I’ve received several emails from CompanyX as I’m sure many of you have as well. Please beware of “offers” like this.

AUDITION FOR our NEW TV-SHOW-PILOT!
THE MOST FUN WEDDING COMPETITION EVER!

FREE PUBLICITY in exchange for your participation in the fun!!!
ONE FULL DAY [date redacted] (Film Shoot Screen Test!)

Seeking WEDDING VENDORS wishing to contribute wedding services and products as prizes for competing brides in exchange for free publicity in our TV SHOW PILOT SHOOT!

You, Your product, Your Services and Your Name displayed and filmed. Exposure to tons of brides competing for your services and more…..

For Questions or if you are curious about more details, feel free to call [name redacted] (the director, producer and coordinator of this event) directly at her desk – [phone redacted]. (FAQs Below)

Follow this link to SECURE YOUR SPOT in our ONE-DAY TV Show Pilot Screen Test!

Also – Beginner vendors seeking to increase revenues are welcome to sign up for our next class [date redacted] geared to help event planners and vendors maximize profits in changing economic times!

ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS BELOW:

Q: Where will this one day shoot be held?
A: In a big hotel or catering facility in our around [city redacted] within 20 miles. We are negotiating now. Will be decided by end of November.

Q: When will this one day film shoot/bridal show wedding planning competition be held?
A: In or around [date redacted] or one open Sat or Sunday in January or February – depending on the date the facility is willing to give us.

Q: What will the duration be?
A: 8am-12midnight or later (arrival 7am) one full day of filming, competing, voting, exhibiting and fun!

Q: What will this cost me, as a participating vendor:
A: $195 Application Processing Fee. $6.95 Materials Fee.
Cost of Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks, Deserts and Beverages paid directly to the facility.
Possible overnight rooms at the facility or near-by (we are negotiating courtesy rates now)
Any preparation of your materials for display at the bridal-show part of our filming
Any travel you incur to arrive at our facility.
Preparation of your Party Shoes!

Q: What value does participation in this event hold for me?
A:  I will meet a ton of brides that are still shopping their weddings and possibly make some sales and contacts. More probably than your most expensive bridal show.
I will meet a ton of wedding and event planners locally and nationally that I can network with.
I will meet and network a ton of other wedding vendors locally and nationally that I can network with and exchange referrals with (all the same benefits of a $500-$5000 bridal show event but without the expense!)
I will be filmed as a participating wedding vendor presenting my product or services and graciously donating a prize to one of the winning brides that are competing to win a free wedding.

Q: Who is this [name redacted]; Producer, Director, Coordinator and Creator?
A: See Recent TV Interview w/Iris!

Q: What is [company] and [other company]l?
A: [company redacted] and is the Leading Event Planning and Music Production Company in [city redacted] for all types of events and musical performances and more. [name redacted] is the founder of this company and she has engaged in one way or another in over 100 million dollars of events over the last 20 years.
[company redacted] is a series of classes for Event Planning and Event Vendors to excel in their events skills and related business activities. Private Classes with [name redacted] are held every month in [other city redacted] (the next weekend class is [date ]). Work-Study program is also available with internships in catering, flowers, music, photography, technical, language, computers, invitations, favors, lighting, sound and more…

Q: Where will this film end up?
A: Our goal is to land a major network station and set up a bidding war for our product. Maybe we will end up on a smaller station like WE or OPRAH however we are shooting for the sky. We are advertising heavily to everyone everywhere. We will be inviting all the networks to be our guests and register to attend and be a part of the filming and fun. We are exerting ourselves to the limit in publicizing our event and will be also contacting every part of the media, Internet and press that we can get access to.

This most fun, playful and heart-felt spirited event that will feature some of the best vendors in the country sharing with open hands their art and riches with teary eyed brides that are competing with all they have to win a gift from a participating vendor for their special day.

Our drama will be fun, heart-felt, educational, entertaining and uplifting. Please join us in making this the best event of the year! Lets turn this economy around by stimulating ourselves!

JOIN ME by SECURING YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN OUR SPOTLIGHT ON YOU by Following this Link!

Warmly,

[contact info redacted]

The email is all mixed up.

• Is it for a pilot TV show audition or is it pimping a school for newbie vendors in all areas of the wedding industry? Both are mentioned in the same “offer” email.
• There’s “free” publicity but businesses are charged over $200 in fees to participate. How is that free? The TV  pilot shoot is apparently being done by a wedding coordinator NOT by a TV production company. Unless they’re public access stations she’s going for, there’s no way that a network will pick up a pilot from a company that doesn’t specialize in TV show production.
• The event organizer claims to be #1 in her field in a major East Coast metro area. A quick google search dispels that claim in a matter of seconds. There are no legitimate, verifiable 3rd party endorsements, no major media mentions, no press profile. And this blurb: “engaged in one way or another in over 100 million dollars of events over the last 20 years” kills me. “In one way or another”? That says absolutely NOTHING and demonstrates she’s reaching pretty hard for demonstrable facts about her abilities and her company.
• The event coord doesn’t even know where the event will be held for another month but is asking you to pay up. In fact, based on the dates mentioned in her letter, she’s not likely to know where the actual event will take place until a few days before the event is held. This is not the way a professional event planner operates and certainly should raise alarms about the offer.
• The list of benefits to participate is weak. Networking? People, you can network for free or through well-established and respected organizations in your target market in your target geographical locations. “I will be filmed as a participating wedding vendor presenting my product or services and graciously donating a prize to one of the winning brides that are competing to win a free wedding.” Whoa! I love how you’ll graciously donating a prize is slipped in there without mention of that anywhere else. And, wait, there will be brides at the pilot? Huh?
• There’s no clear, concise talk about what, exactly, the pilot is for. It’s a contest? It’s a vendor showcase? What is it?
• The answer to the “Where will this film end up?” question KILLS me. “Our goal is to land a major network station and set up a bidding war for our product. Maybe we will end up on a smaller station like WE or OPRAH however we are shooting for the sky.” As a general rule only well-established production companies can pitch to major networks. WE is a network that accepts only production company submissions (not wedding planning companies) and OPRAH is a television show, not a network. Oxygen is the network she founded and has another on the way. The changes of getting on Oprah’s show by any company cannot be guaranteed by any company. That the event coord is suggesting that this pilot can get YOU on Oprah is 100%, certifiably laughable.
• “We are advertising heavily to everyone everywhere. We will be inviting all the networks to be our guests and register to attend and be a part of the filming and fun. We are exerting ourselves to the limit in publicizing our event and will be also contacting every part of the media, Internet and press that we can get access to.” This makes NO sense whatsoever. She’s limiting publicizing the event/pilot (which is it, by the way?) but she’s inviting everyone everywhere. It’s contradictory and I’m concerned that there’s no focus on whom she’s marketing to. What demographics? Are they in-line with your target demographics?

I have other issues with this but, my friends, please know that I have backs on this one: STAY AWAY from this “opportunity”.

{Edited to clarify points and fix spelling, punctuation errors 12 Nov.}