Posts

How to hold an effective business meeting

,

Meetings are a regular part of the day-to-day running of a business. They enable employees across the organisation to communicate with one another and get tasks done. Businesses should hold meetings because they are a great way to boost morale, develop work skills and communicate important messages. However, if conducted poorly, meetings can be a time waster.

To avoid a disappointing, unproductive meeting, here are a few tips for holding an effective meeting and some tips on what to avoid.

Set an agenda

Be prepared and set an agenda with topics to be discussed and estimate times for each section. Distribute the agenda ahead of time so participants can understand what will be covered and can prepare accordingly. Being clear on timing of the meeting means your participants can plan their day and will be more focused, rather than worrying about what else they need to tick off the to-do list for the day.

Consider taking your meeting to a new location

Gathering at the same meeting room table at the same time every week or month is a great way to introduce boredom and disengagement among the meeting attendees. To encourage employees to interact, think creatively, and have them engage in lively discussions, take the meeting beyond the meeting room. If you are hosting an annual meeting like an AGM or making a special announcement, consider holding the event in a hotel or offsite conference room. The change of scenery will keep your audience interested and encourage creativity.

Use technology

As the saying goes, ‘a picture is worth 1000 words’. Today, with the importance and ease of access to digital technologies, there is little excuse to not use technology to keep your audience engaged. Most people are used to seeing graphics, videos and music to support the words they hear. Incorporate audiovisuals when planning your meeting. Using projectors and Smart Board presentations that encourage interaction are a wonderful change from ‘death by PowerPoint’. Also incorporate time for questions. This shows you are connecting with your audience and can give the floor to the person asking the question, making them feel valued.

Avoid status updates from all departments

Unless there is something meaningful and important that will be relevant and interesting to everyone involved in the meeting, don’t give a ‘week in review’ from each department during the meeting. Unless there is a specific need for help, a request for more resources or the need to share critical information for a larger team discussion, leave it out.  

Don’t forget to follow up

Don’t assume that everyone remembers or took a note of what their allocated tasks were from the meeting. And don’t assume that everyone understood what you were implying or intending to say during the meeting. Have someone take minutes during the meeting, then send out a meeting summary as soon as possible after the meeting outlining the action items for each individual or team, including a due date and clarifying any points that may have been debated in the meeting. Also send this to people who were unavailable during the meeting as they will need to know what was discussed.


If you would like help to set up your next business meeting for success, contact AVPartners.

Media Release: AVPartners promotes Mat Brooke as Technical Director at Crown Perth

Leading audiovisual company AVPartners has once again demonstrated their commitment to promoting from within by appointing Mat Brooke as Technical Director at Crown Perth.
Previously a Senior Technician at the popular Perth venue, the promotion will see Mat continue to use his technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to create event concepts which exceed client expectations.
Mat commenced his career with AVPartners as a Trainee Technician in April 2012, and in six short years has progressed to a leadership position.
Regarding his promotion, Mat said, “I had no idea six years ago that I would have been able to progress so much within one company. AVPartners is a supportive network of passionate audiovisual people, and I’m ecstatic to be able to continue to grow and advance with them.”
AVPartners’ Partner at Crown Perth, Daniel Watters, said, “Mat is an extremely hard worker which has made his advancement through the ranks at AVPartners an easy decision for management to make. I look forward to seeing him take on the responsibilities of his new role.”
AVPartners and Crown Perth have enjoyed a partnership for several years. AVPartners provides AV support for conferences and events at the venue and professional technical assistance for delegates.

Media Release: AVPartners promotes Ben Davis to Technical Event Manager at Crown Perth

Leading audiovisual service provider AVPartners has appointed Ben Davis to a sales role at Crown Perth.

With over 12 years experience in the industry, Ben brings his unique skill set and passion for events into his new role.

Ben previously worked as a Technical Director at the venue. Ben has extensive experience in the day to day running of audio, visual and lighting, along with coordinating staff, event set up and pack down, and liaising with clients.

