Exciting new technologies like interactive computer use, live video enhancement of speakers, and teleconferencing can be utilized but the associated cost of these new technologies can be steep. The type of AV support you will need for your meeting or event may be simple or more complex. Be sure to review all your options and plan ahead:

• Get a list of all speakers’ needs well in advance of your meeting date and schedule a rehearsal.

• Allow for rehearsal and set-up time in your meeting rooms.

• Give speakers a chance to rehearse with equipment they will be using.

• Test equipment immediately prior to the beginning of the event. Check acoustics Clap your hands sharply… talk loudly… listen carefully Check to see if there are any echo’s or dead spots. Do drapes or acoustic panels need to be added? Plug-in and test the audio. Is the public address system working? Is there any feedback at working level? Are the speakers correctly placed? Are there enough microphones, cords, stands?

Have spare bulks and extension cords on hand. If you are taping, is the tape recorder microphone working? Check to see if you have to erect a stand or move a table

Is the audiovisual the right distance from the screen, rigid and level? Know the location of circuit breakers and fuses Have spare fuses and standby circuits ready Test the intercom system. Is the emergency work light ready?

• Having a technician available to attend to your needs throughout the meeting may be your best insurance policy.

• If the facility where you are holding your meeting has AV equipment available check to make sure it is in good working order.

• Remember that poor-quality AV equipment can ruin a meeting.

To maximize your audio visual budget, try the following:

• If using an outside vendor, choose a reputable company and reserve equipment early. If you have never worked with the supplier before, ask for references and check them.

• Negotiate all costs. Package deals are good for you and the rental companies. If they know your needs and have your timelines, it will be more cost effective.

• Make sure all agreements are in writing. If one company is not able to meet your needs, look at other companies until your needs are met.

• Provide clear instructions in writing. Include agendas and room layouts so your vendors know exactly what you expect.

• If you need help, find experienced production managers and technicians to oversee the AV portions of your event. Introduce yourself to the technicians who will be working your event, and find out how to contact them should the need arise.

• Barter goods and services with your rental companies. They may want to advertise in your publications, exhibit at your trade show, or acquire leads from your attendees.

• Guaranteed performance is often a policy of AV companies. They will compensate clients for rental costs in the event of equipment failure. Even better, many will provide on-site back-up.

Check the audio-visual equipment that is available at the meeting facility you are using. Many facilities have their own in-house audio department. Ask if any audio-visual equipment is included in your room charge? Be sure to check out the quality and age of the equipment provided.

Most facilities only provide a podium and microphone, so you will need to rent additional equipment from a qualified local audio-visual rental company. The facility where you are holding your meeting can provide recommendations.

Written by Yvon Douran, http://www.keynoteresource.com/

Fair use is a concept only legally recognized in the United States. No other country in the world gives the public latitude to use copyrighted works without permission. Under the fair use privilege an author is permitted to make limited use of another author’s work without asking permission.

When is it fair to use someone’s materials?

• When you comment or criticize
• For news reporting
• For research or scholarship

Three other considerations for fair use:

• The type of work – factual works (technical, scientific) vs. works of fancy (novels, poems, plays)
• The amount and importance of the material used
• The effect of the use of the material on the potential market or the value of the copyrighted works

People sometimes unknowingly violate copyright laws. The wide amount of information available via the web and electronic distribution makes it easy to have access to information and to add it to a presentation, brochure or other marketing information.

You may not realize that you are infringing upon an author’s rights. Here are some flagrant examples of violating copyright laws:

• Copying training materials (this is an example of a work made for hire) to reduce the cost of purchasing additional materials from a training company.
• Photocopying of articles from magazines for mass distribution.
• Using a song as background music in a video production.

Works on the Internet do not automatically qualify to be considered public domain. Nor does out of print mean out of copyright.

If you are concerned about copyright issues, you can:

• Research the topic in more depth using these resources:

1. US Office of Copyright http://www.copyright.gov/
US Office of Copyright

2. Brad Templeton writes a brief introduction to copyright law at http://www.templetons.com/brad/copyright.html
Brad Templeton’s Intro to Copyright Law

He also has the 10 Myths about Copyright which is definitely worth a read at http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
Brad Templeton’s 10 Myths

3. Copyright website at http://www.benedict.com/
Copyright Website LLC

4. Using Copyrighted Works For Meetings, Seminars & Conferences by J. Wesley Cochran, Professor of Law, Texas Tech University, August 1999 at
http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/copy-corner12.htm
Prof. Cochran

