Award Nominations

By Joanne Madeley

We are very pleased to announce we have been shortlisted for a number of awards over the coming months for one of our events with the National Trust including the following: 

C&IT Awards - Best Use of a Small Budget #CITawards

ABPCO - Best Conference by an Agency Conference Organiser 

Institute of Internal Communication - Live Event 

EVCOM Clarion Awards - Live Event: Conference 

Thanks to everyone who was and is involved including all the team in the office and the National Trust. We're keeping everything crossed and will post updates as we go! 

Giving Something Back!

by Jim Kirkpatrick 

“Do you do this full time?”

“No, we also look after live events.”

This was the beginning of my journey from setting up equipment and managing live events to standing on a stage for the first time and talking to a group of people about anything!

The person who asked the question is Miss Addison, the Head Teacher at the Cavendish Junior School in Derbyshire and I interviewed her for a video which we were making for Chatsworth House.

5 minutes later I had agreed to do a presentation in front of 90, 7 to 10 years olds during their morning assembly, how hard could that be? After all we work in a highly visual world. Unlike a lot of presenters I didn’t have to worry about KPI’s, sales forecasts and no one reading their emails because the presentation didn’t apply to them, just play our fast paced show reel video, hide behind a bunch of props from old jobs, throw in an easy to follow joke around about the middle and finish up with a picture of a zombie, what could go wrong?

https://uk.pinterest.com/

With 3 weeks to prepare I wrote a presentation which included connections between the events industry and some of the things which children learn in the early years of school.

The children were a perfect audience who watched and listened with the kind of concentration that most presenters can only dream of!

This was an interesting and surprisingly enjoyable experience for me. My advice to anyone who has to do a presentation is prepare early and try it out on someone before you unleash  it on your audience, what makes perfect sense to you may be unclear to everyone else. 

App of the month

by Joanne Madeley 

The reason why I love events is I always get to learn something new, no matter how big or small, extending my knowledge is something I welcome. 

Whilst working on a charity fundraising evening in London last week, we needed a quick and efficient way to take card payments. Very few people tend to carry cash around with them, even if they are intending to donate to charity so we needed a reliable system that would be easy to use. 

World Pay was the chosen app for a numbers of reasons; we loved that it would accept payments anywhere with mobile network coverage, it accepts all major credit or debit cards as well as only taking seconds to process. If you require a receipt this can also be completed in seconds, being sent to a mobile phone number or email address. 

Bluetooth connects the World Pay handset to whatever device your using, computer, tablet or phone. The system works much faster using WiFi but will function off 4G alone in order to transfer the payment. 

It really is as simple as that, quick and easy to use and looks sleek in front  of guests, we would certainly recommend. 

That was 2014!

As we load the van for the first event of 2015, it's worth reflecting on another busy year completed - the year we never got around to celebrating our 18th birthday! These are some of the highlights...

We moved office after 16 years at Carrington to newly fitted out offices in Sale, Manchester. We welcomed Amanda, Katy, Louise and Amie to the team. Jo flew to New York to get married and Jennifer left to have a baby (Harry Matthew Houlihan was born on 3rd January, somewhat behind schedule). 

We started to work with several new clients this year and continued some longstanding relationships with existing ones working on a wide variety of projects. Some of which included:

Store openings and new office openings, a 21st birthday, retirement dinner, leased lighting equipment, Christmas parties, a thermal marquee, exhibitions in Paris, Dubai, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. 

We ran an incentive trip to Ibiza that included private yachts, private jets and private villas. Worked in cinemas in London, Dublin and all over the UK, flew delegates into the UK from 3 continents and worked with children's charities and national charities. We supported two outdoor weddings and got away with the weather at both, organised factory tours and fashion shows, sales briefings, change briefings and business briefings. We produced a number of road shows and outdoor festivals, supplier conferences and burns night dinners and worked on Wembley's pitch and on the grid at Silverstone. 

We pushed our technology boundaries using video drones, we used live video streaming and took over Caerphilly castle for filming. We changed our app and registration technology as well as adding direct train and flight bookings to our services. 

