Selling AV — Episode 102: The Bouncy Ball
Sometimes we need to leave tech speak behind and adopt analogies that everyone can understand. Today I offer a fun way to talk about audio. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Revenue-Generating Space
I often have people ask me how they maintain profitability in a world where technology is becoming more and more commoditized and where the average selling price (ASP) of technology in each room seems to be decreasing year after year. I am sympathetic to these concerns for sure, as it is never a good thing […]
Selling AV — Episode 101: Responsiveness
Seeing that this episode is 101, I thought I’d go back to basics. Responsiveness is the stone in your sling that will help defeat Goliath. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
AR Killed the Hologram
I apologize in advance. This post is not going to focus on UC, collaboration or digital signage. I am not going to mention AVaaS. There will be no debate about 1 Gbps vs. 10 Gbps AV-over-IP. Instead, I want to share a thought I had the other day about the future of the hologram. Real […]
Co.Lore (Company Lore) Stories Through Space: Episode 2: Bryan Meszaros
On this episode of the Company Lore podcast, Bryan Meszaros of OpenEye Global talks to me about the importance of understanding the interplay of technology and quality content in company storytelling and placemaking. Bryan can be found on Twitter here — @bryanmeszaros OpenEye Global can be found here.
Co.Lore (Company Lore) Stories Through Space: Episode 1: Kindra Hall
Join me on a mission to help companies tell their stories through the use of technology and architecture. In this inaugural episode, I talk to keynote speaker and author Kindra Hall about her book, Stories That Stick, as well as how companies can use story in their spaces to connect and engage with their customers […]
Selling AV — Episode 100: Connection
When meeting with a client, not all roads have to lead back to your product or service. In this episode, I talk about how connection may be a more realistic and valuable goal for your meeting than a PO. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Technologists in Bars Talking AV – Episode 4: Forge Brewing Company With Mike Brandes Of QSC
Join me and my guest Mike Brandes from QSC at Barley Forge Brewing Company in Costa Mesa, CA. We talk about art, soccer, and even a little AV. Pull up a chair and hang out with us!
The User Interface — It’s Not Business, It’s Personal
If you’re a movie fan, you’re well aware of the ongoing conflict often portrayed between humans and machines in a dystopian future. Think “West World,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Terminator,” “I, Robot” and “The Matrix.” I can’t help but wonder if these movies are so popular because they reflect our own personal experiences of the […]
Eyes on the Future
If you’ve been reading my blogs lately, you already know I’m a huge proponent of escalating the rate of evolution in our industry in order to best meet the needs of our customers and continue to be relevant. I’ve been promoting developing better business acumen and having earlier conversations with our customers on a deeper […]
Selling AV — Episode 99: Failure to Communicate
AV is an industry built around communication, but often times we fail to communicate or even understand our true value proposition. Listen to this episode to find out what we should be communicating to our clients. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Retail Is Not Dead — The Opportunity
It’s July 16th, the end of another Prime Day where Amazon, the online behemoth, is slated to do nearly $6 billion dollars in sales in just two days. Estimates show that Amazon accounts for anywhere from 38 to 49% of US eCommerce which gives them a commanding lead over second place eBay, which accounts for […]
Selling AV — Episode 98: Taking A Step Back
This week’s Selling AV comes from a post I did on Linked In stating that I no longer want to have technology conversations. How do you have deeper conversations? Take a step back. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Selling AV — Episode 97: Selling Impact
A major reason industries get commoditized is that they fall into selling products. This week I talk about asking a single question that helps you sell impact instead, which is something worth paying for. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Five Questions Every Integrator Should Be Asking
For those of you who don’t know me well, I am pretty active in networking with other AV professionals, technology managers, designers, content producers, etc If there is one thing most of them agree on, it’s that doing a proper needs analysis is the only way to assure that our systems meet all of our […]
My (Belated) InfoComm Review
No other AV publication or agency produced as much content around InfoComm19 as rAVe. I mean, it wasn’t even close. Gary did a ton of pre-show interviews and previews, Johnny and Victoria ran the podcast booth on the show floor at the Peerless-AV booth and were booked day in and day out, and an army […]
Selling AV — Episode 96: Conversations That Count
As AV professionals, sometimes we get caught up in how cool technology is and talk a lot about “how” we do things. This week in Selling AV I share how to pivot and make those conversations count. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
