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Have you ever attended a 2 or 3 day educational conference, gotten home, and said to yourself, "Was that really worth the 2 to 4 days out of the office?" I have completed that assessment and to be honest, the last 3 educational conferences I attended my answer was a resounding -- maybe. 

Wouldn't it be great however, if you felt that a conference was developed just for you? With your interests and needs in mind? I know that is unrealistic, but it isn't unreasonable to expect that some of your needs are going to be met through some of the educational content. So...what is the difference between a great conference and a medicore one?

Here are 5 ideas that might astound you, don't cost an arm and a leg, and might bring your attendee back year after year. 

Tip #1: Make certain everyone on your conference services team has a positive, can do attitude.

When I arrive at an educational meeting and check-in, I expect to be received by smiling, helpful registration staff. If I have a question or a need, I expect them to address it. Or get back to me "within a reasonable period of time". 

If I experience negative or apathetic attitudes right from the get go, it affects my conference experience. The latest research on this astounding: Guests and attendees make a judgement about a venue, meeting, or city, based on the first 15 minutes they are there. Make your first 15 minutes count. 

Tip #2: Collaborate on meeting content with unlike minded people.

When developing the content for your association meeting or conference, get as many different people from dramatically different walks of life to make your meeting great. Roger von Oech's book, "A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You can be More Creative", has many examples of how dissonance among team members led to break through solutions. So, it goes for your events, too. 

Tip #3: Close your mouth. 

Event planners (myself included) think we know everything about meeting logistics and want to tell everyone how many meetings we have planned and how smart we are. Shut up and sit down. Let the timid attendee or volunteer lead the discussion. The more restraint we show, the better results we will see because it will no longer be our event but it will shift to the attendee's event. 

Tip #4: Show, don't tell. 

Using visuals will really help drive the message and enhance the attendee experience, especially with product launching events. Rent iPads and run video that demonstrates the product or concept. Have computer kiosks on the trade show floor to show photographs, video, or even run online chat sessions with customer service people back at the home office. 

Tip #5: Have a call to action. 

At the end of each conference, meeting, or event, the attendee should feel that they need to DO something. It could be as simple as buying the new product offering, signing up for more education, or writing their congressman. Action makes attendees interested. 

AV Event Solutions, provides meeting and event planners with iPads, kiosk rentals, and much, much more! Give them a call today at 888.249.4903 to learn more about their offerings!

For generations we have been an ownership society from our homes, cars, computers, and everything in between. Today, in part due to the financial meltdown of 2009, we are becoming more of a renter society from renting homes, cars and everything in between.

What is the reason for becoming more of  a rental society? The main reasons are because it is no longer considered a stigma to rent and the equity argument seems to be less and less relevant as home values continue to drop and are at their all-time low.

This position is spilling over into the corporate and association world as well. Instead of packing, shipping, unpacking and storing items, organizations are renting everything from office furniture, computers, and conference services equipment for meetings and events.  

So, why rent AV equipment? Here are some great resosns:

1. Maximum Flexibility. With interactive technology tool rentals changing so often -- generally every 18-36 months -- it is most likely in the best interest of your organization to rent so you have the greatest options when it comes to AV for your meeting or event. 
    
2. Great Efficiency. You no longer have to make YOUR equipment work for the event nor will you have to keep up with new technology. By partnering with an event audio visual rental rental company, you can get the latest audiovisual equipment you need for your event that fits within your budget.
    
3. Low Budget Load. When you own AV equipment you have to finance, maintain, repair, store, and insure it. Then, when you replace it, you need to resell it. When you rent, you don't have to maintain, repair or store the technology equipment. In addition, av rentals can save your association or corporate event money and more importantly, your time.  

Why buy AV equipment when you can spend less and rent it? AV Event Solutions can provide your organization with a variety of equipment, including iPads, laptops, projectors, screens, audience response, and much, much more! Give them a call to learn more as to why renting makes total sense for your organization. 

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!

What is the purpose of a meeting or event, anyway? Well that depends on your point of view, but most  people agree it is to disseminate information about a product, service, policy, or provide some level of professional education. In addition, it could be to reinforce your brand, set sales objectives, team-build, or get your group of members together for the annual meeting. 

