Become A Successful Event Manager To Earn Income - Online Income Generation, Income Growth Strategies, Freelancing Income

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Earning good income as a successful event manager is not impossible if you apply the basic success tips for event planners. It is noted that event management involves the organized planning and research necessary for the proper execution of an occasion.

You can get good returns in event management if you abide by simple success tips in the business as event management has become a specialized discipline that requires diverse skills which must be strictly followed to guarantee success and good returns.

An event may be categorized to include simple social occasions like family reunions, birthdays and weddings and complex official events such as Annual General Meetings, Brand Promotions, unveiling of new products and other entertainment events such as award presentations and live concerts.

For you to earn income as a successful event manager, you must adequately apply the tips contained in this article in the running of your event management business.

How to Become A Successful Event Manager To Earn Income
Is Event Management a Profitable Business?
How do Event Managers Make Money?
Do Event Planners Make Money?
Event Planner Salary in California
Is Event Management a Good Career?
Are Event Planners in High Demand?
Where do Event Planners Make The Most Money?
What is The Highest Paid Job in America?
Can Event Planners Make Six Figures?
How Much do Celebrity Event Planners Make?
How Much do High End Event Planners Make?
What is The Average Event Planner Salary by State?
How do I Become an Event Planner With no Experience?
Where do Wedding Planners Make The Most Money?
How Much Money do Event Planners Make UK?
How do I Start my Career in Event Planning?
What Qualifications do I Need to be Event Planner?
Do You Need a College Degree to be a Wedding Planner?
Starting an Event Planning Business Checklist
How to Start an Event Planning Business With no Money
How to Get Clients For Event Planning Business
How to Become an Event Planner From Home
Legal Requirement For Event Planning Business
Equipment Needed For Event Planning Business

How to Become A Successful Event Manager To Earn Income

Have Knowledge Of The Event

Proper understanding of an event by you will guarantee the success of the event because each event has its demand which may be crucial. You should know that events such as corporate or social gatherings have their own demands, protocol and perhaps their procedures.

You will require knowledge of various supporting resources to be put in place for occasions where people are entertained, such as parties and concerts. It will be easier for you to understand the event if you talk to or approach people who have participated in such events before and also get useful instruction or guide from people who have managed such events in the past.

You need to update your knowledge often because the event management business is quite dynamic in nature.

Predict Fair Figures Of Your Expected Guests

You should be able to predict fair figures of the expected guests to attend the event as this will enhance adequate planning. Your clients should also make their choice of venue and location known to you or you might suggest a good location for your clients or customers based on your past experience. As a planner, you must ensure that you have maps, scout the location and take necessary notes that will assist you in the planning process.

List Out Your Plans On Paper

Depending on your modus operandi or the style adopted by you, you can itemized your plans in form of note taking and draw out how you intend to go about the management of the event on paper or on a board.

You should assign responsibilities to the various employees within your team and track the progress of each planned action to completion. If you are taking on big event, it is important you carryout dry runs and simulations.

In order to forestall unpleasant surprises during the occasion, you may also involve the customer in such a dry run and walk the client through of what he or she may expect during the actual event.

Pay Attention To Time Management

Much as time management is important in any business, it is of greater importance in the event management business. The ability to manage your time properly is vital in working out a good time span as no event should be:
* Un-coordinated
* Hurried
* Hectic
* Long drawn affair
Keeping to effective time management will not put your client’s or audience’s patience to test so you must be able to always come up with a well-balanced agenda that has adequately scheduled time contingencies.

Access Necessary Equipment

Your trade tools are the equipment needed for successful planning of an event. Equipping your business with the necessary trade tools will only ensure that you succeed in the event management business.

You should learn how to arrange your technical equipment and skilled technicians as this is of prime importance. You should also take time to avoid unpleasant embarrassment occasioned by equipment malfunctioning when the occasion is ongoing. You must therefore always pay due attention to details.

As a planner for instance, when two projectors are beaming simultaneously on two ends of the stage, you should know that they must be in sync and have the same color balance.

Your technicians and employees must be competent enough to be able to address cogent issues while at work as they must check the equipment before the event commences to avoid unpleasant situation and loss of income.

Applying these useful tips and guides to your business would make you earn more income as a successful event manager.

Is Event Management a Profitable Business?

The special events industry has grown enormously in the past decade. According to recent research conducted by Dr. Joe Goldblatt, CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional), spending for special events worldwide is $500 billion annually.

Goldblatt is the founder of International Special Events Society (ISES), the founding director of the Event Management Program at George Washington University, and co-author of The International Dictionary of Event Management. “Suffice it to say, the marketplace is large enough to support and sustain your endeavor,” says Goldblatt. “If you’re working in one special events area, there are many directions in which you can expand. If you’re just entering the profession of special events, there’s a lucrative market awaiting you on many fronts.”

How do Event Managers Make Money?

Charging enough—but not too much—for your event planning services is key to ongoing business success. It’s important for first-time business owners, therefore, to proceed with caution as they begin to estimate the cost of holding events. The goal in pricing a service is to mark up your labor and materials costs sufficiently to cover overhead expenses and generate an acceptable profit.

According to industry expert Dr. Joe Goldblatt, fees are typically determined by three factors:

1. Market segment served. Social events have a different fee structure than corporate events. In the social events industry, planners typically charge a fee for their services, plus a percentage of some or all vendor fees. If you were to break down your event planning fee into an hourly charge, a social planner would, according to industry expert Patty Sachs, make anywhere from $12 to $75 per hour, plus vendor commissions.

In the corporate events industry, however, planners typically charge a fee for their services, plus a handling charge for each item they contract. For example, a planner buys flowers from a florist, marks them up (usually by 15 percent) and charges that amount to the client.

Another possibility is a flat fee, or “project fee,” often used when the event is large and the corporation wants to be given a “not to exceed” figure. Sachs estimates an hourly rate for corporate planners of between $16 and $150, plus vendor commissions.

2. Geographic location. Fees are higher in the Northeast, for example, than in the Southeast. This difference reflects the variation in cost of living. In addition, areas of the country with well-defined on- and off-seasons, such as the Hamptons in New York or Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, for example, base their prices partly on the season involved.

3. Experience and reputation of the event planner. If you’re just starting out in the industry, it’s reasonable to charge less for your planning services while you gain expertise. A word of caution, though: Don’t charge too little just to get the job.

Although clients shop around for the best price, a planner who comes in too low with an estimate may be as off-putting as a planner who comes in too high. Your client may question your ability to throw a top-tier event based on the price you have quoted.

So how are the above-mentioned fees-for-service calculated? Most event planners price their fees-for-service (the total cost to the client) using a “cost plus” method. They contract out the labor, supplies and materials involved in producing an event and charge their clients anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of the total cost of the event, with 15 percent being a rough average.

Before you can begin planning an event, you have to know exactly what your clients want and what they can spend. Then you estimate how much it will cost to contract for labor and supplies, add your commission and present the total fee for services to the client as an estimate. Below are some possible per-event expenses:

Site rental. Depending on the event, site rental fees can be considerable, nonexistent or anywhere in between. This is an opportunity for you to save money for a client on a tight budget. Perhaps a client wants a scenic summer barbecue. A site at a public beach can often be reserved for practically nothing while tony beach-side clubs often command premium prices.
Vendors. This category could include a caterer, bartender, decorator, florist, photographer, entertainer or videographer, among others.
Supplies. Any supplies not provided by vendors or the client will need to be purchased by your company. This can include anything from food to potted trees to table candles.
Equipment rental. You may need to rent audiovisual or lighting equipment.
Licenses and permits. Some types of events require special permits or licenses, such as a fire marshal permit or a license to use a musical score.
Transportation and parking. If the event requires you or your staff to travel or requires the provision of transport for attendees or speakers, there may be significant transportation costs.
Service fees and gratuities. Hiring temporary help, such as servers, for the event can be costly.
Speakers’ fees. Conferences and other educational or commemorative events often involve speakers.
Publicity and invitations. A large event may be heavily advertised, but even smaller events might entail the use of fliers. Invitations are also frequently necessary.
Mailing and shipping. If you’re mailing out invitations or fliers, don’t forget this expense. Some event planners even ship flowers.
Photocopying and preparation of registration materials. Any handouts for attendees or photocopying of fliers fall under this category.
Signage. Any signs or banners designed for the event should be figured into your per-event expenses.