• Ask permission to use the work. (This can be time-consuming.)
• Use royalty-free content. You can purchase for a one-time fee for unlimited use (with some restrictions) of music, stock photos or graphics in presentation materials.
• Use works of the United States Government. By statute, U.S. Government works are not protected by copyright. This would include photographs from NASA, database and statistics (like the US Census data).
• Gain explicit agreements from your speakers that protect your organization from claims that the speaker used copyrighted materials (e.g., a PowerPoint® presentation) without permission. Speaker agreements also should ensure that the sponsor has the right to record and replay the presentation or reproduce the handouts for distribution or sale to non-attendees. Speaker agreements also should include language that allows the sponsoring organization to reproduce the presentation materials in any form or media (e.g., on the sponsor’s Web site). This idea taken directly from Association Meetings, Dec, 2000 by Jed R. Mandel at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CXQ/is_6_12/ai_68965444
• Link Well. Links to web sites may be freely reproduced for hyperlinking. Always proper cite a website and depending upon your usage notify the web page provider. Also avoid deeply linking to a specific page. Some websites prohibit deep linking which allows you to avoid the home page.
• Obtain Music Licensing. Unless a song is clearly within the “public domain,” any music–live or recorded–played at an event is subject to copyright protection. Event sponsors may need copyright licenses from one or all of the music licensing organizations (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC). Each organization has a “playlist” of music for which it is authorized to give licenses on behalf of copyright owners. They can provide you with a blanket license tailored to the meetings industry.

Research sources for Public Domain works:

1. The on-line Books Page at www.digital.library.upenn.edu/books
On-line Books

2. www.ibiblio.org contains links to many websites with public domain materials
www.ibiblio.org

3. Wikipedia contains many links to public domain at http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/wikipedia:public_domain_resources
Wikipedia Public Domain

4. Audiovisual and sound recordings at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at www.archives.gov
NARA

5. Maps at the US Geological Survey (USGS) at www.usgs.gov or the National Archives Cartographic and Architectural Branch at www.nara.gov
USGS

6. Art works through web searches using the artist’s name or check Art History Resources on the Web at http://witcombe.bcpw.sbc.edu/arthlinks.html
Art History Resources

Strive for new, different and innovative meetings. But respect other people’s work. Plagiarism is an ethical issue. While you may no longer be in school and concerned about plagiarism, you should give credit for ideas and facts that you borrow from authors.

Do your meetings fall victim to Corporate Attention Deficit Syndrome?

The message of your meeting is the most important aspect of your meeting. Food, drink, sleeping rooms…yes these are all important. But the ultimate reason for a meeting is to deliver a message. Even an incentive trip to the most exotic, luxurious destination would go awry if the “message” sent to the participants wasn’t correct.

The message must be well crafted (clear, articulate, and consistent).

The message must be delivered (physically heard).

The message must received (fall upon receptive ears).

Presenters or paid speakers certainly shoulder responsibility for crafting their messages. But how can you create the optimal environment to allow that message to be heard and received?

Today’s meeting audiences are typically filled multi-tasking and over-tasked individuals. Many have likened the challenge of getting and keeping our audiences’ attention as Corporate Attention Deficit Syndrome.

The book, The Attention Economy, outlines what we pay attention to and divides our attention into 6 types:

• Attraction (victory, super models)
• Aversion (car wrecks)
• Captive (bad weather, movies)
• Voluntary (hobbies, print advertising)
• Front of Mind (discussion, task at hand)
• Back of Mind (to do list, commuting)

The authors, Thomas Davenport and John Beck, promote the idea that understanding and managing attention is now the single most important determinant of business success.

You can help meetings be an attraction. You can help create environments where our audience feels they are participants not captives.

The majority of people are visual learners (60%). They retain information best when they can “see” the information. Numerous surveys show that retention increased by 70 - 80% when visuals are used. That’s one reason every speaker seems to use PowerPoint. (In addition, to the fact that speakers find it a great crutch!)

Beyond PowerPoint, consider changes in your meetings to make presentations more visual so you and your presenters shine:

• Stories This is not your traditional visual. However, stories woven within a presentation create pictures in people’s minds. Stories work to grab attention and create emotional connections. When done in support of a point in the presentation, stories help increase retention and interest.
• Props Props help make information tangible. Props should illustrate or emphasize a key point. Several suggestions for presenters when using props:

1. Make sure the prop is large enough to be seen

2. Allow sufficient time for the audience to see the prop

3. Don’t let the prop become a distraction from you or your presentation

• Handouts Handouts need not be the PowerPoint slides reproduced. Handouts can include background information, supplemental charts and statistics, anything that supports the presentation. Handouts have the following advantages:

1. Handouts can help fill in gaps in the audience’s knowledge and understanding of the topic

2. Add to the presenter’s creditability

3. Keeps everyone focused

4. Serve as a place to take notes

• Flip Charts The old fashioned flip chart is still a work horse in small to mid-sized meetings. Flip charts allow a presenter to:

1. Create group interest and attention

2. Focus the group on key points

3. Allow people to visually trace their conversation

• Change the scenery The same part of your brain that controls long-term memory also controls large motor skills. Who among us hasn’t sat through a mind-numbing presentation? When a presenter asks the audience to move, they get their attention and re-awaken the part of their brain that controls long term memory.
• Questions Questions ask the audience if the picture is complete for them. Presenters can ask rhetorical questions or they can ask the audience to respond to a question. Additionally, PowerPoint slides can be crafted in such a way that each slide asks questions thereby inviting the audience to reflect and possibly express their opinions and feelings.

