Professor Salvatore Welcomes Nicole Sparvieri for a Talk on Luxury Immersive Experiences

“It’s not about the events we plan, it’s about the stories we tell.”  Nicole Sparvieri

Professor Antonella Salvatore welcomed alumna Nicole Sparvieri to her Principles of Marketing class for a talk called “Luxury Immersive Experiences,” on February 7, 2023. Nicole graduated from JCU in 2018 with a B.A. in Marketing, and then went on to earn a master’s degree in Event Management from The Event Academy in London. She is currently the Owner and Creative Director of Nicole Sparvieri Srl, an Event Design and Production Company based in Rome and Milan specializing in luxury and immersive events.

Nicole Sparvieri

Nicole Sparvieri

Nicole explained that her company organizes luxury events, such as weddings, honeymoons, and corporate retreats, for high-end clients. She specializes in destination weddings, which are becoming increasingly popular. The company’s mission is to create immersive and memorable experiences for clients who travel to Italy. “In other words, to organize events that people will talk about for years,” Nicole added.

Their event planning is not limited to the wedding day, but to an entire weekend of celebrations and experiences, which includes arranging transportation and accommodation, organizing activities such as boat trips, cooking classes, shopping, and tasting of local products. The most popular wedding destinations in Italy are Rome, the Amalfi coast, Apulia, Tuscany, and lake Como, as they have some of the most luxurious and exclusive properties in the world.

According to Nicole, her role as a wedding professional entails understanding the type of client she’s dealing with, what they are envisioning, the atmosphere they’re looking for, and their logistical needs, in order to then propose a destination and a location that is suitable for them. She explained that their services are aimed at high-earning couples aged 25 to 45, who typically work as lawyers, fashion designers, actors, engineers, entrepreneurs, or business professionals. She added that her clients tend to be very busy and demanding people, who value elegance and attention to detail.

Nicole also talked about her journey in the event management industry. After obtaining her M.A., she started by doing internships and assisting other wedding professionals. She then wrote down her goals and created her business plan based on what she learned at JCU. Nicole said that she invested in herself and built her confidence by traveling, attending conferences and online workshops, buying expert courses, and attending networking events. “At the beginning, it’s hard to close a deal because you’re selling luxury services. It’s difficult for people to trust you when no one knows you and you don’t have a portfolio to show,” she explained.

She added that the most complex part was to create an online presence and a brand identity. Nicole explained that working on your personal brand is essential because “people don’t buy your services, they buy you, your values, your personality, your story. People hire you because they share your values and because they give importance to the things you give importance to.”

Another very essential aspect, according to Nicole, is the strategies that a company chooses to implement. The strategies that her company uses include social media ads and campaigns, digital PR, and Google ads. She added that word of mouth is also important, because “If you’ve met and exceeded the expectations of previous customers, they will tell others about it, generating positive word of mouth.”

To conclude her talk, Nicole gave the participants some tips and advice. She said that it’s important to trust your instincts, and never give up on your dreams. “Keep following your passions, but most importantly, find a job that makes you get up and go to sleep with a smile on your face,” she said. She said that it’s essential to start by asking yourself where you want to position your business, and after that “you need to work on yourself, identify your strengths, and make sure that those are more visible than your weaknesses.”