Over the past few decades, more and more people are tapping the services of event planners. People who have a knack for organizing baby showers, surprise parties or engagements will surely be interested in starting their very own event planning business. However, before raging into the water, here are some important things to know about the event planning business.
First, one has to ensure that his or her event organizing skills will go way beyond than the usual offering for friends and family. Once in the business of event planning, there will be lots of hard competitors and each event organizing team must earn the clients’ trust and approval.
In short, it will take more than just simple organizing skills — this business will need grit, effort, networking and marketing skills.
Second thing to consider is the acquisition of formal certification. Although there is no law that requires event planners or event organizers to present some sort of certification or license to operate, it is a big plus for clients when they find out that their event organizer of choice is someone who has a formal certification in the industry.
Third is to start small. It is highly recommended to start within one’s circle of friends and family, then wait for word of mouth and/or referrals to market for the business. As a startup working on a limited budget, it makes sense to first tap into your existing network first before splurging on grand launches and other fanfare.
Although it would be a great opportunity to accept or handle a big account, say a corporate account, it would be practical to consider that the success or failure of the event could make or break the business.
Remember, corporate accounts if executed poorly could mar an event organizer’s reputation. You can’t even discount the opinion of the lone dissatisfied client who posts on social media about his or her bad experience, for instance, as this still has the potential to go viral. In a nutshell, it would be way better to start small and work your way up into the vast world of event organizing.
