Business as Unusual and the Dusty Binder Syndrome

Last summer, as part of my normal follow up with clients and prospects, I asked the question, "Have you reviewed your organization's communicable illness plans to check if any of it's components have past their "best used before" dates?"

Of course, in the middle of the dog days of summer, I heard a few yawns on the other end of the phone line. I mean who reviews their business continuity plans when they don't have an actual emergency???

Well, flu season is coming early and harshly this year, sending many of the same people looking for the "dusty binder" that contains the decision making protocols for pandemics.

Trivial considerations like what we plan to do if 25% of the workforce is sick, another 25% are scared to come into the workplace out of fear of getting sick and that rush order your manufacturing operation is counting on to keep production moving just was rescheduled due to heavy absenteeism at a critical vendor location!

Disaster Denial is not a sound business strategy. This flu season was predicted as well as predictable. In the very least, use this time to get a little ROI out of this crisis by reviewing your plan and comparing it to best practices.

Please contact Dave Flora @ 847.513.3787 if you would like to discuss improving your response for this outbreak and the predictable outbreaks in the future. The worst time to be exchanging business cards is in the midst of a crisis.

For more information, please read:
FLU SEASON MAY COST EMPLOYERS BILLIONS - A HUMAN RESOURCE CRISIS

Theatre Style Meeting Room Setup Guide

A theatre style room layout is traditionally used to present to a large audience. Chairs are arranged in rows facing a staging area and the layout allows the room to be used to its maximum occupancy. Listed below are the advantages and disadvantages of a theatre style seating layout with suggested placement of any needed Portable PA System, Multimedia Lectern and PA speakers.

Advantages: Ideal for large groups. Good for presenting videos or films that do not require discussion. Straight lectures with little group participation also works well with this style.

Disadvantages: Does not allow for much group participation. Does not provide writing surface for taking notes. People in the back rows may feel removed from the lecture.

Action Zone: Front, center of the room.

Group Involvement: Little to none.

Seating: Facing the front of the room in rows.

Spacing: Chairs should be aligned 2 inches apart. The first row of seats should be located 6 feet away from the trainers table.

Accommodates AV: Yes. Will accommodate equipment well. If a group is larger than 40 participants, consider using projected images on a large screen so everyone can view the presentation.

Legend
Portable PA System
Multimedia Lectern
PA Speaker
Wireless Microphone

Variations of Theatre Style

Semicircular:
A slight bend is added to the rows to give a feeling of togetherness. Not recommended for large groups because much floor space is wasted.

Chevron or "V":
Seats are aligned in straight rows, angled at 30 degrees facing the instructor or visual presentation. Again, used to create more harmony in the group.

Room Size	Audience Size	Appropriate Sound System	Wireless Amp	Speakers
2,500 sq. ft.	Up to 500 people	SW720 iPad, iPhone, iPod Wireless PA System	SW720, built-in UHF 16	Built-in full range speaker
10,000 sq. ft.	Up to 1,000 people	SW222 Audio Portable Buddy	SW222, Amp with built-in wireless receiver	Built-in Jensen design
10,000 sq. ft.	Up to 2,500 people	SW800 Titan Portable PA	Built-in digital UHF 16-channel wireless receiver	Built-in full range speaker
25,000 sq. ft.	Up to 3,000 people	SW227 UHF 8-Channel Wireless Powered Speaker Voice Projector Kit	SW225 Voice Projector Amp with build in receiver	Built-in Jensen design
25,000 sq. ft.	Up to 7,500 people	SW915 Audio Travel Partner	SW915 Build in Digital UHF 16-channel wireless receiver	Two NEO Woofers and dynamic compression driver
30,000 sq. ft.	Up to 5,000 people	SW630 Half-mile Hailer Kits	SW610A Amp with built-in wireless receiver	Tapered, weather-resistant horn

AmpliVox Release New Version of Digital Audio Travel Partner

AmpliVox Sounds Systems is excited to announce the release of an updated version of our popular SW915 Digital AudioTravel Partner—our all-in-one portable PA system.

Still only 35 lbs and capable of reaching crowds of up to 7,500 people, our Digital Audio Travel Partner is equal parts power and portability, and now has several new features.

We doubled the number of UHF channels in the wireless receiver, from eight to 16, so you’ll have an even easier time connecting to your lapel, handheld, or headset microphone—up to 200 feet away.

We also added a new battery monitor that shows the status of the device’s built-in rechargeable battery, which lasts up to ten hours on a single charge.

