USP:Unique Selling Proposition or MUSP: MY Unique Selling Proposition

This evening, I found the time to jump on a free webinar hosted by a successful west coast event professional. She hosts webinars and seminars (some free and others not) quite frequently and I always have best intentions to participate but it was not until today (almost 3 years since I met her when she was speaking at The Special Event Conference in San Diego) that I got my tush in gear to login and hear what she had to say.

There were several things that stuck with me but the one that was most eye opening was USP: Unique Selling Proposition. While this is not a unique term (finding your niche, your specialty, the one thing that sets you apart from others in your field) what really got my heart beating faster was that I could finally figure out what my USP was!

I never realized it could be some skill set that I already had. (this just goes along with my linear way of thinking I suppose). I was always struggling to find that new spin, skill, idea, that I could offer that would set me apart from all of the other talented event professionals in the NYC area (and there are many).

During this webinar, she said, "if you are amazing at creating timelines, do it, if you make the tastiest cupcakes, sell it..."

I actually do make really thorough timelines and production schedules but would never have thought of this as a way to sell myself. One step further.. to market myself as someone who could just create your event/meeting timeline, perhaps that is something you need to kick start you for your event/meeting and then off you go confidently planning your event with your road map that I have just created for you...hmmm.

I thought a bit further about my staff training and preparation materials and how much I enjoy training staff for events (and the positive feedback I have received from the staff and client every time I am in the position to do this) and producing the most clear and thorough materials so that all staff are prepared. Wow, another skill set I have that I took for granted and never thought to use as a USP.

Ok, so for those of you who know me, this is likely a DUH, Jenn moment, but when you are so close to something, like yourself ;) you cannot always see things as closely as you would like.

Lastly for now, I am great at building relationships with vendors and non-profit committees (toot-toot). My goal when partnering with vendors is to really bring them in as a partner and have them feel as though they are a part of my team. With committees, well I am quite seasoned at managing their expectations, with over 10 years working with high net worth and high society boards and trustees, you either sink or swim.

So, how exciting, I did not have to look outside my current skill set to find my USP!
That does not mean I will not continue to seek something new and exciting in order to add another badge to my sash (girl scout reference). However, what a relief to see that it does not have to be something unique to make me unique (if you are following me).

Good way to end my day.

From Film school to Fundraising...say that 3 times fast

I've often been asked for tips on getting your foot in the door for the events industry, how I personally got into the industry and what I think about non-profit events (which is where I do most of my event work currently).

The short answer is volunteer, happenstance, and it can be tough but equally rewarding.

Now that can be the end of this blog, but it might be more interesting and possibly even helpful to my huge following of 4 people (insert sarcasm here) if I elaborate.

I wanted to be an actor but knowing the response I would get from my family I decided instead to work behind the camera, where maybe I would have a slightly better chance at earning a steady pay check. So, I studied film in college.

After college while I was working in film I unknowingly was gaining experience in producing and managing projects and events...whether it was a film premiere or an awards show. The film industry can be a tough biz and as a naive girl in her early 20's I was easily consumed and spit out. The web world was booming and start up companies were abound, so I got a job as a junior web designer at exactly the time all the companies were about to bust.

While collecting unemployment I thought long and hard about what I enjoyed doing. What I came up with was planning events. I reconfigured my resume so that the listings were by job type rather than chronological and landed a job at NYU planning Academic and Alumni events...during that time I also enrolled in NYU's continuing education program certificate program where I met mentors like Dianne Devitt and Richard Aaron who introduced me to ISES. I quickly joined and started to volunteer on any event that would have me. After a bit people started offering me compensation for my work (how cool was that). On the home front I saw an opportunity to advance at NYU and took at position in the development office managing fundraising events...a totally different animal. I learned quickly the art of asking for money, managing the expectations of board members, committee members, trustees and appeasing sponsors. Whoa, what a lot of letter writing...I would like to publicly apologize to all the trees and say that their lives were not taken in vain. The solicitation letters were pivotal in generating much needed funds for the many programs and treatments at the hospital.

