As Meetings Start to Take Shape, Consider Using a CVB to Help

Posted on July 2, 2021 by admin

While the pandemic brought most Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) activities and bookings to a halt for the previous 18 months, most are now in hockey-stick marketing mode promoting their town, city, or region to meeting planners around the country.
However, CVBs can do much more than marketing to make a conference or convention a smashing success. Below are the five things many bureaus do exceptionally well and how you might capitalize on them.

NYC Visitor's Bureau

Convention and Visitors Bureaus Sweet Spots

They can provide the following five services:

A plethora of local service providers
Most CVBs are membership and category-driven, meaning they have members in every area you can think of for your event. In addition, they have relationships with transportation providers, presenters, entertainment venues, and hotel general managers or owners. Just ask, and their staff is more than willing to help you find the perfect venue or presenter for your next meeting.

Cost savings and exclusive offerings
Many CVBs offer rebates, discounts, or VIP tours of local attractions during your attendees’ conference stay.

Small meeting space knowledge
Even though the word convention is the CVB name, many bureau organizations help market venues that can nicely accommodate smaller events. In fact, according to Hotel Executive, 80% of all meetings in the U.S. have fewer than 50 attendees and represent more than $10 billion annually in spending.

Help with above and beyond requests
Many corporations are looking at ways to give back at their next event. For example, if your group wishes to collect food for the local pantry, spend a half-day on a service project, or contribute to a local non-profit cause, all of this can be orchestrated through the CVB.

Additional above and beyond examples include a cooking class with a hotel’s chef, learning more about wine or beer pairings by visiting a local winery or brewery, or kayaking as a group down a river or lake.

The point is, whatever your requests, CVBs will work with you to make it happen.

Provide staffing
Suppose you need additional feet on the ground to help keep in sync with CDC guidelines for large gatherings; the CVB can often provide the staff to disinfect and clean registration tables, direct individuals to sanitation stations, and serve as tour guides of the area. Sometimes these staff members function as volunteers while other bureaus charge for this assistance. When you are on your final site visit, indicate how many staff and over what period you need them, and the CVB will coordinate this effort to ensure a seamless event for your attendees!

Conclusion

Think of a Convention and Visitors Bureau as being a destination’s marketing department. Their job is to drive awareness about all the wonderful things their region offers, which they do through articles, blogs, videos, guides, and social posts.

Rentacomputer serves many second and third-tier cities and works hand in glove with the local CVB and convention center. Some of the many cities we serve include:
Tampa
Pittsburgh
Austin
Portland
Charlotte
Lexington
Toledo
Buffalo
Norfolk
Baton Rouge

Convention Vendor Services

Are you interested in renting equipment for your upcoming festival, convention, trade show, expo, concert, or another event?

Rentacomputer.com works with many CVBs. We are committed to helping you with all the logistics for your meeting. So let us be your first call at 800-736-8772 for more information about ways we partner and support CVBs.

Rentacomputer.com has a large stock of equipment that is meticulously maintained to the highest professional standard by our quality control teams who inspect and test each piece of equipment before it’s delivered to your door. With suppliers around the globe, Rentacomputer.com can deliver your equipment to your office or venue at a moment’s notice, so you can focus on delivering an outstanding event.

Our friendly rental representatives, or Tech Travel Agents, are trained to know everything there is to know about event equipment, office equipment, and other technology in order to recommend the best possible products for your unique event.

Contact us if you’re looking for laptops, HD and 4K monitors, iPads, tablets, iPhones, WiFi hotspots, video conferencing equipment, PPE like sanitizing equipment and temperature screening, office equipment rentals, and much more!

*We are a Business to Business (B2B) rental firm. All rental orders must be placed by an authorized representative of a qualified business. First-time business customers are screened for compliance to ensure the order is legitimate and authorized. In short, you must be a business that has been established for a minimum of 2 years with an email address connected to a corotate domain and a ship to address that also meets our requirements. To see the full requirements, visit our Requirements to Rent page.

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Reopening plans you need to know about

Posted on May 12, 2021 by admin

As the country begins to reopen after a long year of Covid-19 closures, mask mandates are easing and social distancing restrictions are becoming recommendations. By now, most states have a plan to reopen in the next few months or criteria that must be met in order to reopen like a healthy vaccination percentage.

As coronavirus cases continue to drop, here is a list of some of the most popular event destinations that either has plans to reopen soon or have already opened.


States reopening for events

Open Already

Arizona

Over a year after the pandemic began, on March 25 the governor of Arizona allowed businesses and event venues to resume normal operations and lifted local mask mandates.

Arizona is also open for all activities including:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Florida

The governor of Florida has suspended all Covid-19 related restrictions and mandates until July 1. After the 1st of July, these restrictions will be permanently invalidated. Businesses are also not permitted to ask patrons for proof of Covid-19 vaccination in the state of Florida.

Florida remains open for all businesses and activities, including:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Nevada

On May 1 the governor of Nevada eased statewide social distancing requirements, allowing individual counties to decide. The governor has set a goal of reopening business capacity to 100 percent in all counties by June 1, although a statewide mask mandate will remain in effect.

As long as you’re wearing a mask indoors, these businesses can operate normally in Nevada:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

South Carolina

South Carolina currently has no mandates or social distancing requirements. On March 19 the governor required nursing homes and assisted living facilities to allow visitation to all residents “if there is no risk of Covid-19 transmission.”

With no mandates or restrictions in place, South Carolina is back to business as usual:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Texas

Beginning on March 10, the governor of Texas lifted all mask mandates and capacity requirements. Texas businesses can now operate under no restrictions:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Industries (manufacturing, offices)  ✅

Opening later this month

Pennsylvania

Beginning on May 31, the governor announced that all restrictions will be lifted. The mask mandate is scheduled to be lifted once 70 percent of adults are fully vaccinated.