We had Jo recognised in the top 35 event professionals aged under 35 and we also won a C&IT award for best use of a small budget for the National Trusts Convestival event. 

We ended the year successfully supporting two private events on Christmas day. 

Thank you to everyone who we worked with in 2014 and we look forward to more adventures in 2015. 

Why fireworks and trams don't mix

by Joanne Madeley

Fireworks for New Year's Eve, as seen from the Police Helicopter @NPAS_Barton

An anti climax for some, the event of the year for others whichever way you look at it the countdown and what comes after is the highlight of the evening. Manchester's firework display was definitely the talking point of New Year's Eve but unfortunately not for the right reasons. 

New Year's Eve enthusiasts had to wait four minutes past midnight to celebrate the arrival of 2015 as a tram apparently pulled into the the firework zone, halting the midnight display that the public had eagerly waited for. 

Fireworks often come with their own set of problems, needing rigorous risk assessments, temporary event notices and numerous health and safety measures. The likelihood of a tram entering the display zone isn't something that would come to mind, unless you were working within a busy city centre but even so, surely this would have been thought of weeks, even months before.

There needed to be an advance transport plan, much like the blog we wrote on the Ideal Home Exhibition at the Trafford Centre. We can only presume that a plan was put together but somewhere along the lines there was mixed communication. For Event Managers it's about actively managing everything and trying to think of all the possible things that could go wrong and not letting these happen.  

Some may say it added to the suspense of the evening, but timing is often everything in this industry and the control freaks within us have to to take control of every possible variable!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from everyone at Cascade. 

Wishing you all a prosperous New Year and an event filled 2015! 

www.ninerbakes.com

Thinking Differently about Dietary Needs

by Alan Wight 

As event planners one of the routine questions we ask our delegates and guest is about special dietary requirements. We ask this to ensure that no individual is served something that they cannot eat. But it goes a little deeper than that, we ask the question before we decide the menu, so that we understand the variety of dietary needs we are catering for - because in an ideal world every one of our guests would enjoy the same meal or as close to the same meal as everyone else.

We consider these five categories in this priority order:

No dietary requirement

Usually the majority of people - so we plan the core menu around them - what is the cultural mix, the theme of the event, the style of service, what have they eaten before and so on.

Allergy or medical intolerance

People who cannot eat certain foods for medical reasons are a particular challenge - because often they are not eating things they would love to have but can't. They don't choose to be that way, they can't change religion or decide on a different diet - if they eat the wrong thing, they become ill. For that reason, we do everything we can to ensure that the menu is planned and the food prepared to enable everyone to eat the same thing as far as possible or with simple substitutes where appropriate.

 The menu solutions are often straightforward, using lactose free milk and butter, using cornflower in sauces in place of wheat flour, avoiding nuts, providing alternatives to fish or cheese within the same salad or dish. Whatever it takes, we try to avoid these guests from feeling 'special', we want them to feel a normal part of the event.

 Religious beliefs

In many religions the preparation and selection of food is very important. The biggest religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism all have differing rituals, fasts and beliefs with regard to food. This doesn't just include prohibited meats, commonly pork and beef, also the manner of the slaughter and blessing - Halal and Kosher for example, some margarines, gelatine and other cooking substances often contain prohibited foods. Fasts and festivals are important in planning too, so that those fasting during daylight hours have the means to eat after sunset.

Lifestyle choice

Ironically, those who have special dietary needs through choice are often the best catered for. Wherever possible we aim to ensure that the vegetarian dish is the same as the main dish, with a meat substitute - it should present as the same dish. Vegan, gluten free (not for medical reasons) and other lifestyle choices are catered for as far as possible by removing ingredients from the main dish or if necessary prepare a separate dish.

Dislikes

When we ask the dietary question there are inevitably those who tell us what they do or don't like i.e. 'only eat beef' or 'don't like fish' or 'don't eat broccoli'. We will review these answers as part of the menu design with an awareness of the number of individuals expressing the same preference, but usually we would hope to accommodate the needs of everyone through the main menu and the vegetarian alternative.

For us, understanding dietary requirements, the motivations and the importance to the individual is paramount - working closely with the chef and the catering team and trying to treat everyone the same is what works best.

