Marketing Your Event Planning Business

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 LivingTM (www.sensualhomeliving.com) and other initiatives.

• Acknowledgements xvPreface xviiPart 1: Marketability 1Chapter 1:Making Yourself Marketable 3Target Your Talents 4Distinguish Yourself and Your Company 10Manage Your Reputation 16Chapter 2:Acquiring Areas of Expertise 191. Business Development 282. Creative Design 303. Event Management 324. On-Site Production 345. Acquiring Expertise 35Chapter 3:Creating Your Niche 51Meeting a Need 53Specialty Market 56Income Driven 59Emotional Hot Buttons 62Specialized Expertise 64Part 2: Market Development 67Chapter 4:Defining Your Objective—Who Is Your Client? 69Visualization 72Research 74Development 75Planning 75Execution 77Reconciliation 77Chapter 5:Targeting Your Talents 81Matching Your Talents to Your Advance 85Chapter 6:Customizing Customer Service Requirements 99Expectation 102Excel 104Embrace 105Enlighten 107Educate 109Enrich 111Energize 112Excite 113Environment 115Employees 116Efficiency 118Evaluate 120Ethics and Etiquette 122Part 3: Marketing Endeavors 125Chapter 7:Marketing to Your Audience 129Lots of Energy 130A Platform 132A Strong Hook 134Sharp Focus 135Marketing Opportunities 136Chapter 8:Soliciting Sales: Innovative Ideas 147Creating Sales Opportunities in Unconventional Ways 150Bring About an Emotional Response 153Captivating a Client with Creative Concepts 158Chapter 9:The Value of Diversification 161Widening Your Existing Client Base 164Expanding Your Market 167Generating New Income Sources 169Chapter 10: Going Out on Your Own— Costs and Benefits 175Personal and Professional Independence 176Financial Freedom 177Unlimited Authority 178Costs and Benefits of Going Out on Your Own 179Conclusion 205Appendix A:Leading Internationally Recognized Industry Certifications 209Appendix B:Industry Associations and Councils 215Appendix C:Industry Magazines, Books, Online Publications and Resources 219Appendix D:Industry Conferences, Congresses, Trade Shows and Award Shows 223Appendix E:Sample Creative Concepts 225Sample A: Concept for Corporate Event 225Sample B: Concept for a Fundraising Event 229Sample C: Concept for a Theme Event 235Index 241