Although mask mandates are still in effect, many Pennsylvanian businesses are operating as usual:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Plans in place to open after June

California

Although California is still requiring masks indoors, the state has lifted many restrictions to align with CDC recommendations of vaccinated citizens. As long as hospitalization levels remain low and vaccine supply is sufficient, the state of California plans to lift risk tiers and business restrictions on June 15.

Although Covid restrictions are still in effect, California is allowing 7 out of 8 activities including:

Retail ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Industries (movie, TV, music) ✅

Food and Drink 🚫

Illinois

On May 14 the governor of Illinois announced that they would relax capacity limits as they moved into the “Bridge Phase” of reopening. On June 15 the state may remove capacity limits altogether as they move into “Phase 5” of reopening the state.

Although masks are still required indoors, Illinois is allowing all industries to otherwise operate normally, including:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Industries (manufacturing, offices)  ✅

North Carolina

The governor of North Carolina has stated that he plans to remove all social distancing, capacity, and gathering restrictions by June 1. Currently, the governor has raised the gathering limit to 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors.

While masks are still required in certain places in North Carolina, most businesses are operating:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Virginia

On May 15 the governor of Virginia is allowing capacity limits for indoor sporting events to increase to 100 people indoors and 250 people outdoors. Restaurants in Virginia can now stay open and sell alcohol after midnight. If cases remain stable, the governor plans to ease the remaining restrictions by mid-June.

These businesses can still operate in Virginia, with masks still mandatory indoors:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Washington D.C.

Beginning on May 1, the Mayor of D.C. allowed gyms, museums, retail, public pools, and libraries to operate at 50 percent capacity. Places of worship are limited to 40 percent, and movie theaters and entertainment venues are limited to 25 percent. Weddings, graduations, and other ceremonies are permitted to take place indoors and outdoors, but with capacity limits. All public schools are set to reopen this fall.

While most businesses are open in Washington D.C., there are still restrictions:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

*Entertainment (nightclubs) 🚫

Reopening plans based on vaccination criteria

Michigan

Late last month the governor of Michigan introduced a plan to lift restrictions based on vaccination rates. Capacity limits for businesses are scheduled to lift two weeks after 65 percent of residents are vaccinated and the gatherings and face mask order will end two weeks after 70 percent of residents are vaccinated.

Although masks are still required indoors and there are still restrictions in place, a lot of businesses are allowed to operate including:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Industries (manufacturing, construction, offices)  ✅

*Entertainment (night clubs) 🚫

Ohio

Update 5/13/21: The governor of Ohio has announced a plan to lift the mask mandate and all Covid-19 health orders by June 2nd.

With cases in Ohio on the decline, the governor has eased restrictions on mass gatherings and religious services, and permitted outdoor gatherings and festivals limited to 10 people per group.

Although masks are mandatory indoors, Ohio is limping back to business as usual in these businesses:

Retail ✅

Food and drink ✅

Personal care ✅

Houses of worship ✅

Entertainment ✅

Outdoor and recreation ✅

Industries (manufacturing, distribution, construction, offices)  ✅

For a full list of reopening dates for all 50 states, visit:

State-by-State Event Reopening Dates — All 50 States

Convention Vendor Services

Are you interested in renting equipment for your upcoming festival, convention, trade show, expo, concert, or another event?

You will not just save resources when you decide to rent, it’s also a cost-effective solution to getting your hands on the latest cutting-edge technology.

Rentacomputer.com has a large stock of equipment that is meticulously maintained to the highest professional standard by our quality control teams who inspect and test each piece of equipment before it’s delivered to your door. With suppliers around the globe, Rentacomputer.com can deliver your equipment to your office or venue at a moment’s notice, so you can focus on delivering an outstanding event.

Our friendly rental representatives, or Tech Travel Agents, are trained to know everything there is to know about event equipment, office equipment, and other technology in order to recommend the best possible products for your unique event.

Contact us if you’re looking for laptops, HD and 4K monitors, iPads, tablets, iPhones, WiFi hotspots, video conferencing equipment, PPE like sanitizing equipment and temperature screening, office equipment rentals, and much more!

*We are a Business to Business (B2B) rental firm. All rental orders must be placed by an authorized representative of a qualified business. First-time business customers are screened for compliance to ensure the order is legitimate and authorized. In short, you must be a business that has been established for a minimum of 2 years with an email address connected to a corotate domain and a ship to address that also meets our requirements. To see the full requirements, visit our Requirements to Rent page.

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September 30th — Global Day of Action for the Events Industry

Posted on September 30, 2020 by admin

September 30 — Since March, the events industry has been struggling to educate the world of the global events industry shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The 30 million people in 25 different countries who usually work in the events industry have been virtually without work since March. With current lockdown measures still in place worldwide, there is little possibility of a financially viable return for many of those involved in the events industry in the near future.

We Make Events happen

In order to unify as an industry: businesses, organizations, venues, and independent workers involved in the events sector have been putting together awareness events around the globe over the past few months by illuminating venues, businesses, and residential areas in RED to signify the level of panic the hospitality industry is facing.

  • In the UK, over 700 buildings lit up in red to call attention to the plight of those involved in making events on Tuesday, August 27, 2020.
  • At 9 pm on September 1 in North America, nearly 3,000 venues, businesses, and residents lit up their facilities RED in support of the Live Events Industry.

On September 30, we ask the events industry to come together once more on a global level.

