So You Want to be an Event Planner
I receive frequent e-mails and phone calls from people asking for information on how to become an event planner. As I talk with them, most have no idea of the work involved or how to get started. Thanks to Hollywood, people have a twisted view of the business, thinking it is all glamour and partying and they will make bushels of money. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Realities -The turn-over rate in the industry nationally is about two years, largely because people have unrealistic expectations going into the business. Event planning is hard work. You have to be very detail oriented, able to solve problems and make decisions in a moment, able to work with all types of personalities, and be able to work on your feet for 8 or 10 hours or more at a time. You aren't there to party. Rather, you will be in the background making sure everything is going smoothly. You may be doing the grunt work - emptying trash, sweeping, mopping, setting up and tearing down tables and chairs and anything else necessary to make the client successful.
Family Support - If you don't have a supportive family, you won't remain in business long. Most events occur on weekends or in the evening. Client meetings occur when the client is not working, often in the evening or on a Saturday morning before you head out to that day's event. You and your client may have meetings with vendors in the evening. If your spouse is not willing to care for the children and to spend his/her weekends alone, you will hear complaints which may lead you to find a less demanding job.
Income - You won't get rich planning events. We are a luxury. When the economy tanks, the luxuries are often the first to be eliminated from the budget. I have been fortunate, through years of hard work, to position my business as one that can help people make the best decisions for their budget. Therefore, a down economy causes people to realize they need the expertise of an experienced planner who knows the local market and can help them use their limited funds wisely. It takes years, not months, to develop that kind of reputation.
Financing - People think event planning is a low cost business to enter, and it is in relation to some other types of businesses. However, it costs money for business registration, insurance, dedicated phone line, any technology you may need (computer, printer, scanner, fax), marketing and advertising, business cards and many other things. Most new businesses take two years or more to make a profit, so you need money in the bank to cover your expenses during that time.
Business Skills - Planning events is only one aspect of the business. A business can't function without attention to details like marketing, finance and bookkeeping. If you don't understand the business side of your business, you may need to hire someone to help you and that can get expensive. You will wear many hats and you need to understand them all and be able to juggle them all while still keeping your clients happy. One of the complaints I hear most often is that the phone isn't ringing, but it can't ring if people don't know about your business. Event planning is one of those businesses with few regular repeat clients; you are constantly searching for new ones and that takes time, money and marketing expertise. This is not a business you can start on a whim and expect to be successful.
Experience - You can learn to become an event planner by taking courses on-line and at a few community colleges, but courses don't prepare you for the real world working with a wide variety of sometimes demanding people in emotionally charged situations. Prospective clients want to know about your experience; they don't care about a diploma hanging on the wall. You can gain practical experience by volunteering at your church or with a non-profit organization, but it takes time. You won't be able to obtain experience by shadowing a planner in your community, however; it just isn't done unless you are willing to sign a non-compete agreement, which may not be in your best interest.
Becoming an event planner can be a rewarding profession if you like helping people and making them successful, but it isn't a field to be entered without doing thorough market research and without total commitment. If you expect to become rich planning events, that isn't going to happen unless you open a business in Los Angeles, New York or Las Vegas, where the competition is fierce.
The Realities -The turn-over rate in the industry nationally is about two years, largely because people have unrealistic expectations going into the business. Event planning is hard work. You have to be very detail oriented, able to solve problems and make decisions in a moment, able to work with all types of personalities, and be able to work on your feet for 8 or 10 hours or more at a time. You aren't there to party. Rather, you will be in the background making sure everything is going smoothly. You may be doing the grunt work - emptying trash, sweeping, mopping, setting up and tearing down tables and chairs and anything else necessary to make the client successful.
Family Support - If you don't have a supportive family, you won't remain in business long. Most events occur on weekends or in the evening. Client meetings occur when the client is not working, often in the evening or on a Saturday morning before you head out to that day's event. You and your client may have meetings with vendors in the evening. If your spouse is not willing to care for the children and to spend his/her weekends alone, you will hear complaints which may lead you to find a less demanding job.
Income - You won't get rich planning events. We are a luxury. When the economy tanks, the luxuries are often the first to be eliminated from the budget. I have been fortunate, through years of hard work, to position my business as one that can help people make the best decisions for their budget. Therefore, a down economy causes people to realize they need the expertise of an experienced planner who knows the local market and can help them use their limited funds wisely. It takes years, not months, to develop that kind of reputation.
Financing - People think event planning is a low cost business to enter, and it is in relation to some other types of businesses. However, it costs money for business registration, insurance, dedicated phone line, any technology you may need (computer, printer, scanner, fax), marketing and advertising, business cards and many other things. Most new businesses take two years or more to make a profit, so you need money in the bank to cover your expenses during that time.
Business Skills - Planning events is only one aspect of the business. A business can't function without attention to details like marketing, finance and bookkeeping. If you don't understand the business side of your business, you may need to hire someone to help you and that can get expensive. You will wear many hats and you need to understand them all and be able to juggle them all while still keeping your clients happy. One of the complaints I hear most often is that the phone isn't ringing, but it can't ring if people don't know about your business. Event planning is one of those businesses with few regular repeat clients; you are constantly searching for new ones and that takes time, money and marketing expertise. This is not a business you can start on a whim and expect to be successful.
Experience - You can learn to become an event planner by taking courses on-line and at a few community colleges, but courses don't prepare you for the real world working with a wide variety of sometimes demanding people in emotionally charged situations. Prospective clients want to know about your experience; they don't care about a diploma hanging on the wall. You can gain practical experience by volunteering at your church or with a non-profit organization, but it takes time. You won't be able to obtain experience by shadowing a planner in your community, however; it just isn't done unless you are willing to sign a non-compete agreement, which may not be in your best interest.
Becoming an event planner can be a rewarding profession if you like helping people and making them successful, but it isn't a field to be entered without doing thorough market research and without total commitment. If you expect to become rich planning events, that isn't going to happen unless you open a business in Los Angeles, New York or Las Vegas, where the competition is fierce.
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