NSAIFR: How to get started in event planning?

chocolatechip06

I have always been interested in event planning.  I've worked in the field (admin) before and would love to go back and work as an event planner (the company planned events for pharmaceutical companies-but they are not hiring now).  I had a blast planning my wedding-and have been interested in this since then.  I had applied to (and been accepted) into the event planning program at a local college 6 years ago-but we were planning on moving to Boston and the timing just was not right. 

I've taken a wedding planning course (through the same college) online as well.  I love party planning etc. etc.

I cannot afford to go back to school right now- what is a good way to network etc. to try and get myself into the field (I am looking for volunteer positions for now as a way to get in, but would love to get paid of course.

I would like to either plan events for industry (pharmaceutical companies etc) or birthday parties-I don't want to plan weddings particularly as I feel they are too high stress.

Any suggestions/recomendations etc are greatly appreciated.  In case geography is important-I'm in Toronto, Canada.

Thanks!

sommerrayne

Let me tell you my experience (in short). I owned an event planning & coordination business in LA that served the whole SW US. I started on my own but then gained employees.

We did over 30 events a year on average (which is insane because they were almost all weekend events). My biggest year we did 53 events.

In the beginning, you'll work for nearly free if not totally free. You'll put in at least double the amount of hours you expect in your first 20 events. You'll run out of money (if you estimate paying yourself about 10 dollars an hour) LONG before the event until you're charging massive amount of money per event, catering only to high end events which = high stress. No matter how much money you charge, you'll never be compensated for how hard you work and you'll be treated poorly. As the event planner, you'll bare the brunt of the blame. If the florist screws up - its on your head. If the cake gets smashed during delivery, its on you to fix it and you WILL be expected to fix it, that's your job.

So, if you want to really get into this my first piece of advice is get ready to dedicate LOTS of hours to networking. You're going to want to have at least 2 professional contacts in each field you'll utilize: 2 cake people, 2 florists, 2 linen rental places, 2 party rental places, 2 chocolate people, 2 invitation people, 2 photographers, 2 videographers, 2 venues (this is at minimum - you want everyone in town to know your name and positive reputation), etc. Every single industry you'll utilize, you want to have at least 2 go-to people you can call in a crunch and say "Hey, my client's bakery messed up and I need a cake TODAY by 5, please help me" and they will. This will be what makes you different and special and USEFUL to clients.

Then you need to market yourself appropriately. You have to reach out to the highest end you can while still making yourself accessable to moderate budgets. You don't want to take clients who are having a pot luck wedding in the park without a permit. Your focus needs to be on building a portfolio - take events you would want to showcase to your next clients.

Once you're in it with a set of clients, you need to become besties with every single one of their vendors. You have to build a relationship with them even if they're vile. You want to have access to photos for your website without paying for it. You want to have access to video montage for your website without paying for it. You want to have an "in" with them in case you need them again or in case you're at an event with one another again. Don't burn any bridges....even if they're vile.

So what I'm saying is - perfect your fake but believeable smile!

Research your competition. What is your time worth? Are your weekends away from your family worth it? Are calls in the middle of the night from a hysterical bride who decided to try to iron her veil and burned it to bits and now expects you to fix it (which you will because you'll become an expert at making veils - so easy!) worth it to you? Are you someone who can be treated like crap, not tipped (you'll rarely ever be tipped regardless of how well you do), and then come home and not "take it home" with you?

Feel free to chat me up.

I loved my business but I'd NEVER EVER EVER do it now (with small kids) EVER.

jenn2929

I have to agree with Sommer on so many issues.  However I come from a different side of the hospitality industry, I'm a meeting planner, which to a lot of people see as a completely different thing than event planning.  I'm guessing a lot of the events the pharma company did were meetings which had some sort of event element to them.  And that's one of the reasons why I prefer meeting planning, because you get to do events within meetings, like dinners, shows and tours of museums for example.

That being said some of the issues are exactly the same.  Dealing with high maintenance people, having to find vendors whom you trust and back-ups in case those trusted vendors don't come through.  Some (but not many) of my weekends at my old job were spent traveling to and from meetings, and before I had kids it was great.  DH travels and I travel very little because I don't want to be away from the kids, but I would certainly do so once or twice a month if asked. 

I have my own hospitality business, but I work at it VERY part time because the economy isn't great for what I specifically do right now.  Keep that in mind when trying to find your niche.  What will the economy bear right now?  I also do A LOT of networking and have found the majority of my clients that way and through connections from friends.  I try to go to at least one event every other week.  We have a company in the US that coordinates high-end networking events around the country, but I don't see that they do events in Canada.

Check out some of the not for profit organizations in your area.  I started as the event coordinator for a not for profit and when my boss left after less than a year, I was promoted.  It's a great way to get into the industry.

Event and meeting planning can often be a thankless job, but I know it's what I'm meant to do.  I like people and I'm like problem solving.  As an event and meeting planner that's often what you do.  If you really feel that way too, then start networking and get yourself out there.  Call event planning companies in your area and see if someone there would be willing to talk to you about your goals and give you some direction.  I am never hesitant about asking for something that I want, the worst someone can do is say no.

Good luck and please email if you'd like to chat jenny lenny 65 at gmail.  Good luck.