In order to ask governments worldwide to extend significant financial support for the people and companies involved in the events sector’s supply chain until the industry is revitalized, at 8 pm in your respective time zone, event professionals from thousands of cities around the world will be asked to Stand As One for the Global Day of Action.

If your company is involved in the events supply chain, you can participate tonight at 8 pm by lighting up your facility in several different ways, including:

  • Shine A Light – Strategically placed shafts of White Light will be beamed into the night sky, signifying jobs lost to the global events industry shutdown.
  • Light In Red – Venues, businesses, and other structures will be illuminated in red to represent the #RedAlertRESTART
  • Inside Out – Venues will project images outside of their venues of what would usually be taking place inside the currently empty facilities.

Event Services

“What people really don’t understand is what events contribute to the world, financially, spiritually and emotionally,” concludes Michael T Strickland, chair and founder of Bandit Lites, and a leading voice in the RESTART Act campaign, which is aligned with WeMakeEvents. 

“We really are a global industry. The impact to us is devastating right now, with 77% of people in our live events industry having lost 100% of their income due to the inability to work due to social distancing regulations, but the impact on the world if the industry disappears will be equally devastating in many ways. 

It’s incomprehensible that governments do not understand the economic value of the events industry as a whole – from festivals, tours, conventions to corporate events. We are a solid financial investment and will be able to contribute far more to a global recovery than we will cost in the meantime.”

Don’t Go Unheard

Over 8,700 small business owners have written to their respective Congressional leaders in support of the RESTART Act. As a result of writing letters combined with the Red Alert efforts, the RESTART Act has gained the support of 57 Senators and 163 Representatives. In the last four weeks alone, the We Make Events campaign has added 24 new Representatives to our list of RESTART Act cosponsors.

September 30 is the day that the culmination of all of our efforts is put to the test. Friends, colleagues, and partners in the live events industry are asked to ‘hold hands’ in unity worldwide. The Global Day of Action for the Events Industry is being held in over 25 countries from New Zealand to the Faroe Islands.

With a second wave of COVID-19 imminent, support for those who have been without income since March has never been more critical than right now. With the unpredictability of how this virus will continue to affect our industry, it’s impossible to know when these workers and companies will be able to return to status quo, if at all.

In the US, please go to www.WeMakeEvents.org and send a letter to your senators and representatives urging them to support the RESTART Act and ExtendPUA.

Rentacomputer.com Supports the Events Industry

Since 1987, Rentacomputer.com has been involved in the events industry supply chain; assisting businesses around the world with technology for conventions, trade shows, business events, concerts, expos, meetings, exhibitions, and more.

Amid the pandemic, our ordinarily reliable repeat-customer base has all but dried up. Not only that, but we’ve seen convention venues forced to close and suppliers shutting down their warehouses. With an optimistic recovery time setting back the industry at least another two years, we stand with the rest of the businesses, venues, and independent workers involved in the events industry supply chain.

As a pivotal technology rental supplier, Rentacomputer.com was concerned with the plight of everyone involved in the events industry. We have focused our marketing campaign on drawing attention to the global Red Alert campaign, whose goal is to help many businesses and individuals involved in the industry with much-needed financial relief.

Besides writing to our Senators, we’ve also successfully raised awareness in our social media campaign since the shutdown of the global events sector in March.

Reddit

r/WeMakeEvents by Rentacomputer.com
Cleveland I-X closing highlights the importance of the Red Alert RESTART

Please help support the struggling workers and businesses in the Events Industry by supporting the #RedAlertRESTART in North America

North America, Twitter:


Relevant Articles sponsored by Rentacomputer.com:

United Kingdom, Twitter:

Exhibitor Services and Rentals for The Events Industry

Tech Travel Agent Randy Moore

Are you involved in the events sector? You’ll have peace in mind in knowing Randy Moore has worked with hundreds of clients that work in the live events industry. Are you interested in renting equipment for your upcoming festival, convention, trade show, expo, concert, or another event? Rentacomputer.com and our Tech Travel Agents can help with anything you need–from supplying a few devices to showcase your company or products to providing technology rentals for an entire venue!

Rentacomputer.com has a large stock of equipment ready to deliver that includes monitors, laptops, MacBooks, desktop computers, Mac Pros, servers, tablets, smartphones, WiFi hotspots, and much more. Not only can we deliver your rentals, but we also offer custom configuration and setup, so you know everything is in working order.

Furthermore, Randy can answer any questions you have about event equipment rentals–in any capacity, for any event. Contact Randy today at 1-800-736-8772 ext. 225 or fill out a quick, easy online quote form. You can also connect with Randy on LinkedIn!

Subscribe to our blog today to stay up-to-date with Rentacomputer.com and follow us on social media. Join the discussion by commenting below.

*Rentacomputer.com is not affiliated with or in any way authorized by the convention venues mentioned above. Rentacomputer.com is an independent nationwide technology rental provider, and this page in no way implies exclusivity of our services at these meeting centers.

*We are a Business to Business (B2B) rental firm. All rental orders must be placed by an authorized representative of a qualified business. First-time business customers are screened for compliance to ensure the order is legitimate and authorized. In short, you must be a business that has been established for a minimum of 2 years with an email address connected to a corotate domain and a ship to address that also meets our requirements. To see the full requirements, visit our Requirements to Rent page.

