Powerpoint Presentation Equipment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EVENT COLLABORATION

Gantto

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

Plan.ner

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

EVENT PROMOTION

Timekiwi

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

eContact.me

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

PRESENTATIONS

SlideDog

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

ATTENDEE CHECK-IN

VenueWize

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

PRODUCT LAUNCHING EVENT

Social Pix

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

ATTENDEE APPLICATION

DoubleDutch Flock

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

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

After much consideration, you have made the decision to purchase booth space at an upcoming trade show in a few months. It is a costly proposition, both in time and money, and your decision was not made without thorough analysis. Now, as the date of the show becomes more of a reality, you are wrestling with the idea of how to get attendees to your booth and gain qualified leads. Utilizing an iPad is a creative and stimulating way to do just that. 

Here are 4 reasons how iPads can help make your booth stand out and bring more leads your way. 

Reason #1: iPads Elevate Your Brand. 

Making the iPad a portable kiosk continuously running video, photos, and the company logo can attract people to your booth. This unit can keep an attendee busy, especially if you are already engaged with someone else. In addition, sales persons can be armed with ipad rental and show attendees whatever they would like to know about your product or service through the use of video, PowerPoint presentations, or PDFs. If an attendee is really interested in your product, you can email information to them right on the spot so they will have the information when they return home. 

Reason #2: iPads can Convey Your Ideas Faster.

If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, than a brief video is worth 10,000. Because iPad rentals have the ability to run video, slideshows, presentations, and access the web -- the color, vibrancy, interaction, and sound will convey the message much faster and better than your words or a printed brochure. 

Reason #3: iPads Allow Movement.

Rather than having your people stand within the confines of the booth, why not have them come up to attendees armed with a iPad? Coming out around the booth and extending a handshake and a smile can go a long way to raising the comfort level of attendees. Asking engaging questions and then going to the specific interest point of the participant, right from the iPad, allows for a more relevant discussion about your product. 

Reason #4: iPads can Save You Money. 

If you rent iPads and allow one unit to serve as a portable kiosk and arm your other sales staff with an iPad, you can exhibit in a smaller booth since you can use your space more efficiently. No more paper or tchotchkes! 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment supplier, can provide you with all the interactive technology tool rentals to make your trade show a smashing success. Give them a call today or submit an express quote for a response within 4 business hours!

A recent survey, by Tagoras and Velvet Chainsaw Consulting of 250 respondents from 170 organizations, shed new light on how speakers can be be more relevant to attendees by providing them with current content. In addition, they suggest other ideas to help associations coach and evaluate their speakers. Below are their 6 tips along with my input on how interactive technology tool rentals can help achieve these goals. 

Tip #1: Sponsors Fund Speakers

87% of the respondents seek sponsors sometimes to underwrite the cost of professional speakers, sessions, or content tracks at their meetings. The consultants expect that response to go from sometimes to frequently.

Technology Tool Translation: Rent iPads and computer kiosks to secure more sponsors and provide them with more options to resonate their message with the attendee. Through the use of video, photographs, logo, and color, sponsors have the opportunity to viewed throughout the day. 

Tip #2: Evaluate Every Presenter

68% of the respondents ask for evaluations of each speaker. Sessions should evaluate the speaker's knowledge, delivery, and whether or not the attendee learned anything new.

Technology Tool Translation: By using a wireless Audience Response System, event organizers can gather information about the speaker's effectiveness right after the session is over. Audience response is easy, fast, and anonymous. 

Tip #3: Current Content is Required

62% close the Call For Papers (CFP) 8 or more months before the meeting, making it hard to argue the presenter's content is current. The consultants suggest filling some of the slots within a 6 month timeframe, but leaving others open for more timely, relevant topics closer to the meeting start date. 

Technology Tool Translation: Implementing tools like crowdsourcing for agenda structure via an online community, developing a Twitter hashtag for suggestions, and/or leaving sessions open to be developed by attendees at the conference, can make the meeting more relevent to the attendee. 

Tip #4: Coach Every Speaker

53% of those surveyed provide training to their speakers for better presentations by helping them prepare content that is up-to-the-minute and includes audience participation. Each presenter needs to focus on the 3 to 5 things they want the learner to recall. 

