March 2009

Tips and Tricks

Roadshow Planning Tips for the Savvy Meeting Planner

Events that travel from city to city take extra attention to detail and infallible coordination to ensure each appearance is as good as the last. With proper preparation, you will be more confident and in control of each impending moment and be able to foresee potential problems before they come to pass. It should go without saying, a confident planner renders a much more comfortable and anxiety-free customer. Use these handy planning tips so your next roadshow will be easy cruising.

• Communicate the same information to all locations. As roadshows are often the same design in different locations, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Give every venue the same info, and then technicians can fine tune the requirements to suit the room upon arrival. In fact, it is best to work with only one AV company and leave it up to that company to communicate and coordinate the details from city to city.

• It is crucial to allow adequate shipping time between events for custom sets or unique items. Leave a day or two in between events from city to city to avoid inflated shipping costs.

• Remote cities may require transport of specialty equipment. This could affect shipping time and costs.

• Check ahead for any road closures or other issues due to weather, construction, etc. Also confirm that your dates interfere with any local holidays, and be aware of any local customs and language issues.

• Find out in advance if the loading dock and/or elevator can be reserved or if they are first come first served. Are there any restrictions or additional costs to use the loading dock during normal business hours or after hours? And can the elevator be put on service? Is it an appropriate size? And most importantly, does it work?

• You may need special access through meeting rooms and service areas. It is best to find this out beforehand.

• Is the venue unionized? If so, your labour costs could be substantially higher.

Of course, being prepared is only half the victory. Want your next tour of events across the country to run in cruise control? Send us an e-mail at mip@avwtelav.com or call us at 1.800.868.6886.