THE ENCOUNTER IS YOUR EXPERIENCE. OWN IT!

This is a lengthy piece but trust me, you want to read it.

Walk with me!

Some months ago, I lost some hosting gigs. I lost those gigs after I had accepted some other gigs and I had trusted with every fibre in me that they were sure.

Clients were coming for bookings and I was literally telling them I was booked for those days. For one, we had agreed that the payment be made a few weeks to the event and I was waiting just for that. While is waited and expected to receive the payment, it delayed and delayed and delayed again until I was finally told a challenge they were experiencing which was not supposed to affect me. A week to the event, I wasn't paid yet and that was when it was called off. Imagine…what was possible at that point after I had told other prospective clients I was booked. I lost the deal and lost a number of others that would have come.

One of the worst experiences is the one that I had to arrive at the venue before I was told they had made alternative arrangements with another MC. I was approached by this fellow during South-South Media Week after he saw me deliver excellence on the stage as the official host Compere of the event. We discussed and we aligned. Make payment, this fellow kept assuring me. And in my usual way of supporting and ensuring the success of people's events as which is my heartbeat, I kept that day locked down for him.

I was speaking with him until the eve of the event and even when I was on my way to the event. I had asked him, what his challenge was and how I could help. I arrived at the venue only to meet someone whom he called his manager to approach me asking me to know what my plan with the host/Convener himself was.

Long story short, they had someone else in plan to do it for free. Their challenge was funds. After much conversation, I was asked to help host it with the person. Really? Doing that would have been one of my major flops in the business. I didn't consider that even for a second. No, I never did.

While all was happening, the host who had contacted me by himself never said a word.

I was there at the event, of course, to support the young man regardless of my upset state and after a while, I left.

From when I was there, till the time I left and until now that I type this after 5 months, I've not received a text, chat, call, voice note, email whatsoever from him or his team to apologise or say anything.

Well, I may definitely have to dedicate a day to address this through a video or live broadcast here or anywhere else.

Here is the thing, I have learnt now…

The business is not as usual any more. We have  In October, I got contacted by 2 clients to host their events all scheduled for the 9th of November.

Wow!

One had reached out earlier and we agreed on payment and I had asked him to make 80% down payment in order to have the date booked and reserved for him. He did that without hesitation. Maybe he was aware of the risk of not complying to my policy.

A few days after he booked me, another client reached out to me to host her event the same day. I simply told them I was booked for that day.

Now, imagine the former client had not made any initial payment, what do you think would have happened? I mean what do you think I would have done? Leave the date open and accept the offer from the latter.

This has become my policy now. You do not have me booked until you have made at least 80% down payment.

If the above lesson does not make you see me as a perfect fit for your CORPORATE EVENT HOSTING, I wonder what else.

Book me to host your next big Corporate Event in and or outside Port Harcourt.

DM/Call/WhatsApp: +2348101513195

Email: Johnbest.minds@gmail.com

John Best UCHE is my name. They call me The Social Voice and that's exactly who I am. Yeah! 🥰

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