Staff Parties

by Alan Wight and Joanne Madeley

In the UK, employers are limited in the amount of money they are allowed to spend entertaining their staff. HM Revenue & Customs set the limit at £150 including VAT per person for annual parties open to all employees (like a Christmas party or Summer BBQ). If you hold more than one event and the total value exceeds £150 then there are strict rules that the employee is liable to pay the full tax and NI contribution (and the employer also has to pay employers NI too).

Crucially, the £150 cannot be a contribution to a more expensive event and the company pay the difference - the total cost of the event has to be less than £150 per person. 

Read more on the HMRC website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/payerti/exb/a-z/s/social-functions.htm

However Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP) have recently bid to double the tax exemption for staff parties which would set the limit at £300 making a huge difference to a number of businesses. 

Read more here http://www.meetpie.com/Modules/NewsModule/newsdetails.aspx?t=Party-tax-exemption-could-be-Christmas-gift-to-industry&newsid=19764

Some business events could fall foul of this law if there is not a clear business purpose - talk to the Cascade team if you are in doubt, we have good experience in this area.

It's also worth bearing in mind that prizes, awards or incentives are also considered to be Benefits-in-Kind by HMRC and are also liable to tax.

C&IT Winners 2014

by Joanne Madeley

We're excited to say that we are C&IT award winners for the second year running winning the category for Best Use of a Small Budget for National Trust Convestival 2013. 

We worked closely with the National Trust to design and produce an event that was part-conference, part-festival. The two day event delivered crucial messages on how to approach volunteer management through a variety of creative workshops and plenary sessions.

A brilliant team effort from everyone and we're already looking forward to next year!

Congratulations to all the winners.  

#citawards

Joanne Madeley and Hollie Wright excepting the award on behalf of the team, presented by Mariella Frostrup. 

App of the month - AeroWeather

AeroWeather

by Joanne Schofield 

There's nothing we love more than finding new apps and trying them out and AeroWeather is particularly useful. Our weather is so changeable in the UK having a weather app is a necessity and now we're well into summer (kind of) this means more outdoor events, so we always need to be on the look out for rain!

AeroWeather gives access to live weather reports from meteorologists based at airports around the world. It provides weather information at any airport right now and forecasts for the coming hours. The coded meteorologists terminology is automatically translated into plain English by app making it easier to understand if and when that down pour is going to happen!

Extremely useful for on the day decisions that can determine whether your outdoor event is going to be wet or dry! 

Should we share our supplier base?

Here’s a question we get asked from time to time by clients.

“Please could you tell me the phone number of the people you used last time to do X?”

There’s a conundrum. This obviously means you are holding an event and may or may not be involving us this time. You would like the details of one of our suppliers so that you can book them yourself.

Of course we are immediately offended, fold our arms and assume the worst.

And because of our paranoia we assume:

• Maybe you are booking them instead of us, so we can be ‘cut out’ (therefore you liked what our supplier did but not what we did).
• Maybe you hope to save money by cutting out the middle man (we don’t mark up external costs so you don’t pay more BUT we might get a discounted rate because of the volume we book and on rare occasions, a commission*).
• Maybe you are checking their rates directly to see whether we ‘ripped you off’ (see above).
• Over time, we provide more and more contact details and render ourselves redundant!

Are we right?

Of course, there is an alternative view:

Someone’s boss asked them to get hold of XX, “you know, like we had at the last conference”

Nothing sinister, no judgement, no other consequences.

How can we tell which applies?

We never know but we do have a vast number of suppliers built up over years, qualified and checked - some amazing, some good, some that need careful management - if we give the details we are endorsing the supplier even though they may not be the one we would choose for your specific need…

So for all these reasons, we don’t give out supplier details. If you think we’ve got it wrong, talk to us.

* We hate commission generally because we believe that it creates a fundamentally doubting culture in the supply-chain, wherever possible, we will negotiate a preferred rate instead.*

App of the month - Dropbox

by Joanne Schofield 

This is an easy one for us, a straightforward app that saves all your files in one place. Years ago we would go to the filing cabinet, file away our documents under varying headers and projects and shut the drawer. However, when it came to sifting back through these, trying to find that one document you needed was painstaking. 

