10 new books for event professionals

Looking for your next read on the beach? (We see you passionate event planners who consider reading about work to be fun reading on the beach!) Covering topics ranging from the future of event technology and customer service to strategies for creating great events. eye-catching business and memorable table decor, these books are the new must-haves that all event planners should add to their reading lists.

To understand the impact of technology:
In March, Bizzabo co-founders Alon Alroy, Boaz Katz and Eran Ben-Shushan released a new book that explains how data, audience engagement and technology can impact events of all types. Event Success: Maximizing the Business Impact of In-Person, Virtual and Hybrid Experienceswhich was published by Wiley and is 272 pages long, offers actionable insights on how to identify data maturity, engage hybrid audiences, choose the right technology vendors, and more.

“As event software providers, our job is to develop technology that encourages and supports creativity. Too often, its limits stifle creativity and prevent event experience managers from executing their ideas,” said Katz, the company’s chief data officer. “In this book, we celebrate how we create solutions to overcome these limitations, together. We want to empower the event experience leaders of today and tomorrow by providing a roadmap for using today’s technology to innovate and drive event success.

To up your customer service game:
Renowned event planner and interior designer Colin Cowie has released his latest book—The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn’t Know They Wanted—in September 2021. With compelling anecdotal-style stories, the 288-page hardcover is essential reading to ensure your business stands out in this ever-changing world, by diving into clever ways to up your game to think about the intangibles that separate you from your competitors. Cowie also traces his inspirational personal journey, explaining how he immigrated from South Africa with just $400 in his pocket and built his highly successful business from the ground up. As a bonus, anyone who buys the book has access to a series of exclusive videos where Cowie digs deeper into his approach.

Related: Check out Cowie’s recent interview on BizBash’s GatherGeeks podcast, where he talks about the book and how event thinking and proactive customer service can separate businesses from their competitors.

For foodies:
Pauline Parry, who founded the popular Los Angeles-based catering company, Good Gracious! Events in 1983, published his first memoirs, My Culinary Love Story, in June. Chronicling her journey from small-town England to her current success, as well as her romance with her husband, Dennis, the fun and captivating book chronicles her love affair with food and comes with 60 hand-crafted recipes and illustrations. ‘watercolor. Parry also recently reissued his first book, Food, Fun, Love: Party Styleswhich serves as an insider’s guide to some of LA’s best events, complete with menus, recipes and notes on design inspiration.

For hospitality professionals:
The Adapters: How the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry is Adapting and Innovating to Connect the World was released in February 2021. Written by hospitality veteran Seán Worker with popular hospitality podcast host Glenn Haussman Completethe 362-page book highlights podcast-style interviews with industry professionals whom the authors playfully call “brave genius thinkers.” These sources share their stories and insights into entrepreneurship and management, while Worker and Haussman weave in trends, patterns, and historical context that offers tangible takeaways for everyone in the travel and tourism industry. ‘hotel.

Related: Check out Haussman’s recent interview on BizBash’s GatherGeeks podcast, where he dives deeper into the book and shares insider details on what he’s hearing from hotel organizers about the future, including the labor shortages and automation tools.

To inspire you:
In his new book Relentless: Homeless teen to fulfill entrepreneur’s dream, released in March, Natasha Miller of San Francisco-based Entire Productions, recounts her journey from an abusive childhood to owner of a multimillion-dollar entertainment production company, while raising her daughter as a parent. single. Purchasing a copy grants readers access to bonus features like lessons on entrepreneurship, and the audiobook version features original music by Miller, who is also a classically trained violinist. A portion of the proceeds from each sale is donated to Covenant House, a non-profit organization that supports homeless youth.

To create more engaging corporate events:
Doug Binder, senior creative director at creative agency InVision Communications, has released his book Gathering: the business of coming together in February. Binder describes the 205-page book as “equal parts how-to, manifesto, and memoir,” where he explores ways in which corporate events can respond to emotional, empathetic, complicated, and evolving audiences. He shares his inspiration and tactics for making professional events more engaging through experiential design, storytelling and collaboration.

To understand the future of hybrid events:
Emmy Award-winning host Karin M. Reed and reunion scientist Joseph A. Allen released Suddenly Hybrid: Managing the Modern Meeting in February. A sequel to that of 2021 Suddenly Virtual: Making Remote Meetings Work, the new 288-page book, which was published by publisher Wiley, discusses research-based best practices at the height of the pandemic and the resulting paradigm shifts, challenges and opportunities presented by the trend. hybrid meetings, and more. The authors draw on their own research and business experience, as well as first-hand stories and case studies, to create tangible tools such as checklists, bullet points and reflective activities . There is also a companion website offering additional resources and digital copies of many of the tools included in the book.

For the inspiration of the place:
The new Fairmont Hotels & Resorts art book, Large by nature, is a treasure trove highlighting the history, tales and notable guests of the brand’s hotels. Released in March, the beautiful 323-page tome on the coffee table, published by Skira, features more than 500 illustrations and photographs of iconic properties like The Plaza in New York, Fairmont Banff Springs, Château Lake Louise and Château Frontenac in Montreal.

“Large by nature tells the story of Fairmont in the most beautiful way possible, bringing together the stories, images and archival materials collected over the past 135 years,” said Mansi Vagt, Global Brand Leader and Vice President of the Fairmont brand, in a press release. Within these pages are compelling tales of moments that have defined our culture, celebrated pivotal occasions and even changed the course of history.”

Related: See Inside the New York Book Launch Party in April.

To enrich your event strategy throughout the year:
Denzil Rankine, founder of AMR International, and Marco Giberti, founder of Vesuvio Ventures, have teamed up to write Reinventing Live: The Always-On Future of Live Events, which debuted in December 2020 on Anthem Press. The 174-page quick read explains why event planners should no longer think of themselves as pure planners. Instead, their role is to facilitate business, connections, education and advocacy, and to approach events as catalysts for building communities and nurturing customer relationships throughout the year. . round. Based on dozens of their interviews with senior executives, entrepreneurs, and investors, the book is filled with practical case studies that offer strategies, tools, and insights for event professionals of all types.

Related: Check out Rankine and Giberti recent interview on BizBash’s GatherGeeks podcastwhere they discuss the book as well as ways to turn events into marketing strategies throughout the year.

For table design ideas:
Planning your winter reading list? Acclaimed event designer David Stark has teamed up with Jane Schulak, founder and creative director of the nonprofit Culture Lab Detroit, to create At the craftsmen’s table, a hardcover art book that will be released on November 1, 2022. The 280-page book from Vendome Press features contemporary tabletop designs inspired by historical objects from iconic museums. For each chapter, Schulak and Stark choose a museum object as their muse, then create table settings that incorporate the artist’s handmade items. The next book is available for pre-order now.