I felt like I was hitting my stride, feeling good about events and getting more involved in ISES, (freelancing on other types of events as much as possible) eventually producing the Big Apple Awards Gala, joining the board and helping produce the NE Regional Education Conference (REC). During this time I was itching to grow and felt I had learned all I could at NYU. So after 6+ years I left one acronym for one that was a bit longer, MSKCC (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center).

Two years later I am still managing events for The Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center...a one-of-a kind volunteer board with a more than 60 year history. During this time I garnered valuable exposure to high society, celebrities and high fashion (I wish I could say my wardrobe has improved accordingly). Simultaneously, I launched my own event company...Clockwork Events...that is just in the infant stage....I should also mention that I studied my tush off and achieved both the CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) and CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional) designations.--both well respected achievements in the meeting and event industry that I highly recommend obtaining.

Oddly enough, my personal trainer husband, wrote and independently produced (and starred in) a feature film that just wrapped shooting this summer. http://achieveyourdreamsatanycost.blogspot.com/ So I feel that I've come full circle from film to fundraising to film? Maybe, I wouldn't want to be a publicity assistant at Miramax Films again, but I'd be happy producing premieres or the Oscars or any event for a studio...bring it on, I can do it.

My suggestions...volunteer, join event organizations, subscribe to event publications most are online right now--(there are many...some of my favs are BizBash, Best Events, Event Solutions, Special Events), ...tweet, follow tweets, read blogs, volunteer, did I say volunteer? For me I'm not sure how much longer I will stay on the non-profit side of events, I feel I have been type cast, however, I do feel like I have priceless skills as a result and know that I can produce all types of events.

In my next post I hope to be able to share another event professional's story in how they got where they are today and their suggestions for "making it" in the industry.

I hope this is helpful.

Productions big and small

My husband wrote a screenplay over three years ago. A couple of years ago he picked up the script, dusted it off, and decided to rewrite it into something he could make into a feature film.

Jonathan is a personal trainer with a master's degree in acting. In the entire time I have known him he has never gone on one audition or peformed anything other than kareoke (he does a mean "Whip It" by Devo). He still had the acting itch though and wanted to use his screenplay to scratch it.

Having gone to film school for my undergraduate degree and worked on the set of a major motion picture I have been witness to the complexity and downright insanity that working on a film set (either as the talent or the crew) can be. Similar to being an event planner, in order to be good at your job on set you need to be able to juggle mulitple tasks at once, manage a wide array of stakeholders and stay organized and cool the entire time. Sitting on the set of Jonathan's film I find planning events very similar to running a film production, minus all the film terminology like Best Boy and Key Grip.

So where am I going with this? Well in two directions, actually...the first I just mentioned, is my realization that the management of shooting a film is a lot like managing an event. A film production is a type of event. So it is interesting to see how my husband (who is not a multitasker--how many men are?) is handling this new job.

The second is just that I am amazed, in awe really, of him. Here is a guy who said I am going to do this...stuck with it against all odds...scraped together just enough $, didn't let the nay-sayers stop him (and there were many)...and now his dream is becoming a reality.

I should mention he is not Directing this film. He is the Executive Producer and one of the two lead characters. However, as the budget is so low...the crew is not that experienced and my husband has found that he must be constantly overseeing every step of the production. And getting more involved in the day to day production (ie. is the crew getting fed? is the cast being given the proper call times and wardrobe information) then he expected or for that matter wanted.

What's next? He, of course, would hope this film will be his road to bigger and better things...however, he has said, "if all that comes of this film is that I can get theater filled with all my friends and family to see it I will be happy".

For more information about his film project check out: http://www.moviemoney.biz/

Shameless plug: you can make a donation to the project directly from the website using Paypal. Every little bit counts.

Check out my website while you are at it: www.clockworkevents.biz