There’s a vast conspiracy keeping event planners in the dark. There has to be, right? Shouldn’t it be easier to compare your salary with your colleagues’? Are there some sort of marketing or contract negotiating secrets that everyone seems to know except for you? And why does everyone seem to know crazy marketing tricks that are giving them the leg up?

The truth is, there are things out there that are just too good to share, and then there some things that shouldn’t be discussed in polite company. So this week we’re blowing the lid open - we’re shining a light on all the information that’s discussed in hushed voices, is constantly being swept under the rug, and just generally not up for discussion. We took a peek at the Secret Event Planning Files and we’re declassifying them for all the world to see.

If you’re not faint at heart - and ready to use this information to your advantage - check back every day this week to see the contents of the file we crack open next. Subscribe now so you don’t miss out.

In addition to getting all the great content this week delivered directly to your inbox, you’ll also be entered to win a $200 spy kit! On Friday, we’ll make one of our subscribers a super-sleuth with these professional-grade spy tools:

	Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things: Learn how to make a bubble wrap security system or a fire extinguisher out of kitchen supplies. You’ll never be caught unawares as you MacGyver your way to a new enlightened existence.
	LED Pocket Projector: Share maps of the secret fortress with your team as you crawl through subterranean tunnels or give a PowerPoint Presentation in the cargo hold of a plane! With this ultra-portable pocket projector, this screen goes everywhere you go.
	Mini USB Voice Recorder: This unassuming USB drive has a hidden secret - it’s also a voice recorder! When the super villain inevitably lays out the details of his master plan to you at the eleventh hour - you can flip the switch and capture it all. Just plug it into your USB drive, attach it to an email to the president, and you’ve saved the day!
	Wallet Ninja Pocket Tool: It’s a screw driver, letter opener, bottle opener, wrench, can opener, and cell phone stand - and it takes up no more space than a credit card. You know what to do from here.

Here are the top secret files we’ll be scattering around the web this week:

Tuesday - We partnered with Liz King at techsytalk to survey our collective readership in order to answer the question, “Just how much money do event planners make?” It’s time you know how you stack up, and we’ll be happy to tell you in this not-to-be-missed revelation.

Wednesday - What if you stopped being the nice guy and got down and dirty with your business’s marketing? Find out when Anna teaches you how to run your event planning business like a Slytherin. Like the Sorting Hat says, “You could be great, you know, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that."

Thursday - Negotiating is like a secret language that some people are born with and others aren’t. Negotiation coach Craig dos Santos shares planner-specific strategies for building a negotiation toolkit through everyday practice. You haven't read these tips before!

Friday - One of the worst kept secrets in event planning is that events and meetings have the ability to produce a ton of waste. So what’s the big deal about walking off with a flower arrangement when all’s said and done? Some planners have dared to lift much more than that - and we’re making a list of the best loot ever pilfered from an event.

So put on your trench coats, pull down your fedora real low, and join us as we declassify event planning's best kept secrets!