Saving your documents onto a 'cloud' is nothing new but we become immune to how clever this technology is. We're used to having a physical piece of paper in a draw, now it's floating around in a cyber world. Genius. 

Dropbox has many advantages, it's a free service which is brilliant, however if you require more storage this is chargeable but you're getting a lot for your money. Bags of storage that can hold photos, documents and video's anywhere...not just in the office, but anywhere. 

Using Dropbox as part of your company is great, but one obvious thing we would recommend is not syncing huge files to the shared Dropbox, this can slow everyone's server and make working as painful as that filing cabinet. We had to learn the hard way. 

However creating your own personal account is a way of getting around this and this can be downloaded to sit next to your shared Dropbox but still keep privacy from other users. 

We would definitely recommend. 

Should you use venue equipment?

This is often a question I get asked a lot - what equipment does the venue have? Isn't it easier to use that instead of hiring externally? Probably, if you want to save time making a couple of phone calls, but in the long term and for the success of your event it may not be. 

Every venue is different and every venue looks after it's technical equipment in a different way. This can range from never being serviced to having an in house tech team that regularly maintain the onsite equipment. 

One of the most important parts of a conference is the technical equipment. If the power fails there is no event, if the PowerPoint fails there is no content or if the projector fails there are no visuals. I can go on but you get the idea...failure isn't an option. 

In my experience it isn't worth taking the risk and whilst many venues have great technical equipment, we always go with what we know, trusted suppliers who we have worked with for years who we know won't let us down. They triple check everything they bring and always have spares on hand - no matter how big! Our suppliers have technicians who also come onsite with us who work day in, day out with this equipment and know just what to do with it in case the worst happens. 

As a general rule we would always advise to use our technical equipment/ suppliers - the tech can be one of the most stressful things on the day for both the team and the delegates...it needs to right. 

Apple vs PC...

by Alan Wight 

Sorry Apple. We have just switched our computers back to PC. This is why.

When we started out 22 years ago, we had Macs, then we switched some machines to PC (Windows 95 & 98), then we switched them all to PC (Windows XP), then we partly moved back to Mac (OSX), now we have fully migrated back to PC (Windows 7 & 8.1). Why?

The real answer is in the software. Whilst we use a variety of software packages, the bulk of our time is spent in the Microsoft Office suite and in the Adobe Creative Suite. Both of these are available on Mac & PC. Adobe is similar on both but Office is far superior on the PC. Working across a network, sharing network printers, using email collaboratively, serious software like Sage & CAD - all work better on a PC.

Our edit suites running AVID software could be set up on either platform but we choose PC because Mac's cannot be repaired anywhere other than via the Apple store which can take weeks. The PC can be opened up and repaired or parts replaced with on our site.

Physically, the Mac is a beautiful thing, the Macbook Pro is beautifully engineered, the trackpad is far superior to anything else we have come across in the market, the cooling is ingenious so the Mac runs much more quietly than an equivalently powered PC and the retina display is gorgeous.

But the computer world has moved on. When buying a PC today you find new innovations - touch screens, rotating and flipping screens (great for presentations in meetings), fingerprint recognition and you can have one built to your exact spec.

It's always been the case that if you do things the way Apple intended then the Apple functions best - manage your music, films and books in iTunes, manage your photos in iPhoto, stream using AirPlay to Apple TV and so on. In reality, there are better solutions and no need to work around the limitations imposed by Apple any longer.

Our frustration is not limited to computers. The iPad was a game changer. It is a fantastic piece of technology and amazingly useful for so many things. If we could have the same build quality, screen resolution, responsiveness and range of apps while at the same time having access to the file structure and a USB port, we could quickly load and play files - it would be perfect. The insistence that we have to play files from within Apps and sync them is just too slow and irritating for business use. 

One area that Apple have absolutely nailed is automatically backing up using the Time Machine and removing the pain of changing to a new machine by restoring a Time Machine backup.

The final straw for us was a very small thing.

