This informal CPD article on How to Start a Career in Event Planning was provided by Global Edulink, a leading online learning and training provider.
Event planning is a profession that has really taken off in recent years. With more and more people looking to be their own boss and not be employed at a company, this has become one of the most lucrative means of making good money. However, one thing that you should be aware of when it comes to event planning is that it happens to be a highly competitive field and as such, your skills, talents, the passion that you have as well as how much you know what you are doing, will come in handy.
You will probably be up against other newcomers as well as those that have been part of the industry at some point, so here is a guideline to help you get prepared.
Define what kind of events you would want to work on
First off, you will need to define the parameters of the kinds of events that you will be working on. When we say event planning, we refer to a rather wide continuum of different types of celebrations that can include birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, corporate events, concerts, exhibitions and more.
Knowing what you can realistically cater to means that you also need to know the scale of events that you can handle and your style. For instance somebody who is great at planning intimate events may not necessarily be ideal at planning corporate ones.
Pick the right niche and excel at it.
Start on your marketing plan
Another core component of building your own business would be to start planning your own marketing. For instance, you will need to design your logo, your website pages if there is going to be one up, as well as social media pages – which are very important. You should also work on your business cards, the content that you would like the public to see and so on. This will help you get the word out about your business, even if you are still not open to accept work. It will ensure that when you are ready, you already have an up and coming clientele that will provide you with business opportunities.
Research for the rates and pick something that is reasonable but profitable
You should also have a good idea of the kind of pricing you will offer your customers and in event planning this is a lot of competition. You will definitely need to have packages that cater to several different layers of budgets that you want to work with so that you can diversify your audience and branch out. Do a thorough research on the kinds of pricing that your direct and indirect competitors offer and match up to those according to the skill that you have. Remember that you have to be proficient in customer service as well.
Keep on learning to upgrade your skills
One of the best ways to keep in touch with what is going on in the industry and to also effectively cater to the market, would be to upgrade your skills through continued education. Make sure that you invest in this area as well, so that your career is constantly growing and you can see a future with career progression.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Global Edulink, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively please visit the CPD Industry Hubs for more CPD articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
