Renting Audio Visual Equipment

National Travel and Tourism Week kicked off on Saturday, May 5th and will run until Sunday, May 13th. This annual salute to all organizations affiliated with the travel industry (including meetings, events, and suppliers, such as conference equipment rental companies) is meant to celebrate and champion the power of travel.

But unfortunately, it sits under a huge cloud called the General Services Administration (GSA) scandal which has hit the industry hard by the cancelation of at least 1 association meeting last week. It has also caused the House and the Senate to approve separate, but equally damaging bills, that could reduce travel spending of governmental employees by 20% through the year 2016. 

As of this post's publication date, President Obama has not signed this measure into law and given his recent Executive Order pinpointing a need to increase international travel to the U.S., it is my hope that he does not sign the bills. Much pressure is being brought forth by associations such as ASAE, PCMA, and MPI, including having their members sign an industry-wide petition. 

In these times of uncertainty, it is always wise to look at the facts to see what impact travel really has in our country. So, here are some key talking points about travel and the event meeting services industry we should be articulating to Members of Congress, state officials, and even local dignitaries. 

Below is what we should be celebrating. Here are the facts, as presented by the U.S. Travel Association:

Travel and Tourism generates:

• $1.9 trillion in economic output
  • $1.1 trillion in areas that affect the traveler (such as speaker fees, food and beverage, event staff, renting audio visual equipment) and
  • $900 billion spent directly by the traveler.
     
• $194 billion in payroll 
   
• $124 billion in tax revenue for federal, state, and local agencies
   
• 14.4 million jobs
  • 6.9 million in industries that support travel 
  • 5.2 million in the travel industry itself
  • 1.4 million in general business travel and
  • .9 million in the meetings and events industry
     
• 1 out of 9 U.S. jobs (hotels, convention centers, restaurants, event audio visual firms, caterers, airlines, ground transportation, trains, taxis, just to name a few)

ASAE, PCMA, MPI, and the U.S. Travel Association are asking all of us in the event meeting services industry to do the following:

1. Share the above facts with colleagues, association members, and other organizations
2. While Congress is not in session, contact your Members of Congress and share with them the facts and the ripple effect such legislation may have on the travel industry
3. Do the 3 things outlined in an earlier blog post, "Why Are Face-to-Face Meetings So Important Anyway?" 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment provider, is very interested in helping meeting and event planners carry this message forward. Talk to one of their skilled Account Executives as to how they can help you communicate the value of meetings!

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. 

Every event requires some negotiation by meeting planners whether it is making a simple request, persuading organizations to sponsor the event, or taking a hard line on pricing with suppliers. Often times planners think they need to be like lawyers or used car salespersons; trying to take, take, take and be totally adversarial. But it doesn't have to be that way -- there can be a different route to success. 

Here are 3 tips to effectively get what you want and develop a win-win proposition instead of a win-lose one.

Tip #1: Do Your Research.

If you are renting audio visual equipment or negotiating a room block, you need to know the range of pricing for that specific equipment, hotel brand, or destination. Knowledge is power and the more you know, the better able you are able to bring up specifics during the negotiating phase. 

Tip #2: Know the Difference Between What You Need and What You Want.

Here are some examples:

You boss told you the event budget NEEDS to be cut by 5% from last year's conference. You WANT the budget to be cut by 10% so you look good in your negotiating efforts. 

You NEED to issue a RFP to at least 3 event audio visual equipment companies. You WANT to stick with your existing provider, regardless of price, because you have a relationship with them. 

You NEED to obtain 5 silver sponsors for your annual meeting. You WANT to have a variety of sponsors, at different levels, for a total of 10 sponsors. 

Asking for what you want from a partner is okay but knowing what you need is more important and will keep you grounded during the negotiating cycle. Make certain you give organizations plenty of time to respond to your requests and be willing to compromise where needed. 

Tip #3: It Isn't All About Price.

Perhaps you are coordinating a training meeting for 200 employees. The corporate audio visual company you have chosen is standing firm on their pricing. You look at your research and other bids and realize their pricing is very competitive. But due to recent budget slashing in your department, you need more. What can you expect and how can you get it?

First, you need to be total honest with your supplier. Tell them the jam you are in and see what they can offer. You might be surprised. For example, perhaps they can offer more wireless mics or audio recording at no extra charge. 

Second, ask for the value of the offerings. Make sure your boss knows the items being comped and why they are valuable to the meeting. 