Once you know which of the above expenses you’ll incur, you can prepare an estimate of the event cost and the fee-for-service. First, find out the going rate by contacting three of each kind of vendor and supplier you’ll need. Then calculate the costs for each category listed (and any others that might arise), add them up and add a small amount for unforeseen expenses.

When you give an estimate to a client, you may want to present it in the form of an itemized list. Show each vendor or supplier separately, with a brief description of the services they’re to provide, and list the price of each service. This strategy is helpful for reminding clients that your company will receive only a small fraction of the total fee for services.

Do Event Planners Make Money?

While the recession of 2008 may have caused a slight downturn in the number of events held in the U.S. every year, one thing is still certain: Everyone loves a good party.

Event planners are always in demand; from weddings to corporate gatherings, there is always call for someone who can help make an event run smoothly.

However, not all event planning businesses are created equally. The discrepancy between event planners’ salaries is fairly large; for example, while top wedding planners can earn $120,000 a year, the industry average is $44,260.

Event Planner Salary in California

The average salary for an event planner in California is around $53,100 per year. Event planners earn an average yearly salary of $53,100. Wages typically start from $30,900 and go up to $91,250.

There are currently an estimated 116,700 event planners in the United States. The event planner job market is expected to grow by 10.9% between 2016 and 2026.

Is Event Management a Good Career?

Absolutely! The industry is growing, and events are only getting better. For people who feel they have the skills to succeed in the world of events, event management makes a great career.

There are so many jobs in event management. Some examples include: event planner, wedding planner, venue manager, sponsorship coordinator, catering manager, social media manager, staff coordinator, marketing manager, and more!

A successful event career requires a wealth of skills, from a knack for detailed planning to high-level multitasking during event execution. Not everyone has the capacity to sniff out the details or problem-solve during chaos.

Are Event Planners in High Demand?

Demand for event planners is expected to grow during the decade from 2016 through 2026, according to the BLS. Average job growth for all careers during that time period is projected to be about 7%, but that number is 11% for event planners.

Technology related to communication has improved considerably in recent decades, but not in a way that would replace the need for occasional events, seminars, or conventions designed to be attended in person.

A good grasp of technology is something that can help an event planner grow in the field, as even events designed for those attending in person can be shared through live streaming or other options.

Where do Event Planners Make The Most Money?

An event planner can make an average of $16.07 per hour, or an equivalent of around $ 33,000 per year. However, this average can vary depending on clientele, event types and hours worked to see an event through to completion.

Below are the ten states that offer the highest salaries for event planners.

Virginia: $9.88 per hour
Washington: $17.23 per hour
Hawaii: $17.36 per hour
New Jersey: $17.50 per hour
Massachusetts: $17.85 per hour
District of Columbia: $18.50 per hour
Pennsylvania: $41,225 per year
California: $20.83 per hour
Texas: $43,824 per year
New York: $51,407 per year

What is The Highest Paid Job in America?

Rankings are based on salary data from the BLS. Where possible, we used median salaries for each occupation, which signify the annual wage of a typical employee in that role. However, the BLS only publishes mean, or average, salaries for certain positions; those figures are denoted with an asterisk (*) below.

The salary figures and job outlook projections are based on data collected through May 2019, which is the last time the BLS updated its occupational statistics.

1. Anesthesiologists: $261,730*

The BLS defines anesthesiologists as physicians who “administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.” This is the third straight year that this highly specialized career has topped the list of highest-earning professions.

Work hours for an anesthesiologist follow the schedule of the operating room, which can be long and unpredictable. That’s because anesthesiologists need to be there for both scheduled surgeries and emergency procedures, such as trauma events and childbirth.

Education — Following four years of medical school, aspiring anesthesiologists in the U.S. typically complete a four-year residency in anesthesiology and possibly even more, depending on the subspecialty.
Job Outlook —Overall, employment is expected to remain flat over the next decade, according to the BLS.

2. Surgeons: $252,040*

Although becoming a surgeon requires several years of specialized training, these physicians are rewarded with one of the highest-paying careers. Surgeons may find themselves working long, irregular hours, depending on their specialty.

While those focusing on preventative and elective surgeries may have a more predictable schedule, surgeons working in fields such as trauma or neurosurgery often work extended, even overnight, shifts.

Surgeons perform operations to treat broken bones and diseases, such as cancer. Surgeons help manage the patient’s care before and after surgery. Even when they’re not scheduled for work, a surgeon may need to address patient concerns over the phone, and on-call surgeons sometimes make emergency trips to a hospital.

Education — Becoming a surgeon requires the successful completion of medical school, a multi-year residency program, and sometimes a specialized fellowship.
Job Outlook — Overall, employment is projected to decline 2% over the next decade, according to the BLS.

3. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: $237,570

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons treat a wide range of diseases, injuries, and defects in and around the mouth and jaw. Among the more common problems they’re likely to manage are problematic wisdom teeth, misaligned jaws, tumors, and cysts of the jaw and mouth. They may also perform dental implant surgery.

Education — Typically, oral and maxillofacial surgeons require an undergraduate degree, a four-year dental degree, and at least four years of residency. After their training, surgeons often take a two-part exam to become certified in the United States by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Job Outlook — From 2019 to 2029, employment is expected to increase just 2%, according to the BLS.

4. Obstetricians-Gynecologists: $233,610*

Doctors specializing in vaginal, ovarian, uterine, and cervical reproductive health and childbirth, known as obstetricians-gynecologists, or OB-GYNs, make slightly below the annual wages listed for oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Successful OB-GYNs are good at communicating information to patients that improve their health and that of their babies. They also excel at handling high-stress situations—most notably childbirths—that can occur at odd hours of the day.

Education — Becoming an OB-GYN requires graduation from medical school as well as the completion of an obstetrics program and a gynecology residency program, which typically last four years. Afterward, these physicians have to pass a licensure exam before they begin to practice.
Job Outlook —The number of OB-GYN jobs is expected to decrease by 1% by 2029, according to the BLS.

5. Orthodontists: $230,830

Orthodontists specialize in corrective measures for the teeth and are often referred out by the patients’ dentists. These doctors frequently take X-rays, apply braces, create mouth guards, and perform other procedures as needed.

High-achieving orthodontists require good communication skills, as they work with patients directly, plus strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. While some work for large orthodontic offices, others own their own practice, which requires strong management skills.

Education — After earning a college degree, future orthodontists need to complete a dental school program that involves classroom and clinical experience. These newly minted doctors must then complete a specialized residency program and sit for a licensing exam.
Job Outlook — By 2029, the BLS expects the number of orthodontic jobs in the U.S. to reach 7,300, reflecting a 2% increase from 2019.

6. Prosthodontists: $220,840

Prosthodontists fix damaged teeth or missing teeth with artificial devices such as dental implants, dentures, bridges, crowns, and veneers. It’s a pretty exclusive club—there are only about 600 prosthodontists in the U.S., according to the BLS.

Physicians who thrive in this specialty have a strong inclination toward science, are able to diagnose complex dental problems, and possess the mechanical acumen to properly address ailments. Many of them work with cancer patients, making it important to understand the needs of surgical patients and treat individuals going through radiation or chemotherapy.

Education — A career in prosthodontics requires a college degree, followed by completion of a dental school program, where they become either a doctor of dental surgery (DDS) or a doctor of dental medicine (DDM). Candidates follow that up with a residency program and ultimately apply for certification from the American Board of Prosthodontics.
Job Outlook — The number of prosthodontists is expected to stay flat over the next decade, according to BLS projections.

