Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Practical, prescriptive advice on successfully marketing your event planning business

Recent years have been tough on the event planning industry. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, economic downturns, wars, and SARS have all negatively impacted the business. There are fewer corporate dollars dedicated to travel budgets and special events, creating even more pressure on businesses in an already highly competitive industry. This book tells you all you need to know to market your business and build your client base in good times and bad.

Marketing Your Event Planning Business shows you how to gain a competitive advantage by setting yourself apart from the competition, 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, improve your customer service, establish emergency business plans, and much more.

Marketing Your Event Planning Business is packed with practical tips and examples, giving you creative new ways to showcase your talents, build your business, and bring added value to your clients.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

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

Author notes provided by Syndetics