Third, being willing to flex and bend brings about a "win-win" solution and helps build better relationships with your partner. Remember, they have bosses too and have to justify their pricing to them as well. 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment provider, is all about the win-win! In order to get started on the RFP process, fill out their express quote form which will be answered in 4 business hours, guaranteed! 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

With Earth Day approaching in a few weeks, many event planners are thinking of ways to green their meetings without breaking the budget. American Express recently polled meeting planners and suppliers and found that 53% of the planners polled are coordinating local meetings which will reduce their carbon footprint, 47% have green requests or requirements for their meetings, and 73% indicated their organizations are showing an increasing interest in green measures. 

Below are some simple tips to help make your next event more environmentally friendly:

1. Eliminate direct mail and printed promotional pieces. Redirect the dollars that were going to be spent  for print toward an email marketing campaign, blogging, and social media. If you don't have the time to do it yourself, hire someone to create a content calendar and provide the buzz about your event. 


2. Drop print advertising.  Shift those dollars to a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaign for your event. PPC is an effective and measurable tool that can be aimed directly to your attendee demographics. In addition, it is cost-effective because you only pay for the clicks that actually occur. 


3. Eliminate paper registration. Manage attendee registration process through online booking engines, such as Cvent, Eventbrite, or Constant Contact. 


4. Provide alternate transportation options. Encourage attendees to compare the cost of a flight, train, bus (such as Megabus), or subway. If it makes sense, coordinate carpooling to the event. 


5. Don't buy AV equipment. Renting Audio Visual equipment makes a lot of sense because that equipment can be used over and over again and when sourced through a local supplier, it can save you a lot of money on shipping. 


6. Provide session video recordings online. If attendees want to review a speaker after the session, provide a URL link or upload the presentation to YouTube. No jump drives or DVDs mean no shipping costs, no materials to be purchased, and most importantly, no hassle. 


7. Rent Tablet PCs to replace printed programs, guides, and speaker handouts. You immediately eliminate printing, paper, shipping, assembly, and distribution costs. In addition, mobile applications can include the following: 

• All session videos
• Searchable database 
• Speaker presentations
• Notes
• Online list of attendees
• Sponsorship information
• Exhibitor information
• Trade show layout with GPS system

8. Incorporate gaming options to bring home the green message. At Eventcamp Vancouver and GMIC games were played to resonate the sustainability message with attendees. 


9. Nix paper surveys. By introducing Audience Response System rentals to attendees, you can entirely eliminate paper, responses are calculated instantly, anonymously, and can be reviewed on the spot and after the event. 


10. Look hard at food and beverage options. Here are some simple ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle:

• Reduce the use of paper products. Use china, glass, and silverware. 
• Arrange for all left over food and beverages to be transported to a local food kitchen.
• Set up recycling stations and encourage attendees to recycle bottles and cans.
• Eliminate bottled water, use ice and pitchers. 
• Ask that the local farmer's market be used as a food source.  

AV Event Solutions, a California event equipment supplier, is available to help you make your next meeting green! Give them a call today to learn more about their technology tool options.  

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 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? 

Outsourced	Completely	Partially	Total
Event Supply Rentals: Such as Renting Audio Visual Equipment	35%	26%	61%
Housing	28%	18%	46%
Registration	19%	16%	35%
Trade Show Management	12%	11%	23%
Marketing and Promotion	5%	15%	20%
Event Management	5%	12%	17%
Speaker Selection	2%	14%	16%

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!

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!

Great sound in a meeting or event is something most planners take for granted...until they experience that screeching microphone or the entire system goes dead. So what makes up a good sound system?  

Lets explore the definition and use of microphones and mixers, as well as, understanding the importance of room accoustics, having event audio visual rental personnel on site, and last but not least, the infamous soundcheck. 

First, understand the room accoustics, which is how sound behaves in that space. Planners need to take the dimensions of the room and find the reverberation time. In simple terms, that means the amount of echos in that room and how long it takes them to be absorbed into the air or walls. For a typical meeting room, the standard reverberation time is under 1 second. This is so important because it will ultimately impact the type of audio equipment you will need. When considering sound and lighting rentals, select a provider that understands the acoustics as the audience fills up the room.

Second, a mixing console is an electronic device for combining, routing, and changing the level and dynamics of the audio signals. It can be connected to an amplifier, which is a device that can increase the power of the signal or directly to the speakers. An experienced AV technician sits at the mixing console to make certain the volume and clarity of your speaker's presentation is heard especially if it involves music and/or video with the presentation services audio visual equipment.   

Third, you need to consider using one or more of the following microphones:

• For your speaker, a lavalier microphone probably makes the most sense because it allows the presenter to move around the room freely. This small mic is often clipped onto the lapel of a jacket or held in place via a magnet. The cord can be hidden and the RF transmitter can be placed in a jacket pocket or clipped to a belt. 


