Event Planning Business-How to start an Event planning Business

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Every occasion needs some kind of planning such as naming ceremony, cooperate launching and political campaign rallies. Others are wedding ceremony and seminar.
Without adequate planning the occasion become disorganized, confusing or a flop. The event planner has the duty to coordinate and supervise the occasion so every aspect runs smoothly.
Event planning is serious business and like most businesses requires training and dedication. You need to love the job and have a keen sense of organization.
 To become an event planner you need to have good organizational skills. Other things needed are networking and communication skills.
Competitive Market
What are your interests?
Before you become an event planner you need to discover your interests and focus on them. Knowing which area of event planning to concentrate on would give you an idea of what you need.
The ocean is vast so is the kind of events that you can specialize on. Among several categories are political rallies, birthday parties and weddings.
Others are religious gatherings, educational events and corporate events. Every category demands different ways to organize and handle the event.
Working exclusively with a certain niche shows your prospective customers that you are a professional in your chosen market. Doing many unrelated event types can bring up unseen challenges and does not give your clients that exclusive service they want.
Other events that might need the services of an event planner are occasions such as festivals, religious gatherings and state events.
The scope of work of any planner is only limited by the person’s ability and knowledge of the market chosen.
Which Occasion Dos Not Require an Event Planner?

Top of Form
  • school activities
  • political rallies
  • weddings ceremonies
  • corporate branding
Bottom of Form
Scope of Work of an Event Planner
The event planners job is selling expertise and organizational skills for a fee. The client pays for your time, knowledge so the occasion runs smoothly and meets their expectation.
Arrangement; the party planners job is to see to the arrangement of the event venue and make sure all things are in place. If the occasion is a wedding the event planner makes sure the tables are arranged properly in the manner expected by the couple and guests.

The planner oversees the cake, musicians and catering service. Other duties are providing the ushers, lightening, decoration and every aspect of the occasion.
This depends on the contract and assignment or work schedule. Other duties of an event planner are providing caterer, hiring the band, service staff and the decoration.

Sometimes the event planner has only to coordination the decoration of the hall. While the other functions like catering and music is contracted to other professional’s.

Organization; the organization of the event is the event planners job. This aspect of the job is the main brief of the event person.  The choice of venue is at the discretion of the clients although the event planer can make a recommendation based on experience.
Organizing every aspect of an occasion is what event planning is all about. Networking and getting the right people to work with to pull off a successful event is very important.

Networking; networking is a very important aspect of event planning. No matter how big an event planner is they need other professionals to create a good synergy.
An event outside the planner’s immediate location is challenging however networking makes the job easier. Networking doesn’t only work when an event planner needs something.
Satisfied clients will recommend your services to friends and acquaintances if you do a good job. Top brands are conscious of their competitors and would more likely hire an event planner with a good pedigree.

Tools Needed to Succeed As an Event Planner
promotions
packaging
job requirements
newspapers
create niche
learn on job
handbills
offer full service
volunteer
word of mouth
make budget
research
electronic media
loans, credit
join organizations
Summary of Event Planning
To succeed as an event planner there are things that you need to do. Some of which are mentioned below.
1 Focus on a niche market
2 Create a unique niche
3 use good caterers for meals
4 Use effective Strategies to create value
5 Offer full service
6 Register with the appropriate authorities
7 Join a good event planners association
8 Learn on the job
9 Volunteer your services to other event planners
10 Create a budget that works
11 Negotiate hard with your client
12 Proper pricing would give your job longevity
13 Creativity and good organizational skill is necessary as an event planner
14 Public relations is imperative as well as self promotion
15 Prepare a portfolio of your work for clients
16 Honesty is the best policy. Don’t offer what you can't deliver.
Promotions and Planning
As an event planner promoting your business would help you reach clients. Use radio jingles, television advertisement and multi-media platforms.
Other promotional tools that are effective are billboards, handbills, word of mouth and business cards. Networking is one of the most effective ways to reach new clients.
 It is not out of place to put your business card on the tables during an event for the guests to take if they wish. Many event planners have made useful contacts this way especially if the event was nicely done.

