Planning Courses and Our Competition!!

In the last week we have received many great emails and calls regarding our courses that have been taught since 2000. It seems as though some of my peers along with other classes such as the "Smart Planner" (which is about working through your blog and building your business this way, Penn Foster which is an online course and has not offered hands on training and various others have been brought to my attention. The big and most common question is how are each of you different? There are many classes that are available for less time, less of an investment. Some do teach about planning to an extent but do not spend enough time on logistics and relationship building. They focus on building the business, making contacts etc...I would say our course is very hands on, we speak of the logistics of planning, how to find your niche,how to begin, strategies on how to be different and various other topics that are crucial before you start. We also cover paperwork, the process from beginning to end, what to charge, how to get your foot in the door and how to handle rejection in the begining. This business isn't open arms from day one let's face it! Thank you to Poster Barbara Thompson for bringing to our attention that our class should be called a seminar instead of a course. This absolutely makes sense. I never thought of it that way! But am VERY appreciative for the suggestion! CAES is an ORIGINAL concept with customised content. I started the classes-courses in strategic planning and sales due to my vast background in sales, marketing training and events. I also have a background in education which shows my appreciation for educating! I do love to teach! This is key! My philosophy has always been to NOT copy or worry about your competition. It doesn't allow you to stand out in a crowd and doesn't show why you are special! I do emphasize this during my seminar. There have also been questions as to if we will match the fee of our newest competitors. We absolutely will if the course they have matches the same content as ours. If you are finding fees at $500 or $600 please show us the invoice and we will gladly work with you to show you the difference. In most cases, our courses are very different. We have spoken to many students that have invested in association courses and felt when they left, they were not worthy of the certificate the programs offered upon completion. This tells us that we have made a difference! CAES is a proven system that can take beginners to the next level or semi established planners to a more advanced status. Please make note, the CAES 200 course which is SOLD OUT on July 25th is for students who have already started planning events. The second class CAES 100 is for beginners which has a fee of $699. The course fee for "CAES 100" has not been dropped! It is a completely different course and the fee is substantially lower due to content. I look forward to seeing you in July!!! xoxo Samantha *** Samantha Goldberg has a background in design and education for over 18 years. She has taught courses for all vendors including sales, planners, and multi vendor functions. She has spoken at several ISES, ABC and expo events throughout the country.