How to Become an Event Planner - Getting Started Tips
Event Planners plan all kinds of events: from parties to weddings and more. If you've been thinking of becoming an event planner, you might find the niche just right for you.
Here is an article that shows you how you can get started (or click here for your event planning business guide):
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How to Break Into a Fab Job As An Event
Planner
A village feast to welcome home hunters in the wilds of Borneo
and a glittering fund-raiser soiree at a swanky New York hotel
may not sound like they have much in common, but they do have at
least one similarity.
If event planning sounds like it could be your dream career,
here are 7 steps to become an event planner, based on the
FabJob
Guide to Become an Event Planner by Jan L. Riddell, Carol
Palmatier and Peter J. Gallanis.
1. Assess Your Skills
Before you quit your day job to become an event planner, take
the time to honestly assess your current skills to ensure you
have what it takes to succeed as an event planner.
Event planners must be creative and well organized, but they
must also have excellent interpersonal skills. Events are about
people, so successful event planners must be able to effectively
listen to what clients want, develop relationships and negotiate
with vendors (companies that supply products and services for
events).
TIP: If you're creative and have great people skills, but
could use some help getting organized, event planning software
is available to help you keep track of event details.
2. Learn How to Plan Events
Almost all events have common components such as some type of
meal or refreshment, a form of entertainment or speaker,
invitations or registrations, etc. The event planner is the
person who pulls all of the components together.
There are excellent resources available to help you learn how to
plan events and assist with each stage of event planning
including how to: choose a date, decide who to invite, budget,
create timeline schedules, work with vendors, and market events.
If you want a formal education, many colleges offer degrees or
certificates in event planning. If you would rather break into
event planning without a formal education, you can quickly learn
how to plan events with books such as the FabJob Guide to Become
an Event Planner.
3. Get Hands-On Experience
The easiest way to learn about the steps involved is through
personal experience (i.e. planning events for family and
friends).
Non-profit groups are always looking for help with their
fundraisers and galas, and you'll get the double benefit of
helping a worthy cause while you hone your skills. This is also
an excellent way to make contacts in the community to help you
land a paying job when you are ready.
You could also volunteer to organize events at your own
workplace, if you have one. For example, if your company has a
public relations department that is notoriously short-staffed,
offer to help them out. The beauty of this plan is that you will
be learning a new career while still being paid at your old job!
4. Create a Portfolio
A portfolio is a collection of samples of your work, plus any
other documents that can show people why they should hire you. A
portfolio helps you stand out from other applicants, and prove
that you have the skills to do the job. Your portfolio might
include pictures, recommendation letters and anything else that
shows prospective clients and/or employers what you have done or
can do.
Material for your portfolio can come from any event you have
organized (such as a family reunion, birthday bash, etc.) or
from ideas and themes you have for future events. Show your
best work and don't worry about giving away your great ideas.
People will believe you have many more brilliant ideas that you
haven't yet divulged.
5. Get Hired as an Event Planner
Getting hired as an event planner (even if you plan on opening
your own event planning business) will give you invaluable
contacts and referrals for the future. Meeting and convention
planners are projected to have faster than average job growth in
the coming years. This is good news for the industry and for
you.
Companies that hire event planners include hotels or resorts,
non-profit organizations, convention centers, country clubs, and
even fun destinations like theme parks!
Some people work their way into a position as their company's
event planner just by volunteering to organize internal events
such as company picnics and meetings.
6. Start Your Own Event Planning Business
If the idea of being your own boss and earning up to $100,000 or
more per year as an event planner sound appealing, it may be
time to take the plunge and set up an event planning business.
Many event planners have home-based businesses, which makes this
type of business inexpensive to start. With the wealth of
information available on starting a business you should be able
to get your own event planning business off the ground quite
easily.
When starting your own business, you should consider what types
of events you want to plan. If you have a flair for the
spectacular you may want to tackle proms, charity events and
galas. If you prefer planning corporate events, you may choose
to plan meetings, conventions, and the like.
TIP: Unsure of what type of event you'd prefer to plan?
Consider interning or working for a number of companies whose
specialties are quite different.
7. Develop Relationships with Vendors
You've probably heard the adage "it's not what you know but who
you know". The most important relationships you will build as
an event planner are with the vendors for your events. These are
companies that supply products and services for events, such as
caterers, florists, equipment rental companies, hotels,
photographers, etc.
Learn about each one's business by conducting informational
interviews and ask about discounts they can offer you. Be
polite and courteous with the owners and their staff and always
follow up afterwards with some sort of acknowledgement or thank
you. You can also arrange to have vendors refer clients to your
event planning business.
Further Your Career
You can continue to learn and grow after you have become an
event planner. One of the best ways to succeed as an event
planner is to look upon every social occasion or event you
attend as an opportunity to learn. Make a mental note of what
worked well and what bombed. Attend tradeshows, read everything
you can related to event planning, and watch for what's hot.
Seek out the advice of trendsetters and don't be afraid to try
something a little different. You may start a trend yourself!
This article is based on the
FabJob
Guide to Become an Event Planner. The complete guide gives
detailed advice on how you can break into a career in event
planning, get hired as an event planner, or start your own event
planning business. Visit
Fab
Job for information.