 

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Upcoming Los Angeles Film Festivals and Other Events in Hollywood

Posted on July 2, 2020 by admin

Hollywood technology and event rentals

Have you been itching to attend a film festival or convention in Hollywood? Since March, most events have been canceled or rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS: venues are finally reopening their doors for event professionals to host conventions, festivals, trade shows, expos, and all other events — provided proper health practices are put in place. Here are our top 5 upcoming film festivals and other pop culture events that are coming up in Los Angeles in the next few months, in chronological order:

LA Shorts International Film Festival (July 15-23) – @ Regal LA Live

Among the largest and most prestigious international short film festivals in the world, LA Shorts International Film Festival brings the longest-running short film festival in Hollywood to its 24th year. This widely-known festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (Oscar®), the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA®), and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (ACCT) Canadian Screen Awards®. The festival screens over 300 films and attracted 10,000 attendees each year including Hollywood industry professionals and emerging undiscovered independent filmmakers.

Follow @LAshortsfest on Twitter to stay up to date on the LA Shorts International Film Festival. For event services to Regal LA Live, visit Los Angeles Technology Rentals.

Newport Beach Film Fest (August 6-20) – @ The Lot Theater at Fashion Island

Orange County’s Largest Entertainment event is celebrated as one of the leading lifestyle film festivals in the country. The Annual Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) attracts 58,000 film and food fans to over 100 feature films, 30 short film programs, and a dozen public parties featuring more than 65 culinary partners. Tickets go on sale for the West-Coast’s fastest-growing film festival on July 15th.

To stay up to date on the 21st Annual Newport Beach Film Fest and their films offerings from over 50 countries around the world, follow @NBFF on Twitter. For event services or other technology rentals for The Lot Theater, visit Hollywood Event & Tech Rentals.

Los Angeles Comic-Con (September 25-27) – @ Los Angeles Convention Center

Hollywood Convention Center rentals

Returning for the 10th year, the most diverse and celebrated pop culture event in the country expects over 100,000 fans in attendance to Los Angeles’ biggest and greatest comics, gaming, sci-fi, horror event. L.A. Comic Con plays host to 800+ diverse artists and vendors, selling comics, collectibles, art, toys, apparel, and everything in-between. You’ll also have the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry from L.A. Comic Con’s hand-picked selection of panels, events, and meet & greet opportunities.

Stay up to date on the upcoming Los Angeles Comic Con by following @comicconla on Twitter. For more information about event services to the Los Angeles Convention Center, visit Los Angeles Convention Center Event Rentals.

AFI Fest (October 15-22) – @ The Hollywood Roosevelt

This eight-day film festival presents screenings, panels, conversations, and showcases the best films across the globe featuring both master filmmakers and new voices. AFI FEST showcases more than 125 films in several exciting sections which include: Galas, Special Screenings, New Auteurs, Documentary, World Cinema, Cinema’s Legacy, and Shorts. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for both Short Films categories of the annual Academy Awards®.

Through annual tributes and conversations, the festival has honored numerous influential artists and icons, including Annette Bening, Halle Berry, Danny Boyle, Marion Cotillard, Catherine Deneuve, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Huppert, Barry Jenkins, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman, Viggo Mortensen, Steve McQueen, Natalie Portman, Christopher Plummer and Tilda Swinton. Past Guest Artistic Directors have included Pedro Almodóvar, Bernardo Bertolucci, David Lynch, and Agnès Varda.

Want to stay up to date on AFI FEST, coming in October? Follow @AFIFEST on Twitter. Are you looking for more information on event services and rentals to The Hollywood Roosevelt? Check out PC/AV & equipment rentals in Los Angeles.

American Film Market (November 3-8) – @ Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel

Unlike a festival, the American Film Market is a marketplace where production and distribution deals are closed. With more than US$1Billion in deals closed each year, The American Film Market prides itself as the most efficient film acquisition, development, and networking event in the world. Every November, over 7,000 industry professionals from more than 70 countries converge to make deals on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production. Attendees include acquisition and development executives, agents, attorneys, directors, distributors, festival directors, financiers, film commissioners, producers, writers, the world’s press, and all those who provide services to the motion picture industry.

Discover the entire global catalog of available films and projects, attend 50+ world-class conferences, roundtables, and presentations, and connect with the independent film community’s decision-makers at AFM.

To stay up to date on The American Film Market, follow @AFMOFFICIAL on Twitter. If you’re looking for event & presentation services with delivery available to Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, visit Santa Monica’s event engagement page.

Technology Rentals & Event Services for Filmmakers & Hollywood Industry Professionals

Tech Travel Agent Randy MooreAre you planning or attending an upcoming event that may have been rescheduled? You’ll have peace in mind in knowing Randy Moore has worked with a number of companies during these difficult times. If you’re interested in renting technology for your upcoming convention, trade show, expo, or other business events, Rentacomputer.com and our Tech Travel Agents can help with anything you need–from supplying a few devices to showcase your company or products, to providing technology rentals for an entire venue!

Rentacomputer.com has a large stock of equipment that is ready to deliver that includes monitors, laptops, MacBooks, desktop computers, Mac Pros, servers, tablets, smartphones, WiFi hotspots, and more. Not only can we deliver your rentals, but we also offer custom configuration and setup so you know everything is in working order.

Furthermore, Randy can answer any questions you have about event equipment rentals–in any capacity, for any type of event. Contact Randy today at 1-800-736-8772 ext. 225 or fill out a fast, easy online quote form. You can also connect with Randy on LinkedIn!

Subscribe to our blog today to stay up-to-date with Rentacomputer.com and follow us on social media. Join the discussion by commenting below.

*Rentacomputer.com is not affiliated with or in any way authorized by the convention venues mentioned above. Rentacomputer.com is an independent nationwide technology rental provider and this page in no way implies exclusivity of our services at these meeting centers.

*We are a Business to Business (B2B) rental firm. All rental orders must be placed by an authorized representative of a qualified business. First-time business customers are screened for compliance to ensure the order is legitimate and authorized. In short, you must be a business that has been established for a minimum of 2 years with an email address connected to a corotate domain and a ship to address that also meets our requirements. To see the full requirements, visit our Requirements to Rent page.