And in keeping with our desire to offer customers customizable equipment to better meet their unique audio needs, the Digital Audio Travel Partner now houses five additional expansion slots that allow for your choice of factory-installed audio features. These custom audio features include the S9112 Lapel/Headset Mic, the S9122 Handheld Mic, the S9127 Flesh Tone Mic, the S9150 Cassette Tape Recorder/Player, and the S9160 Digital MP3 Player/Recorder.

One of the reasons we continually evaluate and update our products is so they can best utilize today’s technologies. Using our S1732 adapter, we equipped the Digital Audio Travel Partner to allow iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices to seamlessly connect to the 250W speaker for crystal clear sound. 

For more information on the Digital Audio Travel Partner, head over to our website where we spotlight a series of videos that showcase the device’s features and just how versatile it is. Check out the video below for a teaser, and let us know what you think on Twitter and Facebook.

Multimedia Lectern with built-in LCD Monitor and Stereo Speakers

Dan Kreusch with AmpliVox Sound Systems is here to speak to you about our Visionary Multimedia Lectern. The lectern has a 17” monitor built-in which can be used to display a PowerPoint presentation, a company brand or logo, or a full motion video to reinforce your presentation.

AmpliVox’s Visionary Lectern offers dynamic editing capability, a feature not available on competitive units, which allows the display to be changed to customize your presentation for your audience.

The SN3265 has a 17” LCD Screen built-in along with stereo speakers in the bottom of the monitor. The top reading surface of the lectern has a one touch flip up data port, that allows connectivity to a laptop with a VGA input, a 3.5 mm audio input as well as a AC power jack.

The unit is on wheels so it is easy to move, the casters in the back actually lock so once you get the lectern in place you can lock the lectern down so it won’t move during your presentation.

When the presentation is over, you can easily unlock those casters move the lectern into a different classroom, a different area of the company, from the board room to the CEO’s office for a small meeting.

For more information on the SN3265 Visionary Lectern or any of our multimedia lecterns please visit:
http://www.ampli.com/multimedia-podium/

Product Spec Sheet: SN3265 Visionary Multimedia Lectern

AmpliVox Offers Custom Logos For Lecterns and Podiums

What do Coca Cola, Dow Chemical, Northwestern University, and the United States Coast Guard have in common?

They are all proud owners of an AmpliVox Sound Systems lectern with a customized logo.

A custom tabletop lectern

We live in a time when consumers are inundated with advertisements and communications in every corner of our culture, which makes strong branding pivotal to a company or organization’s public awareness and overall success. With this in mind, AmpliVox is happy to offer custom logos in conjunction with our different lines of lecterns and podiums.

To create your logo, AmpliVox provides a variety of engraving and durable mounting options including vinyl, PVC, acrylic and aluminum. You can also decide upon different finishes like gloss, semi-gloss and matte, as well as different background textures that will personalize your lectern and ensure it compliments your event setting or place of use. Click the "read more" button below to see examples of our custom offerings.

Read more »

Mini Megaphone can cover up to 100 yards, lightweight at 2 lbs.

For smaller groups and venues, a mini megaphone is a lightweight solution when you need to be heard loud and clear. High quality sound in a smaller size, the mini bullhorns have an effective range of 100 yards and can cover a group of up to 50 people. Easy to carry and to store in a convenient travel size makes the megaphone a useful tool for crowd control, emergency management, group training and event announcements.

S600 - Mini-Meg 10-Watt Megaphone

• Siren function
• Adjustable Volume Control
• Attached carrying strap
• Folds for easily portability
• up to 20 hours continuous talk time
• Requires 4 D-Cell batteries (not included)

Get their attention with the S600 Mini-Meg’s siren function and adjustable volume control. The S600 Mini-Meg 10 Watt megaphone is constructed from durable ABS plastic and is made to take abuse.

Folds for easy portability with its attached carrying strap and operates for up to 20 continuous hours on four D-cell batteries.

S604 - Safety Strobe Megaphone

• Flash strobe light
• Voice Record / Playback feature
• Battery Indicator Light (High, Medium, Low)
• Talk, siren and whistle functions
• up to 30 hours of continuous talk time
• Requires 8 AA batteries (not included)

Our S604 Safety Strobe Megaphone has an emergency flashing strobe light near its mouthpiece and flashlight feature built into the bell of the megaphone to establish command and control in the dark.

The record and play feature allows you to record a message and play back, saving your voice. Talk, siren, and whistle functions available with battery indicator lights that reaffirms power status.

For more information on the S600 Mini-Meg Megaphone or S604 Safety Strobe Megaphone please visit:
http://www.ampli.com/megaphones/

Product Spec Sheet: S600 Mini-Meg 10-Watt Megaphone Product Spec Sheet: S604 Safety Strobe Megaphone

AmpliVox Military Lecterns Showcase Support For The Troops

At AmpliVox Sound Systems, we love the troops, which is why we love showcasing our popular line of Military Multimedia Lecterns.

