Lights, Camera, Action…Maximizing Your AV Budget! (Magnolia Room) By Brian Monahan, Prestige AV & Creative Services When the lights fade, will your audio visual budget “get the hook” or a “curtain call”? Get the inside scoop from Brian Monahan of Prestige AV & Creative Services. Brian takes you step by step through the meeting and event planning, contracting and production process sharing all his best money saving tips along the way. Brian’s extensive experience on all sides of audio visual equation from event producer and technical director to venue sales and services gives him a unique view of all the various issues that can impact your production costs. Register today and let Brian show you how to maximize the value of your audio visual investment.

2. Lights, Camera, Action
Brian Monahan
Director of Business Development

3. Is This You?

4. AV Rock Star!

5. What happens in West Chester
Don’t Tell My Boss
These are insights
that most companies
won’t share!!

6. Just Released

7. Just Released
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8. Free Prototype
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9. Survey Says – Technology of Meeting Planning
• Presentation and Audio Visual Technologies
#1 #4
2008
2009

10. 61%

11. Key Points Covered
Show Me The Money
• AV Cost Savings Related to Venue Contracts
• AV Cost Savings Related with AV Companies
▬ Equipment
▬ Labor and Production
• AV Trends
▬ Equipment
▬ Techniques
• Q&A

12. AV Budget Areas
• Sound
• Video/Projection
• Lighting
• Set Elements/Staging
• Creative Production
• Facility Costs & Electrical
• Shipping/Travel Costs
• Labor

13. Venue Contract Myths
• I have to use the in-house AV company
• The in-house has the most expertise
• Outside AV vendor will cost more
• I have to pay the service charge
• The house sound is adequate

14. Does Not Mark the Spot
* I agree to follow the production guidelines.

15. Unleash Your Inner Negotiator

16. Venue Related Costs
Everything But The Chairs!
• Service Charge
• Rigging
• Union Labor
• Electrical
• House Sound
• Miscellaneous
▬ Borderline Ridiculous

17. Service Charge
20% times any number is a lot of money.
• 18 – 22% industry average
• ++ Equipment & Labor ?
• Request it be reflected in quote.

18. Cost Savings

19. Service Charge – Cost Savings
• Ask for it to be reduced or waived
• Ask for a discount on equipment to offset the service
charge
• Hire an outside vendor
• Be sure to read fine print service charge may still apply
• Ask the in-house to waive the service charge if you select
them

20. Rigging– Cost Savings
•Combined Rigging Calls
•Rigging point fees to be waived
•Lift rental included in rigging call

21. Electrical - Cost Savings
•Meeting room power
•1 time charge per room

22. House Sound - Cost Savings
•Request podium and mic per breakout
complimentary
•Request outside av company tie in to house
sound
•Pre-negotiate “patch fees”
•Bring simple sound systems (sometimes costs
less)

23. Hidden Charges
•Dock fees
•Elevator costs
•Carpet protection
•Load in “supervisor” costs (house tech)

24. Unleash Your Inner Negotiator

25. AV Companies
• Develop a Relationship
• Acquire Confidence
• Rely on Experience
• Let them do the Research
• This will let you focus on other tasks
• You still own the event

26. Cost Savings – AV Companies
• Multi-year contracts
• Discount request
• Weekly Rates
• Combined Services (AV, Lighting, Creative,
Breakouts)
• Logistics (utilize larger rooms for multiple sessions)
• Confirmed Presenter AV Needs (Only order what you
need)

27. Criteria for Choosing AV Company
• Experience
• In reference to the scope of the work
• Equipment Inventory
• Quality and Quantity
• Will they be sub-renting
• Staff
• Quality and Quantity
• Freelance versus employees
• Testimonials/References

28. Organization = Savings
• Single Point of Contact
• Load In & Load Out Time Accounted For
• Spreadsheets with Equipment Requests
• Less add-ons means less additional costs
• Agendas & Banquet Event Orders
• Knowing when rooms are needed (avoiding resets)
• Diagrams & Renderings
• Rehearsal Schedules
• Radio/Phone Contact (Instant Communication)

29. AV Trends
• High Definition = Widescreen
• Widescreen = High Definition.

30. AV Trends
16:9 vs. 4:3
16:9 allows for more information to
be displayed on the screen.

31. Virtual Meetings
Try It!

32. LED Lighting

33. Screen as Backdrop

34. Fiber Optic Drape

35. Re-Cap
• Know Your Key Budget Areas
• Negotiate First, Sign Second
• Unleash Your Inner Negotiator
• A Trusted AV Partner is an Asset

36. Q&A

37. Thank You
For a digital copy of these slides.
bmonahan@prestigeav.com
www.prestigeav.com
Follow me on Twitter @coachbriany

38. Tip 1
Picture It
• Its been said a picture is worth a
1000 words
• 2D Room Diagrams and 3D Room
Renderings will increase your business
and increase your productivity and
accuracy

39. Tip 1
Picture It
Meeting Matrix Diagram

40. Tip 1
Picture It
Hand Sketch

41. Tip 1
Picture It
Sketchup Rendering

42. Tip 1
Picture It
Sketchup Rendering

43. Tip 2
Learn the Lingo
• Gobo – Lighting Effect
• LCD – Projector or Monitor
• HD – High Definition
• Webcasting
• XGA-SXGA – Resolution
▬ Make a resolution to learn the lingo in 2010

44. Tip 2
Illuminate
A little lighting goes a long way

45. Tip 3
Embrace the Web
• Webcasting • Google Sketchup
• Online Registration • YouTube
• Google Calendar • Facebook

46. Tip 4
Cross Training
• Attend an AV Conference
• Take a floral class
• Take a dancing class
• Learn a new software program

47. Tip 5
Go Wide, Go Digital
• 4x3 ratio standard TV and computer’s are on
there way out; 16x9 & 3x1 wide screens are
the way in 2010

48. Tip 6
Collaborate in ‘10
• Form a Mastermind Group of Event
Professionals, Challenge Each Other
"No two minds ever come together without, thereby,
creating a third, invisible, intangible force which
may be likened to a third mind."
-Napoleon Hill

49. Tip 7
I have a dream.
• Create 3 unique meeting themes of your
dreams and share them with clients
▬ I have drawn up two challenging concepts for the
Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hotel which led to
actual events.

50. Tip 8
Be the Expert
• Create your own class, article or presentation
on your unique expertise
• When you teach others you expand your
understanding and become the expert

51. Brian Monahan
bmonahan@prestigeav.com
www.prestigeav.com