We have moaned and tolerated Apple changing the iPhone and iPad connector, moaned about needing to buy an adaptor to add an ethernet port to a Macbook Pro, needing to buy an adaptor to add a VGA socket to laptop and another for DVI, even the power socket on the latest MacBook Pros is different than earlier ones and requires an adaptor to use old displays or power sources. 

The final straw? Apple removed the small hole from their laptops where you attach a laptop lock. When we are on events, we routinely use a cable lock to attach the laptop to the desk to stop the casual thief. Apple have decided we don't need that feature and it's not something that you can buy an adaptor for. Sorry Apple, that was one change too many.

We're back to PC and welcoming the news that Microsoft are opening their doors to developers to provide wider integration. We are looking forward to the future, who knows when we will be back.

App of the month!

by Joanne Schofield

www.podio.com

What is it? 

It's only fitting that we start with the app we use the most and that's Podio. This is an online platform with a new take on how works gets done. I would imagine this is great for any industry but it has great benefits when working in events. 

Podio supplies a web-based platform which is great for team communication, app creation specifically for your company and projects, holding projects all in once place and managing jobs wherever you are in the world. 

What we love about it....

There are too many pros to mention but one of my favourites is being able to design client feedback forms through your company website, that directly link to Podio which collates all the data and stores it in one place, extremely useful.  

Creating apps is an obvious one, but if you're in a rush and want to add data in quickly, you can choose an application through the app store, readily built and easy to use, the thinking is done for you. 

Creating workspaces for specific projects is another useful tool, this allows you to have a dedicated page for projects and build apps around this specific project, really useful for larger scale jobs with multiple elements. 

Podio also allows you to update a project from anywhere in the world and the office will always be across this. Updating timings, client details, event changes - very easy to do and very efficient if someone in the office is waiting to put this information within a proposal. You may just think it's easier to email this, but the point is it stores your most up to date details in one place - you can always refer to it and see your logged history. 

Our conclusion....

If you're looking for an accessible project management system I would certainly give this one a go, or at least learn more about it. Really useful and something we couldn't live without. 

Crafting the Message

by Joanne Schofield

I'm always told how fun my job is, how good it must be to plan parties, order food and make things looks pretty and whilst all these things are great there's a little more to it than that, as most of you probably know. 

For me, a good event always starts with crafting the message. I always want the aesthetics to be perfect and to get the 'wow's, but if the event doesn't match what the business is trying to say and also share their message for the next day, month even year it will never be delivered to their target audience, so what's the point? 

Looking at the brand is critical. Who are you representing? What is the company ethos? What do they stand for and more importantly how can these essential points filter into a successful event? Initial research on the brand is so important, getting to know your client and building that relationship is something that is at the core of our events. 

We start building our clients event by understanding their brief and how they want their business messages to come alive through the work we do. Client briefs are integral, giving us an insight into what they think their event can become, however they can be difficult to match as well as trying to make it work with the dreaded budget...I'm constantly hearing 'Anything is possible...with enough money' but how do you make it work when their isn't enough money? 

Working closely with the client and understanding what they want their content and goals to be and making it work within their brief and budget are fundamental...but it's never that easy. Sometimes we have to compromise and search to find those solutions, when you're into your fifteenth quote at 9 o clock in the evening it feels endless, but we do this because we want to find the best answer to the brief to reach the clients goal. 

Having understood the brand, brief and content, overcome a few hurdles, the message finally becomes clear, it's then just a case of which of the many tools we have in our toolbox to use to make it work.

Every aspect of the event can support the delivery of the message - from the dressing, how the food is presented, the accommodation, how they travel, the style of the venue, how the food is served - even down to the type of tassels you choose for a set and when you've been through 15 pantone colours you know it's serious! 

The message should underpin everything we do. 

Essential Advice for Budding Event Professionals

Some obvious and quite simple things below, even things you probably don't think about, but definitely helpful during the busiest of events. We dare you to find one you don't agree with!

Go to the toilet whenever you can (You don't know when you will get the chance again).

Eat and drink when you can (You don't know when you will get the chance again).

Wear different shoes every day (particularly on hard floors, it reduces foot fatigue).

Write stuff down. If you remember something you need to do or someone asks you to do something - write it down, otherwise it will be forgotten the next time someone asks you something.