A member of our Pinnacle Podium series, the Military Multimedia Lecterns are made from a hard shell plastic, so it stands strong in the face of any weather conditions while also remaining light enough to maintain mobility. These features have made it an ideal tool to use at military-related meetings, presentations, and training events—on or off base.  

One look at these lecterns and you’ll immediately notice the eye-catching service seals of the US Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard adorning the front of the panel. In addition, each lectern can be customized by color so it better compliments each specific branch of service, making it truly unique.

In addition to choosing your desired service seal, you also have the option of selecting additional audio features you would like built into the lectern. The SN3254 model comes without built-in sound, which is perfect if you envision using it for smaller gatherings. If you already have an existing audio system, the ST3254 model will seamlessly connect to it with a built-in XLR cable and output functions. If you’re interested in reaching a bigger crowd; the SW3254 model comes equipped with a built-in wireless sound system and 50 watt amplifier that guarantees sound to 1,500 people.

“We’re pleased to be able to provide this unique lectern for our customers in the military,” said Don Roth, CEO of AmpliVox. “The men and women of our Armed Forces deserve the best equipment for every purpose, and this product’s versatility and attractiveness makes it worthy of them.”

If you’re interested in our special GSA Advantage pricing for the Military Multimedia Lectern, please give us a call at 800-267-5486 to learn more.

 

                        

Community Outreach: Breast Cancer Awareness in 2012

Following on the heels of its popular “Pink Podium Promise”, AmpliVox launched in 2012 a companion donation program providing free Pink Megaphones to support breast cancer awareness organizations. AmpliVox gave away over 300 free Pink Podiums and Pink Mini-megaphones to breast cancer awareness groups to use at their events, meetings, and presentations.

At the starting gun in Central Park for the 2012 Komen Greater NYC Race for the Cure, race participants were guided by staffers armed with bright pink megaphones, delivering instructions and encouragement along their route.

The distinctive “Pink Power” bullhorn was adapted from AmpliVox’s versatile S600 Mini-Meg 10-Watt Megaphone, an all-weather portable 10-watt sound system that can carry voices over 100 yards.

“We’re delighted to supply our pink power megaphones to the New York City Komen Race for the Cure,” commented AmpliVox CEO Don Roth.

“This event exemplifies the power of people coming together in a big way to accomplish great things, and AmpliVox’s megaphones will improve communication every step of the way. We’re happy to do our part in what we hope that this will be another record-setting year for fundraising in the continuing fight against breast cancer.”

AmpliVox’s corporate commitment to the fight against breast cancer began in 2009 with the launch of the “Pink Podium Promise” donation program. Inspired by a family member who served as a breast cancer advocate and public speaker, AmpliVox CEO Don Roth had his company’s popular polyurethane lecterns manufactured in the signature pink color of the breast cancer awareness movement to support its cause.

The lecterns soon appeared center stage at medical conferences, races, breast health seminars, and other events. Over 200 AmpliVox Pink Promise lecterns have been distributed to organizations nationwide, including a significant number to Komen for the Cure local affiliates.

Melissa Aucoin, Manager of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Series commented, "The entire Susan G. Komen for the Cure family is grateful to AmpliVox for this generous and useful Pink Podium donation program. We expect that these pink podiums will be centerpieces at many of our events in the future."

For more information on the Pink Podium Promise Program, or S600 Mini-Meg 10-Watt Megaphone please visit:
http://www.ampli.com/community-outreach/pink-podium-promise.aspx

Product Spec Sheet: S600 Mini-Meg 10-Watt Megaphone

Dangers of Cheerleading, Cheerleading Injuries, Statistics, and PA Systems

Below is an infographic called "Cheerleaders Fly High, and So Do Their Risks" which has many statistics regarding the safety of cheerleading. One of the many causes of cheerleading injuries is a lack of proper communication equipment for performances and practices.

Many AmpliVox PA systems and megaphones below would be great additions to any cheerleading squad for several reasons:

1. They are portable and battery powered
2. They powerfully project your voice
3. They were designed for easy use
4. They bear the AmpliVox name--which means quality

Cheerleading PA Systems:

• Mity-Lite Personal PA System
• iPod Wireless PA System
• Mity-Vox Rechargeable PA System
• Mity-Meg Megaphones
• Digital Audio Travel Partner
• Wireless Audio Portable Buddy

Cheerleading Blogs:

• Can Your Cheerleaders Be Heard Above the Noise?
• The Best Portable PA Systems for Cheerleaders