• To encourage maximum interactivity in a large meeting, renting wireless microphones that can be placed through out the room and passed from attendee to attendee is a great option. It transmits the audio as a radio signal to a transmitter that is then connect to the mixer.


• Wired microphones can be used when you have a stationary panel of speakers who will be talking from a seated position. In addition, a wired mic works well on a podium and/or placed throughout the audience where attendees can walk up to the mic to ask a question or make a comment. These are mics that are cabled directly to the mixer.

Lastly, the soundcheck. This allows the audio team to make sure the sound in the room is clear and at the right volume and tonal frequencies. Soundchecks should be completed with each speaker and well before the attendees enter the room. Since soundchecks are more of an art than a science, it is vital that this process not be rushed. 

AV Event Solutions, a California meeting equipment company, has state-of-the-art sound systems and microphones available for rent. They also have a dedicated and experienced audio team, ready and willing to make your next event rock!

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

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

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


Myth #2: Presenters should dress like audience members. 

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

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

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

Myth #4: A commanding speaker uses a lectern. 

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

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

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

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

Misaligned LCD projectors, poor screen resolution, and slow Wi-Fi were not present at InfoComm International's conference made up of 33,000 audio visual, communications, and systems-integration professionals. Here are some of the tips outlined by Jason McGraw, Senior Vice President of Exhibitions for InfoComm International and what meeting planners everywhere can learn from his experience. 

Tip#1: Produce CAD diagrams for each meeting session. This process will allow planners, conference services managers, and audio visual suppliers to put in place the appropriate sized screen rentals and seating options. 

Tip #2: Give the Audio Visual production team enough time to set up and test the equipment. Trying to rush the AV team can allow for a lot of mistakes, including sound, lighting, and projector problems. The event audio visual rental company will let you know how much time they need to set up and test the equipment.

Tip #3: Provide Your Speakers Enough Time to Rehearse. Presenters who are not professionals or who do not speak on a regular basis, need enough time to go through their presentation services audiovisual equipment including getting used to the lavaliere microphone and wireless slide advancer. 

Tip #4: Consider Using Plasma TVs. For small meetings, a large flat-panel Plasma will be more effective and less expensive than a full-projection set-up. 

Tip #5: Figure out the AV Needs for Your Speakers and Schedule Them Accordingly. Instead of rotating the AV around to multiple rooms, line up your presenters according to the AV setup in each room. This will also save money on your overall budget because you are not moving equipment from room to room.

Tip #6: Make sure the meeting room has robust band-width. Many speakers today use the Internet, video, and photographs to increase their presentation effectiveness. Consider renting Wi-Fi Network Arrays to boost the speed of the network. With the addition of hybrid events, fast robust streaming will make remote attendees feel more connected to the meeting.  

AV Event Solutions can provide your next event with state-of-the-art interactive technology tool rentals including LCD projectors, plasma TVs, and Wi-Fi Boosters. Give them a 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!

On Wednesday, Fears Part 1, we tackled attendance fears (both no people or too many) and keeping the networking interesting and fresh.

Today, we will help you understand how to keep your attendees there until the end of the conference and why hiring a quality event audio visual rental company is an important factor to your meeting. 

FEAR: Attendees will take off early. 

Every event organizers desires to keep the attendee excited and engaged until the bitter end. But it seems more and more that the first day has 100% attendance, the second about 75%, and the 3rd day you are lucky to be at 50%. 

FIX: Keep them engaged, interested, and motivated. 

By allowing for maximum interactivity with conference attendees, right from the start, will create an environment to keep attendees engaged. Rent Tablet PCs with meeting applications preloaded onto the mobile device and make certain your Wi-Fi access is robust and fast, which may require renting a Wi-Fi Network Array. Keep the attendees motivated to stay until the end by having engaging speakers to open and close your conference. And if you really want them to stay, offer to raffle something of great interest to the attendee such as an iPad or vacation trip. 

FEAR: The Audio Visual and/or Wi-Fi equipment will malfunction. 

Since AV equipment and Wi-Fi connectivity are so integral to the success of any meeting or event, having the equipment or network go down is an event planner's greatest nightmare. And having support to fix the problem via the telephone only or in a building miles away,  only compounds the issue.

FIX: When renting audio visual equipment, hire only the best and have them onsite. 

Hiring a quality AV firm that can provide you with state-of-the-art equipment and Wi-Fi network arrays will give you peace of mind because you will not need to go through multiple firms for your event needs. Having qualified AV technicians and project managers onsite will also provide you with the resources at hand if something does go awry at the last minute. These professionals are trained to resolve any problem quickly. 

Are you event planning in California? Look no further than AV Event Solutions to provide you with 1st and 2nd generation iPads, Wi-Fi Network Arrays, and AV technicians and project managers. Give them a call today at 888-249-4903!

