January 2013

More News
From the Rental & Staging Council Chair; Meet the New InfoComm CEO — Online; What Peers Say About Events Management Training; Future Trends at Integrated Systems Europe 2013; Debuting the InfoComm Today Podcast; New AV Business Leadership Series; N.Y. Roundtable to Focus on Disaster Recovery; How to Enroll in CTS Prep Online — Free!; More

Upcoming Webinars

The Future of Live Events

Leaders in the live events industry will convene at InfoComm Live, March 4-6, in Dallas. "InfoComm Live gives live-events executives, who are scattered across the country, an invaluable opportunity to come together and talk about our businesses and our craft. The time you invest to participate will be well spent," says Joel Rollins, CTS-R®, general manager at Everett Hall Associates. Topics will include business valuation, marketing to the "new customer," and recruitment and retention. See the full agenda.

To request an invitation, contact Molly Thompson at mthompson@infocomm.org or +1.703.279.6394.

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Churches Tackle Acoustic Challenges

By Dan Daley, Special to InfoComm International

As much as today's houses of worship host religious services, many have also become venues for sophisticated, engaging live events, with all the AV and lighting you've come to expect from live shows. And as you might expect, many are running into acoustical issues. What works for a sermon — or even a choir — doesn't always suffice for a theatrical production. Read how AV pros are trying to help.

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InfoComm Introduces AV Executive Conference

New this year, InfoComm International® presents the AV Executive Conference, a three-day gathering of industry executives and thought leaders in Amelia Island, Fla., Sept 10-12. Members have asked for just such a summit of fellow corporate managers in order to gain a better understanding of the economic winds that buffet the AV industry and brainstorm business strategies. Now, InfoComm delivers. Read all about it and start making your plans.

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The Fallacy of Business Cycles and Other Insights

There was a time when AV companies could peg their business fortunes to the ebbs and flows of their primary markets. Client type A would buy in the fall, client type B in the spring. But with more firms entering more markets, that doesn't appear to be the case anymore. At least that's what AV companies' actual financial figures seem to indicate. Here's how we know. (We also know cash balances have taken a hit lately. Read on.)

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More News from InfoComm

From the Rental & Staging Council Chair

Last week we hosted the first Council teleconference of the new year. The number one topic? How to shake up this year's Rental & Staging Forum, held annually at the InfoComm Show, so that our members get the most value from the content. There are a few reasons we need to do this:

Midori Connolly

Our industry is in flux. As event attendees in general shift their attention to the "second screen" (which is actually becoming the primary screen for many), we need to think about how our technology and the systems we create will accommodate tablets, smartphones, etc. And in doing so, we should mix up the Forum format to reflect this change.
While panel sessions can offer one or two insightful nuggets or ideas, the best conversations I've witnessed happen between R&S business owners, sales reps and technicians at the informal happy hours I've organized in various cities on behalf of the Rental & Staging Council. I've observed techs swapping innovative ideas, owners sharing labor solutions, and fantastic connections and friendships springing from these events. The Rental & Staging Forum at InfoComm 2013 in Orlando, Fla., should be an extension of these conversations and facilitate this type of problem-solving. Your best solutions likely won't come from a stage, but from your peers and colleagues.
Not everyone is comfortable walking into a room and introducing themselves to five new people. As a result, past Forums have devolved into clusters of people who already know each other. Let's mix that up and get more people talking to and meeting one another. In my conversations with live events professionals, folks have asked for ideas and solutions to their most burning issues (understanding and working with union labor, the rights of a freelancer, client negotiations, current event trends, recruiting and talent acquisition). Hopefully a little experimentation with the format of this year's Rental & Staging Forum will give you exactly what you need to get the answers you've been looking for.

To lend your insight into what you'd like to see this year, we've started a Google Doc to capture ideas and feedback. Please share your thoughts.

Meet the New InfoComm CEO — Online

InfoComm CEO and Executive Director David Labuskes, CTS®, RCDD, is on the job and tackling issues important to the pro-AV industry. Maybe you've met him already; maybe you haven't. Thanks to the power of the Internet, you can pick his brain in this 30-minute interview with rAVe founder Gary Kayye.

