Marketing Your Event Planning Business: A Creative Approach to Gaining the Competitive Edge

"For event planners who are tired of being a well–kept secret, Marketing Your Event Planning Business offers invaluable advice on targeting talents and targeting clients. It′s a wonderful boost for event planners looking to expand their client base." —Lisa Hurley , Editor, Special Events Magazine Recent years have been tough on event planners and the special events industry. September 11, major economic downturns, wars and SARS have all hit the event planning industry hard. There are fewer corporate dollars than ever to go around for travel budgets and special events. In what was already a highly competitive industry, many planners and companies are struggling for their business survival. This book tells you all you need to know about how to market your event planning business and build a client base—in good times or in bad. Marketing Your Event Planning Business shows event planners and event management companies how to gain the competitive edge by setting themselves apart, pursuing new markets, and soliciting sales. It covers all the vital topics in event planning marketing, including how to: Diversify your client base Develop niche markets and areas of expertise Define and customize your customer service Establish a back–up plan for use during downturns Solicit sales and develop new business Market yourself within your company and in the industry Set up your own event planning business Marketing Your Event Planning Business is loaded with practical tips and examples, offering everyone in the event management business creative new ways to showcase their talents, build their business and bring added value to their clients.

Acknowledgements xv Preface xvii Part 1: Marketability 1 Chapter 1:Making Yourself Marketable 3 Target Your Talents 4 Distinguish Yourself and Your Company 10 Manage Your Reputation 16 Chapter 2:Acquiring Areas of Expertise 19 1. Business Development 28 2. Creative Design 30 3. Event Management 32 4. On–Site Production 34 5. Acquiring Expertise 35 Chapter 3:Creating Your Niche 51 Meeting a Need 53 Specialty Market 56 Income Driven 59 Emotional Hot Buttons 62 Specialized Expertise 64 Part 2: Market Development 67 Chapter 4:Defining Your Objective—Who Is Your Client? 69 Visualization 72 Research 74 Development 75 Planning 75 Execution 77 Reconciliation 77 Chapter 5:Targeting Your Talents 81 Matching Your Talents to Your Advance 85 Chapter 6:Customizing Customer Service Requirements 99 Expectation 102 Excel 104 Embrace 105 Enlighten 107 Educate 109 Enrich 111 Energize 112 Excite 113 Environment 115 Employees 116 Efficiency 118 Evaluate 120 Ethics and Etiquette 122 Part 3: Marketing Endeavors 125 Chapter 7:Marketing to Your Audience 129 Lots of Energy 130 A Platform 132 A Strong Hook 134 Sharp Focus 135 Marketing Opportunities 136 Chapter 8:Soliciting Sales: Innovative Ideas 147 Creating Sales Opportunities in Unconventional Ways 150 Bring About an Emotional Response 153 Captivating a Client with Creative Concepts 158 Chapter 9:The Value of Diversification 161 Widening Your Existing Client Base 164 Expanding Your Market 167 Generating New Income Sources 169 Chapter 10: Going Out on Your Own— Costs and Benefits 175 Personal and Professional Independence 176 Financial Freedom 177 Unlimited Authority 178 Costs and Benefits of Going Out on Your Own 179 Conclusion 205 Appendix A:Leading Internationally Recognized Industry Certifications 209 Appendix B:Industry Associations and Councils 215 Appendix C:Industry Magazines, Books, Online Publications and Resources 219 Appendix D:Industry Conferences, Congresses, Trade Shows and Award Shows 223 Appendix E:Sample Creative Concepts 225 Sample A: Concept for Corporate Event 225 Sample B: Concept for a Fundraising Event 229 Sample C: Concept for a Theme Event 235 Index 241

Judy Allen is one of the world′s leading authorities on staging, event and lifestyle design and the bestselling author of ten books for the professional, business and consumer markets. Allen, a master of creative design, has flawlessly executed successful special events–corporate, social, and celebrity–for up to 2,000 guests at a time in more than 30 countries around the world. She has designed and produced memorable events such as Disney′s worldwide theatrical opening–night gala for Beauty and the Beast , and the orchestration of Oscar–winning director Norman Jewison′s 25th anniversary celebration for Fiddler on the Roof . Highly skilled in staging events that are strategically designed to be one–of–kind experiences and a master of transforming the energy of an event environment by engaging the senses with trademark primary design principles, Allen has worked closely with CEOs, CFOs, presidents and their executive staff around the globe to create, implement and oversee their corporate and social business events. The many diverse events that Allen has designed and executed extend from complex one–day events to elaborate arrangements of theme productions taking place over the course of a week. These events ranged from very exclusive VIP events to multimillion–dollar, multimedia fantasy extravaganzas including seven new–car product launches and involved high–tech stage and show productions. Allen, and her 2jproductions (www.2jproductions.com) partner, Joe Shane, are now bringing their dynamic creative energy, innovative style and perceptive insight to home, life and lifestyle design and world class resorts around the world through Sensual Home Living TM (www.sensualhomeliving.com) and other initiatives.