Technology Tool Translation: Giving each speaker a PowerPoint slide to include 3 to 5 takeaways at the end of the presentation should help with learner outcomes. Encouraging attendees to tweet their questions directly to the speaker can provide interactivity. Making certain the presenter is not giving the attendee information overload is another key. Follow the 2 minute slide rule: if the session is 45 minutes, the presenter can only have 22 slides. 

Tip #5: Learning Should be Measured

42% of the respondents measured whether learning occured. The consultants make a great point that long-term retention and application of that knowledge is the purpose of the meeting. 

Technology Tool Translation: Audience Response rental units can measure the attendee's knowledge pre- and post-session with immediate results. Speakers will know whether or not their message was heard and understood. 

Tip #6: Big Names Mean Little

33% of those surveyed believed that a big-name speaker was very or extremely important in attracting attendees.

Technology Tool Translation: This is great news because it can free up thousands of dollars for much needed technology solutions such as, Wi-Fi network arrays, iPads, and kiosk rentals. 

AV Event Solutions can provide your next meeting with state-of-the-art technology tools, such as, iPads, kiosks, Powerpoint presentation equipment, and Wi-Fi network arrays to make your meeting speaker spectacular! Give them a call today!

You have the meeting location, dates, and speakers lined up. Phew! Now onto the more intricate part of the meeting planning process, selecting ground transportation, choosing the caterer, renting audio visual equipment, and so on and so on. How do you know the good vendors from the bad ones? The best thing to do is ask around in the industry and get credible references.

Here are 5 great questions to ask those references that can make you more comfortable in the selection process.

Did the Rental Company Anticipate Your Needs?

Did the vendor do everything you asked of them...and more? How educated are they in the meetings and events industry? Do they have a wide network, in case you need more help?

Taking orders is a thing of the past. Meeting planners need partners that can ask the right questions and anticipate their needs. Offering creative solutions to their problems creates value and makes you look good to the client

Did the Team have Critical Thinking Skills?

Was the rental company asking thoughtful questions or are they just handling the logistics? Were they asking a lot of questions and drilling down for more information? Did they challenge the current way of doing things --  offering better, well thoughtful ideas? 

Critical thinkers question everything and offer good alternatives. In addition, they handle crisis and manage problems calmly with a well thought out plan.

Were They Aligned with You, the Planner?

Was there open communication and trust with this partner? Did the event rental service companies understand what a great attendee experience is all about or were they just there to set up and tear down the equipment? Are they a team player?

Look for a partner that will bring tough issues to your attention, even when they would rather not. How did they work with the rest of the vendors? Did they pitch in when needed? 

Did They Learn from Event Mistakes?

Were they open or defensive to honest feedback? Failure actually breeds success, but only if it is corrected in a timely fashion. Truly professional partners realize it is less about them and more about getting it right.

A great event partner doesn't get defensive and they don't play the blame game. Their only goal is to get the event right and make sure that mistake don't occur in future events. 

Did They Have The Right Stuff? 

Did this event meeting services company provide the right equipment, people, and process to make your event run smoothly? It isn't just about linens, food, or the set up the PowerPoint presentation equipment. It's much more than that...its the people that put on the linens, serve the food, and setup, test, support, and integrate the AV equipment. 

AV Event Solutions, provides the right equipment, people, and process to make your event really shine! Give them a call today to learn more about their interactive technology tool rentals and project management team. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looking to communicate and disseminate information with more impact? Look no further than 70" (almost 6 feet wide) high definition display.

There are several benefits to renting display technology over standard screen rentals:

• At 1080 resolution and yellow being added to the standard RGB (Red, Green, Blue) format, attendees will experience exceptional details and picture clarity. One unit is optimal for a medium-sized room and multiple displays can be rented for a larger meeting space. 

• These displays have built-in Wi-Fi, allowing the speaker to access websites, video, and/or social media sites. In addition, event planners can have units posted in the hallways of the meeting venue to view Twitter feeds, speaker videos, play music, and allow attendees to browse the Web.

• A USB port allows the speaker to connect their laptop or tablet directly to the large screen. If the display is out in the lobby or foyer, a USB drive can be connected to the LED for continuous looping of photos or video of the conference. 

• With an ultra slim design (they are only 3.5" deep) and a stand that is included, this large LED can be set up and moved with ease by the AV technicians for optimal viewing.
   
