Customer Reviews

Opening Night Creating Successful Events

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Being an event planner I purchased this book looking for ways to increase our business' bottom line. I try to keep up with the latest trends so our business doesn't get lost in the fast pace of today's society. We have produced at many fairs and festivals with our acts and we were very excited when we learned that someone inside the fair industry was giving up some of the secrets that were going to make doing business easier.

We were stuck on how to market to the next generation - the "kids with all the cell phones." When I read the book, "Opening Night" just one small idea paid for the book many times over. We got the answer we had been looking for.

I have read "Opening Night" several times. I have it handy as a reference manual at the office. Each time I get new ideas for our business from the things explained in the book. A new use of sponsorship banners for example sparked a way for us to implement the idea - even though we personally do not have a facility or fairground ourselves.

I found this book to be very helpful for those wanting ideas and simple examples of how to put on an event that attracts sponsors and attendees.

This is a book I will continue to reference for making and saving money and gaining sponsorship dollars for events.

Kitty
[...]

John Owens has done a splendid job of creating a comprehensive guide to the intricacies of operating an outdoor amusement facility. It should be the difinitive text made available to anyone in the industry. I am pleased to see someone finally put in print a reference source for everyone connected to the industry to make use of. Thank you John

"Opening Night"is the most useful tool you could ever use if you are in charge of planning any type of event or function no matter how large or small. The information and ideas that John Owens shares are invaluable to a new comer as well as a seasoned professional. "Opening Night" will take a beginner by the hand and walk them thru each step they need from start to finish and the outcomee of their event will be spectacular. A seasoned professional will benefit from the inforamtion in "Opening Night" as it will ignite new ideas as you read each chapter. This book is a "must have" for anyone!!!

As the director of a non-profit organization, I've been accused of being willing to do anything for publicity or to raise money, but I pale beside John Owens, who heads up the Anderson County Fair. This guy ran for Anderson County Council a few years ago and sent a man dressed as a giant pig to campaign for him. Heck, I voted for him just for the entertainment value.
After reading John's book "Opening Night: Creating Successful Events," I know why he used the pig. He calls it "guerilla marketing," and it's one of dozens of great ideas, tips and strategies for getting publicity, sponsors, advertisers and attendance for special events. Although much of the book is geared toward fairs, I found plenty that could be adapted to any special event, from a non-profit fund-raiser to a church-based festival.
"Opening Night" is available [...] through John's website, [...]. When he gave me a copy to peruse, John noted with pride that he had paid for the printing cost by selling ads to promotional companies who wanted to reach the readers of this book. He doesn't miss an angle. Read his book and you won't either.

-- Kathryn Smith, Book Columnist, Anderson (SC) Independent-Mail