Always carry an alarm clock, a spare phone charger and painkillers.

Be prepared for the worst (it will happen if you don't).

Want to learn, this will only make you better and set you apart from the rest. 

Take responsibility - no matter how small your peers will appreciate it. 

Crew Love...

A good event begins with the right crew and as we all know most events are a 12 hour day or longer, so looking after the people who make it happen is fundamental. 

Having seen numerous events take place, it seems like some people forget the basics. This may seem pretty obvious but offering a cup of tea to people who haven't had a break because of schedules changing, onsite challenges or just due to the manic day, goes a long way. 

The crew work throughout the day to make the event perfect and sometimes throughout the night and one of the most important things to keep people going is food. Often seeing the delegates food leave the kitchen is quite literally mouth watering and whilst the crew don't often get the equivalent it's important they are given something substantial. 

It's a known fact that food is linked to concentration levels and ensuring a steady intake of food across your day helps keep you alert and motivated! Staying alert and on your toes during an event, can be the difference between cuing the lights or working in a blackout, so keeping sugar levels high is a necessity! 

Allowing time for the crew to take a break, providing snacks, sweets and fruit during the day makes a huge difference and remember working on an empty stomach is never productive...I should know! 

Don't forget, at the end of a long session, the crew need to take a breath - don't immediately jump on them to start to change or rehearse the next session!

As Virgina Woolf would say, 'One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.'

Venue Recce Essentials

There are so many recce essentials, it's easy to forget what you should be looking for. Often on the recce you have a million and one things running through your head, the client has questions, the venue have questions and everything is directed at you. With a full head it's often a good idea to have a check list, it is for me anyway, so here are some of the essentials. 

Venue Location

Where is the venue located and how accessible is it for the attendees? Where is the nearest motorway or major road? How close is the nearest train station, airport, bus stop or even helipad?

Venue Facilities

Car Parking - Can a coach load of people fit into the car park? 
Direction Signage - is it easy to find or will it need supplementary signage
Entrance - does the meeting space have a dedicated entrance or shared?
Signage and Branding - are you allowed to add signage in the public spaces for direction and branding?
Decor - does the look and feel of the whole venue fit with the message / brief and does it feel 'fresh' or 'tired'?
Staff - are the staff welcoming and friendly and well presented? Do they have good knowledge of events and their venue?
How Busy - how busy is it in the public spaces and are other events on at the same time as yours (including venue organised events like fitness classes, Murder Mystery evenings etc.)
Temperature - is there air conditioning and where are the controls, can you open the windows, what heating is there (does it ever fail)?
Equipment - do they have existing AV equipment? When was it last checked (look at the PAT testing labels on the plugs)? Can we trust it?

Access

Times - when is the space available for us to set up (often different for meeting rooms and refreshment space), the day before, evening before, overnight, early morning? Who has tenancy before and what are they doing that might affect the space when we arrive and how quickly we can start? Could their event overrun?

Curfew - are there any limitations on the times when it is possible to access or unload vehicles? Some venues have legally imposed curfews that prohibit overnight unloading, or before a set hour in the morning. Others have times when no equipment is allowed through the lobby of a hotel.

Lift Size / Stairwell Size - if the event space is not on the ground floor, then what is the access like and are there any size limitations, particularly in lifts.

Stairs and Steps - are there any on the access route (extra people may be needed to help lift heavy equipment).

Door widths / Height - if there are large set elements or equipment, it is useful to know whether there are any doors, throughout the access route, which will limit what can be brought.

The Space

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Size - what are the dimensions of the smallest space - taking into account recesses, alcoves, protrusions, wall lights, wall mounted screens, radiators, kitchen access and fire exits which must remain clear. We always take our own measurements using a laser measure.

Capacity - what is the seating style for the event? Dinner, cabaret, theatre, boardroom, reception or something different. How much equipment or dressing will be needed that will take up space - will there be rear-projection AV?