7. Psychiatrists: $220,430*

While all psychiatrists help treat mental health issues, it’s a field with a vast range of specialties. Some work on child and adolescent psychiatry, for example, while other specialize in forensic (legal) psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, or consultation psychiatry, which occurs in a medical setting.

Others specialize in psychoanalysis, where the psychiatrist helps the patient remember and examine past events and emotions to better understand their current feelings.

Psychiatrists can be found in any number of work environments: private practice, hospitals, community agencies, schools, rehabilitation programs, and even prisons.

Education — Unlike psychologists, who also treat mental health issues, psychiatrists are medical doctors. After receiving an undergraduate degree, they have to complete medical school, followed by a residency program. According to the American Psychiatric Association, the first year of residency typically involves working in a hospital setting and managing a variety of medical conditions, followed by three or more years focused on mental health. Thereafter, graduates often apply for certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Job Outlook — Among physicians, psychology is expected to be one of the fastest-growing specialties over the next several years. The BLS predicts that employment will grow 12% from 2019 to 2029.

8. Family Medicine Physicians (Formerly Family and General Practitioners): $213,270*

The BLS defines this category as “physicians who diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries that commonly occur in the general population.” These medical doctors often refer patients to specialists for advanced treatments.

General practice physicians, also known as primary care physicians, are typically where patients go for periodic exams and the treatment of common health ailments, such as sinus and respiratory infections, as well as chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.

Some primary care doctors specifically work with adults (internists) or children (pediatricians). Those who treat patients of all ages, from childhood to advanced age, are known as family physicians. Because of their varied patient population, family practice doctors generally manage a wider range of medical conditions.

Education — After graduation from medical school, general practice physicians complete a residency program. Doctors are required to complete a certain number of months in each training area before applying for board certification.
Job Outlook — According to the BLS, employment among general internal medicine physicians is expected to drop 1% over the next decade. However, the BLS expects employment among family medicine doctors to grow 6% from 2019 to 2029.

9. Physicians (Other): $206,500*

If you take the median salary of all physicians working in all other specialties, they would come in ninth place. This “other” grouping includes jobs as varied as allergists, cardiologists, dermatologists, oncologists (who treat cancer), gastroenterologists (digestive system specialists), and ophthalmologists (eye specialists). It also covers pathologists, who study body tissue for possible abnormalities, and radiologists, who analyze medical images and administer radiation treatment to cancer patients.289

Education — Any medical doctor (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) is going to require medical school after attaining a bachelor’s degree. Most clinical professions also require the completion of a residency program, although some may go on and receive fellowship training after that.
Job Outlook — Total employment among all physicians is expected to increase 4% by 2029, according to the BLS.

10. Internal Medicine Physicians: $201,440*

At the No. 10 spot, you guessed it—another medical role. Internists, who often serve as primary care doctors or hospitalists, specialize in the care of adult patients. In 2019, their already strong salary went up by almost $5,000.

As with other general practice physicians, internists who work in a primary care capacity see a lot of patients and need to treat a range of ailments, from asthma and diabetes to high cholesterol and hypertension. With visits often lasting 15 or 30 minutes, quick decision-making skills are a must.

Education — After receiving a college degree and successfully completing medical school, internists typically complete a residency program where they rotate through multiple healthcare specialties. Some pursue more specialized training in areas such as cardiology, pulmonology, and oncology. Internists who are board-certified have a major edge in the job market.
Job Outlook — Employment among general medicine internists is expected to drop 1% by 2029, according to the BLS.

Can Event Planners Make Six Figures?

If you are wondering how much do event planners make, you may be shocked to find out that the median salary is almost six figures.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual event planner salary is $98,370 or $23.74 an hour. Like we have mentioned in this article, event planning jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 11% until 2026.

How Much do Celebrity Event Planners Make?

The average annual pay for a Celebrity Event Planner in the United States is $51,353 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $24.69 an hour. This is the equivalent of $988/week or $4,279/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $101,500 and as low as $19,000, the majority of Celebrity Event Planner salaries currently range between $35,500 (25th percentile) to $60,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $81,000 annually across the United States.

The average pay range for a Celebrity Event Planner varies greatly (by as much as $24,500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

How Much do High End Event Planners Make?

While most think of wedding or event planners as the people who coordinate and schedule event timelines, they also work with other vendors involved with events. Most wedding and event planners are employed by companies and earn a salary.

However, others are independent contractors who may be paid a flat fee, an hourly or daily rate, or a percentage of the cost of the event. The amount of money wedding and event planners make varies based on their experience, skills and location.

What is The Average Event Planner Salary by State?

The average salary for an event planner in the United States is around $42,449 per year.

State Name	Average Salary
Alaska	$50,299
Alabama	$40,689
Arkansas	$38,647
Arizona	$38,107
California	$53,100
Colorado	$48,210
Connecticut	$56,470
District of Columbia	$65,090
Delaware	$47,160
Florida	$45,130
Georgia	$48,370
Guam	$35,740
Hawaii	$56,368
Iowa	$39,244
Idaho	$35,845
Illinois	$42,196
Indiana	$36,590
Kansas	$41,500
Kentucky	$37,573
Louisiana	$39,100
Massachusetts	$52,480
Maryland	$55,760
Maine	$43,730
Michigan	$45,530
Minnesota	$51,130
Missouri	$42,390
Mississippi	$37,700
Montana	$37,610
North Carolina	$42,520
North Dakota	$45,360
Nebraska	$44,270
New Hampshire	$45,690
New Jersey	$61,750
New Mexico	$34,270
Nevada	$43,320
New York	$60,510
Ohio	$48,590
Oklahoma	$42,030
Oregon	$46,240
Pennsylvania	$39,369
Puerto Rico	$22,710
Rhode Island	$52,940
South Carolina	$36,860
South Dakota	$35,450
Tennessee	$41,170
Texas	$49,080
Utah	$41,680
Virginia	$57,980
Vermont	$45,260
Washington	$49,690
Wisconsin	$44,610
West Virginia	$41,210
Wyoming	$42,700

How do I Become an Event Planner With no Experience?

Here are 12 strategies to help grow your new event management career, find your first clients and increase your experience:

1. Get an education

Consider pursuing an education in event planning or a similar field. Professional event managers have widely differing degrees that all teach necessary skills for a future in event planning. Some relevant college degrees include:

Hotel and restaurant management: A degree in this field allows you to learn essential aspects of running large-scale events, best practices for guest management, and an introduction to the catering industry.
Marketing: Any large event is going to need a strong marketer in charge, one who can attract guests, organize promotional events and maintain consistent messaging.
Public relations: A public relations professional serves as the liaison between the public and an organization, and they are often highly involved in marketing and developing events that bring the organization greater public awareness. This degree would offer practical skills in people management, leadership, attracting the public and working with subcontractors to develop business relationships—all essential skills for an event management professional.

A degree could increase your marketability and demonstrate proof of important skills.

2. Earn professional certifications

Your local university might also offer classes and professional certifications in event planning. Apart from your local university or college, you can pursue other professional certifications like these:

Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) is developed by the Convention Industry Council (CIC)
Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) is suggested by the International Live Events Association (ILEA)
Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) is run by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE)

3. Find your niche

Finding your niche means determining the part of event planning you want to specialize in. Since event planning is a diverse field, featuring everything from stockholders’ retreats to fundraisers and children’s birthday parties, you can specialize in nearly any type of event.

Be flexible enough to work with any client, especially when you are starting, but focus on your own strengths and interests in the field so you can develop expertise in particular areas. To find your niche, identity events you enjoy coordinating the most and tailor your search for experience around those events.

Having a niche can increase your marketability since proven interest and passion for a type of event can attract businesses or organizations looking for the best planner for that type of event. For example, if you care most about corporate retreat planning, make sure your experience and portfolio present you as the optimal choice in retreat management.

