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.

What's Your Story: Elizabeth (Liz) Glover Wilson

Full name: Liz Glover Wilson, CMP, CSEP
Age: 36
Hometown: Yorktown Heights, NY
Current position: President and Founder, Elizabeth Rose Consulting, LLC
Education: B.A., Mercy College - Business Management
Years in the industry: 15

How I got to here in 10 words or less: Hard work, amazing opportunities and many blessings.

As a young artist, I aspired to be a fashion designer and headed to NYC to attend F.I.T. Very soon after arriving, I realized that the fashion industry was not for me. I did not know what else I wanted to do so I secured a job as an Administrative Assistant. In my early days as an Admin, I was always looking for creative projects to take on as an outlet for my creativity and to keep me from total boredom. I worked hard and gave all my projects a 110%.

My mom always taught us to do every task to the best of our ability and to remember that you never know "who is watching." Little did I know that would apply to that particular chapter in my life. After a couple of years in that role, the President of our company offered me a unique opportunity - to build an events department from the ground up. Now the fact was I had no actual professional event experience, but what I did have was a unique blend of strong instinct for events, a high level of work ethics, a load of creativity and good people skills.

I spent about 10 years building the corporate events department. Starting out was hard and I felt very isolated, as I was the only one in the company given this task and had no access to historical data or internal resources. I had to build it all by myself. The first thing I did was to broaden my education and scope of support so that I could be successful with my new task.
I signed up for a course at NYU and learned as much as I could about corporate event planning. Dianne Devitt was my first mentor and still a very valuable part of my life till this day.

Additionally, I volunteered for the local chapter of ISES (International Special Events Society) and quickly was elected to the board of directors as Director of Communications. I stayed on the Board for 10 Years and was President in 2007-2008. I learned so much from my fellow industry colleagues and from other board members. My experience and educations was truly priceless.

I worked hard. I studied everything and collected mentors. I volunteered and took classes. When I resigned my corporate job to start my own consulting firm, I was truly proud of the journey and the department I built. Till this day, the department is strong and my old team is just terrific.

Starting my own business has been a tremendous joy and I owe a lot of my current success to my years of building relationships, expanding my education and being willing to give back to the industry. I do not under-estimate the power of giving back. My new business, in fact, is all about that. I launched Elizabeth Rose Consulting which focuses on event management and fundraising support for non-profit organizations. Each day, we work to give to non-profits the support they need so they can give back to those in our community and world who need services. It is extremely fulfilling.

How I Believe Others Can Get There, Too
My journey is unique in someways, as being an event professional was not my original goal. I did not actively pursue it . . .the profession "found me." However, the most important advice I can give to others regardless of how their journey starts is to first be honest with yourself, then go out and volunteer, know your boundaries and then get ready to work hard for what you want. Oh and did I mention you must have patience.

Be Honest With Yourself - Why do you want to be in this profession? Be honest. Do you think it is glamorous? Do you think it will be fun? Do you think it will be like planning your wedding? Understand "why" you really want to do this. Then get some honest feedback from those inside the industry. Go in with eyes wide open.

Volunteer - I still volunteer these days. You can learn so much about different types of events,styles, processes, etc. You also can learn alot about yourself and explore your strengths and weaknesses. Just recently, I volunteered for CGI and realized that I enjoyed dealing with diplomats from other countries. Did not know that about myself!

Know Your Boundaries - Once you have dedicated yourself to this journey, it is important to know your boundaries both personally and professionally. They do not call the events industry the "burn out" industry for no reason. Many event professionals go at a fast pace for many years and just exhaust themselves. My advice is to set boundaries from the very beginning. For example, commit to taking at least one full day off a week - no blackberry - just shut down. Treat yourself to a spa once a month. Be committed to healthful eating and exercise. I know it sounds a bit extreme, but it can make a difference.

Working Hard - It is very simple to me. What you put in is what you will get out. I was not a success overnight. Years of hard work and dedication did pay off and I am proud of that.
Be Patient - To be a true expert in any field you have to build experience. It takes 10 years or 10,000 hours to be considered an expert, so get relaxed. . .it is going to be a long ride.

Skills you need: Strong instinct. Good writing and communication skills. Exceptional multi-tasking skills. Management ability. Highly organized.

Where you should start: There are planning jobs in every profession; non-profit, law firms, politics, sports, hospitals, corporations, hotels, venues, clubs, camps, parks and recreation, schools, places of worship, and more. Join a local networking groups, such as AFP, MPI, ISES, COPE, HSMAI and NYEP and look for volunteer opportunities and postings.

Best Advice: Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.