As a quick guide, in theatre style seating an average conference chair size works out at 20 people per 10 metres (without aisles). In dinner or cabaret seating - one 6 foot (72cm) round table seats 10-12 for dinner and 7-8 for cabaret - with chairs it takes up a 10 x 10 foot space (3.5 x 3.5m). At a reception, each person takes up 1 metre square. 

Ceiling Height - The minimum height taking into account alcoves, chandeliers, lights, permanent fixings (like mirror balls or projectors) - the minimum base of a projection screen has to be 1.4m from the floor which means you need at least 3 metres total height. The lower the ceiling, the more oppressive the room, particularly in long meetings.

Floorplans - Does the venue have them and more importantly are they accurate? More than once we have received inaccurate floor plans, leading to a lot of tight spaces on the day. That's why we measure! Ideally the venue will have CAD plans that we can work with.

Noise - does the room have moveable dividing walls? What is happening on the other side of them (no temporary wall is ever sound proof. Where are the kitchens, will the noise carry? Is there a lot of echo in the room - when you clap your hands do you hear one or more claps? Are there soft furnishings and carpet to absorb sound? Is there any construction work outside or nearby railway lines, or an active airport next door or a scheduled firework display (we have been affected by all these things).

Light - is there natural daylight? Are there curtains or blinds if darkness is needed? What type of lighting is there and how is it controlled?

Catering Space - is there a dedicated catering space separate from the meeting rooms? Will the catering space share space with displays or registration? Will catering be in the meeting room itself? Where are the kitchens and will kitchen noise before or after the food affect the meeting. What is the access like for catering staff - this can affect what you do and could slow down service.

Catering

This is one for a separate post! At the recce, we are interested in where the catering will be provided, Depending on the event, we are interested in: Breakfast (few hotels can cater for all of their bedrooms in one sitting but with a fixed start time, you may put more demand than they can cope with).
Breaks. Where? What (coffee, tea, juice, water, biscuits, pastries, fruit)? How frequently.
Lunch. Where? In a shared restaurant? Buffet (how many stations, how will they be laid out?), seated?
Dinner. How many wait staff, do they have dedicated drinks staff, how will the bar operate (where is it) - there are lots of questions for dinners.

Menus. What are the standard menus like, how imaginative and how prepared are the kitchen to accommodation something different?

Dietary. Plan for them! Lifestyle (vegetarian, vegan), Religious (Kosher, Halal), Medical (nut, dairy, shellfish, wheat, gluten etc.). 

Visit flickr.com

Bedrooms

Another subject in itself. How many rooms, what type of bed(s), when were the beds last replaced, are they en-suite bathrooms, do they have irons, safes, coffee making, mini-bar (can we deny access), air-conditioning, open-able windows, non-smoking (international). Are all the rooms to the same standard, are some in an annex? Can we provide a group check-in desk separately?

Internet

Increasingly essential for the running of an event. Does the venue have WiFi and is this free of charge. What is the bandwidth? How good is the WiFi coverage?  Depending on the event and use of technology you may have to add a dedicated line and even suggest having a dedicated technician.

Power & Rigging

This also needs a blog all of it's own but for the recce; What power is available, is it 3-phase, single phase or just sockets on the wall? Where is it located? Find the maintenance people to find out what else is running on the same power ring - you don't want everything to go dark when the oven gets switched on for lunch (it happens!).

Does the ceiling have rigging points where equipment can be suspended? How many points? What is the loading if you need extra power 16 amp plus, don't forget this or much like one of our last blogs you could be facing a pitch black event. 

Amongst the above I always find it useful to send a venue inquiry form out to each venue and at least this way you'll always have a record of what they can and can't do. 

What's included in the price? 

Always check this, never presume. I've learnt the hard way. 

Which microphone should you use?

There are few different types of microphone available for conference use - this is when we use them and why...

1. Tie Clip

Intended to clip onto a tie or lapel. It's a small microphone which has a wire to a transmitter pack, which can be clipped to a belt or placed in a pocket - as long as the transmitter aerial is outside. We usually hide the wire inside clothes. For ladies in dresses, the pack can be taped to the base of the back, clipped to the bra strap or worn on a temporary strap. Sometimes we will use two clip mics, one on each side if the presenter will face both ways during the presentation i.e. on a panel.