You can fight Corporate Attention Deficit by creating visually more interesting meetings. Work toward well crafted (clear, articulate, consistent), well delivered (physically heard) and well received (fall upon receptive ears) messages. Both you and your meeting participants will be glad you did.

SEAL Inc.

847.394.9857

stinnish@ameritech.net

Innovative meetings occur where there is a good match between speakers, topic, your requirements/needs, desired outcome and the setting with a twist of the right chemistry.

The best speakers create in audiences the desire to change, the confidence to act, and the knowledge or tools to succeed. Speakers can impact people’s:

• Attitudes (how they feel)
• Knowledge (what they know)
• Actions (what they can or will do)

Before even previewing or considering a single speaker, be clear on your objectives for hiring a speaker. “Because we always have a keynote speaker.” is not a good reason to hire a speaker again this year.

Clarify why you want to hire a speaker. Select speakers who will deliver the outcomes you want/need. Some common objectives include the desire to:

• Entertain (change how they feel)
• Motivate (change how they feel)
• Promote a cause or organization (change how they feel and what they know)
• Educate (change what they know; perhaps what they do)
• Shift behavior (change what they do)

Many other sources (including speaker bureaus) offer checklists that cover logistics, legal issues and also content. This checklist is intended to help you hire a speaker who is the best match with your meeting. This checklist of 20 questions will help you create an innovative meeting.

Checklist for Innovative Meetings

1. What size of a group do you work with?

2. What level of people do you work with?

3. Are we an attractive audience for you? Why? Most top speakers don’t accept every engagement even if they are available. They select audiences with whom they have the greatest chance of success.

4. How would you characterize your “style” of speaking?

5. What is your focus? Are you more of a “special event” speaker? Do you focus on keynotes? Do you offer ongoing, long-term training as well? Most speakers operate a three-pronged business: Keynoting, workshops and consulting.

6. Do you specialize by topic or industry?

7. How long is your “typical” program?

8. How do we make sure your program works?

9. What will you do to make your message relevant to our group?

10. How will you create an empathetic connection with the audience?

11. How will you create involvement and interactivity? Professional speaker Patricia Gardner says “People don’t want to listen to a lecturer.” That requires speakers to use techniques and tactics that involve the audience.

12. What will you do to finish on time?

13. How can you help us promote this meeting?

14. What else do we get when hiring you? Some options include:

• Deliver one or two “breakout sessions” or a spouse program
• Introduce other speakers
• Emcee the event that they are part of
• Host a book signing
• Meet and greet at a reception
• Coach other internal speakers either in advance or on-site
• Moderate a panel
• Sign autographs
• Appear in the sponsor’s booth to increase the value of their sponsorship

15. What are the pros and cons of having you speak to our organization more than once?

16. Will you customize your program for our organization? Content, titles, introductions, props and visuals are areas that can be customized? For example, your organization’s name, logo, and meeting theme can be incorporated in the handout.

17. What type of pre-program research do you conduct?

18. Do you provide handout masters and/or finished handouts? Who pays for the handouts?

19. How do you accommodate hearing and sight impaired audience members (i.e., Handouts in Braille, audio tapes, etc.)?

20. Will you be accessible to all attendees before and after the event?

Ultimately when narrowing down your selection, ask yourself these questions to help guide your decision:

1. Have I considered a widely-diversified group of potential speakers? Does the pool of speakers address the type of diversity in my audience?

2. Do I have a match between Content (topic), Style (delivery), and the Call to Action (outcomes)?

3. Is the speaker entertaining as well as informative?

4. How does our location/site influence our selection of a speaker and that speaker’s success? How will a rugged, individualist speaker play in a tony, urban 4-star property? Can I use our site to help build a theme or thread running throughout the meeting?

Does the speaker have verifiable references that increase my comfort?

These questions will help you get a great match between your speakers, topic, requirements/needs, desired outcome and the setting while maximizing that all important twist of chemistry.

1. Is High Speed Internet Access offered?  Once you determine high-speed availablility you need to consider what you are trying to accomplish.  For example, Fairmont offers the equivalent of a T1 connection to the Internet at all properties, so webcasts, VPN connections, checking email and basic surfing are all easily done.  If the group needs more bandwidth or its own connection, determine the necessary lead time (generally 6-8 weeks but will vary with regional provider).

