How do you become an event planner?

Question

I am very interested in starting my own event planning business with a friend of mine. Does anyone have any advice on how to begin this?

Answer 1

Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* How to Start a Home-Based Event Planning Business by Jill Moran
* Start Your Own Event Planning Business: Your Step by Step Guide to Success by Krista Turner
* The Essential Event Planning Kit by Godfrey Harris
* Start & Run an Event-Planning Business by Cindy Lemaire

I also posted links to some free articles in the source box.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 2

You definitely need exceptional organizational and communication skills to be an event planner. You need to to be able to multi-task and to stay within budget.

If you're not going to go to school for it and honestly you don't have to, at least read some books on the subject matter and find some trade groups that you can join to learn a little about the business so that you at least know what you are dealing with.

Also Fabjob.com has an event planner how-to-guide they sell for about $30. Go to their website to check it out. I've bought a few guides from them on other business ventures and they are very in depth with loads of information.

Answer 3

If you want to go professional, you can study Meeting & Event Management through a hospitality or hotel management college. I'm thinking about doing that. =)

Otherwise, just spread the word about your services through friends and family and work your way up to bigger and better events. You could also set up a website, because people like pictures and things like that.

Answer 4

One thing you might want to consider is to volunteer or work in an internship capacity for an event or two see who they work with, who has given great service to them.

You might want to go to BIZ BASH at bizbash.com to get some ideas on venues, caterers etc. What I would suggest is you start finding resources from caterers, to flowers, music, dj's. Check out some of these places to see how they work, pricing, timing.
Get a client, start small begin with something easy.
Work backwards from the date of the event.
Leave yourself plenty of time.