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Greetings!
I hope this edition of EPA Quick tips finds you well. Today, I have the honor of announcing our new
blog, The Event Planners Guide Book! The
Guide Book will provide a behind-the-scenes road map to building a successful
event planning business. It will offer insight from industry experts on topics ranging from marketing, certification and industry trends to liability insurance, incorporation and contracts.
If you have read any of my materials you already know I am all about teaching
you how to market your company. In
today's internet climate, a blog is the hub of almost all social media marketing
plans. So, as we develop and refine our
SM plan, I decided I would set up a blog myself! Now, this was a very interesting and I must
admit, somewhat intimidating process as I am a technical neophyte. I know what to do, just not how to
technically do it.
The blog is not perfect and if you visit regularly you will see the changes and
improvements I make along the way. I will show you how you
can do what I did (probably easier too) and teach you what I learn along the
way. If you already have a blog, then perhaps
you can help me (lol). Anyway, check it
out and let me know what you think... The Event Planners Guide Book.
On another note, I have included an article from Kevin
Cohee, an event planner I met at BizBash LA in June. His wit, candor, knowledge and dedication to
the profession were so evident that I asked him to write an article for
you. I think you will enjoy True
Confessions of a Professional Event Planner below.
Have a great week and I will meet you over on the blog.
Wishing you the best,
Kim
Kim Sullivan
Senior VP, Chief Marketing Officer
www.eventplannersassociation.com
ksullivan@eventplannersassociation.com
866-380-3372
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Looking for Great Event Photos and Video for EPA Video ~
We are producing a short video to be used on our website and at trade shows and would love to include your video and photos. Please email your questions or video/photos to Kim by 8/4/10.
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True Confessions of a Professional Event Planner ~
by Kevin Cohee, Do An Event
After being
hired to help produce a custom home show, I immediately
got my feet wet with
BIG  challenges. This 5 week show required bulldozers to prepare parking
lots, sewer connections to our temporary office, 9 phone lines for credit card
sales, and 7 motor-coaches running consecutively for 12 hours a day.
Other challenges included: field fires, encroaching wildlife, exploding
electric transformers, an emergency life flight, calculating food sales and
scheduling hundreds of volunteers. I know, many of you are thinking
"that's nothing, I had an elephant die during a performance," but this event
became the foundation of my newborn event planning career. Here are five secret skills all
professional event planners possess: 1. Grammar The most
challenging skill I honed was creative writing. I write emails,
proposals, website entries, scopes of work, contracts, billing, inquiries,
requests for proposals, marketing pieces and even articles. Early on, I
asked a journalist friend to critique almost every piece of correspondence I
created. Those red-marked revisions really stay with you and I learned to
turn to the dictionary and thesaurus and look at synonyms in a whole new light.
2. Mathematics Jack of all trades perfectly describes most
event planners, so don't wait
until you are on-site and the generator provider
is about to leave to learn how many watts of power your event actually
requires. Avoid the dreaded "where's the breaker-box?" when "Lights,
Camera, Action" is called out. Mastering math now becomes a subtle tool;
calculating amps, watts, ounces, pounds, inches, yards and of course dollars.
Who knew ordering a linen table cloth would second-guess my ability to
multiply? These vital elements that help make us and our event look
incredible are like little children with their own needs. To learn how
these independent providers join in unison, I volunteered at large public
events.
Click here to learn the other secret skills.
"If we don't make it 'special' then why hire a special event planner?"
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Upcoming Conferences & Trade Shows ~
BizBash Expo & Awards Chicago 8/19
It's more important than ever for event professionals to network, learn,
and
share ideas with each  other on how to make today's challenges tomorrow's
opportunities. Join event industry peers for one great day of education,
inspiration and a show floor filled with the latest products and resources.
Get ready to BASH the expected, BASH mediocrity, and BASH the ordinary! Visit the BizBash website to learn more, and register using
priority code BBEPA2010 to receive a 20 percent discount on the
conference or show floor pass.
Stay tuned for information on BizBash NYC - 10/27.
_________________________________________
Small Market Meetings Conference Shreveport 10/4-6
Small Market Meetings, the national newspaper for smaller cities which
features
sites for smaller  delegations, has invited EPA members and friends to its first
annual conference to be held October 4-6 in Shreveport, LA. Meeting
planners will have the opportunity to learn from industry experts and meet
one-on-one with meeting and travel industry professionals from around the
country.
Contact Kim Dolan at 800-628-0993 for details. Visit the SMMC website. |
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Thank you for taking the time to read this edition of EPA Event Quick Tips. We invite you to visit us at our website and EPA Forum. Watch your inbox for the August edition of The EPA Advocate.
Join our community on  and  . Follow Kim on .
Still need to become an official member of the Event Planners Association?
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