Are you considering starting an event planning business? This is a great vision because the demand for event organizers is soaring each day. Be it weddings, sports events, conventions, parties, and more. Besides, event planning is one of the most profitable businesses you can venture into. However, starting an event planning business can be confusing if you don’t go about it the right way. The good news is that starting an event planning business does not have to be difficult. In this article, I’ll share the vital steps on how to start an event planning business.
Get a Bachelor’s Degree or Professional Certification
Consider getting a bachelor’s degree related to event planning or professional certification in accredited event planning courses. Just like any other industry, certification is essential to gain credibility and learn how the event planning industry works. You’ll also have an opportunity to network with relevant contacts in the industry, including caterers, marketers, and tent providers.
Write a Business Plan
This step is very important as it will help you stay organized as you move forward. A solid business plan will help you define the kind of services you’ll offer, identify your target market, educate lenders of your intentions, and guide all the foundational work. Your business plan should cover all the essential details from industry analysis, to financial plan, and marketing plan.
Legal Requirements
Before you proceed to launch your event planning business, you’ll need to ensure you’ve complied with all legal requirements. This applies to registering your business name, getting all the necessary permits and approvals, tax compliance, and registering your event planning business. This is important to ensure you don’t get into trouble with the law. You may need to work with an attorney at this point to avoid legal ramifications.
Obtain Funding
You can approach lenders if you don’t have adequate funds to start your event planning business. Use your business plan as a proposal tool to obtain funds from lenders. There are many other ways you can obtain financing for your event planning business.
Develop Essential Skills
There are essential skills every event organizer needs to develop to run an event planning business successfully. These skills include time management, attention-to-detail, negotiation skills, creativity, problem-solving, and people skills.
Hire the Right Staff
Use the resources available to you such as online platforms and your contacts to hire qualified party organizers. Be sure to review their background and their expertise so that you can find the perfect match.
Market your Event Planning Business
At this point, you can promote and advertise your event planning business to attract potential clients. There are many promotional methods you can use to get the word out there. Digital marketing, blogging, and local media are great options to include in your marketing mix. You may hire a PR company to do promotional work for you if you have an adequate budget for the same.
Starting an event planning business can be stressful. Therefore, you’ll need to stay calm even when times get turbulent. With a clear mission and goals, your event planning business is sure to succeed.