ABSTRACT
Too often, individuals and organizations rush into starting a new event with little thought about the broader context or the competitive environment in which the event will exist. A key aspect of creating a successful event is identifying groups of people likely to be interested-that is, target markets. Once the target markets are understood, organizers must position their event as consistent with the needs wants and desires of the target market. Organizers must also be aware of other existing events-that is, potential competition. It is imperative that they understand the other events and activities that compete for the time, attention, and discretionary dollars of their core customers. Is there an opportunity to fulfill an unmet need? Or better yet, can an emerging market niche be identified?
