What Does It Take To Become A Great Event Planner
If you have a college degree in event planning or if you have a passion for planning, then a career as an event planner could be ideal for you. If you are already working in the industry but you wish to break out on your own, then you need to take the necessary steps such as enroll yourself in an event planning course online to establish a successful event planning business. But are sure of where to start? Here is what it takes to start a successful event planner career:
1. The right skills
To be a successful event planner, you need to be a highly social and outgoing person because you will be dealing with different people with different tastes and personalities. Also, you need to be versatile so that you can handle the different, constantly shifting tasks that come with the job. If you are called to step in as a host, a cleaner, a banquet server, or whichever part of event planning you are called to serve in, you need to be sufficiently equipped to do so. Lastly, you need to have on-the-spot creativity so that you can address the problems that arise from events satisfactorily and in real-time.
2. Experience
You may have to start your event planning career as an intern in an established planning business so that you can gain the necessary hands-on experience. After that, try hosting volunteer events, coordinating guest relations, and a host of other entry-level roles. By the time you start coordinating meetings and forums, you will be ready for the market. Remember to join the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) or any other professional organizations that will give you the necessary legitimacy to kick start your event planning career.
3. The necessary certification
If you have the necessary skills, go ahead and obtain all the necessary certifications for your event planning business. Because no one will trust you with their event if you don’t have the certification to prove that you are indeed a professional event planner, be sure to enroll for an event management certification course of your choice. If you don’t know where to start, CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional) or CMP (Certified Meeting Planner) would be great classes to get you started. They would make a great addition to your CV.
4. A solid plan
Just like in any other business, your event planner career must be anchored on a solid plan for it to stand a chance in the highly competitive industry. Take your time to study different successful business models within the sector and whenever possible, ask for business planning tips from successful event planners in your region. The better your business plan is, the higher your chances of attracting investors.
5. Look for your target market
The greatest target market for any event planner is the corporate world. Business organizations, non-profits, and even charity organizations host events all the time. Fundraisers, in-house athletic competitions, company picnics, team building events, and customer appreciation dinners- you name them! Come up with the right marketing strategies to win as many corporate events as possible. You can start by planning small corporate meetings within your area and then grow gradually.
The second greatest event planning market is in community and social engagements: Alumni reunions, birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, and social conferences- you name them! Conduct simple research on the social event planning in your neighborhood and identify the loopholes that people need to be addressed within the sector. Be sure to stand out from the existing competition so that you can attract many clients.
6. Capital
Every new business needs startup capital; event planning isn’t exempted from this reality. You need a startup budget that is big enough to finance several events before the checks start coming. Remember to set up your business up to the living standards of your target market. If you have the money to set up an office, the better, but if you don’t, you can always set a small office at home. “As your client base grows, you will need a small marketing budget to facilitate deeper customer engagements. You will actually need to use the services of a marketing agency at some point”, explains Upsuite.
7. The knowledge of local tax laws
If you don’t want to get in trouble with local authorities, be sure to remit your taxes as required by law. It can sometimes be hard to understand the many complicated tax laws in different states, but you at least need to know the dos and don’ts that shape the event planning industry in your area.
About the Author
Gaurav Dutta An undead zombie from the future, here to warn the planet about the inevitable future and save the planet. He likes black metal and drinks beer with Satan on weekends.
