Pros and Cons of In-House Vs Outsourced Audio Visual Rental Company

So you have an event coming up at a new venue that has their own in-house audio visual company and you are wondering "Should I use the in-house company or search for my own event audio visual rental firm? Many meeting and event planners wrestle with this question and the answer isn't always so obvious. Here are the Pros and Cons of both options and some resources you look to for additional help.

SITUATION: You need to replace broken equipment immediately.

In-house AV companies usually have the edge here because they are always on-site however, some event audiovisual rental companies bring spares (at no charge) so you need to ask. Additionally, if you bring in your own equipment or you rent from a firm that is just dropping off and picking up equipment, the in-house company will not touch that equipment if it doesn't work properly.

SITUATION: You need the most up-to-date equipment.

Event Audio Visual Rental Companies are constantly purchasing state-of-the-art equipment to keep their clients happy and keep their competitive edge. Once a venue purchases equipment, they are likely to hold onto that equipment for up to 3 years, regardless of what is happening with technology.

SITUATION: You need certified personnel with specific expertise in maintaining and setting up the equipment.

There is no clear cut winner here; this is where you are going to have to ask a lot of questions. Is the staff certified? How many times have they set up this equipment? How long has the staff been with the organization? The edge usually goes to the outsourced firm, but not always.

SITUATION: Your event is in a remote location, far from any outsourced firm.

In-house AV is going to save your budget on this one. If you have to pay for outsourced technician's mileage, meals, time and accommodations, this can add up in a hurry. Especially for small out of the way meetings, in-house may be the way to go.

SITUATION: You need a partner for my event, someone you can truly depend on.

Event Audio Visual Rental Companies step up the level of service because they want you to become a repeat customer. Ricky Robichaud, CMP, Event Marketing Manager at Texas Instruments said "Bringing in outside AV can increase the level of service you're providing tenfold. Essentially, they become an extension of your staff and enable you to focus your attention on your job, rather than worrying about oversight of another vendor."

SITUATION: You need to negotiate cost because you have a limited AV Budget.

Event Audio Visual Rental Organizations usually have the edge because they offer better rates than the in-house firm. Usually the in-house AV rates are set with little room for negotiation, where the sky is the limit with outside firms. In addition, labor is often the biggest expense when contracting AV, so if you negotiate that up front and have it in writing, you are more likely to keep your budget in tact.

Christy Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM, Chief Strategist for Strategic Meetings & Events summed it up best when she said, "I cannot imagine using in-house exclusively for my clients. Their meetings are just too important for me to take that chance and my time is too valuable to re-educate the AV team with each new program I do."

Event Management

Event management is comprised of the study of the complexities of brands, identifying target audience, creating event concepts, and planning the logistics. It also includes coordination of technical aspects before getting down to truly implementing the modalities of the planned event. Event management implies the application of management science to the creation and development of festivals and events.

Event management is one of the strategic advertising and communication tools used by businesses of all sizes. Right from product launches to press conferences, businesses develop promotional events so that they can communicate with clients as well as potential clients. They may target their audience by using the news media, wishing to generate media coverage, which will reach thousands or millions of people. They can also invite their audience to their events and reach them at the actual event.

Event management company services areas include corporate events such as product launches, corporate seminars, and forums. Services also comprise of retail advertising programs such as road shows, training programs, event promotions, television-based events, special events such as concerts, fashion shows and more.

Event managers are the people who plan and execute events. They are involved in the planning, execution, brand building, marketing, and communication strategy of events. Event managers are experts in the creative, technical, and logistical fronts that help an event succeed.

Event management is an industry that is growing quickly, with mega shows and events hosted regularly. Considering the professional side, event management is a glamorous and exciting profession that requires a lot of hard work and enthusiasm.

Only a few universities offer diplomas in event management. The study includes organizational skills, technical understanding, public relations, marketing, advertising, and catering. The course also includes study of logistics, glamour identity, human relations, law and licenses, risk management, and budgeting. Knowledge of related industries such as television, cinema, and other media also form a part of the curriculum.

Proactive Time Management

There is no such thing as time management. We all have the same amount of time available each day. Event involvement requires that we block out an allotted amount of time for its completion. Therefore, instead of time management, let us consider event management to be a more reasonable approach to scheduling.