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Event and Media Rentals for Political Conventions

Posted on December 19, 2019 by admin

Political party convention equipment rentals

With election season in full swing and primary voting beginning soon, both the Republican National Convention, Democratic National Convention, and media outlets are busy planning for the election cycle and upcoming conventions in 2020. Planning and executing your convention or campaign coverage is hard enough without worrying about where to find all of the rental equipment you need to pull it off. Whether you’re a media outlet, the RNC, DNC, or a third-party candidate, find out how our comprehensive political event production services can help make your event come off without a hitch. 

Spread your message

When it comes to politics, getting your message to as many people as possible is essential, especially after you’ve accepted your party’s nomination. Boxing up and shipping video production equipment from your party headquarters to your convention site is not only cumbersome and costly, but it also puts your equipment at high risk for damage. Worse, your equipment may not be compatible with the on-site equipment at your convention location–forcing you to scramble at the last minute and make additional unnecessary expenditures.

Video production for political convention

Our video production rentals include the video cameras, microphones, monitors, and other accessories you need to outfit your spin room or convention stage. We can even provide mixing boards, server rentals, and top-of-the-line Apple Mac Pro rentals to help you edit video quickly and easily from the convention center’s mobile newsroom. Need an extra hand? We also offer full setup, configuration, and testing of your rental equipment–even if you are pairing with your own devices.

With fewer potential voters tuning into the DNC and RNC on television, parties have increasingly turned to social media and live streaming options to connect with voters. Outfitting your party’s social media team with state of the art iPhone X rentals and iPad Mini rentals for tweeting, live streaming, and social media updates allow you to connect with voters in real-time. To get more tips about using mobile solutions in your campaign coverage, check out 3 Ways News Outlets Use Tech Rentals During Campaign Season.

Get supporters involved

With apps developed by both the DNC and RNC in recent years, campaign technology rentals can help you connect with voters in even more ways. With voters turning to each party’s app to get more information, the RNC and DNC have more opportunities to connect with voters during the convention. 

Offering live streaming of speeches, 360-degree views of the convention space, behind the scenes sneak peeks, speech transcripts, and schedules, the apps allow voters to gain information about candidates and the party from anywhere at any time. The apps offer seamless integration of social media feeds that can be displayed on video walls or projected on massive screens via large-scale projectors, allowing you to share feedback from voters with convention attendees in real-time. 

Video Wall for Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin - Social media

Take your message beyond the convention center with roving reporters and campaign reps outside the building gathering voter feedback throughout the convention. Our Buzztime rugged tablet rentals let you move throughout the crowds gathering feedback without worrying about breaking or damaging your rentals. Learn more about how mobile solutions can help you reach more voters by reading Political Polling Made Easier. 

Stay secure and connected

Attendees at the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention are often political celebrities and other prominent figures, so top-notch security is a must. Outfitting your security team with walkie talkie rentals and security camera rentals can keep your attendees safer. Check out Security Rentals for Your Event to learn more about using our security rental products at your political events. 

Most (or all) of the bandwidth at your convention space will be taken up by your video streaming, editing, and social media teams–leaving your attendees struggling to find a secure, consistent internet connection. Our event planning industry-grade Freedom WiFi hotspot rentals are scalable for an unlimited number of users and comes with an unlimited data plan that is bonded to multiple US LTE carriers with speeds up to 150 MBps.

Solutions you can count on

Rentacomputer.com can meet all of your political convention’s computer and event equipment rental needs. From iPad rentals to iPhone rentals and video wall rentals to large quantity laptop rentals, we have the equipment you need and our skilled technicians ensure that all of your event technology rentals are delivered and properly set up. We can even work with your venue to ensure that all of your rentals are compatible with existing on-site equipment. Get a quote for all your convention equipment rental needs today!

Tech Travel Agent Mark GillaughCampaign Rentals with Tech Travel Agent Mark

Are you thinking about renting a smartphone or tablet to use with political campaign software? Tech Travel Agent Mark Gillaugh specializes in iPhone rentals, iPad rentals, A/V rentals and much more. Mark will handle any questions you have about A/V, tablets, smartphones, and the use of political campaign applications. Contact Mark today at 1-800-736-8772 ext. 249 or fill out a fast, easy online quote form.

Subscribe to our blog today to stay up-to-date with Rentacomputer.com and follow us on social media. Join the discussion by commenting below.

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Attending Adobe MAX 2019 – The Creativity Conference

Posted on September 5, 2019 by admin

“An essential gathering of professionals proving that no matter how sophisticated an online experience can be, it can’t compete with the energy and electricity of face-to-face engagement”. Those words come from an attendee of the 2018 MAX conference and can perfectly describe the one of a kind experiences that the Adobe MAX conference can offer. But many of you out there might be wondering right now, what is this Adobe MAX conference?

Adobe Max Conference

Well, this conference is a gathering of creative minds from across the world designed to help anyone in the creative arts industry–from beginners to experienced minds–sharpen their creativity skills, learn new things, and boost their career. Featuring labs, hands-on workshops, and famous speakers in the creative arts industry such as M. Night Shyamalan and Annie Leibovitz, Adobe MAX 2019 is a must-attend for those in the creative arts industry. However, there’s still more to expect from this year’s conference.

What To Expect From Adobe MAX 2019

The first thing you can expect from attending Adobe MAX 2019 is plenty of labs, workshops, and boot camps that can teach you everything there is to know. Not to mention the pre-conference training sessions that will give you the time to go deep with a product or skill of your choice.