4. Engage online through social media

Join online groups to find other aspiring event planning professionals and more experienced planners. And, with many events being planned online, an active and successful online network can help you appear more marketable to employers looking for digital expertise.

5. Attend local events

Local events, whether they are fundraisers or corporate events, offer an extraordinary opportunity to observe and learn about event planning. Going to an event as a guest can give you a unique viewpoint into logistics and guest experience. Attend some functions, and note how the events are structured, how space is used and the vendors and resources the planner uses. You can also introduce yourself to the event planners to ask them questions about their approach and gain relevant contacts in the industry.

6. Research industry leaders

Once you’re more familiar with the event planning scene, research the most influential industry leaders in the industry and discover some of their experience and qualifications. If you meet people at local events with connections to larger companies, contact these people about opportunities to meet their contacts.

Researching industry leaders can give you names and businesses to reach out to and offer an opportunity to volunteer or become involved with well-known event planners and learn their methods.

7. Find a mentor

A mentor is a more experienced individual who can help guide you in your career and aspirations. As you network, research and attend local functions, be on the lookout for event planning professionals with qualifications and abilities you admire. Consider asking them to mentor you in your growing event planning career.

Whenever you meet with a mentor, be respectful of their time and listen to their experience and advice. They might be able to offer you unique connections, training and access to resources.

8. Volunteer with local organizations

An excellent way to gain experience is to volunteer for local events, like those hosted by religious institutions you’re a part of, clubs and organizations, local businesses or nonprofits. Many nonprofits and local charitable organizations consistently run awareness campaigns and fundraisers, creating many opportunities to volunteer your skills.

If you volunteer to help plan an event or even just to assist during the setup and the event itself, you can gain valuable experience and working knowledge. Roles as simple as passing out name tags and checking people in can give you valuable experience to leverage when pitching to a potential client.

As you start, you can also volunteer to lead the event planning efforts for a local organization or club. These opportunities allow you to showcase your leadership skills, logistical management abilities and vendor relationships.

9. Craft a stellar portfolio

Create a portfolio that showcases your experience, niche expertise, skills and other qualifications to impress a potential client. Here are some ideas for putting together a portfolio:

Include all kinds of events. Think of the garage sales, multi-family birthday parties or neighborhood block parties you may have helped plan. Describe what role you served in and how your involvement impacted the event. Try to choose the most relevant events so clients can see how your experience matches their needs.
Include hard data. Show your event’s impact by sharing specific numbers, like the number of attendees, the amount of money earned from tickets or the amount of money fundraised. Providing statistics can illustrate how effective your event planning skills are.
Share pictures or videos. Visuals demonstrate your decorative style and the guest experience. With pictures or videos, you can help the client imagine what their event might look like under your leadership.
Get feedback. Have someone review your portfolio and give feedback on its structure and how clear your contributions are. Make sure your portfolio is grammatically correct, clearly organized and ready to impress even the pickiest client.

10. Build a website

By building a website, you can advertise your services and give an overview of your style and skills. Consider housing the following elements on your website for the best client experience:

Have a contact form. In addition to including your business contact information, like your phone number and email address, provide a digital form for potential clients to fill out. This form can ask for their contact information, the type of event they’re looking for and any other details that can help you prepare for your meeting with them.
Publish your portfolio. Clients can explore your website to learn more about your event planning experience and see visuals from past events. Having it in the same location where they can contact you for a quote or meeting streamlines the process of making a connection.
Write a blog. With a blog, you can write about your view of the event planning industry, describe challenges and victories in your career and engage with other event planning blogs. A well-read blog that utilizes SEO practices can help make your name recognizable in the industry and even reach more clients.
Link your website to social media. Include your social media handles and link to those platforms from your site. Clients can navigate to your social media to see more evidence of your event planning if you post photos there, too.

10. Apply to event management companies

Even if you eventually want to start your own event management service in the future, apply to event management companies in your area to gain more experience. Use social media and online job boards to search for open positions with the companies that offer the most opportunities to grow as a planner. Research a company’s reputation and the events it has managed to see if it aligns with your niche.

You can also apply for positions in marketing, advertising, public relations, communications or HR management because those roles are often responsible for helping organize public or employee events. Through these and event management roles, you can learn new skills, stay updated with current event trends and make new contacts.

11. Start your own business

Here are some ways you can start your own business and find your first client:

Use your local network. Let your family, friends and coworkers know about your new business. Ask them if they know anyone who might need an event planner.
Search social media and online job boards to find clients. Browse online to find clients searching for private event planners. Apply to their postings and follow up on your application with a polite email or phone call, if possible.
Advertise your website. Considering paying for marketing to promote your website and get more visibility online.
Develop a strong business plan. Your business plan should detail your niche, your target clients and your mission as a company. If you have others working for you, write a description of their duties and include your organizational structure. Be sure to include a pricing structure, factoring in the possibility of hiring subcontractors, servers or movers, to show clients your payment expectations. A professional plan can help you streamline the contract negotiation process and prepare a comprehensive pitch to clients.

12. Pitch your first client

Here are some things to consider when pitching your first client:

Do your research. Based on the job posting or what you know of the client, research what the client might be looking for in their upcoming event. If you research ahead of time, you can begin planning to give your client as a starting point, showing that you are collaborative and proactive in meeting their needs.
Personalize the meeting. If you know who your interviewer or client is before the meeting, do some research on social media to identify some common interests. Sharing common interests allows you to more easily build a friendly rapport, which can make meetings more engaging for both parties. You can also ask questions about the company or the client’s needs to show that you’re focused on meeting expectations.
Emphasize your uniqueness. The skills that set you apart as an event planner should be evident during the interview. If you excel at fundraising, make that clear. If your passion is for welcoming environments and social mingling, identify how you accomplish that and how it can benefit the company’s or client’s event. Showing the client or interviewer how your unique skills and experience meet their needs can convince them you’re the right person for the role.

Where do Wedding Planners Make The Most Money?

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Wedding Planner job is above the national average. Topping the list is Sunnyvale, CA, with Santa Rosa, CA and Cambridge, MA close behind in the second and third positions. Cambridge, MA beats the national average by $7,862 (18.4%), and Sunnyvale, CA furthers that trend with another $11,239 (26.3%) above the $42,654 average.

Importantly, Sunnyvale, CA has a moderately active Wedding Planner job market with only a few companies currently hiring for this type of role.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Wedding Planner appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top ten cities varies very little at 12% between Sunnyvale, CA and Baltimore, MD, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Wedding Planner role.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Sunnyvale, CA	$53,893	$4,491	$1,036	$25.91
Santa Rosa, CA	$52,095	$4,341	$1,002	$25.05
Cambridge, MA	$50,516	$4,210	$971	$24.29
Vacaville, CA	$49,546	$4,129	$953	$23.82
New York City, NY	$48,993	$4,083	$942	$23.55
Fairfield, CA	$48,945	$4,079	$941	$23.53
San Mateo, CA	$48,662	$4,055	$936	$23.40
Lynn, MA	$48,239	$4,020	$928	$23.19
Anchorage, AK	$48,165	$4,014	$926	$23.16
Baltimore, MD	$47,425	$3,952	$912	$22.80

How Much Money do Event Planners Make UK?

Many wedding planners are self-employed, so it’s not unusual to set up your own practice early in your career.

However, wedding planning companies do exist and often advertise vacancies on their websites – alternatively you can send a speculative application. Your first job could be as an assistant wedding planner. Search the internet to find relevant companies in your area.

You should try to get some experience to help you land a job. Offer your services to a local wedding planner or wedding venue, just to get your foot in the door. Show them what you can do and before long, a permanent position will be yours for the taking.

You’ll typically earn around £17,000 to £20,000 when you first start out as a wedding planner, rising to between £20,000 and £25,000 with some experience, according to the National Careers Service. Once you build your reputation and get even more experience, you can earn more.

How do I Start my Career in Event Planning?

If you’re a natural at taking charge, can multi-task, and meet deadlines under pressure, then a career in event planning is for you.