For each of us, time is valuable. For young people it passes slowly and for the more mature it passes way too fast. Time is priceless. Think for a moment about the last 2 minutes of a football game. For the coach whose team is behind by 1 point, time is that precious commodity that if used correctly, contributes to the win. For the horse that runs second in the Kentucky Derby, .02 seconds is the difference between $500,000 and $50,000 in prize money. If you lose your money, you can earn more. But, if you lose a week, you cannot purchase another no matter how much money you have. There is no substitute for time; it is irreplaceable.

Charles Spezzano in What to Do Between Birth and Death says, "You don't really pay for things with money. You pay for them with time." In summary he explains that exchanging time for money is the basic definition of a job. People trade their time for money and then they use their money to pay for their lifestyle. Everything in life can be traced back to an investment of time.

As a leader, event (or time) management is one of our greatest responsibilities. Maximizing each minute should be an ongoing goal. Even though we may never successfully reach total event management, we can use time wisely by following these guidelines.

#1. Focus on your talents. Recognize and understand your talents. Spend time each week improving your talent skill levels. Do not be tempted to work on your less talented skill sets thinking improvement will increase your leadership effectiveness. As John Maxwell once described; if on a scale of 1 to 10, your skill level is a 2, do not waste substantial time trying to improve since you will likely never grow beyond level 4. However, if you are a 7 in a specific area, sharpen that skill, because when you become a 9, you will have reached a rare level of expertise.

Look inwardly and identify four areas of strength. If you cannot complete this task on your own, ask a close friend or family member to help. You might consider areas like creativity, communication, teaching, writing, relationships, networking, and public speaking. These then become your focus points. Do not allow yourself to get caught up in those areas that are outside your four talent areas. You will get the greatest return on your time investment by narrowing your focus and improving your strengths.

#2. Identify your overall purpose in life. Most people hate this topic because they have no clue where they want their life to go or what their purpose in living might be. Each of us can remember and celebrate our own birthday, but how many of us can actually state with clarity why we were born? Identifying purpose in life is personal and private making most people uncomfortable when called upon to discuss or reveal it. Event management requires that leaders spend time on activities that advance their life purpose.

It is impossible to reach peak performance without a clear understanding of purpose. Increasing the horsepower of a racing engine means nothing without first understanding that speed is the overall purpose of increased horsepower. By identifying purpose, a leader gives birth to passion, effort, understanding, knowledge, accomplishment, and ultimately achievement. By harnessing events, daily, weekly, and monthly, leaders can continue to lead their organization forward avoiding stagnation or failure.

Most experts suggest that in order to identify your purpose in life, find a quiet place and meditate on what you feel is important. You will, with time and effort, arrive at an answer. But this answer may be incomplete. In order to arrive at a deeper and more meaningful purpose in life, answer the following questions and then bring all of these ideas together to create a full picture.

1. What is it you do or do not do that you hope no one finds out?
   
   
   


2. What current events seem to irritate you?
   
   
   


3. What faults do you most often see in others?
   
   
   

3. Organize according to core values. The driving forces behind your overall purpose in life are your internal core values. They are the beginning points of inspiration for all you attempt. Your core values direct your thought patterns and those thoughts guide your actions. Without solid, well grounded core values life becomes monotonous and instead of striving for excellence in all you do the daily objective becomes only existence.

Without objectives, a person seems to drift through life attempting to survive with whatever cards they are dealt. With objectives, a person becomes the dealer and therefore dictates the game. Without guiding core values, ups become mountains and downs are bottomless pits. Much like a lighthouse guides ships in dangerous waters; core values guide leaders through the twists and turns of life.

Organize your month, your week, and your day not according to what's urgent or pressing but in accordance with your core values. Then, your day to day activities will have meaning and each day will end with a sense of accomplishment and personal fulfilment. The greater your sense of fulfilment, the more you will accomplish.

4. Choose to smile. It is a fact that when you smile at someone, they smile in return. Happiness is a choice, not a state of being; it is an inside job. No one else can make you happy. You must decide to be happy and only then will you experience its joy. At its most basic level, happiness can be found to always include relationships and friendships. Valuing relationships seems simple, yet most leaders downplay them and instead try to prove their own significance or validate their worth. In pursuing importance and power, most leaders allow relationships and friendships to dwindle away leaving only a hollow achievement with a feeling of emptiness.

Exercise wisdom here. Cultivate friendships and solidify relationships at every opportunity. In doing so, you will find peace and joy. Surround yourself with loyal friends and family. Prioritize your time for them and their needs. By creating healthy relationships, you will experience fulfilment and ultimately the happiness you deserve.