On top of that you can expect over 170 speakers to attend Adobe MAX this year. With a wide variety of speakers ranging from producers like M. Night Shyamalan, to artists like Mari Andrew, even graphic designers such as Annie Atkins, and not to mention the host of the event–comedian John Mulaney; there’s no end to the knowledge that can be gained from listening to these speakers.

Putting aside the broad cast of speakers you won’t want to miss out on the wonderful networking opportunities that can be gained from attending. With a full access conference pass you’ll have access to the Community Pavilion where you can find inspiration and connection in the heart of MAX while being able to meet and connect with tons of creative minds just like yours.

Who Attends Adobe MAX?

Now that you’ve been filled in on what to expect from Adobe MAX 2019 you might be left wondering who exactly can you expect to find attending the conference? Well besides the previously stated variety of speakers you can expect to find anyone from graphic, web, UX, or multidisciplinary designers, to art and creative directors, illustrators, along with video, film, and motion graphics professionals, tech or business strategists, and even Adobe Creative Cloud partners and anyone that is interested in Adobe creative products.

Adobe Max Conference, concert

Not to mention there’s even an exclusive bundle available for students looking to further their creative arts careers that will give you exclusive access to many Adobe products, along with behind the scenes experiences, and even personal mentors from some of the best people in your field. With all this in mind, there’s truly no end to the diverse groups of people that you’ll find at Adobe MAX.

Why Attend Adobe MAX 2019?

If you’re not already convinced to attend this year’s Adobe MAX conference, here are a few just a few more reasons to get you to go. To start off 96% of people who attended Adobe MAX 2018 learned new skills to apply in their work through the 300+ sessions, labs, workshops, and pre-conference labs.

On top of that 92% would recommend MAX to their peers so they can perfect their skills, feast on inspiration, learn from their design heroes, explore what’s next for creatives, and see what their fellow peers are doing. In fact, one MAX 2019 attendee says, “Every year I come to give my creative engine a jump start and every year I come away excited to create again”. So, now that you’ve seen what Adobe MAX 2019 can offer you along with what your fellow peers have to say about the event, perhaps you’re left wondering where to sign up.

When, Where, and Registration Info

Los Angeles Convention Center technology rentals

Adobe MAX 2019 takes place November 4th – 6th in Los Angeles, California. More specifically the event takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center with the pre-conference sessions taking place November, 2nd – 3rd, two days prior to the main conference. In order to register for Adobe MAX go to their website, and click on “Start New Registration” if this is your first time attending. From there you’ll be able to look at the different prices for full conference passes along with pre-conference bundles and special discounts.

Of course, you’ll need somewhere to stay while you’re attending the conference so Adobe MAX has partnered with multiple local hotels that offer special rates for those attending Adobe MAX 2019 (These rates are based on availability). For a full list of hotels available and their rates go to the registration tab on the Adobe MAX website and click on Hotels & Travel to see a full list of hotels and rates.

If you want more information be sure to go to https://max.adobe.com/ and check out everything there is to offer at Adobe MAX 2019 for yourself.

*Rentacomputer.com is not affiliated with nor in any way authorized by the Adobe MAX 2019 Conference. Rentacomputer.com is an independent nationwide technology rental provider and this information in no way implies affiliation to the event or venues described above.

Los Angeles Convention Center technology rentals

Need to rent tablets, iPads, desktops, or laptops for your next conferences or meeting?  No matter what technology equipment you need, Rentacomputer.com has the items you need to keep your event on track. Just let us know what gear you need, and our experts will ship or deliver your items quickly and without hassle. Get a quote for all your event equipment rental needs today!

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Negotiating Hotel Blocks

Posted on February 19, 2019 by admin

Getting a reservation at a hotel for an event

Attendees to your conference, convention, and other meetings expect top-notch facilities and a positive experience – and the hotel block you secure is the cornerstone of delivering on expectations for your event, especially if your event will also be held at the hotel. Hotel blocks keep every attendee on an equal playing field and creates consistency for your guests, making booking and transportation easy and hassle-free, while also giving you a base of operations during the event. Hotel negotiations don’t have to be difficult, as long as you know the landscape. Here are some tactics you can take to the bargaining table that will help you negotiate the best hotel block deal for your next event.

Keep time on your side

Planner of major events, like large corporate events and concerts, begin negotiating hotel room blocks years in advance of the event, but even smaller event organizers should begin negotiations as soon as possible. With your hotel as the foundation for your attendees (and maybe even your event), finalizing other details is impossible until this critical component is in place.

An event planner booking a hotel reservation for an event

Hotels are more likely to offer better rates to planners who are working well in advance of their events, rather than those who are cutting it close. Waiting to book your hotel shifts the negotiating leverage to the hotel representatives, since you won’t have as many options. Beginning discussions early on with hotels also gives you more time to negotiate details and work out any wrinkles as your event draws nearer.

Wants and needs

Create a detailed list of exactly what you want and need from your hotel partner at your next event. Think about what you can compromise on and what your non-negotiable items are. This list should serve as your battle plan for what you need and what you need to do to get it.

The purpose of the list is to let you think through everything you need from your hotel venue to make your event a success and allows you to identify hotels that will be the best fit. Your list should include:

  • Estimated number of attendees and relevant demographics (handicap considerations, non-smoking or smoking, etc)
  • Event schedule and timeline
  • Event room needs
  • Audiovisual requirements during events. Even if your hotel doesn’t have all of the necessary equipment, you should confirm that they have the capacity to handle your AV needs and that the onsite equipment is compatible with your event equipment rentals.
  • Food and beverage considerations
  • Transportation needs. Do you need the hotel to provide a shuttle to and from the airport or to off-site locations for your event?

