Subscribing to and reading event planning publications on a regular basis are essential in being a good event planner. As an event planner you are not only expected to plan the event from start to finish, but you are also expected to be the idea person behind an event.

The Internet provides a wealth of information for event planners. There are many online event planner publications that you can choose from along with the more traditional mail order event planning magazines. When looking for good, informative event planning publications news and trends either online or through the mail consider:

1. Corporate meetings or events you will be planning and look for new trends in the corporate world such as go green conventions in corporate event magazines.

2. Bringing new ideas to old events through event planner publications.

3. Any charity events you are planning. In this every changing field you will need to keep up with the newest trends on a strict budget through magazines for event planners.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select an online corporate event magazine that will give you corporate events and meeting ideas

Corporate meetings and events can sometimes be boring or seem unorganized. A corporate meetings magazine can help you see what other people are doing to stay organized and freshen up meetings. Look at these meeting planner publications for tips.

I recommend: Meeting & Conventions Magazine a free online magazine focusing on meetings, conventions and other special corporate events. ConventionPlanit, another online event publication that connects you with corporate meeting planners all over the world and provides you with up to the minute news and trends.

Freshen up a special event with tips from an event planning magazine

Find out what other event planners in your area are doing. By joining an event planning club, you can network with other event planners in your area, exchange ideas, get discounts and get magazine subscriptions.

I recommend: International Special Events Society (ISES), a national event planning club that meets locally and helps you learn the latest news and trends from other professionals in your field. Upon membership you get a free subscription to their event planner magazine, Special Events. Bonjour Events brings you a fresh look at any type of event you may be planning along with tips and vendor information.

Enhance fundraising events with event planning publications

Charity events are always changing and are always produced on a tight budget. Stay up to date with the trends and resources in this every changing type of event planning with event planning publications.

I recommend: Umbrella Magazine is an online event planners magazine specializing in everything having to do with charity events including volunteering and philanthropy. Fundraiser, a cyberzine, publishes articles on fundraising tips, ideas, vendors, ticket sales and more to help you keep your event exciting and productive.

Event planners require strong organization and perception skills to be successful. After all, planning and anticipating your clients' needs is what the profession is all about. One of the easiest and most accessible ways to hone your edge in the business is by regularly reading event planning publications. From the latest corporate meetings magazine to the newest party planning magazine, these periodicals are mandatory reading for the industry's elite.

You can use event planning publications to help a corporate client run a successful conference or meeting, find organizational tips and tricks and learn how to effectively organize the event space. When choosing which publications to add to your research arsenal, consider the following:

1. Meeting planning publications, such as a corporate meetings magazine, can help you boost your corporate client base by offering tips on planning effective meetings.
2. General event planning magazines can give you tips and tricks that work with multiple event types.
3. Event planning publications that cover specific aspects of event planning or hone in on event planning in a particular area can be particularly helpful.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a corporate meetings magazine to help you make meetings run more smoothly

Corporate meetings and events sometimes need the professional touch of a corporate event planner to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. If you're looking to grow your expertise in this area, these event planning magazines can help.

I recommend: Meeting News is a corporate event magazine that covers news and analysis in the corporate meetings industry, while Successful Meetings is another corporate event magazine that gives you the tools you need to effectively plan and run a meeting. Meetings & Conventions discusses strategies for successfully planning just about any type of corporate meeting or event.

Find event planner publications that give you good general industry news and information

When you need general news about your industry, you need an event planning magazine or journal that can deliver the goods in a timely fashion. Look to these event planning publications for the latest news and tips.

I recommend: Event Solutions is an event planning magazine that offers the latest industry news coupled with how-tos and advice. Special Events Magazine is an event planning magazine that runs the gamut, covering everything from event equipment to tents and party rental operations.

Find the right event planning trade magazine for your specific needs

Magazines that target specific aspects of event planning--such as catering, for example--are great magazines for event planners to read regularly, as they can help you improve your skill set, and also give you good insight into how the pieces of every event you plan fit together.

I recommend: Catering Magazine is geared toward catering professionals and contains event trend and event equipment information. Illinois Meetings and Events is one of numerous magazines in the same chain that blanket the entire United States with location-specific event planning information.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Event planning publications aren't just a source of industry information--they can be a source of new business. Peruse the publications above for advertising opportunities to help bring new attention to your operation, or pitch yourself as a source for future articles.