His new role will see Ben nurture and build on client relationships while creating event concepts to suit their AV needs.

Commenting on his new role, Ben said, “I’m excited to work with our loyal clients on creative and innovative events in this new capacity. Of course, I’m also eager to welcome new clients to our venue where I know we will exceed their expectations.”

AVPartners’ Partner at Crown Perth, Daniel Watters, said, “It’s been a pleasure to be a part of Ben’s evolution here with AVPartners. He is great at what he does and brings a lot of creativity to his work. I have no doubt that he will continue to impress in his new role too.”

AVPartners and Crown Perth have enjoyed a partnership for several years. AVPartners provides AV support for conferences and events at the location and professional technical assistance for delegates.

What to do when things don’t go as planned at your event

Planning an event can be really fun and exciting, but it’s not without its challenges.

Giving guests an experience to remember, something that will leave a positive and lasting impression, is a great outcome to aim for. However, you need to plan accordingly in case things don’t quite go as you had envisioned on the day.

The best way to do this is to prepare your contingency plan well ahead of time. A general rule of event planning is that it’s a good idea to checklist everything and double check items at different intervals leading up to your event. Give agendas and timelines out to everyone that could benefit from it. On the day of the event, arrive early. This will give you extra time should something happen and need immediate attention. Remember, there’s no such thing as being over prepared when it comes to event planning!

Even with all your forward planning, things might still pop up that you weren’t expecting, or that you can’t really control. Here are some of the common mishaps we see at events and how to address them:

Schedule overlap

Giving your event’s schedule some wiggle room will do wonders for the little overlaps that tend to occur. Leaving a little room before and after scheduled items will mean that if something needs to push a little, it won’t make the entire event run late.

Weather issues

It is important to have a contingency plan for the weather as it can be really unpredictable. Depending on your event type, this could be as simple as organising umbrellas for some light rain, or it could mean moving your entire event indoors, away from bad weather.

Vendor issues

You may have a vendor cancel unexpectedly, or they may have resourcing issues. While this is a bit out of your control, what you can do is make sure you are in direct contact with them regularly in the lead up to, and during, the event. Arrive early on the day and ensure they have everything they need for their work to run smoothly. Also, have a list of backup vendors ready in case the unexpected happens.

Technical problems

Technical problems can happen at the most inconvenient times, such as when someone is about to speak on stage. Always make sure you are using a professional and reputable AV provider. This will minimise the chance of technical problems and ensure you can address any issues that do arise. Make sure your AV technicians offer onsite support throughout your event, and that they have their own contingency plans in place too. This way, you will always feel secure knowing the show can go on.

Medical emergencies

Medical emergencies require fast reaction times and leadership. At a minimum you need to be aware of where the emergency exits, medical emergency kits, and fire extinguishers are located in your chosen venue ahead of your event. It’s also not uncommon to have or request that a venue representative conduct a safety and housekeeping speech at the start of the presentation, informing guests of what the fire alarm alerts sound like and where the muster points locations are located.

When (or hopefully, if) unexpected things happen at your event, try to remain calm but react as quickly and effectively as possible. Guests will remember how well the issue was handled, or may not even realise there was a problem in the first place.

We’re always prepared for the unexpected here at AVPartners. Contact us today to work together on your next event.

Why the value of face-to-face meetings shouldn’t be ignored

Now more than ever before, businesses are relying on the use of long distance communication to run their operations. With remote and virtual workers on the rise, technology is making it easier to stay connected with your colleagues or clients in different offices, states or countries. But does this mean that face-to-face meetings and events are on the decline? Not in the slightest!

Four in five people surveyed by Meetings Mean Business believe they have attended an in-person meeting, conference or event that would have been less successful if conducted remotely. As Meetings Mean Business like to say, “great things happen when people come together!”

