How To Become An Event Planner & Get Paid to Plan Events
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Information on how to become a successful event planner — presented by expert event planners who have planned hundreds of events!
If you are someone who is creative and has a special knack for planning, designing and throwing parties, event planning can be the perfect lucrative career for you.
>> Click Here To Learn How to Plan Events & Start A Successful Event Planning Business!
“I recently decided to start working on my dream of becoming an event planner when I did some research on the internet and got your guide. I was hoping that the event planner guide would give me some basic steps and information however it far exceeded my expectation. The guide is very thorough and has so much information – really answered all my questions. My favorite part of the guide was the resources that I was be able to use in my career that I might never had found otherwise. Thanks!” — Cassy Davis, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Cool Facts About Being An Event Planner
- Well compensated (besides obviously that you get paid to plan event and parties, being a event planner also gives you the potential to earn lots of money.)
- You have the freedom to set your own work schedule. (Event planning allows you the freedom to work as much or as little as you want, and you have no set hours to be in an office and no boss to report to.)
- Have a career and business that is fun, interesting and rewarding.
Steps To Become A Professional Event Planner
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.
TIP: Figure out what kind of events you are good at planning. Are you good at organizing weddings, or do you prefer to stick to professional conferences or meetings? Or perhaps you would rather put together amazing birthday parties for children. Whatever you do, find a niche that allows you to brand yourself as the go-to person for one type of party.
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
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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!
The 7 steps are 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.
“The latest guide on event planning from FabJob is particularly impressive, and not merely for career-changers. If you’ve ever been assigned the duty of pulling together an event at work, or you’re about to host your family reunion, then this must-have book is for you. Checklists and business templates are in place, along with spicy insider tips and info on how to get this kind of business off the ground.” — Jill Florio, Editor, BellaOnline.com
“Not sure how to get started as an event organizer? Here’s help! [FabJob Guide to Become an Event Planner] has proven ideas to get you started planning parties and conferences.” — Woman’s World Magazine
Visit FabJob Guide to Become an Event Planner for more information.
Income Potential of An Event Planner
Event planning is a $500 billion industry so there’s a lot of money up for grabs. The usual charge for an experienced event planner putting together a party for 25 people will be anywhere from $1000 to $5000 depending on the event budget and type. Expect to earn a little bit less for low-budget children’s parties. That said there is no reason why with hard work and selling yourself you should not be making six figures within just a few years of starting business.
Tips & Warnings
- The most important part of becoming an event planner is to create a professional image for yourself. Even if today is your first day in business, you should still have your logo on your business cards, your correspondence and preferably other stationery in your office as well.
- Dress well, in formal clothes and careful makeup, and remember to wear comfortable shoes because you’re going to be on your feet all day long.
- Learn to sell yourself. At first you may be too shy or too hesitant but you will need to overcome that shyness if you want to get ahead in this business.
- Becoming an event planner is not a way to party for free. Always remember that you will be working while your clients are having a good time. You need to be available at all times during the evnt in case something goes wrong – and something always does!
- Be especially careful about consuming alcohol while working. It’s best to have a rule that you will never drink while working.
- Become organized and practice your system of organization. This is one business in which it is impossible to succeed without some level of order in your thoughts as well as your paperwork.
- Always maintain polite and friendly relations with past clients and your competition. It makes for a more professional work environment.