5. Duplication is the key. One person properly managing daily events can accomplish enough of the basics to be successful. Hundreds properly managing daily events can create a dynasty. Equipping others to do what you do compounds your efforts and your results. If you are the only one that can do what you do, then when you stop doing it, the income it creates ends. If you can teach others how to do what you do, then not only can you compound your results, you can eventually stop and the income continues.

Real leaders recognize that dynasties are created by people, not events or accomplishments. A leader will invest all of themselves in others only when and if they understand the power of duplication. By pouring themselves into the lives of others, duplication must occur just like the ripples seen when a rock is thrown into a pond. Schedule mentoring time and you will find that duplication takes over creating a team with impact and power based on relationships and commitment, not obligation.

No matter how hard you try, you cannot manufacture time. Time travel is not yet possible. You must learn to invest time rather than spend it. In order to manage life events; learn to focus on your talents, identify your life purpose, organize according to core values, smile, and practice duplication.

Choosing Professional Bands for Corporate Events

Corporate events are just as essential as any affair in the organization's calendar of events. Many event organizers are confused between choosing to book a band or DJ or just play music from the iPod playlist for a corporate event. However, even with the growing popularity of mobile audio devices like iPod, music bands are still very much thriving in the music scene. If you're hosting a special event for potential clients, you can create a nice impression by selecting a professional music band to entertain them.

Whether you plan to have a small intimate event for your entire staff or you want to have a huge party for your clients, it's crucial to find appropriate bands for corporate events. The right band should be able to play great music that can keep your guests entertained. There's no doubt that live bands make any type of function seem like a grand affair. A band can raise the energy and enhance the essence of the sound that no pre-recorded music can match. A highly experienced band leader is very keen on what the crowd wants and can attract the guests to dance to the song they like. In a formal corporate gathering, the elegant appeal of the sleek horns, crisp tuxedos and stylish singers makes for an unforgettable event.

The leader in the band can also serve as the emcee of the event and can assist in making the show run smoothly according to the flow of the program. To make the whole program more seamless, band breaks are scheduled well around the primary program elements. Pre-recorded songs are played while the band is not playing and allow the hosts and other guests to use the sound system for speeches and toasts.

Aside from corporate events, live bands can be a great choice for almost any type of events which include wedding receptions, reunions, fundraising charity event, high school prom, birthday parties and others. You can choose bands that specialize in either jazz, blues, pop, rock, swing, funk, country or a variety band that can play different types of music genre to suite everyone's varying musical tastes.

Before you begin looking for music bands, you might consider the size of the venue. You need to have a venue that has enough space for the band to perform. The band that you booked should be flexible to make that corporate event of yours a success. They should know how to play music based on the general profile of the guests. Family members and friends who have been to several corporate parties are the best people who can recommend you reputable names of live bands. You can also take suggestions from the internet searches to locate some good bands since most of them already have their own websites where they post details about their work and contact details.

So if you want to make your corporate event very memorable, then you should book live bands to keep the crowd entertained and engaged all throughout the event.

How to Become an Event Manager

Special events managers are the people who help to coordinate events for a variety of purposes. They may focus on non-profit agencies, large companies, private individuals, or weddings and parties. The usually are the ones to find and reserve the space for the event, decide on catering and activities, determine the type of decorations will be used, and gather any equipment. These roles will vary depending on the type of event management the individual is performing and the occasion for the event. If you are interested in becoming an event manager, here are some steps you can take.

First, you will want to have a degree in a field related to management. You many opt for a business management or focus on a specific type of management depending on what your school has to offer.

Aside from education, the next most important step to take is to get experience before you try to join the working force as an event manager. Find out if there are sporting events or other special events going on at your school that you can volunteer to help organize. You may even be able to find a paying gig of this sort if the school allows work-study programs. This is the entry-level experience you will need to build your resume for after graduation.

If you are not in school or if your school does not allow students to assist with events, find other venues to peddle your services. For example, local bands are always very willing to allow new event managers to assist them in booking shows, distributing information, and gathering more fans. This route may not be the most financially rewarding, but the experience is invaluable.

After you have some experience on your resume, try to intern with an event planning company in your area. If possible, intern with a company that specializes in your desired field, such as wedding planning or corporate events, but do not get discouraged if that does not pan out. The most important aspect of any internship is the contacts you will be making in the industry.