Some meetings and events are terrific while others are..well...lackluster. Most event meeting services industry colleagues agree that if the message of the meeting doesn't resonate enough with the audience member to change their actions, then it wasn't suceesful . We want that message to carry through and change the attendee's buying patterns. How can we do that? Through 3 basic methods: goal-setting, clear communication, and follow-through. 

Here are the tips to make your next meeting more effective:

Tip #1: Set Goals.

• What is the purpose of the meeting? 
• Where are you going to hold it? Onsite or offsite? A local or remote location?
• When are you holding it? 
• Who needs to attend? Employees, Clients, Members? Have a definitive number in mind.
• How will you measure success? Goals need to be set regarding what attendees learn in training and educational conferences. Those goals can be measured through wireless Audience Response Systems. Event organizers can measure success by the number of people that come to the event, exhibitors by the number of leads generated from the trade show, and sponsors by the inquiries to their website or calls to their organization within 90 days after the show. 
• Why is this meeting important? 

Tip #2: Get Everyone on Board.

Each meeting will be different with unique stakeholders involved, but you will potentially have 3 different ones: Attendees or Employees (always), Sponsors (maybe), and Trade Show Exhibitors (maybe). Whatever the mix, you need to get each group involved in the goal setting exercise above and then help them define measurements for their success. 

Tip #3: Put in Place Project Management.

Once the goals are set and agreed upon, a project manager needs to "drill down" with the team specific objectives that will include resources needed, deadlines, and who is responsible for what. A project management tool should be sent out to the entire group and updated on a regular basis.  

Tip #4: Make the Meeting Interactive. 

Rent iPads so attendees can communicate with each other and the speaker to ask questions or make comments about the session. Wireless microphones throughout the room can encourage attendees to ask questions or make comments during the session. Use Audience Response rentals to test employees knowledgebase before and after the meeting. Make each talk follow the guidelines of TED, PechaKucha, or Ignite. Use gaming to encourage team building. The more involved the attendee, the better chance you have that they will retain the information. 

Tip #5: Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up. 

1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after your event check and see if the goals were met by all your stakeholders. This is where most meeting planners often fall down; they rarely check-in with their sponsors and exhibitors to see if their objectives were met. 

AV Event Solutions can help you make your meeting more effective by engaging your attendees and providing you with a project manager as well. Give them a call today!

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

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

Tip #1: Establish presenter needs and budget parameters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tip #5: Schedule speakers where the technology is. 

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

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

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

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


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


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

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

If you have never caught the TV show Mad Men, you owe it to yourself to check it out at least once. It is about a posh Manhattan advertising agency set in the 1960's. Don Draper, the leading man in the series, constantly reminds his team that the ads they present to their clients need to focus on benefits, not features of the product or service they are trying to sell. Here is the trailer for Mad Men, which in itself is selling the benefits of the show.

Contrast the video below of Bipasha, a beautiful model, pitching Pantene Shampoo. There is a real disconnect between the model and the product because the video is choppy due to poor editing and hissing on the microphone which takes away from the message. You can't envision how she uses the shampoo (even though she has beautiful hair) and most importantly, the product pitch is lost.

Lastly, take a look at the new iPad video. Wow! What a difference! It is showing you the benefits of the new iPad and they aren't telling you anything about the product. Take a look and see for yourself.

What are the key takeaways you can use for your next product launching event and how would the team at Mad Men pitch it to you? Don Draper himself would say the following:

Benefits trump features every time. Benefits describe the way the qualities of your product positively affect the attendee, ultimately by making their life better and easier. Often times focusing on one benefit is good enough, such as the new iPad ad did above. 

Compare the following statements about light equipment rentals:

(BENEFITS) Lighting for your next event sets the mood in the room, illuminates the product or people that attendees need to focus on, and can provide an endless array of composition options through color and design. 

(FEATURES) Lighting has many options including pinspot, stationary, LED, spotlights, color, and of course, natural. Work with your AV team to determine which lighting option is best for you. 

What problem is the product solving for your attendees? 

Here are some samples of problem solving statements:

• Rent iPads for your next meeting so attendees don't have to carry around binders, laptops, sponsorship information, and tradeshow brochures. A 10-ounce tablet can do the trick!
• Use wireless audience response systems to track and compile speaker and conference evaluations. No more paper to pass out, collect, and compile! Response rates will increase to at least 90% with ARS units.
• Wi-Fi network arrays can solve your bandwidth burden. Having a fast and robust router can keep your attendees online, all the time.

