Your 10 Steps To Becoming An Event Planner

Time and again I am asked, “what are the steps to becoming an event planner and how do I get started in the event industry?”

It’s a question so many women ask themselves but often struggle with because they don’t believe they have the right experience to get started.

Many years,  when I started, I questioned myself because I loved planning parties and events for friends and family, but I wasn’t sure how to begin my event planning career or where to start looking to get the experience I wanted.

Today I share the 10 steps to getting started because I want you to live your dream, and if becoming an event planner is what you want to do, then you should have a rewarding and meaningful career in the event industry, and I hope these steps help you figure out how to use your skills and experience to get started and get paid.

You don’t need a background in event planning to become an expert. If you have a knack for organizing and planning, you have the basic skills required to plan your own events.

A common mistake is to be all things to all people. Focus on your strengths and an area you’re most passionate about. 

Steps To Becoming An Event Planner

Step 1 – Get experience and volunteer your time in a variety of event services. 

There are so many aspects of events including, working for a caterer, a florist, volunteering for nonprofits, and working for an established event planner. Your long-term success in event planning will be based on the experience that you bring to your clients.
That means, if you’re thinking about starting an event planning business, you should have a strong grasp as to what an event planner is, and make sure you have some solid skills in:

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

Step 2 – Move into a position with some responsibility.
Instead of just volunteering, become the coordinator of your church anniversary, your family get together, become a catering manager, or take on a lead role at an event planning outfit.
Determine your preferred event planning market and focus on getting experience in those areas.

You can offer a wider range of services later; once you’re established, but determining your market will help you focus on the right type of vendors to work with, clients to establish relationships with, and events to plan.

Stay focused on:

    What’s your product or service?
    Who is your target market?
    Will you offer full service planning and execution?
    Will you specialize in one particular aspect of the planning?

Step 3 – Are you familiar with the saying, “it’s not what you know, but who you know”?
In event planning, networking is key! 
Wherever you go, collect contact information for the people you meet. I always followed up a meeting or introduction with a “nice to meet you” email and below my signature was an elevator pitch on what event planning services we provided.
For me, this was subtle and allowed me to build stronger relationships rather than just solicit people for business.

Step 4 – Create an event portfolio.
Showcase your work with photos, brochures, and invitations of the events you’ve worked on. Organize each piece in a book to easily present your experience and event stories. Most people are visual so paint the picture for them!

Step 5 – While you’re gaining valuable event planning experience, you can also become a certified event planner. Get your Certified Wedding & Event Planners (CWEP) credentials or The Nigeria Event Advocate and Networking Society offers a Certified Events Planner Advocacy (CEPA) program, which can help you learn a few tricks and establish your credibility with clients.
It’s also helpful to get involved with Meeting International and Nigeria Event Planner (MINEP) to keep up with industry trends and establish international contacts within the industry.

Step 6 – Form your business entity.
Where you live will depend on what you need to register for in order to create your legal business. Do some local online research to find out if you need to create corporate company or corporate business partnership and where and how to register your business name. If you are opening an office, get a business license from government  company registration authority and at your Local Govt office. And don’t forget to obtain business insurance to protect your business interests.
Several forms of insurance exist, so it’s best to speak with an insurance agent to learn more.

Step 7 – Before you tell everyone you know that you’re now in business, develop a Business Plan. 

Just because you’ve decided on your market, doesn’t mean you’re ready to share the news about what you offer. Google ‘event planning business plan’ and find a template that works for you.

Two key pieces of your plan is to establish your event planning business name and fee structure. As an independent or small event planning firm be aware of the various ways to cover your expenses and make a profit. This will keep you in business for years to come. But, before you decide which fee structure is best for you, determine your event planning operating expenses, salaries and your profit.
Different fee structures to consider

    Flat Fee – Most clients prefer to know how much a project will cost, inclusive of all fees. The event planner must determine a flat fee and determine what services will be covered for that amount. This is good for packaged events.
Percentage of Expenses – Qualified event planners should feel comfortable with charging between 15-20% of the total cost of an event. Depending on the complexity of the program and amount of time it takes to plan and execute an event, sometimes this is enough to cover a planner’s entire cost and source of profit.
    Hourly Rate – Similar to the flat fee rate, establishing an hourly rate allows for more flexibility for both parties to adjust to changes that along the way. The average tends to be determined/hr. (This concept of charging is still under going talk among event professionals in Nigeria).
    Percentage of Budget PLUS Expenses – this is my preferred way to charge for event planning services. Charge 15-25% of the overall event budget as a service fee plus all expenses. This way you’re charging for your time and your client pays all expenses associated with the event. A detailed event budget needs to be presented to your client for every event so they know how much the event will cost them.
    Commission able Rate – Another way that event planners may collect fees for services is by securing event space through venues that offer commissions. Many travel agents take advantage of this for booking tickets, hotel rooms and possibly transportation. Beware of this option because your client may question your sense of loyalty.

Step 8 – Secure Funding For Your Event Planning Business.
Businesses require an operating budget, and it will be important to have access to cash while getting established. It’s possible to establish your business on limited funds, but it’s important to have enough money to start your business and cover any living expenses as you build a profitable business

.

Step 9 – Then, create a website, a Facebook fan page, Pinterest page, LinkedIn profile, and twitter account to help keep your services top of mind. 

Let your former clients and contacts know you’re now an independent event planner and use those contacts you’ve been saving to solicit business and referrals. You will also need to create business cards, company stationery, sales collateral, client terms & agreements, and more.

Step 10 – Develop your network of suppliers and staff resources and network with vendors you’ve met or worked with at events. 

Often caterers, photographers, or florists will recommend an event planner to their client, as long as they know and trust you. Clients with major events prefer to use planners and vendors who work well together.