From there, begin looking for actual jobs in the field. The volunteer work, education, and internship will provide an impressive resume for any special event management position. However, if you are having difficulty finding work, it may be helpful to meet with a staffing agency. The work they provide will be temporary, but it will develop contacts and help you to make a name for yourself. It may even turn into a full-time career.

The most important thing to remember is to not get discouraged. Every job entails starting from the bottom and working your way up. As you build a clientele and word of mouth spreads, your success will increase exponentially.

Planning an Office Christmas Party

Many companies, agencies and organizations have some version of a holiday office Christmas party each year. For some, it is a simple affair perhaps with a potluck lunch but for major corporations, the event may be much more elaborate. There are basically two different types of office Christmas parties; one held on site during the work day or one held after hours at an offsite location.

The Simple Party

For the office party held during work time, the event is much simpler to plan. Planning an office Christmas party during the day entails very little, as the party is usually a lunch time affair perhaps with a buffet, gift exchange along with a how have we done year in review component that highlights the outgoing year's accomplishments along with a projection of what is to come in the New Year. Planning a smaller affair usually means deciding upon whether you will have everyone bring in a covered dish or having the party catered. What you chose will depend upon your available funds.

Certainly it is much cheaper to have co-workers bring in a covered dish, but someone really does need to keep tabs on what people have chosen to bring. Sometimes the company will provide the main course, such as chicken, and have the employees bring the rest. However, if there is not a designated individual in charge of keeping everything straight, you can end up with 30 deserts and only 5 side dishes or vice versa. Planning an office Christmas party means that you need several people to volunteer to take charge, setting all of the details in place along with managing the budget.

The Elaborate Party

Many companies offer their employees the opportunity to dress up and get away from the office for their holiday event. Planning an office Christmas party where everyone attends a black tie event can take a great deal of time, money and attention to detail. Many larger corporations may consider hiring an outside event planning company to take care of all of the details, from entertainment, food, d矇cor and company gifts. These events take time to put together and are usually thought about well in advance, at least six months or more before the Christmas holiday season.

Many companies do not want their employees making merry on company premises, preferring not to draw attention if an employee or two gets out of hand. Taking the party off company grounds is much smarter. Sometimes the executive secretary or the assistant to the CEO will have the party planning duties assigned to them long in advance. For these individuals it can be a very time consuming part of their job. Corporations want to offer their employees a great experience while keeping costs in line. However, there can be a lot of pressure to outdo oneself each and every year.

Whatever time of company party is chosen, the event takes dedicated people to pull it off. Planning an office Christmas party is fun but can be challenging as well.

The 3 Most Important Factors of Catering

Whether you're planning a small dinner with friends or an enormous banquet for a fundraiser, the importance of good catering cannot be overstated. Not only does depending on an outside company to prepare the meal free you to concentrate on the other aspects of event planning, but if you choose wisely you can serve your guests a meal that would have been nearly impossible to pull together on your own. When it comes to choosing a company, there are many similarities to the factors you would weigh when choosing a restaurant. But there are other considerations as well. Here are three of the most important factors to think about when hiring one.

The Cooking

Obviously, it begins-if it doesn't necessarily end-with the food itself. Your first goal should be to find catering that will "cater" to your guests. In other words, you might not choose a four star gourmet company for a kids birthday party. Likewise, you might not choose a place that specializes in greasy BBQ if you're planning a white tie affair. But beyond making sure the food is appropriate, you also need to make sure it's actually good. Many places will allow you to taste test their wares before committing. It is a good idea to take them up on that offer.

Safety

Many local markets have news stations that provide behind-the-scenes looks at area restaurants, expose them for dirty practices, and warn consumers when an eatery is slipping underneath regulations. These stations rarely go after catering companies, however, which leaves the research to you. And, if anything, it's even more important to make sure the caterer you're thinking of hiring adheres to proper food safety techniques. This isn't coming straight from the kitchen to your table, after all. Make sure the company you hire has the means and capabilities to keep your food safe and warm (or cold) before it arrives in front of your guests.

Customer Service

It is as important in the catering business as it is in the restaurant field and it is something you should look into carefully before hiring a company. This is something you can usually form an opinion about well before the event itself. Most companies will work with you to create the perfect menu for the dinner. Before even that begins, you should be watching how their personnel interacts with you and what level of service you're getting. If you feel as though you aren't being treated like an important client, you may want to take your business to someone else.