AVPhenom Introduces New Workplace Software at InfoComm19
5/30/2019 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Every year, Phenomenal Industries introduces at least one new GAMECHANGING product before InfoComm, AV’s premier commercial trade show. Last year, there was an explosion of activity around ShareChair, the revolutionary huddle room collaboration product that blurred the lines between technology and furniture to change the way we share information. It […]
Selling AV — Episode 95: Personal Brand
How do you escape some of your insecurities and give yourself permission to be the best version of yourself? Create a personal brand. Find out what I’m talking about on this episode of Selling AV. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
The Corporate Campus
A few weeks ago, I sat in on a meeting with the head of global real estate for an innovative company here in California. He was amazingly generous in sharing his strategy on how he approached developing properties for his company, and I took three pages of notes over that 20 minute period. I think […]
Collision Course
In the last month, I’ve had the opportunity to listen and learn a lot about the modern workplace and the principles behind its design. The philosophy goes well beyond the phrase “open” and really capitalizes on the idea of activity based working and creating spaces that allow for independent work, team collaboration, large team meetings, […]
Selling AV — Episode 94: Maintaining Value as an Industry
Many times we have our clients compare the cost of our services to those provided by other trades like electricians. It’s tempting to match pricing to gain a client relationship, but in this week’s Selling AV, I talk about why this may be a very bad idea. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android […]
Selling AV — Episode 93: It’s Not Them, It’s You
Sometimes, even after creating alignment and demonstrating value, a sale can get stuck. This week I talk about two ways to move things forward that may just mean checking your ego at the door. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Don’t Come to My Class at InfoComm 2019
Right now, a part of each of my day has been dedicated to developing my class for InfoComm 2019. I am giving a talk on “Using AV Technology to Trigger Customers’ Biological Responses” or as I refer to it, “Triggered!” Any time that you are giving a presentation, it’s extremely important to consider the audience […]
Selling AV — Episode 92: Dropping Breadcrumbs
Sometimes the answer to a better sale may not be in trying to force a close, but in walking away and leaving a trail. Find out how in my latest Selling AV. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
Mad Systems’ New Software Is In Your Face
Last month I wrote a blog about Mad Systems new Quicksilver AV distribution system and I ended that piece with a teaser about their new facial recognition software. If we know anything about content, we know that the context of that content is extremely important. Delivering content is one thing, but delivering customized content to […]
Why I Joined Tangram Interiors
When I first joined the ranks of Milestone one of my coworkers told me that “Every integrator wants to work for a manufacturer when they grow up.” It was funny, and at the time I identified with that statement on some level. Working for a manufacturer offered a few advantages for sure. From a sales perspective, […]
Technologists in Bars Talking AV – Episode 3: Good Word Brewing with Jarrett Jones of Baker Audio Visual
What do you do when you’re in Atlanta? You hang out at Good Word Brewing & Public House with Jarrett Jones, Director of Commercial Engineering at Baker Audio Visual. We talk about bourbon and pick-up trucks as well as how we inspire and train the next generation of AV professionals. (There may be an Easter […]
Selling AV — Episode 91: Fighting Consumerization
The latest question from the AV Industry Professionals Group asks how we tackle the challenge of the consumerization of our industry. Here is a great way to start that conversation. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
AV Gets a Facelift… and Facial Recognition- Part 1
I had the pleasure of visiting my friends at Mad Systems last week. It is a company I know quite a bit about, (in large part because I worked there for 4 years), and I was invited to come and take a look at what they’ve been up to lately. They have a history of designing […]
Technologists In Bars Talking AV – Episode 2: Left Coast Brewing with Steffan Crowley
Have a drink with me and my guest Steffan Crowley at Left Coast Brewing. We’ll learn a little about how to take the CCNA as well as Steffan’s Meme Theory (and we might just sneak some AV in there too.) Check out Left Coast Brewing at https://www.leftcoastbrewing.com Find Steffan’s company Rosendin here: https://www.rosendin.com
Selling AV — Episode 90: Know Your Enemy
I received quite a few suggestions from other AV Pros for this year’s episodes of Selling AV. This week I talk about knowing your enemy because it just might not be who you think it is. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | RSS