Use video, photos, and color at every opportunity. 

I could describe the lighting in this room, or I could show you a photograph and you would get it immediately. 

We are visual learners. The more video, photo, and/or color you can implement into your message the better opportunity you have for the audience members to grasp the concept. 

AV Event Solutions will be your Mad Men consultants for lighting, sound, iPad rental, audience response rentals, Wi-Fi array, and computer kiosk solutions. Give them call today at 888.249.4903!

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!

The Premise:  Attendees are given or come into a conference with an array of mobile devices, including a smartphone, laptop, or tablet. They expect the venue's network to be as fast as their network at home or work. At home, they might have 15- or 20- megabit download speed (very fast) and it should be the same where ever they travel. 

The Problems: With 500 attendees simultaneously connecting all those devices to the venue's network, the bandwidth can come to screetching halt or be as slow as molasses. "Universally, I can look at my guest satisfaction scores, and I can say that people generally are going to comment about two things overall: The speed of the Internet is too slow or they had difficulty connecting," said John Czarnecki, IT Program Director at Hyatt Hotels.

"It's too slow, it goes off, or drops. The attendee will remember that longer than he'll remember if his coffee was cold," shared Derek Wood, a hospitality industry consultant.

Accommodating the use of mobile technology in the meeting, especially if you are going to rent iPads to replace your printed material, is a growing concern for conference services managers and planners alike. Relying on the venue to provide the bandwidth needed to keep your attendees satisfied while avoiding the cost of upgrading, installing, and maintaining the infrastructure has become a real conundrum for hoteliers and convention centers. 

Additionally, tablets have a much weaker signal than laptops, which require more access points in a meeting space than a venue probably originally anticipated. 

The Answer: Finding a vendor that can provide Wi-Fi connectivity solutions with other services, such as renting audio visual equipment and provide a project manager to oversee the implementation, is a good answer. They understand how the technology pulls on the bandwidth. If something goes wrong, the vendor is responsible for the support calls and most of the time, will be on-site to fix the problem. 

The vendor can also work hand-in-hand with the event planner to overcome their learning curve by recommending and testing the best solution for event attendees. "It's a pretty complex area once you start to look at all the hardware involved and the network protocols that have to be supported," said Bryan Steele, Managing Director of Jireh-Tek Limited. "Bandwidth is technically quite complicated now."

And what about cost? The event planner can charge the attendee a nominal fee that can be wrapped into the registration fee, generate sponsorship dollars to cover it, and/or dedicated a greater share of the budget to connectivity solutions. "The sweeping generalization is where the service is free, the service is crap," said Wood. 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment supplier, can provide you with the technology answers to your meeting needs! With Wi-Fi network arrays available to rent for more access points and bandwidth boost, iPads and laptops for rent, and project managers available to understand your needs, they are the total package! Give them a call today!

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) recently published their 21st Annual Meetings Market Survey in Convene Magazine. They surveyed 560 planners, of which 60% were PCMA members. Lets review  the results of this survey with emphasis on the the type of planner that responded, the trending in the industry, and where they see the biggest cost for a typical meeting. 

The respondents fell into the following categories:

• 67% are Meeting Professionals
• 16% are Association or Corporate Executives
• 9% fall into the Other Category and
• 8% are Consultants

The number of meetings they plan per year:

• 33% said 1 to 5
• 31% said more than 20
• 19% said 6 to 10 and
• 17% said 11 to 20

How many people attended your largest meeting?

• 26% had fewer than 500 attendees
• 22% had 1,000 to 2,499
• 18% had 500 to 999
• 12% had 2,500 to 4,999
• 11% had 5,000 to 9,999
• 9% had 10,000 to 24,999
• 2% had 25,000 or more

How was attendance in 2011 versus 2010?

• 41% said it was the same
• 38% saw an increase
• 21% saw a decrease

What are you projecting attendance to be in 2012 versus 2011?

• 53% expect attendance to be the same
• 35% expect it to increase
• 12% expect it to decrease

How many exhibitors did you have at your largest show?