What Peers Say About Events Management Training

"I would absolutely recommend the Staging and Events Management Virtual Classroom course to others. In a tight market with narrow margins, the difference between profit and loss often comes down to how effective the project was managed." — Bob Garofalo, CTS, Vice President of Giant Audio Visual

Save your seat for the next Staging and Events Management Virtual Classroom, Jan. 29-Feb. 2. Call +1.703.273.7200 for more information.

Future Trends at Integrated Systems Europe 2013

For the third year in a row, InfoComm will host a one-day Future Trends Summit on Jan. 28, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., the day before the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2013 trade show in Amsterdam. "For professionals wishing to plan forward for the next three to five years, Future Trends is an event not to be missed," says Terry Friesenborg, CTS, Senior Vice President for International Development at InfoComm.

Future Trends will be moderated by Clive Couldwell, editor of AV Magazine, and divided into three segments: future customer needs, future AV technologies and the future of the AV market. Check out the full schedule.

"Our industry has gone through massive, transformative changes in the last 10 years, so that the industry we represent today doesn't look like — or act like — the industry of only a decade ago. But, as with all of technology, the pace of change only accelerates," says Joel R. Rollins, CTS-R, of Everett Hall Associates.

The Future Trends Summit will take place in the Education Zone, which is conveniently located in the Elicium Building, above Hall 12 of ISE 2013. The session will be followed by the ISE keynote address by cyber illusionist Marco Tempest and ISE's 10th birthday party. To register for Future Trends, or for any other courses featured at ISE 2013, visit iseurope.org.

Debuting the InfoComm Today Podcast

InfoComm, in association with AVNation, is proud to launch the InfoComm Today Podcast, a regular online forum covering industry news and trends. For our maiden voyage, the podcast welcomes InfoComm's own head of international development Terry Friesenborg, CTS, plus guests, to preview Integrated Systems Europe 2013, which will be held later this month in Amsterdam. Listen here.

What Windows 8 Means for AV

We all know about Apple's iPad and what it's done for touchscreen interfaces. Now it's Microsoft's turn to try and lure users with a new operating system designed especially for touch navigation. What do dramatic changes to the ubiquitous Microsoft Windows mean for systems, users and integrators? Weigh in at the InfoComm All Voices Blog.

New AV Business Leadership Series

InfoComm is pleased to offer the AV Business Leadership Series, a complete leadership development solution. Now you can take the guesswork out of professional development for your AV sales, marketing and management staff. The series includes:

Six webinars that you can attend with your entire staff, covering The New Normal, presented by strategic relationship expert David Nour
A special Business Leadership Lunch at InfoComm 2013, featuring networking and education for company CEOs
Admission for two attendees to InfoComm's inaugural AV Executive Conference in September, a two-day event designed to enhance your organization's business acumen
Two books by David Nour: Relationship Economics® and Return on Impact

Call your account manager for information on purchasing the series and starting your company down the path of cultivating great employees.

N.Y. Roundtable to Focus on Disaster Recovery

Please join InfoComm for a Regional Roundtable in New York on Feb. 7. James Bowman, President and CEO of SBS Group, will present Disaster Recovery: Preparing for the Unexpected. In addition, Duffy Wilbert, CTS, CAE, Senior Vice President of Member Services at InfoComm, will lead a roundtable discussion of industry trends and issues. Save your spot.

Regional Roundtable in Baltimore

InfoComm is also hosting a Regional Roundtable in Baltimore on Feb. 21. Join us to make face-to-face connections with your AV colleagues and receive an industry update. Brad Malone, PMP, President and Principal Consultant of Twin Star Consulting, will present Maximizing Your Organization's Performance.

How to Enroll in CTS Prep Online — Free!

Imagine unlimited access to CTS Prep Online... for everyone in your company! InfoComm members now enjoy this great benefit and more.

Enroll in Networked AV Systems, Feb. 5-7 in Fairfax, Va. Call +1.703.273.7200 for registration information.

Benefits of Belonging — Save on Shipping

Did you know that InfoComm members can enjoy significant savings on shipping costs through the PartnerShip® program? Participants get discounts on domestic and international shipments through FedEx, as well as discounts on freight shipments arranged through PartnerShip Select Services. Enrollment in the program is free for members. Last year, more than 150 members saved on shipping — some up to $12,000. Learn more.

If you aren't already an InfoComm member, join today.

Upcoming Webinars