internet does not always provide you a secure system. As an event organizer, you don't want to worry that just anyone can log onto the system and access your data. This is especially true if you are conducting a product launching event that is going to give your organization a huge competitive advantage. Having a secure system is just as important as having a fast system. 

AV Event Solutions is a premier interactive technology tool rental company that provides iPads, Wi-Fi network arrays, kiosks and technical coordination for events. Give them a call at 888-249-4903 to learn more how your next event can become more portable and connected...guaranteed!

Your annual holiday gathering is just around the corner and this year, you want it to be extra special for the employees. After all they have worked very hard and it is a time to celebrate your company's success. Rather than holding a run-of-the-mill luncheon, you want to host a motivational and festive party to start the new year right. 

Below are do's and don'ts about holiday parties that can help make the moment special:  

Don't treat a holiday party as a mundane meeting. 
Yes, it is quite possible that employees see each other every day and it is easy to assume that everyone knows the ins and outs of each other's lives. But because we are all so busy, often times employees use social gatherings to get to know each other better and understand the upcoming plans for the organization. 

Do take this opportunity to market your business, share plans for the coming year and bring the meeting to life. 
You know this to be true: your employees are your best sales team. If they are motivated by the CEO's message, are aware of what is planned for the coming year and receive some recognition for their efforts -- they are more likely to be engaged in the business. Use sound and lighting rental systems to make certain everyone can hear and see what is happening on stage and throughout the room. 

Don't create a mood for the meeting. 
Due to budgetary concerns, you have had to cut back on the holiday party. However, a party is not a standard boardroom meeting with presentations services audio visual equipment and individuals in a darkened room at 8 am. It is much, much more. 

Do use all 5 senses to create the mood. 

• Sight: Can everyone see each other? Can you use light equipment rentals in an unusual way to create the mood? Perhaps colored holiday lighting or strings of lights around the room?
   
• Sound: If you are having music or entertainment, make certain all sound components are tested hours before your event. The last thing you want is the mic to cut in and out or the music to be so soft or loud it puts a damper on the party's mood. Have an AV technician on hand during the festivities to monitor the sound quality and make the proper adjustments when needed. 
   
• Smell: If the venue allows for it, burn scented candles on each table. Or put food stations around the room where employees can smell the food each chef is preparing. 
   
• Taste: Having well-prepared festive food and drink can make or break a holiday party. Eggnog, cookies, turkey, cranberries, and other holiday treats -- that are made from scratch -- will help set a positive mood and have employees asking for more. 
   
• Touch: Set up photo kiosks for fun employee shots. Rent iPads as portable kiosks for employees to put social posts about the party on their wall and display them on Plasma TVs around the room in order to make the event more interactive. 

The more senses involved in the process, the better it is for setting the right mood for the party.

Are you planning a holiday event in California? Look no further than AV Event Solutions for all your party needs! They have sound and lighting rentals, iPad rental, and much, much more! Give them a call at 888-249-4903 to get started!

Destination Hotels & Resorts recently surveyed 383 meeting planners about the trends they see in the meetings industry as they approach 2013. Below is an executive overview of what they found along with 4 trends that will shape the coming year. 

THE SNAPSHOT SHOWS:    

• 55% of the planners surveyed are looking at longer lead times than in the past 
• 18% are booking meetings less than 60 days out 
• 12% are booking their meetings at least a year in advance
   
• 50% of meeting planners said the majority of their meetings will be in urban hotels 
• 25% said they will be planning their meetings at a resort
   
• 61% stated that budgets would remain the same 
• 20% anticipate an increase in their meeting budgets 
• 19% indicated that budgets would decrease

So, what are the big indicators as we look forward into the next 14 months? Here are the 4 trends sited in Destination Hotels & Resorts State of Meetings report. 

2013 Trend #1: Location is Key. 

It appears that cities and regions need to have a mix of the following in order to be competitive:

• Urban Hotels 
• Resorts
• A convention center large enough to host national meetings
• Desirable meeting space in their local market

34% of the planners said that over 50% of their meetings would be national gatherings while 30% of the respondents said all their meetings would be local. 

Key Takeaway: It appears that cities and destinations with an aggregate of urban hotels, resorts and a convention center that can handle national meetings will win out in 2013. 

2013 Trend #2: What's Cooking is Important. 

70% of planners identified culinary offerings as an important part of their selection process and 30% said it was extremely important. 

"We've seen a substantial increase in demand for organic cuisine from groups," stated Curtis Bova, Vice President of Sales at Destination Hotels & Resorts. "Meetings are no longer focused on opulent, calorie-laden dining; planners want attendees to have a memorable meal that also leaves them feeling strong and alert." 

Key Takeaway: Venues with food options focused on health, nutrition, and specialized dietary offerings will win out. 

2013 Trend #3: Enjoying the Great Outdoors is Part of the Package. 

54% of meeting planners want adventure and active options that can assist with team building for their group. 

Key Takeaway: Meeting sites that can provide and promote physical activity as well as group adventure teambuilding will be highly sought out. 

