{"id":2400,"date":"2018-12-14T08:00:08","date_gmt":"2018-12-14T14:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abcbiz.abcplugin.com\/testing\/?p=2400"},"modified":"2020-09-04T19:46:16","modified_gmt":"2020-09-04T23:46:16","slug":"independent-meeting-planners-are-you-swimming-in-a-blue-ocean-of-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abcbiz.abcplugin.com\/testing\/independent-meeting-planners-are-you-swimming-in-a-blue-ocean-of-opportunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Independent Meeting Planners: Are You Swimming in a Blue Ocean of Opportunity?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unless you have been living in a cave for the last 15 years, you should have heard about the books from Chan Kim and Ren\u00e9e Mauborgne \u201cThe Blue Ocean Strategy\u201d and \u201cBlue Ocean Shift.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is it and how can you use it as an Independent Meeting Planner?<\/p>\n

In the Blue Ocean Strategy, there are two oceans: red and blue. Which ocean do you think you would like to swim in?<\/p>\n

RED: the red ocean is filled with other business owners in your industry. Everyone in this ocean is competing on price and is offering the same type of service as everyone else. It\u2019s very crowded in the red ocean. You have a high risk of being commoditized due to the competition!<\/p>\n

BLUE: the blue ocean does not have much competition, or maybe you are even swimming alone. It is an \u201cuncontested marketplace where competition is irrelevant.\u201d It is not very crowded in the blue ocean, and the likelihood of being commoditized is a lot less.<\/p>\n

Let me share with you a simple story from the book<\/a> \u2026<\/p>\n

Imagine decades ago, if you went to a circus owner or manager and said, \u201cI have this great idea, I want to create a circus without animals!\u201d \u2013 They would have most likely replied, “Seriously?” or “What, no animals? A circus needs to have animals!\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, this example is known today as Cirque du Soleil<\/a>! Sound familiar?<\/p>\n

It is a perfect example from the book, of why swimming in a Blue Ocean is always best!<\/p>\n

In their book, the authors share, \u201cHow to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

When you make your competition irrelevant, your value increases dramatically!<\/p>\n

But how do you do this in the Meeting and Events Industry working as an independent planner?<\/p>\n

The Blue Ocean Strategy<\/a> has a tool that you can start using today to grow your business and use with your clients to help plan their face-to-face meeting.<\/p>\n

As an event business owner, applying the Blue Ocean Strategy 4-question matrix<\/a><\/em> can set you apart from your competition.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the 4-question matrix<\/em> applies to your client and your business:<\/p>\n