The benefits of face-to-face meetings include:

Relationships and Engagement

Being face-to-face is one of the most effective forms of communicating and building relationships. It affords you the opportunity to nurture your relationships and engage those around you in a way that simply can’t be emulated online. Face-to-face meetings are where relationships are built upon, deals are struck, and brainstorming is at it finest.

Connection and Trust

While certainly worthwhile, digital communication doesn’t always allow you to build as solid a level of trust between people. In person, you can physically shake the hand of the person you’re connecting with, you might share a laugh and even go to get a coffee together. All of these things build up strong, personal communication which is at the centre of all positive outcomes.

Clarity and Efficiency

Sometimes what we say can get a little lost in translation across online or digital communication methods. People may misinterpret a tone, meaning or message, and go forth with a completely wrong idea. Face-to-face meetings diffuse many misunderstandings straight away, therefore rendering them a more efficient way to get your point across.

Ultimately, the key to getting the most out of your events is to consider all avenues. With so many options available to us, we can choose the best way for us to communicate and build lasting relationships with our colleagues, clients or stakeholders. This may mean holding your event in-person, online or a hybrid of both. Contact us today to discuss your next meeting or event.

4 great benefits of holding an offsite meeting

Considering going offsite for your next business meeting? An offsite meeting is where you bring your team together in a different location to your usual office to hold a meeting, coordinate a strategy day, or deliver training.

Here are 4 great benefits of holding an offsite meeting:

Your team will be focussed

Being offsite means your team won’t be as easily distracted as they may be in their usual work surroundings. This will lead to improved productivity and better meeting outcomes.

Your team will network and bond

There’s no substitute for meeting in person, so an offsite meeting should include time for ‘team building’ – which could be as simple as a nice break with catered lunches, or a little more involved such as morning yoga to start the day. Giving your team a chance to chat and loosen up will allow them to relax and engage in the day’s activities.

Your meeting can be tech-savvy

Holding your offsite meeting at a venue that offers state of the art audiovisual (AV) technology means that you can get creative and leverage this in your meeting. From live streaming through to enhanced projection capability, creative audiovisual can grab your team’s attention and hold it.

You encourage creativity

Whether you are holding your meeting for brainstorming, forward planning, or strategy, chances are being in a new environment will inspire creativity in your team, and encourage new ideas in a way that can’t be replicated in-house.

Talk to us today to plan your next offsite meeting!

How to impress with a business dinner

Business dinners are a great way to combine relaxed fun and entertainment with professionalism and networking. They offer guests a chance to mingle, catch up, and learn more about each other in a more casual environment than the office or board meeting scene.  

A business dinner might be planned to celebrate milestones; to thank and recognise clients, customers or staff; to introduce new products, services, or ideas; or simply to continue with long-standing traditions. They offer guests a chance to let their hair down while also cementing your brand identity in their minds.

Some things to keep in mind when planning a business dinner to impress include:

Venue

First things first – a great venue will delight your guests as soon as they arrive. Perhaps the venue is in a gorgeous location, is modern, sleek or awe-inspiring. Ensure your guests enter your business dinner with a smile on their face.

Entertainment

For a business dinner, an engaging or classy choice of entertainment is best, such as a presentation by a motivational speaker, or a smooth and slow band to set the mood.

Catering

Impressive food doesn’t need to be oysters or caviar. Your chosen venue may offer dining specialties that can give your dinner a point of difference. Often, the most impressive options involve presenting tried and true favourites in new ways.

AV and styling

Advances in audiovisual technology mean there are endless ways to inspire guests at a business dinner. From lighting up the tables in your brand colours, to projecting your logo onto the walls – there are no shortage of ways to thrill. Add this to themed styling and decor, and your guests will be talking about this dinner for weeks to come!

Contact us today to start planning your next business dinner!

How to hold an experiential event

All events need an element of interaction to really give them a wow factor. An experiential event is one that offers guests a unique experience that leaves a lasting impression.

