No matter where you are this summer, you can get lost in a book and absorb some valuable wisdom. Here’s our summer list of stellar reading material for anyone in the meeting and event planning industry. We’ve even matched book selections with specific types of planners. So whether you’re flipping through pages on a beach or scrolling through them on an iPad, invest a little time in these reads –we promise it will be well worth the effort.
Into the Heart of Meetings
by Eric de Groot and Mike van der Vijver
Type of planner: Proactive manager
Into the Heart of Meetings identifies meetings as a form of communication and details how events are contingent upon their Event Design. The piece is full of experience-based observations and advice. Event managers can especially learn something from studying event design, as they are responsible for coordinating many moving parts at once.
No B.S. Guide to Direct Response Social Media Marketing
by Dan S. Kennedy and Kim Walsh-Phillips
Type of planner: Social media guru
Millionaire-maker Kennedy and marketing strategist Walsh-Phillips combine forces to do an expert analysis of social platforms and their applications in this book. Compelling case studies and examples show the uses of resources as active conversion tools. Considering the importance of social media for planners (in branding, event coverage, sponsorships, etc.), this dynamic approach needs to be part of your social media plan.
Everybody Writes
by Ann Handley
Type of planner: Tactful blogger
It’s nothing new–content is everywhere, and the only way to stand out is to generate something special. Writing is also prevalent in most aspects of modern work: social media, blog posts, website copy, email responses and countless other areas. So what defines top-notch content and how can it reach its full potential? Everybody Writes answers these questions.
Special Events
by Joe Goldblatt
Type of planner: Industry newcomer
Special Events looks at the event planning industry from a global perspective. Interviews with major players in the industry fill this informative text, which covers the fundamental, but at times complex, challenges of the events industry. In its latest edition, more current materials have been integrated. For example, new web resources provide pointers for saving money and time while enhancing event quality. Any newbie in the industry should pick up a copy.
Quiet
by Susan Cain
Type of planner: Introspective mastermind
Many people are introverts. You might even be one! In Quiet, Cain celebrates the value of introverts while acknowledging the under-appreciation of this group. Event planners are often thought to be a gregarious bunch, their entire job is to plan social occasions. However, that’s definitely not always the case. Quiet can pull introverted planners out of their shells and help everyone else understand them better.
Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln
by James C. Humes
Type of planner: Public-facing speaker
Who wouldn’t want to speak like Churchill and stand like Lincoln? Adopting an engaging yet powerful presence is something every public speaker strives to obtain. Plus, Humes knows a thing or two about addressing an audience, as he wrote speeches for five American presidents. Humes also details the tactics of various historical figures throughout the book. So this book is even more enticing if you’re a history buff.
Reflections of a Successful Wallflower
by Andrea Michaels
Type of planner: Strong pioneer
This fun—and at times even humorous—book is as entertaining as it is informative. The story details the experiences of Andrea Michaels, a special events planner who took on the role before it was even an established field. Michaels’ work helped structure much of the modern meeting and event planning industry. For instance, she was the first to initiate corporate branding and messaging into events. Anyone empowered by adventure and novelty, with a decent sense of humor, can get a lot from this book.
Thinking Fast and Slow
by Daniel Kahneman
Type of planner: The busy workaholic
Kahneman is a renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. Naturally, he’s pretty skilled at delving deep into the human mind and providing groundbreaking insight about the way we think. Understanding the dichotomy between fast and slow thinking exposes what’s behind our day-to-day judgments and decisions. This international bestseller is particularly important for busy bees in the planning industry because it can help them cultivate some much needed introspection.