1. Event Planning Courses

Many local colleges offer courses and programs in event planning that cost approximately $3000-4000 a year or you can register for an online course. Online event planning courses have become the most popular alternatives to traditional education and offer a variety of benefits including lower cost and less time to complete the program.

Pros – You can study on your own time and often tutors are available to help you.

Cons – You need to carve out time for self study and actually do it.

2. Volunteer

Working with local non-profit organizations on event development is one of THE best ways to get event planning experience.

Before I started my business, to get experience, I was a committee member on The Relay for Life with the Canadian Cancer Society for 3 years, volunteered for other charitable events and ran my own small events.

Pros – Great way to get the experience you need and learn various areas of event planning, and is a great place to network.

Cons – Some events can take a lot of time – but then again, if you want to start a Career in Event Planning, then welcome to the real world of event planning!

3. Intern

Working directly with an established event planner or event planning company is the perfect way to break intro the industry and get the experience you need.

When you’re looking at planners to work with, be sure to pick ones based on your interests and what areas you need to learn i.e.: wedding planning vs. fundraising galas.

We recommend you have some experience and/or some educational background in event planning, before you contact professional planners about internships. I hear from many professional planners that they get a lot of email applications from people with little to no experience, and even though it’s “free” work, they still want to work with the best. Remember, it’s their event and their reputation that’s on the line, so be professional when you approach other planners for their help.

Pros – Fantastic way to get real life experience and learn the ins-and-outs of the industry.

Cons – these are typically volunteer positions and you may feel like you’re being left behind or not used. This usually happens because planners feel too busy to train staff, so it’s important that you showcase your strengths before the event and pinpoint where and how you’ll be most useful to the planner and the overall event.

4. Start an Event Planning Business

This one is my favorite but it doesn’t happen overnight and without a little experience in event planning and/or business. A few tips to consider and research before you set up shop:

Decide which event market best suites your skills and passions. For example, do you prefer to work with CEOs or brides?
Do a marketing plan, so you understand where and how you’ll build your business. This is also a good time to identify your ideal client.
Register your business with your local or national business registry.
Develop a network of suppliers and vendors.
Get insurance for your business and events.

Pros – Freedom to choose your clients and who you work with.

Cons – It can be scary believing in yourself

What Qualifications do I Need to be Event Planner?

Many event planners specialize in a particular type of event, such as conventions, weddings or parties. Whatever their specialization, event planners can distinguish by earning a professional certification. Here are some of the most common certifications for this profession:

Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP)

Offered by the International Live Events Association (ILEA), the CSEP designation recognizes event professionals who have successfully demonstrated the ability, knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill all elements of a special event. To obtain this certification, candidates must have at least three years of experience in event planning and pass the CSEP exam.

Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

Offered by the Events Industry Council (EIC), this designation is given to event planners who specialize in the organization of meetings and conventions. Candidates for the CMP must pass a written examination covering meeting management.

Certified Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE)

Organized by National Association for Catering and Events (NACE), the CPCE certification is a nationally recognized program designed to provide event planners with the opportunity to establish themselves as experts in the hospitality, catering and events industries. To become CPCE certified, candidates must complete a training program and pass an exam.

Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP)

A joint program developed by the Graduate School at USDA and the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP), the CGMP certification is intended for suppliers and planners whose work is regulated by the federal government. It is considered the highest designation available for professionals organizing government meetings.

Certified Conference and Events Professional (CCEP)

Offered by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the CCEP designation is available for professionals who want to obtain the skills needed to manage their organization more effectively.

To acquire this certification, candidates must have at least two years of full-time experience, hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a field related to collegiate events or conferences, submit a letter of application and a resume and complete the CCEP program.

What is The Annual Salary For a Wedding Planner?

The average annual pay for a Wedding Planner in the United States is $42,654 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $20.51 an hour. This is the equivalent of $820/week or $3,554/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $60,000 and as low as $27,000, the majority of Wedding Planner salaries currently range between $32,000 (25th percentile) to $50,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $60,000 annually across the United States.

The average pay range for a Wedding Planner varies greatly (by as much as $18,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

Do You Need a College Degree to be a Wedding Planner?

You don’t need a special degree or certification to become a wedding planner. But if you want to head into the industry and you have little-to-no experience, learning the ropes and all of the ins and outs can be extremely beneficial.

The American Association of Certified Wedding Planners, for example, was “created by wedding professionals who saw the need for an organization dedicated to the education of those seeking to become wedding planners, and to elevate those already in the field through certification and continuing education.”

The organization offers in-person and online training. Students have two months to complete the course and are then eligible to apply for a membership as a Trained Wedding Planner.

Another option is the Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute, which offers a course for people interested in becoming a Certified Wedding and Event Planner.

The average time to complete the course is 8-12 weeks, and graduates receive a certificate, letter of recommendation, and the professional Certified Wedding and Event Planning designation. “I would highly recommend Lovegevity courses to those who are willing to take the plunge and go after your dreams,” wrote one graduate. “The Certified Wedding Planner course was the perfect curriculum I needed to reassure that I am going in the right directions.”

Starting an Event Planning Business Checklist

Starting an event planning or wedding planning business can feel like a gigantic endeavor when you’re unsure of what steps to take. This business startup checklist will provide you with a quick guide on the best steps and tools to get you off on the right track.

1. Gain Event Planning Skills and Experience

The long-term success of an event planning business will be based on the experience that the planner brings to his or her clients. That means, if you’re thinking about starting an event planning business, you should have a solid grasp as to what an event planner is, and make sure you have some solid skills:

Verbal and written communications
Organization and time management
Negotiation and budget management
Creativity, marketing, public relations and more

It would also be helpful to obtain professional certification in the industry, including CMP designation or involvement in MPI.

2. Determine Your Event Planning Market/Forte

Okay, let’s say you’ve been working in corporate meetings for five years and are ready to create a business. The first thing to realize is that your strengths are in the corporate arena. A common error many planners make is to say that they are willing to coordinate all kinds of events, including corporate meetings, weddings, fundraising galas and more.

Stop. While the urge may be there to offer a variety of services, the reason you’re ready is based on your collective previous experiences. In time you may handle a full range of events, but initially recognize that there are distinctive differences between corporate, association, nonprofit and social events. Determine your market accordingly.

3. Develop a Business Plan

Because you decided on your market, you may be thinking this is a good time to share the news about what you can offer to the world. Not so fast. Starting your own business isn’t as glamorous as such fantasies. Like everything else, starting an event planning business requires a business plan.

The good news is that several resources are available to help. Expert to Home Business Randy Duermyer provides some insights into business plan basics and walks you through the process. The U.S Small Business Administration is a good resource that publishes materials about writing business plans as well.

4. Designate Which Business Entity Fits Best for Your Firm

Now that you realize that creating an event planning business should be viewed as a “work in progress,” it’s very important to determine your business structure in the beginning. The most fundamental step is to make sure you decide what type of business entity works best for your plan. For this, it’s important to secure professional advice.

There are several options available to you, and it’s important to select the type of business organization that best represents your interests. The Expert to Tax Planning William Perez outlines the six forms of business organizations recognized within the U.S. by the IRS: Sole proprietor, C-Corporation, S-Corporation, Partnership, Trust and Non-profit organization.

5. Obtain Business Insurance

Business insurance is mandatory. Event planning businesses should secure general liability and other forms of insurance to protect the business owner’s interests. Several forms of insurance exist, so it’s best to speak with an insurance advisor to learn all of the requirements.

Whether you plan on starting a home-based business or if you will have a small office elsewhere, ask questions about these forms of insurance (but not limited to) as follows:

General liability
Product liability
Home-based insurance
Worker’s compensation
Criminal insurance
Health and other benefits

6. Develop Your Network of Suppliers and Staffing Resources

It’s time to try to lighten the burden of business structure for a moment. Now it’s time to consider who you want to include in your network of suppliers. Event planners work with a variety of suppliers, including caterers, florists, photographers and more.