This could mean anything from 3D elements to product demonstrations, from physical activities to virtual reality experiences. Instead of just pushing a message out to your audience, an experiential event provides an immersive and interactive experience, enabling people to engage with your brand in person.

Here are our top ideas for planning your next experiential event:

Explore creativity

People come alive when given the opportunity to be creative. It reminds them of a more carefree time. Try something outside of the everyday – such as having a chalk graffiti wall they can draw on, or a photo booth where they can be silly then take home a souvenir.

Get people learning

Giving people an opportunity to learn something new makes a big impact. For example, you could try a cooking demonstration, an origami lesson, or a dance class! Have fun with it and people will be talking about it for months.

Get up close

If your event includes entertainers or dancers, allow them to go outside of the norm and showcase their talent in unconventional areas, such as among the guest’s tables or on the bar. If it’s different, it’s interesting.

Incorporate AV technology

AV technology can create spectacular experiences which resonate with guests. From virtual reality, to creating an immersive look and feel through lighting, AV can make a big difference.

Talk to us about how you can incorporate digital elements, lighting and sound at your event to create a 360 experience.

Is a seminar the type of event your business needs?

Seminars are one of the most common type of events. Educational in nature, seminars bring together like-minded people to learn about a particular subject. A seminar is a more formal event, focused on training or information sharing, offered in an academic instruction-style setting. They differ from more informal events such as conferences where opinions and thoughts are shared more readily and informally.

They are also usually shorter in length than other similar events. Seminars are a great means of building brand awareness and thought leadership for your business.

What do seminars involve?

Seminars usually feature one or more experts on the subject matter who, with the help of visual aids, demonstrations, and interactive equipment, present their information with little participation required from attendees.

A few of the common seminar types you may come across include business, personal development, and academic seminars. Seminars may also be held as part of a conference.

Where are seminars held?

Seminars are usually held in hotel meeting spaces, conference rooms, convention centres or at an academic institution.

What equipment is required?

Like any great event, seminars tend to rely heavily on audiovisual aids, which assist the presenters or trainers in communicating their knowledge to attendees. A great AV provider will offer a combination of visual slides, staging, lighting, styling, microphones and speakers to ensure the seminar message is conveyed successfully.

AVPartners has the knowledge, creativity and technology to make any seminar successful! Contact us today to discuss your seminar needs.

5 ways to manage your event staff for a successful event

With the many elements that go into the planning, coordination, and delivery of a successful event, it’s little wonder that success is often down to the staff behind the scenes.  

Your event team will be made up of event coordinators, AV technicians, stylists, chefs, hotel staff, food and beverage staff, servers, coat checkers, drivers, parking attendants, ticket-takers and many more – they are the backbone of any good event. The type and size of your event will determine the number and type of staff required, but big or small, all events rely on their staff to run smoothly.

When working with event teams, it’s important to keep your event outcome in mind and consider what each person can bring to the team.

With that in mind, we’ve got a few tips to help you manage your extended event team and ensure you’re all contributing to a seamless and successful event:

Meet them, brief them and designate tasks

Get to know your extended event team. Make sure they know their role, the event message and desired outcome, and what is expected of them.

Offer and accept feedback

Have an open policy for feedback, for you and them. Encourage them to provide suggestions or alert you to problems quickly, and offer them feedback on their tasks. It’s better to know about potential issues sooner rather than later!

Form processes

Create processes for tasks. This will make it so much easier to train or brief someone in that task, and enable them to complete it again and again successfully.

Encourage them to have fun

Events are fun, and just because they can also be a lot of hard work, doesn’t mean your team can’t enjoy themselves in the process. The higher their energy, the more the event atmosphere will benefit, creating a pleasant experience for event guests.

Enjoy yourself!

It is amazing the improved response you will receive if the event team get along with you and enjoy working with you. They will naturally be more inclined to go the extra mile. Which is a win-win for everyone.

At AVPartners, we know how valuable an experienced and reputable event team is to the success of your event. To find out how we can become a critical part of your extended event team, contact us.