It is no wonder that being a party planner ranks at the top of the list of incredibly fun jobs. Not only do you get to work with people in planning their most treasured special events, but you also get to join in on the fun. Party planners need to possess great organizational skills, and ability to get creative and react quickly to fluid situations, and a fun-loving attitude. Here are five steps that you need to take to get started on this exciting and fulfilling career path.
Boost Your Formal Education
While it is not required to have a college degree to launch a career as a party planner, it will boost your credibility if you have a solid educational background. There are a variety of bachelor’s programs that are a good fit for this career path.
Classes that you may find useful include business and accounting, communication, and human resource management. Although it is not necessary to choose a specific major, many students find it useful to focus on a degree in event management if being a party planner is a goal. This type of degree will equip you with the skills to be successful in this pursuit.
Gain Industry Experience
The most challenging part of breaking into the party planning industry is landing that first official gig. You can put yourself in the position to build up your client base by volunteering your services to gain industry experience.
There is a myriad of ways that you can gain this experience. Volunteering to help a charity organization to plan an event is a good start. This will allow you to practice your trade and help others at the same time.
Securing an internship in the industry is also a great way to sharpen your skills and show that you have the experience needed to tackle your own events in the future. Be sure to seek out mentors to help you to achieve your goals.
Experiment with Different Options
One of the best ways that you can position yourself as an industry leader is to experiment with a variety of party planning elements. This will help you to learn how to best serve your clients and their specific needs.
Do not be afraid to think outside of the box when planning a party. For example, instead of relying on expensive dishware rentals, you can show your clients your breadth of understanding about different options by choosing elegant plastic plates. This shows that you are willing to work with a variety of budget needs by being creative with the process.
Create a Portfolio or Website
In order to market yourself to potential clients, you are going to need to create a portfolio or website that showcases the work that you have done. This will give you a place to direct interested people to check out your services and how you can help them to plan the perfect party.
Your portfolio should include pictures of parties that you have planned, any relevant press clipping covering your events, and a list of services. This is also a good place to include customer testimonials and reviews. Be sure to show examples of a wide variety of party themes. You do not want to limit yourself to only one particular clientele by demonstrating too narrow of a focus.
Cultivate Relationships
You will never be a successful party planner if you do not take the time to cultivate your relationships. Word of mouth is the most effective marketing strategy in this industry. This means that you need to rely on others to spread the word about how amazing you are.
After you conclude an event, be sure to reach out to the client for follow-up. Not only will this show that you care about how the event went, but it will also give you an opportunity to ask them to leave you a favorable review if they were happy with the party.
Once you have a few parties under your belt, you will find it easier to grow your business. With the right experience and educational background, you will be well on your way to making this career goal a reality.