With your game plan in hand, you can narrow down your hotel selections to a handful that fit your needs and then ask for bids from each. Once you have all of the responses in hand, you can begin to compare the offers, including prices and included amenities and accommodations for your event. Here’s a handy list of hotel industry terms to help those unfamiliar with the hospitality industry lingo.

Don’t skip the site visit

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but they can also create expectations that fall flat when you see the space in person. The site visit is a critical component of any hotel negotiation, especially for events like nonprofit fundraisers or meetings that tend to be conducted completely onsite at the hotel. It’s also a great opportunity to make connections with the people you’ll be working with as your event approaches.

Event planner meeting with hotel representative

Take a close look at the property to ensure that everything that you expected or were promised in the bid is present. Measure the size of event rooms, check the acoustics, and sketch a simple diagram or layout of how you plan to set up the space during your event. Take a look at the rooms that will comprise your block and ensure that they are up to your quality standards. Check on the amenities promised by the hotel – is the fitness room really a gym or is it a closet with a treadmill and how does that pool look in real life? If possible, bring along your AV supplier to ensure that all of the onsite equipment is compatible with your rented equipment. Visit area restaurants so that you can make recommendations on your event site and pay attention to public transit options for guests who won’t have access to vehicles. In short, make sure that the venue offers the kind of experience you want your guests to have at your event.

Narrow it down

Once you’ve compared bids and visited potential sites, it’s time to pare down your choices to just one or two hotels. Negotiate details with the reps from each hotel until you’ve settled on a final choice.

Even after you’ve made your selection, don’t rush into signing a contract. As a general rule of thumb, you should never sign the first version of your hotel contract. Review the contract with your planning team and offer a counter-proposal, but never reveal your budget as this can put more negotiating power in the hands of the hotel. This back and forth negotiation styles allows both you and the hotel reps to reach a version of the contract that makes both of you happy. Once you’re comfortable that you have the best deal and all of your needs covered, sign the contract!

Don’t get overwhelmed

Negotiating a hotel block is a long and involved process, so you should be prepared and begin your search as early as possible. Few things in the event world are simple and hotel negotiations may seem particularly overwhelming, but mapping out your event and creating a game plan that includes everything you need to make your event a success help build the foundation of a positive negotiating experience.

Book your hotel reservation a long time in advance

Need event production services for your next event? From sporting events to corporate events and everything in between, our event production services professionals have the expertise and experience needed to handle the production and technical side of your event, helping make your event a success. Rentacomputer.com’s experts can assist you with everything from sound systems and lighting selection to IT support. No matter where your event is, Rentacomputer.com can help. Get a quote for all your equipment needs today!

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Don’t Let Visa Issues Ruin Your Event

Posted on January 23, 2019 by admin

Denied Visa application

When you invite speakers from foreign countries to present at your next event or market attendance at your event to an international market, they (and you) will need to brush up on your knowledge about US visa requirements. Generally, business or tourism visas are sufficient for temporary visitor travel, including for conference and event attendance. However, due to recent changes by the State Department, many companies have begun to experience the pain and hassle of long processing times, increased numbers of denials, and changes to visa types needed. You can help save your event (and help your attendees and speakers participate from anywhere) with remote attendance options. Providing your remote attendees with laptop rentals and tablet rentals that come pre-loaded with your event app and software helps ensure that every user gets a full and complete event experience that will keep them coming back year after year. Read on to learn more about how changing visa issues might affect your participants and how remote attendance options can help save your next event.

The issue with visas

Even in the best of circumstances, it takes around three to five weeks for the State Department to process travel visas. In the wake of recent changes, tightening restrictions, and greater scrutiny of applications, wait times and denial numbers are increasing. These issues can even lead some of the most reputable global companies having trouble getting some of their most important foreign executives and participants to event locations in the US.

Immigration law reform

In the past, most event attendees were able to attend events with Business (B-1) or Tourism (B-2) visas that covered activities like attending conferences and conventions, negotiating contracts, and unpaid participation in musical, sports, and other similar events and contests. Frequent rule changes and unclear directives have led to some confusion at points of entry across the US – leading some visitors with B-1 and B-2 visas to be denied entry because they had not been notified that these visa types were no longer sufficient for their travel purposes. Often, the application of these restrictions and denials of entry seem to be applied inconsistently, causing additional confusion for visa applicants.

Victims of visa restriction and confusion

In 2017, The International, the largest Dota 2 esports gaming event, saw the loss of its host Henrik Ahnberg and a member of Team Empire due to confusion over the type of visa needed for them to attend the event. Both had previously attended the event on the same visas, but the new rules and updated regulations surrounding visa issuance led to both being denied their visas at the last minute.

Visa issues also caused major headaches at the 2017 SXSW. At least seven bands were turned away by US Customs for possessing the wrong visa type. Though all of the bands had previously entered the US and participated in SXSW on the B1 visa, they were denied entry by Customs agents who later issued a statement that international performers at the event now needed to possess a P-1 visa. P-1 visas have traditionally only been required for paid professional athletes and entertainers.

Technology to the rescue

Businesspeople Video Conferencing In Boardroom

However, there are steps you can take to help ensure that your event doesn’t take too much of a hit due to potential visa issues. Joining your conference, event, or meeting remotely allows your participants the opportunity to take part in your event from afar, ensuring that information and details are able to reach a wider audience. For smaller groups and business meetings, Google Hangouts may be an ideal option to help connect all of your attendees. For larger groups, Cisco WebEx and ezTalks Meeting both provide the best opportunities for remote attendance and participation in your event.