2. What type of network is it run on?  Hotels will advertise high-speed Internet connections but what are you connecting to?  Ask, as you may be comparing apples to oranges. Fairmont has partnered with Cisco to provide a premium, networked infrastructure.  The alternative could be a hodgepodge of different makes and models that are sub par, unstable, and generally provide a poor Internet experience.

3. Is the Internet easily accessible?   Ask how guests or attendees connect. Fairmont offers a ”plug & play” solution and requires no configuration on the part of the guest - or guests can access via a wireless connection in many public areas of the hotels.

4. Will VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) run in the hotel?  If you are concerned about attendees connecting to your office through a VPN, a key question to ask is if your attendees need to share a unique IP address. Fairmont provides all connections with a fully-routable IP address with no restrictions by firewalls, proxy servers or network address translation (NAT).  The unique public IP address means guests are unlikely to run into software usability issues, a characteristic more typical of low-quality HSIA offerings that share banks of public IP addresses across users.

5. What do attendees need to access their computers?  It’s important to remind the conference attendees to check that their equipment is configured to connect to the Internet and bring any equipment that is specific to their laptops, in particular their own power supply.  Laptops and computers will need a working Ethernet card (NIC) for wired connections and a wireless card to connect to the wireless network.

6. Who controls the entry points for Internet access? Having a third-party vendor providing the Internet service adds another level of complication to planning your meeting.  If there are problems, will you need to contact the vendor to troubleshoot the problem?  

7. Can kiosks/cyber cafes be set up? Cyber Cafes are an easy way of providing attendees a way of checking email and staying up-to-date during a conference. 

8. Is wireless access available and where?  If the meeting includes attendees not staying in the hotel, wireless allows them to stay up to date. Fairmont has partnered with Intel to provide Centrino mobile technology-verified hotspots in public areas of all our properties. 

9. Is the staff knowledgeable and does hotel offer tech support?  This may impact the level of sophistication of your program. Fairmont has technology staff dedicated to helping our sales and conference service teams make functions a success.  In addition, guests can access the 24/7 Virtual Assistant for complimentary tech assistance, via an 800-line manned by Fairmont IT staff.

10. How will the group be charged?  Options include setup charges, daily rental fees and fees per room or event. Fairmont will be launching a new service that allows planners to bundle the costs in the guest room, meeting room and wireless, allowing attendees to seamlessly move within the hotel and stay connected without multiple prompts for payments.

Finally, discuss the goals of the function in addition to the technology needs.  Often, by giving the Conference Planners and Sales Team background on the meeting, they can make suggestions for technology applications never even imagined - such as wireless breakouts in a garden - definitely a breath of fresh air to attendees!

Ask Fairmont First, and call 1(866) 662-6060, a dedicated toll-free number for meeting planners.  Visit us online at www.fairmont.com for information about local sales offices or to submit on online proposal. 

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a collection of world-class resorts and city center hotels that enjoy unrivalled prominence in the communities where they are located. Operating 42 properties throughout six countries, Fairmont is committed to providing guests with exceptional service in distinctive surroundings.

A conference call lets you remain at your desk rather than trek off down the hall–or across the country–to a meeting. It also provides a great opportunity to get the opinions and concerns of the entire team heard as long as it doesn’t disintegrate into a wasteland of wandering discourse. Investing some time and effort up front will ensure that the call works for everyone.

1.  Volunteer to set up the call so you can assume the role of moderator. Confirm that everyone has both the dial-in and conference code numbers, as well as the correct time for their zone.

2.  Poll the other participants in advance as to the items they want covered in the call. Develop a written agenda with a specific time allotment for each agenda item. Better yet, e-mail the agenda to all parties before the call.

3.  Take charge of gathering and disseminating the printed background material, numbering pages clearly and prominently. Nothing creates conference-call chaos faster than a chorus of “Where are we?” or “I don’t seem to have that chart.”

4.  Refuse to discuss major agenda items until everyone is on the line. Bringing latecomers up to speed on important issues wastes time and irritates those who were prompt.

5.  Monitor the clock closely. Be prepared to intervene with “Excuse me, we have to move on–we’ve run out of time for this topic” or “Let’s discuss this topic at another time and report back to the group.” Stay polite but firm throughout.  

6.  End the call with a synopsis of conclusions reached and future actions required. Send out a written summary of these conclusions and action items to all participants promptly.    

Overall Tips: Use a handheld phone on a land line rather than a cellular phone or speakerphone. Your voice will be clearer, with minimal background noise. Use an office where you can close the door to further reduce noise.   If more than two other people are participating in the call, keep a written list of names beside your phone so you can be sure you are getting everyone’s input.

Tips from eHow Users: Focus by eHow Friend
Do not do anything else but participate on the conference call. Answering e-mails, reading papers, etc., are counter-productive to the purpose of the call. And since many people forget to mute their phones, the noises you make will distract from the meeting.