And although you may think that you can handle all tasks, ultimately you are going to need to establish an infrastructure of resources to support your events and overall operations. This includes staffing resources for administrative, sales, marketing, communications, legal, accounting, and other functions.

7. Define Your Event Planning Services

Some of you may be disheartened by the reference to “legal” and “accounting.”. Don’t be. They are very important friends and resources. But now it is also a time to think a little deeper and continue pondering what types of event planning services you will offer.

We recognize that many of you have probably already thought of this, but it’s important to stay focused on your core services. What’s your product? Who is your target market?

Will you offer full-service planning and execution on behalf of your client for venues, catering, production, speakers, gifts, transportation, lodging and more? Will you specialize in one particular aspect of the planning? What about communications services for event communications and more?

8. Establish an Event Planning Fee Structure

With services in mind, it’s important to determine your fee structure. Many independent and small event planning firms should be conscious of the various ways to cover their expenses and make a reasonable profit. After all, this will help keep you in business five years from now. Most event planners charge based on the following:

Flat fee
Percentage of expenses
Hourly rate
Percentage of expenses plus hourly rate
Commissionable rate

9. Secure Funding for Your Business

In most cases, this shouldn’t be step 9, but it’s important to be motivated by the work that your new firm will bring so that you don’t get discouraged when considering the necessary realities. And each business owner will vary how he or she chooses to secure and source such funds.

Most businesses require an operating budget, and it will be important to have access to a comfortable base of cash while establishing the firm. While it is possible to establish a business with limited funds, it is still important to have enough money to start your business and cover any living expenses while waiting to become profitable.

10. Focus on Business Development and Marketing for Your Event Business

With your business model in place, an understanding of your services, a sense of how you will charge for your services, now it’s time to begin to develop important business and marketing materials.

Well, now you’re ready to choose the right name for your business and work your business development plan. You will also need to create business cards, stationery, a website, sales collateral, proposals, client agreements and more.

How to Start an Event Planning Business With no Money

Starting your own event planning business doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right set of tools in your arsenal, you can even get started and bag your first client without spending a dime.

In this section, we’ll show you how to start an event planning business with a fairly limited startup budget. We’ll cover:

Identifying your target market.
Pricing your event planning services.
Marketing and resources.
Developing a business plan.
Operations and logistics.

Step 1: Identify Your Target Market

The first thing you need to do is decide whether you’d like to jump into general event planning or fulfill a specific niche market for events.

If you don’t have a lot of event planning experience or are just starting out, it’s a good idea to pick a unique niche market for events and branch out to other types once you’ve built a portfolio for yourself. If possible, start with the type or at least industry of events that you’re familiar with.

If you’re not familiar with events, then attend some and notice how things are done. The key benefit of offering your services to a niche event market is that you’ll be able to cover more ground and use your resources (time, effort, skills) more responsibly.

Once you’ve decided on the type of niche events, the next step is to do some research and identify your target market. If, for example, you’d like to plan fundraising events, you might consider getting in touch with local non-profit organizations and charities.

Next, do your research and learn as much as you can about the needs for your selected market. For example, you might consider finding out:

How often the organization hosts events.
How many attendees they expect at each event.
What their estimate budget is for each event.
What sorts of activities take place at the event.

You can get this information by checking out the organization’s event website, their social media pages, doing competitor research, or simply reaching out to the organization and asking for an interview.

Step 2: Pricing Your Event Planning Services

After you settle on a niche and do some research, you’ll need to decide how to price your event planning services. Although your rates may vary from one event to the next depending on the client’s requirements, you should still have some general pricing information in mind. For example, you’ll want to decide:

Your hourly rate for client meetings, consultations, reaching out to vendors, etc….
How much you’ll charge for proposals and other resources you provide the client.

It’s also important to decide on an overall pricing strategy. Will you charge solely on a per-hour rate or a percentage of the total event budget? Will you charge a commission for booking venues or hiring caterers?

Event planners generally opt for a cost-plus pricing strategy (on average, it’s 15% of the total cost of the event) that allows them to keep their business operational while making a profit.

Once you’ve determined individual prices and pricing strategies, consider creating service bundles and offering event planning packages at different price points.

Step 3: Marketing and Resources

Since our goal is to start an event planning business with very little money, your marketing efforts will be limited in the beginning. However, once your event planning business starts to take off, you can put aside some funds every month for marketing purposes.

When you’re just starting out, you can market your event planning services using the following marketing strategies:

Word of mouth marketing. Let your friends, family, and colleagues know you’re in business! Find opportunities to plan events for friends and family. This is a great way to build a portfolio, gain experience, and get the word out about your event planning business. Visit or contact businesses that need services like yours and discuss their needs.
Social media marketing. Create a business page on social media websites and begin marketing your events to your target audience. Use the right hashtags and post regularly for maximum outreach.
Marketing through your event website. Create a free event website with Event Smart and use it to promote your event planning services. Spend some time creating landing pages, blog posts, a FAQs section, a services page, and a pricing table. Leverage Event Smart’s Blogging & Custom Pages along with your event registration pages. .
Email marketing. Look for clients in local business directories who’d be interested in availing your event planning services and start building an email list. Send them information regarding your event planning services and pricing.
Visit Venues. You should become familiar with the venues in your area that can be leased for events. Venues should be very willing to speak to event planners who can bring them customers for their space. As you talk with the venues you will be building relationships with new businesses who can help you and your clients. Relationships with venues could also be a source of new clients.

Step 4: Develop a Business Plan

Developing a business plan is a key step to starting any business. It includes information about your company, what your goals are, what services you’re offering, and who you’re offering services to. Having a solid business plan helps you stay on track and serves as a guide for when you need to make key business decisions.

At the minimum, your event planning business plan should include:

An executive summary
Industry analysis
Customer analysis
Competitor analysis
Operations and logistics plan
Marketing plan
Financial plan

Step 5: Operations and Logistics

Coordinating and supervising events are event planning activities that happen at the event. Depending on the niche you selected, this might be over the weekends, during evenings, after business hours, or maybe even during business hours (for corporate meetings).

In addition to this, it’s important to keep in mind that some events are seasonal. For example, non-profits are more likely to host fundraising events around the holidays.

However, as an event planner, you’ll be in charge of many different event planning activities and operations depending on the type of event. Here are some operations that are common to most events:

Event Research

It’s a good idea to do some research related to the types of events you’ll be planning in advance. For instance, you might want to compile a list of possible venues and catering services. Your list might include information regarding availability, costs, and contact numbers.

Proposals

After gathering your client’s requirements and conducting research, the next step is to produce an event proposal for your client. This, again, depends on the type of event you’re planning.

That said, most event proposals contain a brief portfolio (with photos), testimonials, pricing information, contract, and schedule. Since you’re just starting out, you might consider charging a fee for the consultation in which you’ll share the proposal with your client.

Organization

After the client accepts your proposal, you’ll need to take steps to organize and execute the event. This step usually involves making phone calls and visiting various vendors. You’ll be renting out a venue, hiring vendors (catering, seats, lights, entertainment, etc…), and anything else that the client would like to feature at the event.

It’s a good idea to involve the client during the decision-making process and make it as easy and smooth for them as possible.

Coordination

Coordinating with the people, vendors, and suppliers who are coming together to make the event a reality can be pretty daunting. You have to make sure everyone is on the same page and have a clear understanding of the event’s schedule.

How to Get Clients For Event Planning Business

If you do not yet have a portfolio we recommend starting with your inner circle – this is your friends and family.

Friends and Family

Email everyone in your inbox with a personal message letting them know about your business.
Post on your own Facebook page once every other week about your new business.
Text everyone in your phone.
Call close friends and let them know what you’re up to.
Invite a group of friends to coffee and ask them to share your story. (If you trust this group of friends you can ask them for feedback on what you’re doing. If you do not trust their business sense then do not let their opinions change your passion for planning.)
Give business cards to your friends that they can pass out.
Offer to do a free event for your friends and family in exchange for a Yelp review, photo shoot and testimonial.
Ask friends to share your website on their Facebook page.

