Background on engage!08 {warning::long but worth it I promise!!!}:
After many, many years of dreaming, planning, researching and just plain talking [incessantly!] about this concept - we are finally doing it and taking the plunge! The official 'emma-powered' email blast has gone out and so there is no turning back -- engage!08 is here!
We are thrilled to finally make this happen. Why? Quite simply - in my 17+ years in the wedding industry there has never been anything like engage!. Never. And I have tried - with some better experiences than others - I have tried, mostly in vain, to attend wedding events and shows and conferences over the years to make them 'work' for me. But it always seems as if I am trying to put a square peg in a round hole!
After many, many years of dreaming, planning, researching and just plain talking [incessantly!] about this concept - we are finally doing it and taking the plunge! The official 'emma-powered' email blast has gone out and so there is no turning back -- engage!08 is here!
We are thrilled to finally make this happen. Why? Quite simply - in my 17+ years in the wedding industry there has never been anything like engage!. Never. And I have tried - with some better experiences than others - I have tried, mostly in vain, to attend wedding events and shows and conferences over the years to make them 'work' for me. But it always seems as if I am trying to put a square peg in a round hole!
Either the events are really focused for the consumer and I am there to try and network, learn about new trends and generally educate myself but in reality taking up valuable time and attention that should be spent on the real target - the bride. Or, they are related 'industry events' for catering or event or photography professionals with a [very] minor focus on marketing to the wedding industry as a whole. Some are targeted to the wedding professional but are too broad in scope and focus on the novice or mass-market professional. Or they are hospitality or travel sales and marketing conferences - and don't even get me started on those...weddings are truly the 'black sheep' of that group....sigh!
I have tried it all - and so have many, many other amazing and talented and successful wedding professionals looking to educate themselves on the tricky art of marketing, selling and servicing the wedding industry. I have met countless other luxury wedding professionals in all aspects of the business who are dying to learn more, meet more and do more with 'like colleagues' who are focused on the high-end weddings in this crazy, fun, "glamorous" field that we have all chosen.
One of the focuses of this first engage! event will be to help wedding professionals have their 'passion meet profit.' Because if there is one thing that this industry has no shortage of - it is PASSION! Passion at every level. And the profit part - well I know that as creative professionals at our core - we could all use a bit of focus on that...*wink!*
I have tried it all - and so have many, many other amazing and talented and successful wedding professionals looking to educate themselves on the tricky art of marketing, selling and servicing the wedding industry. I have met countless other luxury wedding professionals in all aspects of the business who are dying to learn more, meet more and do more with 'like colleagues' who are focused on the high-end weddings in this crazy, fun, "glamorous" field that we have all chosen.
One of the focuses of this first engage! event will be to help wedding professionals have their 'passion meet profit.' Because if there is one thing that this industry has no shortage of - it is PASSION! Passion at every level. And the profit part - well I know that as creative professionals at our core - we could all use a bit of focus on that...*wink!*
I want to celebrate that passion and really help the best get even better! The power of collaborating, sharing ideas and partnering together is priceless.
I am honored and beyond thrilled that my long-time friends and industry legends, Preston Bailey and Marcy Blum have graciously agreed to come down to Celebration to be a part of this first engage! - words cannot even express how excited I am about that. The president of Preston Bailey Designs and one of the most brilliant minds in wedding marketing and brand building today, Sean Low, will also be on hand which is very cool.
Over the years, whenever we are together, we discuss our businesses and the industry as a whole endlessly. I always come away from these exchanges re-energized, motivated, inspired and renewed - thinking about things in a whole new way. I want to try and capture the essence of some of those conversations and share the insights from them with others.
I am honored and beyond thrilled that my long-time friends and industry legends, Preston Bailey and Marcy Blum have graciously agreed to come down to Celebration to be a part of this first engage! - words cannot even express how excited I am about that. The president of Preston Bailey Designs and one of the most brilliant minds in wedding marketing and brand building today, Sean Low, will also be on hand which is very cool.
Over the years, whenever we are together, we discuss our businesses and the industry as a whole endlessly. I always come away from these exchanges re-energized, motivated, inspired and renewed - thinking about things in a whole new way. I want to try and capture the essence of some of those conversations and share the insights from them with others.
Special guest speaker Simon T. Bailey - a former Disney colleague of mine and now international best selling author of "Release Your Brilliance" published by Harper-Collins - will lead an inspiring and motivating session guaranteed to examine your potential, insight, genius, innovation, and ideas – just waiting to be released. Truly transformational!
Susan Moynihan, editor-in-chief of "Destination Weddings & Honeymoons" magazine [and former Travel Editor of Modern Bride!] is on board bringing invaluable insight into the mind of today's destination wedding bride and also sharing some insider tips on getting the attention of editors in this overcrowded environment!
And 'new' cyber-friends who I personally am really excited about meeting in person, Liene Stevens of BlueOrchidDesigns and new blog TheSmartPlanner and Christine Boulton of ThinkLikeaBride.com will be joining us as well for what is sure to be a lively and highly informative panel discussion on leveraging new media and blogging to build your wedding business!
And of course - if you know me, read my Blog or have ever heard me speak...you are aware that I am NEVER at a loss for words regarding the business of the wedding industry. It has been my passion and my life for almost 18 years and I have SO MUCH to share - the hardest part for me is going to be decide what topics get covered and what concepts are included!! No easy feat for sure!
Wow - it is going to be an amazing, energizing and impactful day. And it will be special because it will be the first of its kind - so those of you who can take the [precious] time to join us will not be sorry.
Kathryn Arce [who is going to make this all happen!!!] and I invite you to call 407.566.2298 or email us at engage@engagingconcepts.com with any and all questions. One of the best aspects of engage!08 is going to be how intimate it is - how up close and personal, how interactive and how customized the messages and topics are going to be for YOU - the participant. That being said - space is limited by design - so if you are thinking about signing up - don't delay!!
Looking forward to an 'engaging' day together and to the square peg FINALLY fitting in the square hole!!!
Rebecca
And 'new' cyber-friends who I personally am really excited about meeting in person, Liene Stevens of BlueOrchidDesigns and new blog TheSmartPlanner and Christine Boulton of ThinkLikeaBride.com will be joining us as well for what is sure to be a lively and highly informative panel discussion on leveraging new media and blogging to build your wedding business!
And of course - if you know me, read my Blog or have ever heard me speak...you are aware that I am NEVER at a loss for words regarding the business of the wedding industry. It has been my passion and my life for almost 18 years and I have SO MUCH to share - the hardest part for me is going to be decide what topics get covered and what concepts are included!! No easy feat for sure!
Wow - it is going to be an amazing, energizing and impactful day. And it will be special because it will be the first of its kind - so those of you who can take the [precious] time to join us will not be sorry.
Kathryn Arce [who is going to make this all happen!!!] and I invite you to call 407.566.2298 or email us at engage@engagingconcepts.com with any and all questions. One of the best aspects of engage!08 is going to be how intimate it is - how up close and personal, how interactive and how customized the messages and topics are going to be for YOU - the participant. That being said - space is limited by design - so if you are thinking about signing up - don't delay!!
Looking forward to an 'engaging' day together and to the square peg FINALLY fitting in the square hole!!!
Rebecca
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1 comment:
Oh! I am just so excited to discover this! Passion meets profit - exactly what I love! Hope it will work with my schedule, as I would love to be there!
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