• 33% said fewer than 50 exhibitors
• 26% had 100 to 249
• 17% had 250 to 499
• 16% had 50 to 99
• 8% had 500 or more

What did you outsource? 

How did your budget breakdown?

• 34% on Food and Beverage
• 15% on Event Audio Visual Rentals
• 8% on Labor
• 8% on Speakers and Entertainment
• 7% on Staff Travel and Accommodations
• 7% on Marketing and Promotion
• 7% on Space Rental
• 6% on Registration and Housing
• 4% on Signage and Office Equipment
• 2% on Destination Management
• 1% on Security and
• 1% on Insurance

At your largest event, your organization made revenue the following ways:

• 49% came from event registration
• 26% came from exhibit sales
• 20% came from sponsorships
• 4% came from advertising sales and
• 1% came from other revenue sources

So, what can we, in the event services industry, take away from all this data? 

First, small conferences with a small number of exhibitors are what meeting planners organized last year. Planning large conventions is great, but it looks like it will not be the mainstay of our industry in 2012.

Second, attendance will be flat for most of the conferences. You can view this as good news; with all the virtual options out there, attendees are still opting for face-to-face conferences.

Third, event supply rentals were the biggest item to be outsourced in 2011 and there is no reason that trend will change in the coming year. Event staff is not increasing so it makes sense to continue to outsource more and more.

Fourth, food and beverage, followed by event audio visual rentals, were the largest budget line items, comprising of 49% of the total budget.

Lastly, event organizers made almost half of their money from registration fees last year. 

AV Event Solutions is a premier supplier of all types of audio visual equipment from iPads to wireless audience response systems! Give them a call today to learn more about their state-of-the-art technology solutions that won't break your budget!

When the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) held their 3-day Sustainable Meeting Conference last year, they wanted to do something different with their 260 attendees. Their goals were simple; GMIC wanted better engagement of attendees and a way to bring home the mission of sustainability. 

They decided to create a highly collaborative and competitive game that would break the attendees into 15 randomly chosen teams. The teams had iPads preloaded with:

• The game application
• 6 case studies on sustainability challenges
• The 7 Educational sessions
• Networking opportunities and
• Sponsorship information 

GMIC's Conference Chair Elizabeth Henderson, Sustainability Strategist at Meeting Change, felt the gaming approach would help attendees better understand the new APEX Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards if they created hypothetical events that presented sustainablilty challenges for teams to work through. Henderson drew from the research of Byron Reeves and J. Leighton Read's book, Total Engagement: Using Games to Change the Way People Work and Businesses Compete. Reeves and Read state in their book, "There is no better way to get people engaged than to provide them with fun ways to do serious work."

For example, one case study focused on how a 5,000 person event could reduce its carbon footprint, while another determined ways to green a large internal, employee meeting. The iPad had resources on it  to guide teams where the information was located, however attendees still needed to participate in education sessions in order to gain total insight to their case study. 

Points were given based in the quality of team responses, including information that was presented at the educational sessions. Teams also could rack up more points by:

• Blogging and tweeting about the conference
• Attending breakout sessions
• Visiting exhibitor booths and 
• Building bicycles for a local children's charitable organization.

A leaderboard was ever present at the conference, allowing attendees to see where their team was ranked in each of the above areas creating a competitive atmosphere and some ribbing among attendees. Two prizes were given, one to the team with the highest score on the case study and the other to the team with the most overall points. 

The net results of adding gaming to the conference? They were able to provide more concise presentations to attendees, allow for better group discussions, and provide networking time, which resulted in positive feedback. 

What is the future of gaming? Gartner, Inc. predicts that 50% of organizations will apply game dynamics and technology to business, training, and education meetings by 2015. 

Conference equipment rental company, AV Event Solutions, can help you gamify your next meeting or event! Rent iPads as a way for attendees to feel totally engaged in the meeting! AVES can deliver an express quote for iPads to you within 4 business hours or less! Game on!

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

ChirpE Mobile and Social Media Platform

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

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

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

EventKaddy

This native application includes the following features:

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

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

QuickMobile

This web-based application includes the following features:

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

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

Zerista

This web-based application includes the following features:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tip #1: Really Get to Know Your Client. 

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

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

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

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

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

Tip #4:  Ask for More Business. 

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

Tip #5: Be a Team Player. 

