Do you want to be an event planner but not sure how to start your event planning service? Here is a step-by-step guide on how to start today.
Before you make up your mind to become a successful event planner, you must have passion for the business, must have the hosting itch, love to tackle complex problems and make big days go smoothly, then you have a future as a professional event planner.
But whether you choose to work alone or with a small team, starting an event planning service is no small task.
What are the basics of event planning?
Event planning is the art (and sometimes science) of event ideation, planning, coordination, and operation. When a big, important event needs to go smoothly, it’s time to call an event planning service or coordinator.
Event planners are key service providers who can ensure event production and execution happen smoothly. They perform these duties for trade shows, senior events, nonprofit galas, and much more.
People seek event planners for their big events like graduations, conferences, product launches, fashion shows, weddings, etc.
Event planning is highly important to make sure the above and other major events go off without a hitch, especially so that the most important guests can enjoy themselves.
The primary duties of full-time or part-time, on-site event planner jobs include: Doing research prior to the big event; Event design and team-building for project management.
Finding the appropriate site for the event, creating event budgets and running fundraisers if necessary, arranging for decor, entertainment, and food for the event, sending invitations to potential attendees, and planning transportation for attendees to and from the event.
Arranging any other necessary accommodations, like seating.
Coordinating activities for event personnel, like caterers or entertainers.
Supervising activities at the event site
The events industry, both for wedding planning and other events, requires good communication skills. Additionally, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in public relations or related areas can be helpful but is not required.
Why do people hire event planners?
People primarily hire event planning services for two reasons:
First, so that event-goers and guests of honour can enjoy themselves without focusing on the event.
Secondly, so that the event in question goes smoothly.
Imagine a typical example of a wedding. Many engaged couples hire event planners or event planning services to coordinate, organize, and carry out their wedding plans. In this way, the couples can enjoy their special days and focus on getting married rather than worrying about things like catering, parking, and kicking out rowdy guests. Instead, the wedding planner takes care of that stuff.
Furthermore, some events are so complex particularly those with hundreds of guests or more that it’s almost impossible to properly plan and organize them without the help of a specialist. Knowledgeable, experienced event planners know how to organize groups of people, how much food to provide, and other details that can make or break an important event.
Who should become an event planner?
You might consider becoming an event planner if you love hosting parties and the thrill of organizing a complex event and running it without an issue. Planners often have to handle many moving parts at once. Many event planners have histories as managers or coordinators in other industries. You should become an event planner or start your event planning service if you feel that you would enjoy this kind of work.
It’s also worth noting that event planning often requires you to work on weekends or holidays (since these are the days when people have free time to schedule and hold events), as well as handle chaotic, sometimes confusing work and competing agendas. You should also consider acquiring certification for your event planning service, as it can help you acquire relevant professional skills and attract more job opportunities. Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is an association that offers a list of degrees and certificates from colleges and universities. The right degree or certification can lead to more job opportunities and even pave the way to a higher salary.
Alternatively, try to become a CSEP or Certified Special Events Professional or CMP or Certified Meeting Planner. Both of these are given out by the MPI or the ISES (International Special Events Society), which also highlight your skills and designate you as an expert event coordinator.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get into the steps you need to take to start an event planning service:
Make your company
Your first step involves making your company and filing the right paperwork. You should first draw up a business plan, which will include details like: The business name and The business’s tax structure (like a sole proprietorship, LLC, etc.).
How to make a profit
You’ll also want to get an EIN, or employer identification number. This will allow you to hire employees for your event planning service if you desire later down the road.
Choose your target market
Next, do market research and pick the target market you want to work for. For instance, if you want to primarily work with weddings, you need to research that target market to know how much to charge for your services, what’s involved, and what you need to be experienced in.
By doing some research ahead of time, you won’t find running your first events to be too overwhelming. You’ll also know how much to advertise your event planning service to be competitive relative to other services in the area.
Consider startup costs
When you start an event planning business, you’ll have to consider startup costs. Working from home or primarily by yourself will keep costs low as opposed to hiring employees (who will require salaries).
However, if you want to expand your event planning business, you’ll eventually need extra equipment, business premises like an office or warehouse, and more. All of these things can add up, impacting the kind of business you begin.
Note that you can always scale your business after acquiring steady work. For instance, you can start as a one-man event planning service that only provides services to small events you can tackle by yourself. After you save up some money from some successful jobs, you can hire a few more employees and rent out a warehouse for your equipment, like cameras, chairs, and more.
Understand the work involved and hire employees
For your event planning service to be successful, you need to fully grasp the nature of the work involved and understand whether you should hire employees.
Planning and executing an excellent event generally involves:
Designing the event, which means sketching out the feel or look of the event in question. Some clients will have very specific ideas you’ll need to incorporate into the design.
Putting together a proposal for your clients so they can improve your plans.
Organizing the event, which involves almost everything else, like renting the site for the event, hiring vendors, hiring entertainers, organizing caterers, and much more.
There’s a ton of work that goes into planning even the smallest event. Fortunately, as you acquire experience, you’ll be more adept at anticipating and completing this work.
Generally, the larger the events you want to manage and coordinate, the more employees you need to hire. At a certain point, you can’t be everywhere at once! Consider hiring employees when you have the cash to do so; this will allow you to plan events for larger groups of people and make more of a profit.
Settle on a price structure and fee basis
How you price your event planning business will impact how often you get requests. You can determine your pricing structure and fee basis by things like:
The market segment you serve: For instance, social events usually have different fee structures than corporate events.
Your geographic location: If you have a higher cost of living, you are justified in charging your clients more to plan their events.
Your experience and reputation: As your business gets a reputation for success, you’ll be able to charge a higher premium for your services.
Marketing your event planning service
Once you have all of your ducks in a row and you know how to charge your clients, you can start marketing your event planning service.
Starting an event planning service is a matter of preparation and deep consideration. If you plan everything properly, your event planning service will launch smoothly, and you’ll get your first batch of clients in no time.