You can also tell former bosses, past business acquaintances and former co-workers. There are ways to communicate these messages to them without being overly salesy. Trust me when I say they all want to hear about your new adventure. Once you reach out to your inner circle, you can launch a social media outreach campaign.

Social Media

Post images of your events or other beautiful events you like on Instagram.
Follow and connect with similar people on Instagram.
Join Twitter and use the “advanced search” function to find brides-to-be, corporate clients, venues, vendors, etc and begin following and interacting with them.
Join local community groups on Facebook and start adding value to the groups by posting your knowledge. They will quickly view you as an expert and reach out to you.
Post your knowledge on your Facebook page. You can also run contests to give away a free event.
Partner with local restaurants or venues to post content on their Facebook pages (great idea!).
Get a past client, family or friend to do a short Youtube video review of your work.

Social media works but it takes a little time. You have to create a strategy and execute on it every single day. Just do one small thing on social media once per day. We call this “planing your seed”, and in a few months the seeds you plant in the social media world will grow to be large, beautiful, healthy trees.

When you begin marketing on social media make sure you choose the same Company name on every platform (same name on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube).

Through the Local Media

Offer your event or wedding services for free to well known writers or bloggers in your town.
Think of a creative contest to hold and then reach out local bloggers to let them know about it. Interesting ideas like these are what bloggers and newspapers want to write about.
Get writers to show your before and after photos from a Grand Opening event or local community gathering that you put on.
The media uses Twitter frequently – start building relationships with them by tweeting interesting local news to them to build relationships.
Make sure you read what the local newspaper or blogs write about and when you have something to say, leave them a comment or send them an email. All writers enjoy feedback and engagement about their stories.
Attend local blog meetups which you can find on meetup.com.
Host a local event that you organize for newspaper writers, bloggers and the media. This way you get to show off your skills, build relationships with the media, give them something fun to do and get the word out about your business.

How to Become an Event Planner From Home

There is no specific education or training required to become a party or event planner, but experience can go a long way in helping you know what to do and what to expect. Further, having a network of professionals from caterers to entertainers will be important in having the resources to supply what clients want for their party or event.

Pros

Starting a parting planning business offers many perks including:

Can be started with little investment
No formal training is required
You can start from scratch or invest in a franchise event business opportunity
Can be run from home
Ideal for people who are outgoing and enjoy working with others
Doing business with people and businesses out to have a good time
Job variety
Potential new clients at every event
A six-figure income with the right clientele

Cons

It’s not all party balloons and confetti in the planning business. Some negatives about the business include:

Long or odd work hours. Party planners need to be on-hand during the event, which often runs evenings or weekends. Some may be multi-day events.
Every event can be stressful as you only are as good and popular as your last party.
It can be difficult to get your first clients.
Clients can be difficult and unreasonable in their expectations.
Reliance on subcontractors.
Pressure to look your best whenever doing business.
The client always comes first.

What You Need to Get Started

While there’s no specific education or experience you need to get started as a party planner, there are a few skills and to-dos that are involved, such as:

If you’ve never planned a party or organized an event, volunteer to do one to make sure you have the stamina and interest in event planning as a business.
Write a business plan outlining your service, prices and financial projections. This is the time to decide if you’re going to focus on a specific type of event, such as weddings or conferences.
Although not required, you might want to get the Certified Meeting Planner certification as it can increase your marketability. Clients will feel more comfortable working with someone they think has been vetted. This can also allow you to charge higher rates.
Determine what and how you’re going to charge for your services. Keep in mind your clientele and the event. Weddings and large corporate events have high expectations and lots of work, whereas an office party usually has less.
Create your contracts. Consider having a lawyer to help you to make sure you cover every possible legal ramification.
Obtain the needed business license and liability insurance.
Create your marketing plan and promotional materials, such as business cards, brochures, and a website. Determine your ideal market and how you’ll reach it to get clients. Consider including videos of successful parties, with your clients’ permission, of course.
Gather images and testimonials of your events to create a portfolio of your success. Also, develop a plan for generating referrals.
Develop a network of reliable suppliers and professionals needed to help you pull off your events, such as florists, caterers, photographers, and DJs.
Get active in your community, especially with your local chamber of commerce and other business-to-business networking. Not only can you generate business from these events, but also, cultivate referrals.

If you have trouble getting your business off the ground or want more experience before going on your own, consider getting an event planning job.

Legal Requirement For Event Planning Business

If you own your own business you might have some of these covered already. But it’s good to review just in case there are some new (or even surprising) legal issues you hadn’t considered before.

1. Pay business taxes

If you don’t have your own tax advisor, you need to start by reviewing common tax pitfalls, which include things like deductions specifics and proper documentation.

Problem: It’s your first year as an event planner and because you haven’t had a ton of clients you forego paying quarterly taxes. At the end of the year, your tax preparer tells you that the business was responsible for quarterly IRS payments.

Solution: Speaking with a licensed tax professional to make sure your business is properly set up with the government. And make sure to set aside the proper amount of taxes you’ll owe from each and every job.

2. Get a business license

Some cities will fine or suspend your business activities for not having the right paperwork in order when you’re first starting out.

Problem: You get a mysterious letter in the mail from your city’s small business office claiming you owe them a large lump sum after neglecting to apply for the proper license.

Solution: Pay the fine immediately and get your business registered. Your local office should be able to walk you through the process online or over the phone. A little payment up front now can save you big surprise fees in the future.

3. Create the right client contracts

Every event planning contract you write for a client should include certain clauses that cover all your bases in case things go wrong for either party.

Problem: You’re approached by a longtime friend about a large event they’d love for you plan. Because you have a pre existing relationship or have done business with them before, you figure you might as well avoid the discomfort of asking them to sign anything. Then, in the midst of planning the event, something beyond your control goes wrong and they no longer want to pay you for your time.

Solution: Always have a contract in place. Always. Not only does it protect your business it can also set expectations, explain the scope of your work, and streamline communication if or when issues come up.

4. Get ahead of business name disputes

A quick Google search can save you a potential lawsuit. Don’t let competing businesses (even the ones with out of date websites and barren social media accounts) say you stole their name.

Problem: After registering your business name and receiving your official license, you receive a cease and desist from a company that claims you blatantly copied them.

Solution: Do your research first. But if you don’t and you find yourself in this situation, it’s worth it to start over from scratch, especially if they’re threatening legal action. Sorry, but no business name is worth all you could possibly lose if you went up against them in court.

5. Secure Commercial General Liability Insurance

Whether you’re a corporate event planner or a private party planner, having insurance is the most important thing you can do to protect not just your business but your entire career.

Problem: An elderly person trips over a light cable at your event, breaking their wrist. They say you’re responsible for the accident and their insurance contacts you about the hospital bills.

Solution: As with most of the items on this list, this situation is taken care of with a little advanced preparation. Find the best insurance for your needs, just make sure you have it ready to go well before your first event.

Equipment Needed For Event Planning Business

1. Cell phone and cellular service

Estimated cost: + $600 to $1,200 for a flagship phone | + 150/month for cellular service

Your cell phone is mission control for your event planning business. Many of your interactions with clients—prospective and current—will take place over the phone. Voice-to-voice is where you’ll make your first impression.

You’ll also use your phone to get important details from vendors, discuss changes to orders, cope with unexpected problems, and communicate with your team while you run last-minute errands before an event. You can also download helpful scores of event planning apps that help keep you organized when you’re out meeting clients or visiting venues.

When choosing a cell phone for your business, prioritize battery life—you don’t want your phone cutting out mid-call with a valued client. Beyond that, your phone should be a newer model and include a high-quality camera so you can capture crisp images of your event designs for your portfolio.