Must Have #1: Easy Access for Attendees

We have become relatively impatient when it comes to getting to a meeting location. If a great majority of your attendees are flying into the conference, an airport property may be best because of its easy access and timely shuttle service. However, if attendees are driving, the ability to find the venue, good convenient parking, and/or valet service will make a difference to the attendee's overall perception of the meeting. 

Must Have #2: Value Pricing

Many venues make their money from conference services "add ons", such as Wi-Fi access, in-house audio visual, and meeting room charges. In order to compare "apples to apples" when looking at venue pricing, have the sales person spell out all the charges individually on the RFP. Let them know you may go outside of the facility when renting audio visual equipment, for food and beverage, and other services. 

Must Have #3: Local Resources

This is apart of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative that CIC is working on and coming out with very soon. The idea behind this initiative is that meeting planners should use local resources, whenever possible, to reduce the carbon footprint of the meeting and to put local people to work in the region. Using local food and beverage can also give attendees a sense of the cuisine and traditions in the area. 

Must Have #4: Robust, Wired Rooms

Every venue claims they have Wi-Fi, but how fast, robust, and secure is it when 500 attendees are sitting in the meeting room with their mobile devices? Event organizers don't want to be the ones at the front of the room saying, "The Wi-Fi is down right now...we're working on it." If you are going to rent iPads for mobile applications, consider renting a Wi-Fi booster to keep your attendees online, all the time. 

Must Have #5: The Right Stuff

When conducting site visits, make certain to dialog with all the people on the team from the Banquet Captain to the Housekeeping Manager. Once you have chosen your partners, including any outside vendors, have a team meeting to make certain everyone knows all the players and who is responsible for what. Good communication, as well as having an attendee-centric team, is going to make for a great event and keep everyone happy. 

Must Have #6: Adequate Storage

Because attendees are demanding more interactive technology tool rentals in their meetings and events, the AV team needs a fair amount of storage for all the containers and back-up units. Ask in the RFP for the room dimensions of any storage space and inspect it upon a site visit. Gain buy-in with your AV provider that the space is sufficient. 

Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions is a locally-owned and operated provider of any audio visual equipment, Wi-Fi boosters, and technical support. Give them a call today!

Every event planner wants their attendees to talk and remember their event for many months, and even years, after the meeting is long over. And for all the right reasons -- not the wrong ones.

The Wedding Planning Institute has come up with their "A6 Formula" for event success, which is listed below, and I have added some additional ideas to make your event extra special and memorable.

Anticipation

• Spend time making your invitation very intriguing. Send the sample invitation to 20 people and get their feedback. Ask a simple question: Is this invitation enough to get you to the event? If it is not, keep tweaking it until it is right.
• Use Social Media to get people excited about the event. Tweet every day something new, ask questions, and/or send out speaker information. Have a contest.
• Set up a blogging schedule and invite guest bloggers to write for you.  

Arrival

• If the event location is hard to find, send out maps with the invitation. Make sure the address comes up on a GPS system. 
• Specify parking instructions and if you can manage it in the budget, offer valet parking. 
• Decorate the entrance as well as the meeting room. 
• Have ambassadors or greeters at the registration area ready to greet and welcome attendees. 

Atmosphere

• Spend time examining the following items:
  • Decor
  • Color Scheme
  • Table Linens
  • Room and Table Setup
  • Temperature of the Room
  • Sound and Lighting rental system
  • Presentation Services Audio Visual Equipment
• Does the room convey an atmosphere that will engage attendees? If not, continue to change it until it does. 

Appetite

• In most cultures, food is the major focus of social gatherings, and meetings and events are not an exception to this rule. Great food and service will be remembered for a long time to come. Hire a caterer that provides both.
• Consider a caterer who brings creative ideas and resources to the food presentation, perhaps making it even part of the decor.  

Amusement

• Have a segment of your meeting dedicated to fun whether it be a motivational speaker, comedian, dancing, or creative networking techniques. 
• Provide a gaming option during breaks. Rent iPads with games installed on them and create a contest among attendees. Rent Plasma Displays with Wii Consoles for team competitions, during breaks. 
• Hire a walking magician if you anticipate long registration lines to keep the attendees amused. 

Appreciation

• Let your attendees know they are appreciated by providing them with a thank-you bag or favor at the end of the event.
• Ask for business cards and raffle off a desirable and valuable gift at the end of the meeting day. 
• Have ambassadors available to personally thank attendees for coming to the event. 

AV Event Solutions can provide you with state-of-the-art interactive technology tool rentals to make your event really stand out with every attendee. Give them a call today and speak to an experienced account executive!

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!