Join The Nigeria Event Advocate and Networking Society to network with industry professionals.

I’d love to hear from you, whatsapp or sms: 08030725241.

Email : planet2party@yahoo.com.

Fill out our short survey and let me know your most burning questions about becoming an event planner. Then watch our blog because we’ll be featuring your questions in upcoming posts!

Have an eventful week,

P.S. If this post helped you, share it with someone who could use help getting started.

Are you ready to start your event planning career?
Call: 08030725241 or 08029738290
Email : planet2party@yahoo.com
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14 Things Event Pro Should Own

Each and every event professional has their own personal list of items, tools and gadgets that lead them towards accomplishing their goals at events. 

There are just certain things we can’t work without. 

So what is on your list of must-have essentials? 

The following list includes 14 things that have led my events towards organization and success.
By owning these items, you are sure to rock your next big event! 

What would you add to this list of things event pro should own?

14. Organized Filing System
Staying organized is very crucial to success as an event manager. Having your own style of filing and tracking documents both on and offline will keep you on track and save precious time during busy events.

13. Well-Maintained Calendar

Everyone has their own system for maintaining a daily to-do list. Most of us keep a calendar or agenda to provide a look at each day, week and month. Maintaining a digital calendar is one popular method as it allows you to view your obligations at just the click of a button, although some managers still prefer a handwritten calendar. Finding what works most efficiently for you and your style is always the best method.

12. Emergency Kit
Having your own emergency kits for events is a great way to stay prepared and ahead of the game. If you are a wedding planner, keeping things like bobby pins, mints, and stain remover would all be great items for your kit. If you plan more corporate events items like pens, notebooks and back up batteries might be more your style. Whatever your event, having these clutch little kits can save you in a pinch.

11. Extra Cell Phone Charger
For those of us who travel, we have sacrificed our fair share of cell phone chargers to hotels and rentals cars. Always keeping an extra one handy is sure to keep your battery charged and could help out an attendee that might be in a tight spot. Another item to keep handy is a car charger, as these are vital for planners on the move.

10. Extra Copies of Everything
Back up copies of all vital event documents will prove to be your best friend during a busy event. On many occasions documents get misplaced or distributed leaving you, the planner, in a tight spot. Unless you have quick access to a copier you could be left carefully guarding your master list!

For example, at a large-scale golf outing you may need many sets of pairings for the tournament staff, club staff, additional guests and volunteers. The last thing you ever want is to run out of copies for your VIPs, so when in doubt print additional. Don’t forget to think green by recycling the leftover copies after the outing!

9. Well-Trained Staff and Volunteers
While you may not “own” them, you should definitely have reliable people to count on at your events. Take the time to train your team and educate them on your event, your client or your organization. This will give the staff a sense of ownership in the event and increase their customer service skills on the day of the event.

8. Emergency Funds
Having emergency funds will give you a nice cushion when things don’t go as expected. Perhaps you lose a big account or your end of year bonus doesn’t come through as planned. Having funds to rely on will help make ends meet when your income is less than expected.

Extra funds can also be handy for big purchases or upgrades that your company may need. Saving up these funds can be a challenge at first, but could pay off big in the long run!

7. Proper Technology
Owning the latest and greatest technology can make your event stand out above the rest. On occasion this upgrade may come along with a hefty a price tag, but you at least want to make sure your tech levels are up to par. When possible push the envelope and get ahead of the curve!

Some exciting technology can be free to use, but may require skills to implement. For example, many of the live streaming apps such as Periscope can add a fun new element for your event without costing much more than time and effort.

6. A Great Clipboard or Binder
As an event manager you spend the majority of your time on event day, putting out fires and seeing to it that the logistics of the event are being executed. When you are busying moving around you need your important documents to travel with you. Finding a high-quality binder or clipboard will be a great tool that you will enjoy having at every event.

5. Food and Beverage
Always have your own supply of snacks and lots of water on hand. When you get busy as a planner it is easy to forget to eat or become dehydrated. Pick up a nice reusable water bottle and handy snacks you can eat on the go. This will help you to keep your energy levels high while maintaining focus and productivity.

4. Stress Reliever
Finding the best way to reduce your stress level is a secret weapon among event planners. For me, it is going on a nice long run at the end of the day. For some people it might be a little glass of wine after work, spending time with friends or listening to music. Finding your stress reliever and making it a special part of your routine will go a long way in keeping you sane and happy as a planner.

3. A Positive Attitude
Having a great outlook on your events, career and work life will pay huge dividends towards your event outcomes. Nothing kills the vibe quicker than working with someone who has a bad attitude. Own your attitude and always do your best to bring a positive energy to your events.

2. Your Personal Brand
Owning your personal brand and style will show your clients that you have a unique and creative energy. Find something to set your events apart from everyone else. Maybe you thrive on providing the best customer service in your city, or perhaps your connections in the community are your calling card. Whatever your niche is, be great at it and make it known!

1. Your Event
Taking ownership in your event is the ultimate way to show your clients and attendees that you take pride in your career and business. Sometimes things will go wrong and in these moments it may be hard to take responsibility, but you must. On many more occasions your event will be a roaring success and you can be proud to call the event your own!

In Conclusion
There are many different items you may need to own as an event planner. Some are vital, while others may be considered more of a luxury. 

New tools, systems and gadgets are always evolving, so don’t be afraid to try out something new! 

Work hard to find the right set of items for you and your team to own. This will help your events to flow and improve your overall planning process.

Partyplanetng has some years experience in event management, creative marketing, volunteer coordination and non-profit fundraising.

You can follow us at @ partyplanetng on all social media or learn more on our blog using same handle.