2013 Trend #4: We Will Continue to be Green.

The eco-friendly practices of an event services company are going to continue to be apart of the meeting planner's decision process. While 45% of the planners said being green is somewhat important when choosing a venue, 18% said it was extremely important. 

Key Takeaway: Continuing to focus on ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, and rent will make a different in attracting meeting planners to your location or company if you are supplier. Rent iPads to replace paper, presentations, and binders. Implement computer kiosks or video wall rentals for digital signage, speaker information, and live video feeds from the meeting room or trade show floor. Utilize Audience Response System rentals to replace all your paper survey forms. Recycle all your badge holders and beverage containers.

AV Event Solutions is a California meeting equipment provider that is ready and willing to meet your audio visual needs in 2013 and beyond.  Give them a call today to learn more about their offerings! 

Have you ever called a company to ask a simple question only to receive the run around? Or have you ever gone into a store to purchase a product and the sales person knew nothing about it? Or even worse, has someone sold you something and you asked if the product had a particular feature -- only to find out when you got it back to the office -- it did not? 

So, let me ask you a question: How well do your employees know your products and services? When was the last time you trained them? 

Knowing a product, inside and out, is the key to adding value to a customer interaction. Because of the way we do business nowadays (online, over the phone, and face-to-face), EVERYONE in your organization needs to have in-depth product knowledge -- no ifs, ands or buts about it. You can have the nicest people in the world working for you but without in-depth product knowledge, they are like zombies taking up space in your organization. 

Below are 4 tips to make your training more effective:

• Make sure all your employees know your products and services, inside and out. Test their knowledge with wireless audience response systems with pre- and post-training questions. Keep testing them periodically to make certain they retain this knowledge. 
• Employees should know the competitors' strengths and weaknesses and how your products align with theirs. 
• Have attendees role play problem customer encounters. 
• Train every new employee the same way, regardless of their experience level. They don't know your company culture or offerings. They may think they know -- but it is from an outside prospective looking in. 

Once employees are properly trained, it is important to see how well they retain the information. Employees should be re-tested randomly or have a secret shopper experience to see how well they perform. Consider utilizing computer kiosks if you run a retail operation and ask customers for their feedback about how well the employee knew the product offering. 

Lastly, encourage employees to constantly "sharpen their saw". Employees that constantly learn about new product and service offerings, keep a leg up on the competition. Those who attend training sessions are the ones that are going to be the most valuable to you. As they acquire more product knowledge, they can start to see ways in which your own product offerings can be enhanced. 

In a nutshell: Train, test, and train again. Simple tactics for a complex world but one that will give value to your customers. After all, isn't that what it's all about? 

Let the experienced professionals of AV Event Solutions serve as your one-stop vendor for all your corporate and business event audio visual rental needs. Submit an Express Quote now and one of our expert Account Executives will respond within 4 business hours - guaranteed!

Two great events were held in Manhattan earlier this year where attendees were provided with wristbands to communicate with event organizers, check-in and vote on various food selections. BizBash magazine recently profiled these two events and the unique way they used RFID and NFC technology. Even though this technology has been around for a long time, it has finally made its way into the event stratosphere and with great success. 

RFID is the use of a wireless system that uses radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data from a tag attached to an object (in this case a wristband). The tag contains electronically stored information which can be read from up to several yards away. 

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic held in May of this year provided guests with a custom Wi-Fi wristband enabled with microchips that guests could tap at 80 different reader stations across 4 floors of NYC's Public Library. 

Each guest linked their band directly to their email address and on the following Monday were sent the cocktail recipes they were interested in. In addition, guests could link their wristband directly to their Facebook and Twitter accounts and instantly upload photos from the photo computer kiosk to Facebook. A video wall rental displayed booze-inspired quotes from famous authors that was equipped with a reader so guests could tap it and auto-tweet the quote to their followers. 

In the week before the event, The Manhattan Cocktail Classic hosted 4 happy hour events around the city where attendees could pick up their bracelet and staffers would register the guests on iPads. Guests were given a chance to win 2 round-trip airline tickets to London if they would link their Facebook and Twitter accounts to their wrist band. 

At Lobster Roll Rumble 2012, guests were given Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled bracelets that allowed guests to link them to their Facebook and Twitter accounts and vote for their favorite lobster roll by tapping their band against a reader box at each vendor's station. The good news is 90% of the more than 1,000 guests voted and 20% linked their bands to their social accounts. The votes were displayed on a large video screen on a real-time basis. 

If attendees were linked to social channels, they could tap their wristbands against video walls and check into Facebook or tweet preset phrases shown on the wall. 

Near field communication (NFC) establishes radio communication with devices by touching them together or bringing them into close proximity, usually no more than a few centimeters. 

At both of these events, the overall attendee feedback was very positive and both organizations plan on perfecting the use of this technology in the future. 

AV Event Solutions is a California meeting equipment supplier who can provide your next event with Wi-Fi network arrays, iPads, kiosk rentals and Video Wall rental units. Give them a call today to learn more about their offerings!