With all of the work that you’ve put into your event, it’s important that you get all of your remote attendees on the same digital page. In the ever-evolving world of technology, you can’t rely on your attendees’ equipment to have the specs needed to run your apps or to view all of the documents you’ll be sharing. Laptop rentals and tablet rentals preloaded with your event app, necessary programs to view shared items, and video conferencing software can help all of your attendees get the best experience from your event.

Avoid confusion and stress

Remote conference on a beach

Don’t let visa issues and processing bottlenecks cause your attendees and speakers to miss out on your next big event like they did the 2017 African Global Economic and Development Summit in Los Angeles. Laptop rentals or tablet rentals can be pre-loaded with the apps and software your users need to make the most of their remote attendee experience.

 

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What Makes a Corporate Event Production Company Special?

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Reagan Reeve

Event Production Technology

When planning a corporate event, your goal is to grab every participant’s attention from the second they walk through the door. You need the right lighting, the proper backdrops that match up to your logo, and entertainment or music to electrify the mood.

How do you do this? Hire an event production company, of course! This blog post will detail what the right company can do for you.

7 Super Event Production Company Differentiators

When considering a partner, look for one with the most creativity, responsiveness and is willing to work within your budget guidelines. Ideally, you want a vendor that can:

1. Put you and your staff at ease.

Hiring a company that has run many events is the fastest way to give you piece of mind. Ask for references and be sure to call them.

2. Effectively communicate.

Man and woman communicating ineffectively

A full-service event management company is a one-stop provider of Audio/Visual and computer equipment, décor, special effects, and whatever else you may require. Work with an organization that you can easily reach through email, phone and text and will communicate with you when they have a question or concern.

3. Tie the event theme to everything.

From the registration area to the expo area to the stage, you want to hire an organization that can produce your vision. This requires insight and coordination that only a great production company can provide.

4. Convey your brand message throughout.

New product launch. Grand opening. Incentive trip. All three have different purposes. With large, high resolution monitors that display everything from your logo to inspiring video, the right technology can help attendees leave jazzed about your organization.

5. Stage

You want an organization that handle draping, lighting, projection and sound with the professional integrity you are looking for.

6. Seamlessly incorporate entertainment.

When your entertainer hits the stage, you want to rest assure the sound system works properly and the lighting is perfect. An onsite A/V technician can make sure everything is thoroughly tested beforehand and in the case something does go wrong, fix it immediately.

7. Take, edit and play video.

Event Professionals using Video Editing

The right video clips can create all sorts of emotional responses – from crying to laughter to learning. Never underestimate the power that the right video can give to your organization in selling next year’s conference.

Rentacomputer.com is Your Corporate Event Production Company

If you want everything to go off without a hitch, consider partnering with us. We, collectively, have several decades of experience and will communicate with you from start to finish as your premier corporate event production company. Give us a call at 800-736-8772 to learn more!

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Technology Services for Your Next Convention

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Reagan Reeve
One of your main goals when planning an industry event or trade show should be providing convenience and connectivity to each and every one of the attendees.

 

There are a few problems you might have with this: Even the largest companies only hold a few events each year. Is it really cost-effective it to purchase technology services for your event that you only use once or twice a year? Consider these points:

 

  • If you purchase technology — computers, tablets, presentation screens, etc. — to use at different events, you not only have to be responsible for them, you have to transport devices from event to event and store them when not in use.
  • If you’re hosting a large convention or another sizable gathering, the technology investment will be huge, and the return on that investment will come in the form of only a few years of viable time before that technology becomes outdated.

You Need Nationwide IT Rental Services

The fact is that it simply doesn’t make sense to buy technology when you’re only going to use it for events. Rentacomputer.com can provide the solutions you need to provide unmatched convenience and save you money every time you need technology services for a convention or other event.
Here are a few examples:

IT Rentals Give Your Event Unparalleled Connectivity

Providing wireless internet at trade shows and conventions is key to driving engagement between presenters and attendees. Many events suffer from a lack of connectivity, which means that event-specific apps and other technology are effectively useless.

Rentacomputer.com can provide wireless routers and internet modems that keep your business online, both for the benefit of attendees and presenters. We can transport the equipment nationwide to your event, set up a network and troubleshoot it over the course of the event if necessary.

 

Cashless Payments Offer Unmatched Convenience

No matter how old-fashioned you might be when it comes to processing payments during your event, your guests more than likely want to worry less about having cash and more about engaging with thought leaders in their industry. For sign-ups, merchandise sales, food sales, and any other transaction that may occur at your event or convention, you need technology that makes paperless payment as easy as possible. For large events, we rent tablets with Square payment processing programs pre-installed, leaving you to worry less about managing cash flow and more about making your event a success in other areas.

 

Make Your Convention a Hit With Immersive Technology Services

Having IT rentals at your fingertips can take away many of the barriers that previously stood in the way of creating a memorable experience for the people that attend your events. When you thought you have to provide all your own technology, immersive experiences like a wall of screens, a personal tablet for everyone in attendance or even a virtual reality product demonstration seemed only possible in your dreams.

 

Rentacomputer.com makes all this and more possible with industry-leading convenience and availability. From the latest presentation software to HD and high-quality audio and visual equipment, Rentacomputer.com can give you access to high-end, reliable, technology services that can transform your convention into one guests can’t stop talking about. Here’s why we’re the best option for your next event:

 

  • As a nationwide provider of IT rentals, we can transport the tech you need anywhere in the continental United States. With Rentacomputer, you’ll never need to worry about logistics when it comes to technology ever again.
  • We’ll even stay on the premises during your event to fix any potential problems that arise while you’re using our technology.

The Bottom Line

When you can host a convention without worrying about getting the technology you need, you’re free to focus on what really matters: making a memorable experience for your attendees.
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