• An ultra brilliant LED system with multiflourescents allows for high brightness (so the room doesn't need to be dimmed) and color purity and vibrancy. In addition, a x-gen LCD panel allows for a high level of contrasting color.
   
• This display also includes 4 high-speed, High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connections that can deliver digital surround sound for the ultimate presentation services audio visual experience.

LED panels are ideal for:

• Training Sessions where employees need to retain a lot of visual information
• Product Launching Events because the high definition video, sound, and photo display capabilities add to the message
• Boardroom Meetings
• Breakout sessions at Association Meetings
• In the hallway or foyer of the meeting and/or hotel so attendees can keep abreast of social media streaming and video feeds coming from the event
• Trade show booths

AV Event Solutions is your provider of this HD technology. Think big. Think AV Event Solutions for all your interactive technology needs!

One of the more complex, yet very important elements to a meeting is creating effective lighting in the meeting room. Lighting can lend depth and ambience to the room and tie together all other aspects of the meeting, including use of the PowerPoint presentation equipment, seating, and sound.

Lets focus on the 4 elements of great lighting and what tools you can use to get it.

Lighting is needed for ILLUMINATION. All attendees at your conference want to see the speaker, facilitator,  or panel of experts. Without proper light equipment rentals, the back row or table of your function will be squinting to see who is speaking and may feel disconnected from them. 

Lighting creates FOCUS. Certain lighting, such as pin spots, can shine a stationary light directly onto an object (such as a new product in a product launching event) . Spotlights can follow presenters or entertainers around a room so attendees can easily see them. Gobo lighting can be projected on a wall or be a backdrop to the riser and project a company logo and/or sponsor logos. 

Lighting can set the MOOD. Lighting in layers, allows the event meeting services organization to work with the event planner on what lighting will best create the mood you are looking for. First, take a look at the natural light in the room. Then consider renting lamps to bring the lighting down to the attendee. "When you bring the lighting down to eye level, it's warmer light, and it doesn't feel like its coming at you from nowhere," said Jill Schumacher, Owner of Rariden, Schumacher, Mio & Co. Then, consider light fixtures that can integrate into the decor, such as being a part of the centerpiece. Some light equipment rental options don't require cords and can be run on rechargeable batteries.

Lighting creates COMPOSITION. You can use different color lighting to direct the attendee's emotions or to paint a picture.

Work with AV Event Solutions lighting designer to determine which type of lighting works best for your event and fits into your budget. They will work hard to provide you the light equipment rentals you need to create the mood and direct the attention to where you want it. Request Express Rental Quote or call today.

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

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

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

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


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


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


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

The room setting and seating should have the following:

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


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


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

When renting audio visual equipment:

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


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


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

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

Training Seminars are often viewed as energy and time vacuums. Most people don't want to sit through the latest HR policy changes, software updates, or necessary prep for a product launching event. Employees would rather be doing their work at their desk or out of the office networking and prospecting. Anything but training.

Of course, training is necessary in order for employees to learn and make certain they know what they are talking about, especially when speaking with prospects and customers.

Here are 5 simple ways you make your next training session exciting and interesting: 

Training Tip #1: Put Value on the Meeting

Let the attendees know, right from the start, that their time is very valuable and they need to view this time together as an investment in their productivity. Tailor the meeting objectives to their needs, not yours. 

Training Tip #2: State a Desired Outcome

Let employees know what you are training them on and why it is important they learn this information. It can simply be stated -- We expect you, by the end of this meeting to...


When you bring employees together it should be because products, services, or policies change and they need to know how these changes impact them. Measure the attendees knowledge by asking questions and giving them wireless audience response systems to instantly assess if the training is successful or elements of it need to be repeated. 

Training Tip #3: Limit Topics and Slides

Most employees don't want to sit in a conference room for a whole day and most employers cannot afford this type of opportunity cost. So it is best if topics and PowerPoint slides are limited to the "old" way vs. the "new" way of doing business. Employees don't need to know the entire history of a HR policy on hiring and firing, just the changes from the current policy. Powerpoint presentation equipment should be set up well in advance of the training and tested by the trainer at least an hour before the attendees arrive in the room.  

Training Tip #4: Start and End On Time

If you say the training starts at 8 am and ends at noon, respect both ends of that schedule. This says two things about your organization; 1) You respect your employee's time and 2) You value your trainer. If you see the meeting veering way off topic, bring it to back on topic quickly and succinctly. 

