Are you daydreaming about starting an event planning business from your home or cube? Perhaps you’ve been working in the events and considering that now is a good time to work for yourself. Or maybe you’ve worked on many occasions in the past, and you feel that it could be your life’s passion. All these reasons are excellent to adopt this profession. Start your event planning business is an ace idea. However, you need to do some prep work before getting your first customer.
Weddings, birthdays, roadshows, seminars, or even incentives appear as so many events whose organization requires real know-how. Indeed, communicating around an internal or external, private, or public event cannot be improvised. The new technologies have profoundly transformed the sector’s techniques and practices.
Have you decided to convert your passion into your profession? Yeah! That’s good. Therefore, your main mission will be to present and organize an event corresponding to your customer’s needs.
GAIN THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE OF EVENT PLANNING
The success of the event planning business depends on the skills and experience of event planners. So you must have a bulk of expertise in the following skills to start an event planning business:
- Written and verbal communication
- Self-confidence and leadership
- Time and budget management
- Excellent in stress management
- Innovative and creative
- And the ability to build robust public relations, etc.
VALIDATE YOUR IDEA
The opening of an event agency cannot be improvised. It deserves an imperative phase of reflection. This approach imposes a real methodology in the construction of your project. Otherwise, you risk ending your activity prematurely, like many other professionals. Such a situation is not your goal. So ask yourself the right questions now:
- Are you really motivated to open your own event agency?
- Do you actually have the skills to run this type of business?
- Is your personal life aligned with your professional goals?
DEVELOP YOUR CONCEPT
This phase is an essential step in that it defines the DNA of your future agency. It is vital in the event industry because the players are numerous, and the competition high. Setting yourself apart with a particular area of expertise or a strong identity will allow you to start with a serious advantage.
There are two main possibilities for you. The first of these is to limit your benefits to a single industry. For example, you can specialize in business tourism, become an incoming agency, or work in sports marketing. The second possibility lies in the so-called “multi-specialist” agencies. Unlike their counterparts, these agencies rely on the interoperability of skills and tend more towards event marketing.
You can also differentiate yourself by offering specialized services or by making new choices. It is possible for you to favor a niche market.
WRITE UP YOUR BUSINESS PLAN
At this stage, your project takes shape. You are now assured of its true potential. But do not relax your efforts! Indeed, now your banker must believe it almost as strongly as you! Put the odds in your favor right from the start. Your essential event planning business plan will offer you solid assets for this face to face!
This document will allow you to clearly and precisely set out your entire project step by step. After reading it carefully, your banker will also be convinced of your project’s feasibility and potential. Numbers matter! You need to speak to your banker in a language they understand. Essential financial tables, therefore, accompany this business plan:
- The provisional income statement
- Provisional balance sheet
- The financing plan
- The cash budget
You may add other suitable metrics if they are relevant. Based on these elements, your banker will certify the solidity of your project. He will give you confidence and financial support.
OBTAIN BUSINESS INSURANCE
Insurance is crucial to protect the interest of your business. General liability is considered best for the event planning business. However, you must also ask from insurance advisors, which insurance plan suit best with your requirement.
Whether you’re starting a home-based business or have a small office, ask questions about these insurance plans:
- General liability
- Product liability
- Home-based insurance
- Worker’s compensation
- Criminal insurance
- Health and other benefits
3 POINTS TO GUARANTEE THE SUCCESS OF YOUR EVENT AGENCY
Before opening your event agency, here are some elements to ensure your success and avoid certain setbacks:
1. The service offered:
In a market offer, the services that remain competitive and fulfill customer expectations. You must constantly offer a service with high added value. As such, you are advised to specialize in one area or another to claim real expertise and acquire real notoriety. Work on your offer to give yourself a real identity.
2. The price:
It varies according to your positioning, your expectations, your reputation, and your location. Just be aware that different pricing modes are possible.
3. Promotion:
Unless you have a great reputation, you cannot rely exclusively on word of mouth to increase your chances of success. So, explore all the options available to you. You can focus your communication on paper advertising that will publicize your logo, name, and contact details. Of course, the Internet is also an essential medium in the promotion of your activity. Thus, you could create a site dedicated to your business.
Social networks are also decisive for effectively promoting your event. You can still make yourself known to your network of future professional partners. Finally, you have the paid communication tools if your budget allows it.
Starting a business is an intimidating task, as you’ve to think about many things and make critical decisions. Hope after reading this article; you get the courage to follow your dream. For more informative articles, click here.