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

Tip #6: Always be Ethical. 

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

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

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

Top Trend #10: Socially Responsible Meetings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top Trend #3: Pricing is Going Up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BizBash Magazine ran a story called  "The 14 Most Innovative Meetings" in their Spring 2011 edition. Lets highlight 3 of the 14 events, with an added twist, of additional interactive technology tool rentals that can be integrated into the meeting from your AV provider. 

BOSTON SCIENTIFIC

In August 2010, Boston Scientific gathered 5,000 employees together for an interactive, participant-driven meeting intended to communicate the company's vision and value to the group. The first thing they did was make all senior management available to attendees to answer any of their questions. Before the meeting, they invited employees to ask their questions via an online community. At the meeting, they could submit questions, comments, or ideas via computer stations. They also created fun activities including a scavenger hunt. They surveyed the employees and at the end of the meeting, 73% said they were optimistic about the company's future. 

Meeting Planners can build attendee engagement in the same way as Boston Scientific by doing the following:

• Rent iPads to allow interactivity between attendees and key management through Twitter, Facebook, or Flickr. Attendees can also ask questions or make comments during the meetings via a Twitter feed and all comments can go into a designated place via hashtag (#name of event).
• Computer Kiosks can serve as an input tool for new ideas and allow attendees to view video presentations after they are over, at all times during the conference.  
• Wireless Audience Response Systems allow employees to answer survey questions quickly and management can compile the results instantaneously. 

THE NATIONAL CABLE & TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION

This 3-day annual meeting dubbed "The Cable Show" provided their 13,000 attendees access to the 152,000 square foot trade show floor plan, exhibitor materials, Twitter feed, agenda, and information on the speakers and sessions on mobile devices. The results: 19,000 requests for exhibitor information, new sponsorship opportunities for the association, and a huge reduction of paper. 

Meeting Planners can integrate mobile technology -- rent Tablet PCs or iPads -- with custom trade show floor applications that can even have GPS installed to get the attendee to the right booth! Social media applications, agendas, and speaker bios and videos are all applicable uses of a tablet. In addition, tablets have a long battery life and can be used while walking around on the trade show floor.

IBM

IBM hosted a 5-day conference in January 2011 and decided to build a social media aggregator to pool the content of various forums into 1 online page which served as a place to broadcast videos from the 3 keynote sessions and interviews with the speakers. They also gave attendees flip cameras to video things going on around the conference and uploaded that onto the page. IBM had 5 social media cafes with large touch-screen monitors where individuals could send information directly to their email accounts. 

Meeting planners can work with a developer to build out their aggregator and allow attendees to see content on a touch panel kiosks and/or large high definition plasma displays. The event can also have social media cafes complete with tablets, laptops, and touch panel plasmas. 

AV Event Solutions can provide your next meeting, event, or trade show with state-of-the-art technology which includes iPads, Tablet PCs, Laptops, Plasma TVs, Kiosks and much, much more! Give them a call today for more information on how they can make your event exciting and interactive. 

Your RFP is set and you are about to send it off to the Audio Visual vendors of your choice. It is the same template you have used for years, so why fix something that isn't broken, right? Wrong! Today's RFP needs to address the more technical (gulp!) requirements involved in your event. For every layer of technology you add to the event, there needs to a fast, robust, and secure Wi-Fi network at its backbone. Here are the questions and information you need to gather in addition to your standard "dates and rates" information.

• Let them know how many wireless devices will be accessing the Wi-Fi. It is vitally important that you survey your attendees and ask if they have a smartphone, are bringing their laptop to the conference, and add in what event audio visual rentals you are going to have. Computer Kiosks, iPads, Tablet PCs, laptops, and smartphones are all going to want access to the network. And don't overlook your exhibitors, staff, and speakers. By knowing this number ahead of time, you will know whether or not you need to rent a Wi-Fi booster for additional access points and to boost your venue's bandwidth.
   
• Explain how each device will be used. If you rent iPads, will the applications be native or web-based? Will every mobile device have full Internet access for emails and social media? Will the kiosk rentals have Wi-Fi access? All of this will impact the network and various "peak load times" will need to be planned for.
   
• Ask the vendor to share with you similiar references to your event. Comparing an event with 50 attendees is very different than one with 500. After you share your device data (see bullet points above) with the vendor, ask them to share events that they have managed with similiar amount and types of connections.
   