Training Tip #5: Remember the Wrap-Up Summary

Use the old adage: "Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them." Make certain every employee understands the process or program. Review what the next step is for the attendee. If time allots, answer any questions that remain. 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment supplier, can provide your next training seminar with LCD projector and screen rentals, laptops, iPads, and ARS units. Give them a call today or request an Express Quote! 

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

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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

Happy New Year! If you are like most Americans, you have thought about, or even written down, one or two personal resolutions you want to see accomplished in 2012. But have you ever thought about resolutions to help your meeting attendees?

Even though we are expected to continue to experience a sluggish economy and tight budgets, there are some simple and effective ways we can contribute to the wellness of our stressed-out attendees.

Here are some wellness tips that won't break the bank:

Look to Unique Venues.
Most of the time, we in the event meeting services industry, stick to hotels and convention centers as our venues of choice. But what about a spa, campground, or National Park? Often times, these locations can offer attendees much more value than your conventional hotel. Here is a checklist of things to consider when looking at venues "off the beaten path":

• Will this location calm my attendees?
• Does this venue offer scenic views or wide open spaces?
• Do they offer massages?
• Do they offer fitness classes, including yoga and Pilates?
• Do they offer golf and tennis?
• What about walking trails? 
• Does the venue offer nutritional cuisine? 
• What about horseback riding?

Make Fitness Easy.
All the items listed above, should be at the venue location or available via a convenient shuttle service that requires very little wait time and is available early in the morning and late at night. 

Hire Inspirational Speakers. 
If your meeting is in January, consider hiring a personal trainer, nutritionist, doctor, or someone who has lost a lot of weight. Encourage them to use PowerPoint presentation equipment to tell their story. Most attendees will be inspired by "before and after" stories from speakers who have lost a lot of weight or helped individuals to become fitter. 

Make Healthy Food Choices.
Instead of croissants, offer low-fat muffins. Instead of soda, water. More fruits and vegetables. Instead of beef, have boneless, skinless chicken breast. Ask to work with the chef on menu choices and don't be afraid to offer a vegetarian choice or two during the conference. 

Tea is the Number 1 Beverage. 
According to research, tea helps fight cancer, heart disease, lower blood sugar, fight colds, and prevent gum disease. 
Make Breaks Healthy. 
Most people make a bee-line to the bathrooms and/or food during the 10-minute breaks between sessions. How about extending the breaks and offering the following?

• Chair massages. Have enough chairs and massage therapists available so attendees don't need to wait in a long line.
• Stretching sessions. Stretching can energize attendees and help them work out any kinks in their backs and necks. 
• Nutritional information posted at each snack option so attendees are aware of the caloric content of each choice. 

Embrace the senses. 

• During breaks, play sothing music and lower the lights through a high quality sound and lighting rental system. 
• Look at LED light equipment rentals for more subtle lighting options. 
• Consider aromatherapy to help concentration and reduce tension. 
• Touchscreen technology, such as iPads or computer kiosks, can give attendees a tactical feel to their learning process. 

AV Event Solutions is your audio visual partner for 2012 and beyond! They can provide you with sound and lighting equipment, LCD projectors, screen rentals, 1st and 2nd generation iPad rentals, and touch panel kiosks. Give them a call or request Express Quote today!

You schedule meetings and events on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis with the intent to keep the attendee engaged and interested in the topics presented. However, in all the hustle and bustle of planning and executing meetings, sometimes the little things can snowball into big issues.

Here are 4 "No-Nos" to avoid at your next meeting or event:

No Game Plan

When you have no measurable goals, objectives, or plan for your meeting, your event will appear to be disorganized and uninteresting.  Here are some quick fixes to this problem:

• Put in writing your goals and objectives for the meeting.
• Establish a project manager and have regular status meetings regarding the event.
• Make certain the Powerpoint presentation equipment has been tested, the speaker is fully familiar with the equipment, and the AV technician has been introduced to the speaker.
• Allow attendees to easily take notes, rent Tablet PCs for easy note taking and presentation sharing.
• Gather questions during the presentation via Twitter or an online community, to maximize interactivity and attend to participant's needs.

