Aaron Rehberg, CCSB President

03/03/26 | Speaker Showcase

16 Lessons Meeting Planners Can Apply

I’m going into rapid fire mode here. Some of these things we knew already.  Some we learned.

• Start planning early. Venue selection and speaker selection are easiest when options are available.
• Be intentional on where food is placed, where lunch will be held, and where breaks, snacks, and coffee are located. This might be obvious to most planners, but I always try to think about what it’s like when I attend the event as an audience member, not part of the event staff.
• Lighting on the stage is subtle and looks great if done properly. We had blue uplighting to match our brand that made the stage really pop.
• Make sure you are in lockstep with your AV team. Do a pre-walk (if possible) with them before locking in their services. Really explain to them the goals of your event and the content and entertainment you wish to deliver. Ask them who would be their best technician that aligns with your event. For instance, we communicated that we would be having four keynotes that incorporated music. Our AV team tapped their technician who was formerly a DJ. This helped with audio transitions, vocals, and multiple mic transitions.
• AV Part 2. This should be a team, not just another vendor. Treat them like gold. Spoil them, feed them, and tip them after the event. You need them working 110% on your event, and their focus and solutions focused attitude is so important. Katheryne had our script and run of show so dialed in, I was a proud husband and business partner when AV told us this is 99% more thought out, clear, and detailed than anything else they work on. That same AV team went on to produce the Nate Bargatze comedy show later that week, so we will definitely take that as a compliment.
• AV Part 3. Floor speakers for the win. If you have a keynote speaker or any musical element, floor speakers are a must. Do not trust the old in-ceiling speakers to elevate your event. I tell planners this all the time. Yes, this is worth the investment.
• Hire an Emcee. Your executives deserve to be present with their people. Think about how little most companies get together as a large group in person. Do you want your CEO, VP, or President thinking about their script and whether or not the event is running on time all day? Or do you want them having meaningful conversations with attendees and really capturing the pulse of their team’s culture? It’s win win.
• Cell phone coverage in the room. Ask the hotel sales team and AV team how coverage is. Test it yourself. Make sure you have a hotel or venue WiFi slide so everyone is connected. Our showcase room had really poor cell coverage, which impacted survey completion and one speaker’s live survey participation.
• Scout all food and lunch breaks ahead of time. This is meeting planner 101, but it’s important. This one bit us at lunch, no pun intended! The hotel was slow opening the buffet line, which caused a delay when attendees were ready to eat. My own lesson relearned.
• On event day, don’t sweat the details too much. The work you did up until this point should be sufficient. Your audience will not notice the little details, so enjoy the day and wear a smile.
• Audience attention bandwidth matters. Normally I’d say 90 minutes is the max between breaks. Beyond that, attention drops and people leave the room.  I was at a corporate event earlier this year that went nearly 3 hours without a break.  It was uncomfortable.
• Food costs have skyrocketed. Our food costs were nearly 100% more than they were in 2024. Plan accordingly.
• Touch base with your speaker well in advance. If you’re working with a bureau, that’s our job. If you’re not, proactively confirm their arrival.
• Swag gifts matter less than you think. Consumables and useful items performed best. Chocolates and books were hits. Blue light glasses were not.
• Swag Conclusion: Consumables are good. If it’s not a really nice item or something very intentional to help remember the event, it had better be consumable. Otherwise it’s costing you time and money.
• Raffle prizes were very well received. Focus on quality brands that attendees value.

Exploring Keynote Options for Your 2026 Event?

Now that we’ve walked a mile in the proverbial meeting planner’s shoes, what events are you planning this year? Are you currently evaluating keynote options?

Let’s have a conversation about your event. 

One thing’s for sure. Our team at Capitol City Speakers Bureau cares about your event. We are not just a speaker booking organization. We work with all industries and all budgets, giving us a unique perspective on events. Let us bring strategy, not just speakers, to your next meeting or event.

We had such a fantastic showcase and I couldn’t be more proud of our team for pulling it off while keeping our national business running smoothly without interruption. Thank you to all the amazing Speakers and Clients who supported our event.

Our website is now up-to-date with all Speaker Showcase Videos. Head over to the Showcase page to check out more footage.

I look forward to talking with you soon and can’t wait to hear what you thought of this post.