Top tips - avoid polyester ties / jackets because they cause an uncomfortable scratching noise. Should be clipped on the side the presenter is likely to face most - usually the direction of the screen.

When to use - this is our microphone of choice - it provides a good compromise between sensitivity, quality and freedom for the presenter.

2. Head Set

Increasingly seen as an alternative to the tie clip mic, the headset mic provides a small stalk with mic head close to the mouth, attached to a small wire frame which sits across the ears and around the back of the head. Not very comfortable to wear and not a great look (unless you are a pop star). Sound engineers favour them because they provide very good sound levels (because the mic itself is much closer to the mouth).

Top tips - men should shave first to avoid the brushing sound of stubble against the mic. Avoid banging the mic with your hand when touching your face.

When to use - we only use them when we need to separate the presenter from the environment or the audience noise e.g. during award presentations or comedians.

3. Hand Held

The singers microphone. Much better sound quality from a much larger microphone pick up, which makes it ideal for singing and speeches, particularly where the environment is very noisy (i.e. at a dinner or stadium event).

Top tips - to get the benefit of the sensitivity, keep the top of the mic close to the mouth (10cm / 4 inches) but not touching. Always have one available for unscheduled announcements.

When to use - as a mic for audience questions or for a host at dinner.

4. CatchBox / Soft Microphones

There are a few different manufacturers of throwable mics, where the mic is embedded in a sponge case and can be thrown around the audience. The most sophisticated will switch off the mic automatically when in the air.

Top tips - they still need to be held up to the mouth (within 15cm / 6 inches). Invite people to pass them on to each other.

When to use - a brilliant Q&A solution

www.getcatchbox.com

5. Device Microphone - IML Connector

It is possible to put a microphone into the hands of every attendee using the IML Connector and some iPad / iPhone / Android apps. The IML Connector is primarily an audience voting / response / text device but has a lapel mic quality microphone which can be enabled by the operator or selected by the participant when invited.

Top tips - do a demonstration to clearly show how and when to activate the mic.

When to use - ideal for in depth feedback from workgroups and breakout sessions.

6. Gooseneck Microphone

A high quality microphone either attached to a lectern or on a floor stand - sometimes seen at award ceremonies (where celebrities lean in to speak to it like a hand held mic). Intended to be spoken or sung to at a range of 30cm / 12 inches or more. 

Top Tips - stay back and speak to the 5th row of the audience (project your voice) for best results.

When to use - useful for presentations, like awards, with too many speakers for every one to have a dedicated microphone.

7. Push Button Microphone

There are different styles, some looking like conference speaker phones and others like the gooseneck - always with a button to make the mic live. Common on panels, in tribunals and with audience debates.

Top Tips - Make the rules clear for when people can press their button to avoid frustration.

When to use - we try to avoid these, there are better solutions available!

8. Radio or wired options

The tie clip, hand held, gooseneck and push button are all available as wired mics - which means they are connected directly to the sound desk via a cable. This removes risk of wireless failure, but severely limits mobility. We prefer fixed mics (gooseneck) to be wired. 

Radio mics use dedicated radio frequencies to transmit the data from the mic pack to a receiver, usually in the same room. There are a variety of frequencies used but sound engineers take great care to ensure that their own mics all have their own frequency and that the venue or other events nearby are not using the same frequencies. Some cheaper radio mics (often imported) can operate in the wrong frequency range, adding the risk of being received by a nearby taxi company.

Top Tips - we always change the batteries in the pack before every session.

When NOT to use - If you are presenting very confidential information in a closed session, beware of the security risk of radio mics - other people can tune into and record the same frequencies. If in doubt, use a wired mic.

9. Finally, that horrible screeching sound!

When you hear that horrible high pitched screech that tells you something is wrong - or like a whale in pain - that is the sound you get when a microphone is picking up the sound of itself through the speakers, creating a loop. It mostly happens when the presenter takes the mic in front of the speakers or directly in front of the speakers. It is worse with tie clip mics because the sensitivity is turned up higher.

So that's a brief summary of the different types of conference mics available and when we recommend using them - obviously we also use professional sound technicians and engineers to get the best sound possible.