Hiring Speakers that Over-Share

Some speakers want to give every detail, thought, and plan they ever had about the subject matter they are speaking about. This can turn into a PowerPoint nightmare, because they will fill each slide with oodles and oodles of information. Here are some ideas to bring the presenter back in focus:

• Review all your speaker presentations and make certain they are only highlighting the topic, not giving a college lecture on it.
• Ask the following questions when reviewing each slide:
  • Is this slide or point relevant?
  • Is it interesting?
  • Is it important to the audience?
• Make certain the speaker doesn't have too many slides. 

Letting Your Speakers Run Over

Having speakers that run over is unacceptable at a conference. It shows total disrespect for the attendee and quite frankly, it can put a real kink in your schedule. Here are some ways to keep them on track:

• Before the session, review the time allotted and ask each speaker how they are going to to keep track of their time. 
• Have an event volunteer or staff member at the back of the room giving the speaker the 5-minute signal.
• With 1-minute to spare, have the volunteer or staff member walk up to the front of the room.
• Try and have your speakers stick around for networking events and encourage attendees to further their discussion with them at that time. 

No Testing of Interactive Technology Tool Rentals

AV equipment is essential to the success or failure of your event. I was at a 200 person event last Friday where several presenters spoke to honor the retirement of our local mayor. The wireless microphone kept going in and out the whole night and the event organizers were at a loss as to what to do. Their solution? Turn off the mic and have the presenters shout out to the group -- not good, especially for my friend who is hard of hearing. Here are some ways to avoid this problem:

• When renting audio visual equipment, give the supplier plenty of time to set up and test their equipment in the room.
• Have the AV technician onsite at all times, ready for a backup unit, if needed. 
• Communicate with the AV Project Manager about any last-minute needs. They are there to make certain your event runs smoothly. 

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions can provide you with state-of-the-art audio visual equipment along with experienced AV technicians and project managers. Contact them today!

PowerPoint presentations are evolving just as technology is. Due to increased bandwidth and the availability of more powerful presentation services audio visual equipment, PowerPoint presentations no longer need to be dull and boring. Below are some emerging trends in the presentation arena.

Light Backgrounds Are Back In

When PowerPoint software first became available 20 years ago, everyone had white backgrounds with black text. Somewhere along the way, we felt the need to make our backgrounds dark with white or light text. Now, we are back where we started. Sort of. Light backgrounds, not neccessarily white, with dark text represent a fresher, more relaxed design. 

No More Bullets

Small headlines and good graphics can tell the story. Less is more. After all, the slide is only supposed to aid the presenter in their talk, not tell the whole story. Here's a good example of slides highlighting that the obesity epidemic is a recent phenomenon.

Photos are In, Clip Art is Out

Clip Art was the way to go for many years, but now it is dead with the ability to access millions of quality photos through an asundry of sites. Some of the more common quality photo sites are  iStockphoto and Photoshop. Professional photos create a look and feel that audience members can connect with because it shows people just like them. 

Video Clips are Expected

It used to be that video clips within a PowerPoint presentation was not possible because of the limited bandwidth of the venue which in turn created huge buffering problems and made for many awkward silences. With the ability to rent Wi-Fi network arrays which give the network a tremendous boost, this is no longer an issue. Presenters can easily move from PowerPoint to video and to the Internet with ease and speed. 

Rent iPads as personalized presentation product

The iPad can integrate text, graphics, video, audio, and interactivity -- all on one little thin tablet. Through the use of the product SlideShark, Powerpoint presentations can be viewed on the iPad, while preserving the color and automation of the slides. Keynote, presentation software for the iPad, allows for the creation of Powerpoint-like presentations that can be saved on the iCloud and viewed on mulitple iPads. 

Cloudware is where it is at

All PowerPoint presentations at your conference should be uploaded to Slideshare or Google Docs so attendees can view the presentation at a later date. In addition, many presentations can be recorded and uploaded to YouTube. 

Plasma Display rentals replace screen rentals

HD Plasma TVs make Powerpoint presentations pop versus standard tripod screens. The wider screen allows for better viewing by participants, including videos and photographs.

AV Event Solutions is a California meeting equipment supplier can provide you with state-of-the-art LCD projectors, Plasma TVs, iPads, and Wi-Fi network arrays. Give them a call today!

Did you know there are 391 United States properties that are part of the National Park System that encompass 84 million acres of land and 4.5 million acres of waterways?

When planning a small to medium sized meeting or corporate retreat, you might consider hosting it at a National Park.