2. Laptop computer

Estimated cost: + $1,500 to $2,500

You may wonder: Why not a desktop? Because event planning is a mobile business by nature. As the head of an event planning business, your office needs to be wherever you are. Choose a lightweight laptop and a protective laptop bag or backpack and try not to overload it—heavy bags can contribute to back, shoulder, and neck pain.

Like your cell phone, your laptop should be a recent model, with a long battery life, plenty of storage space, and a high-resolution screen. When starting out, many event planners meet clients in coffee shops to discuss inspiration and goals. Your laptop is where you’ll share your portfolio, Pinterest image boards, and possible venues.

Your laptop is also your primary connection to your event planning software. You’ll be able to update your event table layouts, add to your to-do list, and share notes and priority tasks with your event planning team as your business grows. To make it a truly mobile event planning office, your cloud software capabilities should include:

Event diagramming
Event element customization
Contact lists
Floor Plan layouts
Guest tracking
Special requests
To-dos
Shareable calendar
Notes

3. Business cards

Estimated cost: + $400 for 500 cards

This two- by three-inch piece of cardstock is a powerful tool for your business. Generating new clients is an essential part of your efforts, and you never know when or where you will meet people who need an event planner, or know someone who needs one. You’ll also share them with peers during networking gatherings and event industry conferences.

You can design your own business cards or customize existing templates through printing companies like Moo or Vistaprint. Of course, triple check your spelling and contact information, and feature your brand logo if you have one.

Keep your business cards on hand wherever you go, and pass them out during conversations online at the coffee shop, at social gatherings, and networking cocktail hours. Just remember giving out business cards is an art that takes some practice so you don’t come across as pushy or make people uncomfortable.

4. Fast and reliable router and WiFi

Estimated cost: + $100 to $400 for business router | + $90 to $250 for high-speed internet

Your event planning software is cloud-based—you need fast, dependable WiFi so you can share updates and ideas with your clients and your team. Talk to other small business owners in your area to find out which company provides the best local service.

You’ll also need a reliable small business router that’s powerful and secure. This device supports essential tasks, such as sourcing event venues, making financial transactions, and downloading and sharing event floor plans.

If you’re starting your event planning business at home, upgrade your WiFi capabilities—that way other people in your household can use the system without interrupting your connection.

5. Car

Estimated cost: + $25,000 to $35,000 for new mid-size sedan

Unless you live in a big city with a reliable public transportation system, you’ll need a car to scout venues, meet with clients, and search for show-stopping decor elements for your next event.

That’s it! You can get started in event planning with these tools plus your top-notch organizational skills and boundless creativity. But we’re not going to stop there. Soon enough, you won’t be a one-person operation handling small business meetings and one wedding at a time. Next, let’s take a look at what you might need then.

As your business grows, you’ll need more equipment to juggle multiple events, RFPs, and client meetings. Large event firms have an office where clients can visit, and your team can gather to brainstorm and strategize.

6. Printer

Estimated cost: + $300 to $1,000

With so much business going fully digital, printers are starting to feel old school. However, they remain a requirement for your event planning office. You still need hard copies of contracts for clients and vendors alike. And some people are simply not tech-savvy, or they absorb information better from paper rather than screens. They will appreciate the hard-copies of event floorplans and photos of your inspiration.

7. Tablet

Estimated cost: + $500 to $1,700

Tablets are portable and practical tools for client meetings and inspiration sharing. You can bring them along to meetings at venues or coffee shops—no need to boot up the laptop. For a nice touch, order a customized cover with your event company name.

8. High-Quality Camera

Estimated cost: + $500 to $2,000

You could use your cell phone, but as your business grows, you’ll want to share glamour shots of your stand-out events. Getting those great shots requires a quality DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera. You’ll use this camera for:

Event portfolio photos
Event website photos
Backup if your event photographer is late
Videos for your website and clients

9. Furniture and decor

Estimated cost: $100 to $3,000

You need a place to sit with existing and prospective clients, as well as your team. Take some time with your choices; your office should reflect your event planning style. Are your events known for bold designs, add some eye-catching elements to your office.

If you’re known for sophistication, make sure your seating conveys refinement. Place your favorite sources of inspiration, such as photography, art, and architecture books near seating areas—these are great conversation starters.

10. Inspiration wall

Estimated cost: + $100 to $400 for cork boards or magnet boards

This is a spot to gather your latest inspiration and ideas for the events you are designing. Consider a chalkboard paint wall with large cork boards or magnet boards for attaching pictures and color swatches.

If you have several events in the works at once, write the event name above each board in chalk. You can also create ‘boards’ with large, colorful squares painted on the walls where you can hang photos with tape or poster tack.

11. Office F&B Equipment and Stock

Estimated cost: + 150/month for water cooler delivery and snacks

You know F&B is one of the keys to happy event guests. Don’t forget to show your hospitality to visiting clients and your staff as well. Things to keep on hand:

Coffee maker
Water dispenser
Healthy snacks (granola bars, nuts, yogurt)
Plates, glasses, and mugs (for cake tastings, water, and coffee)

12. See-through plastic banker’s or file box

Estimated cost: + $20 to $40

Make sure it’s see-through so you can tell at a glance what you’ve got and when your supplies are running low. Look for a carry-all that closes securely and has a handle for easy transport, if possible.

13. Name tags

Estimated cost: + $80 for 100 plastic holders and 500 stickers

Event registration should be seamless, so ensure your event’s website makes it that way! Your event check-in software will prompt print-outs of official name tags as event guests arrive. But you’ll likely need to create last-minute name tags for attendees who register on the event day, or request changes to their title. Get a supply of sticker name tags, as well as plastic name tag holders with pins to attach them to shirts.

14. Permanent markers

Estimated cost: + $50 for 2 packs (fine-point and king size)

Keep a handful of bold permanent markers in black and a few other colors on hand. You’ll find yourself grabbing the markers to create signs to direct crowds at unforeseen bottlenecks, or for those last-minute name tags.

15. Mini sewing kit

Estimated cost: + $10

These are easy enough to put together yourself, or you can buy a pre-made sewing kit with thread, needles, a needle threader, fabric tape, and small scissors.

16. First-aid kit

Estimated cost: + $25

You can find fully stocked first-aid kids in any drug store. They should include antiseptic wipes, adhesive bandages for every skin tone, tweezers, ace bandages, safety scissors, and instant cold packs.

17. Makeup kit

Estimated cost: + $150

Whether your event is an intimate wedding reception, a gala fundraiser for a museum, or a professional conference, your team and your clients may have left their faves at home and require a touch up.

Stock up with eyeshadow palettes in neutral shades, concealers for light, medium, and dark skin colors, and a few lipsticks and glosses. Keep cotton balls, cotton swabs, and tissues on hand—for sanitary reasons, no one should touch any of the makeup with their fingers.

18. AV Equipment

Estimated cost: + $400 for Catchbox microphone

Though you’ll work with AV vendors on large-scale events, it’s smart to have some AV equipment on hand. Consider a meeting of 100 sales representatives from a global company. Instead of hiring AV equipment, you can offer Catchbox tossable microphones to encourage participation.

19. Extension cords and floor cord covers

Estimated cost: + $200 for 3 cords and covers

Outlets aren’t always where you need them at events. Extension cords of varying sizes give you the flexibility you need when setting up the podium for a keynote speaker or your check-in desk. Just be sure to get floor cord covers as well so the extra wires don’t become trip hazards.

20. Backup portable chargers

Estimated cost: + $200 to 300 for 4 to 5 chargers

We’ve all been there. Our phone is on 2 percent battery power and our charger is on the kitchen counter at home. Be the hero for yourself, your team, and your clients by purchasing backup chargers. Get several multi-chargers you can plug into a wall outlet, a USB port, and one that has a battery pack.

Bottom Line

Starting an event planning business can be daunting and overwhelming as there are a lot of things to think about and decisions to make. If after reading this post you are just as passionate and determined as before then we encourage you to follow your dream and don’t look back.