• Ask to see post-event attendee surveys from previous meetings. This is probably a good standard with any RFP, but especially one where Wi-Fi connectivity could make or break the attendee experience. Ask them to explain any negative feedback on the survey.
   
• Ask how the interactive tools and network will be supported. If a touch panel kiosk doesn't function what happens? What are the measures to monitor traffic on the network? Where will the support team be and what are their credentials? All important questions as you look to keep everyone online, all the time, during the conference.
   
• Do your own homework. Google the company, check their website, ask about them on Event LinkedIn groups, and search for user reviews. Credible reviews follow the "80/20 rule". If most of the information is positive, but it is sprinkled with some negative comments, look into the comments but don't let that make you eliminate the vendor.

AV Event Solutions is ready and available with state-of-the-art audio visual rentals and Wi-Fi network arrays. Give them a call today to learn more about their unique product offerings and fantastic technical support!

Do you want to rent iPads or Tablet PCs for your next event, but don't know how to pitch it to the boss? Below are 16 uses of this mobile technology that make sense at meetings and trade shows. Pick and choose the ones that are right for your event. They are divided up into Meeting Attendee, Trade Show Booth Exhibitor, and Event Meeting Services Organizer uses and benefits. 

MEETING ATTENDEE

1. Attendees will receive real-time news and updates about the event. No more scrambling around to let attendees know about room changes, speaker cancelations, and meeting delays. They will receive a notification immediately on the tablet device.
2. Access to social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, and Pinterest. This allows attendees to broadcast to their virtual world how great your event is, post questions to speakers, post photos, send texts, or grow their network. All of this is good for your event because attendees are creating the buzz. 
3. A real-time event schedule, their own personal schedule, and the ability to locate room directions. Having the overall schedule and then knowing exactly where a breakout session is, can cut down on confusing directions and/or the use of printed signs. 
4. Providing gamification during the breaks. Allow attendees to play games during the break by putting together scavenger hunts or providing trivia or giveaway contests is another way to keep the attendee engaged during the event. 
5. Presentations and speaker information on the tablet can be easily accessed through a program or search engines. This cuts down or eliminates the need for bags, binders, and paper. 
6. Live stream video can go directly to the mobile device. The attendee can see up close and personal the video on their personal, high definiation  touch screen unit. 
7. Tablets are simple, easy to use, and have an intuitive user interface. 

TRADE SHOW BOOTH EXHIBITOR

8. Simple way to track leads. Tablets provide an easy way to track leads by scanning attendee name badges. 
9. Scheduling real-time appointments. This mobile technology allows attendees and booth reps to schedule meetings as well as change them on the fly.
10. Showcase event floorplan and materials. An iPad allows attendees to see the overall floorplan, exhibitor directory,and get turn-by-turn directions to the booth of their choice. 
11. Download materials. With a tablet, attendees can digitally download marketing materials, thus saving on costly brochures and chotzkies. 
12. Rent iPads as portable kiosks. This keeps attendees informed and entertained about your product or service while reps may be busy with other attendees. 

EVENT MEETING SERVICES ORGANIZER

13. Advertising channel for event sponsors. Now you can have more sponsors and utilize color, video, photographs, contests, and social media to promote their message and brand. All of this while the attendee has the tablet in their hands for 8 to 10 hours per day. 
14. Enhanced brand awareness for the sponsors, exhibitors, and the event itself. Having everything available on an iPad, allows the user to view information many times throughout the event. 
15. Great environmental benefits and a reduction in operational costs. Tablets are lightweight, require little energy, and have a battery life of 10 hours. No more paper or binders! No staff to assemble and reassemble the paperwork. All of this can be handled on the mobile device. 
16. Merchandise sales and event tickets are possible on the iPad. If you are selling books, DVDs, clothing, or tickets to a special event, attendees can purchase all of these items via a credit card reader attached to the iPad and receipts can be emailed to the attendee. 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment company, can provide you with iPads rental and Tablet PC rentals for your next meeting or event. Give them a call today or check out their website for more details about their offerings. 

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

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

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

Hotel CEOs Weigh-In about Wi-Fi

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what are Meeting Planners to do with this information?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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