Here are some reasons to consider for having a meeting at one of America's treasures.

1. They need your business. Parks rely on meetings and events to stay solvent, especially during the off-season. The future of many parks is in limbo due to tough economic times. 


2. National Parks provide the "wow" factor. Parks like Yosemite National Park offer backpacking, biking, hiking, rock climbing, ranger-led programs and much more. The surroundings are often breathtaking in and of themselves. Most PowerPoint presentation equipment works well in an outdoor environment, allowing for attendees to enjoy the great outdoors. 


3. They are great venues for team building. "The team building events we create take full advantage of the experience of nature, silence, and the beauty of national parks," said Trent Schulmann, Owner at Experienca. "They are learning lessons from nature that can apply to their lives both personally and professionally."


4. National Parks enforce a "green" message. Parks represent conservation, preservation, and sustainability. Ask park management what measures they are implementing at the park's lodges and meeting facilities to enforce corporate social responsibility.


5. Give attendees time to experience the destination. Many parks are very large and require a lot of time to explore. Don't shortchange your attendees; give them ample opportunity to explore and take in the surroundings.


6. Coordinate travel needs for attendees. Most National Parks are not near an airport or any sort of transportation hub. When considering a park, give attendees ample time to get to and from the location without feeling rushed. If appropriate and in the budget, arrange for shuttle services to and from the airport.

AV Event Solutions is a California event equipment company that can provide audio visual equipment at any of the National Parks in California. Give them a call or fill out the quick RFP form on their website today! 

1. What is your message and how will this new technology help you convey it?
2. What is your meeting's theme? 
3. What is your AV budget?

Let's analyze the in's and out's of each of some of these advanced options:

• HD plasma displays can be used to replace traditional screens. They can be used to display videos and Powerpoint presentation. The quality of the display is great and can be seen even from far away. You will see this technology more and more in meetings as the price point continues to decrease over time. 


• Sharkstooth scrims are 70% transparent and allows you to project images and make images look like they are 3D, with no glasses required. 


• LED light equipment rentals can be used to add highlights to the stage. Panels of LED displays can be linked together to create giant canvases that can change as your speakers change. 

• 3D is cool, just like the movies. There are 2 options with this technology:  1) 3D projection mapping is very expensive but attendees do not require glasses to see the images. 2) 3D LCD projection that require attendees to wear glasses that can cost $1-2 per attendee. 

• DL3 is a LCD projector that is hung from cables and allows you to use digital content and make colleagues and split off images and move them to anywhere in the room. 


• Sound and lighting rentals can look rather advanced, but just using creative sources make your event shine. 
  
  You can have an inexpensive laser show by using a rotating disco ball. A great sound mixer can add digital music to create ambiance to the event.

In summary, there are a lot of advanced technology options available in the marketplace and there will continue to be more in 2012 and beyond. The question you need to ask yourself is which interactive technology tool rentals are going to bring your message home to your audience and within budget. One other thing to consider is if your attendees are going to wonder if you "wasted" monies on unnecessary technology when that same pool of money could have been used for top-notch speakers.  

Are you event planning in California? Look to AV Event Solutions to provide you with state-of-the-art technology options within your budget range. Give them a call today!

Are you going to rent touchscreen technology for your next event? Wondering which technology platform will bring more value to your attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors? Lets demystify the different technologies by explaining what they are and how you can use each of them at your next meeting or event.

The 3 different types of touch screen devices are:

1. Touch Panel Kiosk
2. Touchscreen computer, such as an iPad or Tablet PC or
3. Touchscreen smartphone, such as an Android or iPhone

TOUCH PANEL KIOSK

These type of computer kiosks are locked standalone units that contain a PC and monitor. Sometimes they will have a printer on the kiosk stand or a card reader. They are most often used in public areas, such as a hotel lobby, exhibit hall, or meeting hallway. Kiosks bring color, video, and photos to the user, thus bringing the meeting, exhibitors, speakers, and sponsors to life. Kiosks can be used in the following areas:

• Digital Signage
• Meeting Agendas
• Event PowerPoint Presentations
• Speaker Profiles and Videos
• Up-to-the-Minute Event Information
• Sponsorship Information
• Self Check-in for Conferences
• Information about Product or Services
• Gaming
• Pre- and Post- Product Launching Event Information
• Poll Attendees about Conference

Touch Panel Kiosks are simple, functional, and provide a plethora of sponsorship opportunities to the event organizer.

