What sets you apart from your competition?
Is it the services you offer or the types of events that you produce? Is it your qualifications or the value that you bring to the table?
One thing that sets me apart is I don’t fish in the same pond as my competitors. You might say – that’s an odd statement, what the heck do you mean?
It means that I turn my focus outside my industry – the corporate event industry to see what others are doing.
I look at weddings to see what they are doing. I want to pay attention to B to C companies (business to consumer) and at B to B companies (business to business). I want to know the latest trends in interior design, fashion, catering, and florals and ask myself how I can infuse these trends into my designs.
When you are only looking inside your industry, things can get stale really quickly. What is your competition doing? Are you seeing the same thing over and over again? It’s on the rinse and repeat cycle. That friend isn’t innovative and won’t get you very far.
SO how can you stay fresh and set yourself apart from your competition?
- Head to your local Anthropologie and dissect the way they are merchandising their product displays
- Do a site visit of a hotel – the lobby interiors will spark inspiration
- Go to a hot new restaurant and look at the floor and the bathrooms (I know random – but it works)
- Watch Emily in Paris (a new show on Netflix) or maybe a documentary or music video
- Travel (even locally)
- Go to new home developments and check out the models and the backyards
- Flip through travel magazines and interior design magazines (Departures Magazine and Architectural Digest are favorites as is Conde Nast Traveler)
- Watch any awards show or concert (the Grammy’s, the Oscars, or the half-time show of the Superbowl)
Do you think your competition is doing that? Most likely not.
The best part – if you’re an independent event planner or you work for a corporation in the events department – all of these tips will help you differentiate your events.
These are really easy things you can do right now that is going to set you apart from your competition. It’s also going to bring fresh ideas that you can implement into corporate gifting or virtual events.
By the way, I’m offering a free guide on how to create better engagement with your virtual events…talk about setting yourself apart from your competition. Snag that!