The event planner needs to network within the industry, join organization and become relevant  others in your industry can recommend you to their clients especially if your niche area is different that theirs.
Word of mouth can carry an event planner only as far as the recipient of the information, this method has a low success ratio but it still works and could surprisingly get a big budget client.
Event Planners Fees
Charging the right fees for your services can make or mire an event planning business. There is nothing like to high a fee or to little a fee, your fees is commensurate your contract. The job starts from the preparation, networking, transportation, time and the service rendered

Quantifying every aspect should give the planner a reasonable ballpark figure. Charging to little because the client is cash strapped would not help your business grow.
Good and excellent services aren’t cheap haggle but remember poor pricing might affect your service delivery. When you charge write down every bit of work, equipment and service that would be rendered.

Assign a monetary value to them and add service charge of one third of the total sum to get a number. Event planners have different methods of quantifying their services to reach a price.
 Find out a system that works for you and seems reasonable. There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to pricing your service.

 Find out how others in your industry charge and leave room for haggling and negotiation.
Some of the things that you can quantify while trying to reach a price are supplies. Others are the cost of transportation, meetings, and travel expenses.
 To charge take into account all the different things that are required to successfully organize a top class event before presenting a comprehensive bill to your client
How to Develop as an Event Planner
There is no substitute for knowledge so a good event planner should constantly research. The person can develop planning skills by voluntary work with other planners. You can read through tutorial, journals and event work free to gain experience.
Gain as much experience as you can by finding those that are into the industry and learning some of their tricks. Good event planners strategist and organizer with an eye for décor and arrangement.
Event Planners Job Scope
The event planners job scope is divided into two segments. You may be contracted to take care of the entire event from the catering, drinks, lighting, decoration, and venue. Others are promotional and seating arrangements.
Getting the entire contract is an event planners dream especially if it’s from a top brand of company. The second is when the job scope is narrowed down to only one or two aspects of the event.
 This job is easier however full control of an event is preferred. For example if the caterers they hire does a bad job and serve substandard food or snacks it might affect the event planner negatively.
Such happen so the event planner needs to work doubly hard to showcase his talent in better light.
Create a Catalog
Making a catalog of your work is one of the most important ways an event planner markets his services. Create a portfolio of all your past jobs with pictures, reviews, locations and clients. Having such information makes it easier for the client to decide on hiring a particular planner.
The work is moderately difficult however rewards are great. You can actually make lots of money doing this job.
Another interesting aspect is that it can be done part time, full time or as a hobbies. The only criteria are that you should have good organization skills and a passion for what you are doing.
 Provide Real Value
Providing real value to your clients is important, the client’s motive for hiring an event planner is to reduce the stress associated with organizing an event. They need the event planner to take charge of all the details from the venue, lighting and air-conditioning
Other functions are table arrangement, catering and ushers. Sometimes the event has a promotional theme or colors.
Value is why the event planners job exists in the first place. A large company would rather hire a good event manager to make the occasion a success.
Research
The event planner needs to do a lot of research especially when organizing certain events. Find out what they expect and what they want.
For example in certain religious gatherings there are things that might be forbidden or taboo. Adding such a thing to the décor or at the gathering would not go down well with the clients.
Conglomerates expect certain things at their meetings or during the launching of a new product. The event manager should take into account all the expectations of his clients in order to plan the event successfully and get good reviews.
Research also has to do with hiring some specialized equipment that to added value. Some of such equipment's are special lights, prompters, screens and special effects. The kind of equipment depends on the type of event, amount paid and the client’s expectation.
Other aspects of research are keeping an eye on what your competitors are doing and learning about new technology.  Running an event planning business is having an edge over your competitors so you can get high paying satisfied clients.

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