TOUCHSCREEN PC: iPad or Tablet PC

Today, there are many tablet brands to choose from (Apple, HP, Motorola, Blackberry, Samsung, to name a few) but the choice of platform is going to depend on what applications you are going to use for your event. Tablets are small, lightweight, and require no keyboard, mouse, or pen. They all have Wi-Fi capabilities and can be used with a printer or keyboard. Here are some of the uses for this technology:

• Registering Attendees at Conference
• Handouts and conference materials 
• Allow participants to take notes and email to their work computer
• Polling
• Questions for the Speaker
• Social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Handheld Kiosks for Exhibitors
• Getting last minute changes out to attendees about the event

TOUCHSCREEN SMARTPHONES: iPhone or Android

Phones like the iPhone and Android are becoming more and more common these days. However, according to the Pew Research Center’s Pew Internet Project, 35% of American adults own smartphones, as of July 2011. Of those owners, 35% use an Android device and 24% use an iPhone. 

The problem in the meeting industry is in order to run an application, all attendees need a smartphone and the same application needs to run on multiple platforms. The Nielson Company estimates that only 50% of all US adults will own smartphones by the end of 2011. They can be used in events in the following ways:

• Email information to participants, such as event updates
• Send speaker questions 
• Tweet about event

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment organization is ready to provide you with the right touchscreen technology for your next product launch, trade show, conference, or corporate event. Give them a call today!

Trainers are set out with one mission: to train employees about something new...a new product, a new service, or a new procedure. They are dependent on event audio visual rentals to get their message across and transfer learning to the attendees. With the plethora of AV choices, you may be wondering which equipment is best for the learner.

Here are some questions to consider when scheduling your next training session.

Question 1: What is the training objective?

Is the training required knowledge, such as HR Policies and Procedures? Is it a new product launch? A new computer program? What skills do the attendees need to walk away with?

For required training, there needs to be interaction and demonstration. New product training may require testing of the features and benefits. The trainer needs to determine the amount of interaction required and choose the right AV equipment to fit the audience needs.

Question 2: When renting audio visual equipment, what technology tools will prove useful to my audience? 

Attendees have different learning styles, which are in 3 categories:

• Visual: Learn by seeing 
• Auditory: Learn by hearing
• Kinesthetic: Learn by doing

For the visual learner, good Powerpoint presentation equipment is key. The slides will need to contain colors, large fonts, and graphics. Videos and photographs are a plus.

For the auditory learner, a good sound system is important. Hearing the trainer's words and recording the session are needed. Auditory learners enjoy having the ability to go back and hear something again, they may have missed the first time around. 

For the kinesthetic learner, the ability to touch something as part of the learning process will help drive the message home. Wireless Audience Response Systems can be used by the attendees as a polling device to determine their level of understanding of the materials. Rent iPads and let attendees takes notes on them as the presentation is going on. 

The trainer needs to get his or her message across while making the audience members fully understand the message. 

Question 3: How involved do I want my audience members? 

If the training is on new HR policies and procedures, probably not very much. However, if it a computer training on new company wide software, probably a whole lot. 

For a lecture type of setting, it is important that the seating be comfortable. The trainer will need a laptop PC, LCD Projector and screen rental. Having the right sized screen rentals so everyone can see the presentation is also very important. 

For the interactive session, wireless microphones throughout the room will allow for easy access to the trainer. Laptops or iPads can be used to teach them about new software, poll attendees on their knowledge level, or to ask questions of the trainer. These computers can also be used for providing group activities or seeking attendee feedback. 

AV Event Solutions is your California training audio visual equipment supplier! They can provide you with all the technology tools you need to make an impact with your audience. Click on their website to learn more about their offerings and speak to a trained account specialist regarding your needs.

• Wi-Fi Booster: Executives are going to be in constant need of fast, reliable, and secure Internet access. All venues are going to say they have Wi-Fi, but depending on the number of guests in the hotel and different meetings going on, the network could run at a snail's pace, or worse, completely crash. Don't leave anything to chance. Rent a Wi-Fi booster and the connectivity will be at lighting speed for your executives.


• Powerpoint presentation equipment: which will include LCD projector and screen rentals. 


• Recording device: Used to capture all ideas and discussions and can be referred back to at a later date.