How to Get Into Event Planning
How to get into event planning
Ever wondered how to get into event planning? Working in event planning may seem like a dream job – every job will have its challenges and be unique in its own way. This vocation offers the opportunity to tap into your creative side while organising and controlling events and parties in an efficient manner.
A career in event planning can be exciting and rewarding. Some of the advantages of working in this industry include:
- The range of events that require professional event planning expertise is incredibly diverse, meaning that your potential market offers incredible variety or the potential to specialize in a specific sub niche of event planning
- There are a range of career possibilities from running your own event management business, through to working for large event management companies
- You can utilize your event management skills anywhere in the world
- Flexibility of running your own business
- Exciting and challenging work demands will keep you stimulated and engaged with your work
- Event planning is never dull. Every event will have unique requirements that need your expertise and creativity
- The work is rewarding and satisfying. Being able to deliver a well planned and impressive event is always rewarding.
The demand for event management is expected to rise in the coming years with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting job growth in the industry to rise by 11% up until the year 2026. This is above the expected average of growth for the entire workforce. Event planning is an industry that is growing and exciting, making it a career worth pursuing.
There are many pathways to event planning. However, knowledge of the event planning industry is perhaps the most critical factor in building a successful event planning career. You can build your knowledge by enrolling in an event management course. Don’t put this off any longer – enroll in an event planning course with Courses For Success today.
Are There Opportunities In Event Planning?
Besides the opportunity to run your own business in event planning or event management, event planners can find opportunities to work in multiple industries. These include careers in, wedding planning, venue management, sponsorship coordination, donor coordination, catering and hospitality services, events social media coordination, volunteer coordination and marketing communications.
Employers will recognize the unique skill set that event planners bring to the table and you will find that event management skills can be transferable to many different roles.
How to Become an Event Planner
Establishing an event planning career is reliant upon two key elements building knowledge and gaining experience within the industry.
You can build knowledge by participating in various courses that cover either elements, or the entire concept of event planning. Other ways of building your knowledge in event planning is to gain experience and knowledge in related industries. Many service and hospitality industries require skills that are easily transferable to event planning. Being able to understand how these skills apply to event planning and present them accordingly may provide you with the means of gaining entry to the event planning industry.
Of course, gaining entry into the event planning industry is always the hardest step, particularly if you have no experience.
How to Become an Event Planner with No Experience
Everybody has to start somewhere and overcoming the obstacle of having no experience is not insurmountable. The key is to get your foot in the door. Education is crucial, but isn’t the only means of breaking into the industry. Here are some ways to gain entry.
- Network. Event planning and hospitality in general are people industries. There’s an old truism that says it’s not what you know, but who. You need to make yourself known. Spend some time locating networking events held by event planning companies and attend them. Professionally introduce yourself to key people within the event planning industry and let them know about your interest.
- Volunteer. It’s a great way to gain experience and to build valuable contacts within the industry. Many charities and non profit organizations run many events on shoestring budgets. They simply don’t have enough money to hire extra people for event planning. They will however, appreciate extra help from a willing hand. It’s a great opportunity to gain hands on experience and build your all important network
The important thing to realize is that having no experience is not an insurmountable barrier if you adopt the right mindset and are prepared to lay the groundwork..
So, What Is Event Planning Exactly?
Simply explained, it involves detailed planning of any event such as a convention, wedding, party, trade fair or ceremony. Event planners work to deliver a designated defined outcome within a series of given parameters. The job requires a diverse skill set including, organizational skills, flexibility, determination, imagination, creativity and design.
Event planners get the opportunity to have a positive impact upon events and lives. Opportunities to travel and meet an interesting range of people exist within the event planning sphere.
What goes into event planning?
If you’re thinking about becoming an event planner, you will require some degree of patience, creativity, planning and persistence. You can also expect to experience an awesome sense of achievement when your plan comes together. To achieve this you will need to put time into these areas on most occasions -:
- Have clearly defined goals and objectives for the event.
- Be able to organize a team that is capable of bringing it all together
- Set a date after consulting with all relevant stakeholders
- Consider branding strategies if appropriate
- Build a master plan encompassing all key elements of the event – venue, catering, activities, promotion, speakers, registration/invitations, sponsors, partners and logistics of each element
- Establish administration procedures
- Publicity and marketing
- Budget considerations
- Establish success criteria
The above guidelines won’t teach you how to be an event planner but they give you some idea of what goes into event planning. Event planners can specialize in key areas such as party planning and wedding planning.
How to Get Into Party Planning
Party planning is an exciting niche within event planning and lends itself to a home business possibility. While party planning may seem like an easy and fun gig, there’s a little more to party planning than booking a DJ and catering.
Developing a sound business plan that involves budgeting, advertising, marketing and pricing is a good starting point. A thorough understanding of how much energy, patience and networking is required to make party planning a success.
A great way to find out how to become a party planner is to take an online course that will give you sufficient knowledge to get into party planning.
How to Start an Event Planning Business
Once you have built up sufficient knowledge and experience, you may want to consider going it alone and decide to start your own event planning business. The following step by step process will help you get started in the right way.
- Honestly assess whether you have the people and organizational skills to run a business such as this
- Ensure you have a certificate in event planning to reassure people that you have the skills required to do the job. A course like the Certificate in Professional Event Planning Course from Courses For Success will give you the necessary certification
- Identify the market that you want to target. The more targeted your market, the more specialized you become
- Create a workable business plan
- Fulfil all legal requirements in establishing the business
- Allocate and access necessary start up funds
- Build your network of resources – including contacts and suppliers Begin marketing your business
What Online Courses Are There For Event Planning?
Online courses are a great way to learn about event planning and associated content. Courses For Success offer a range of event planning, business management and wedding planning courses and packages that will help you to gain a better understanding of how to build a career in event planning.
Are Courses Essential For Event Planning?
Courses are a great way to learn the fundamentals and intricacies of event planning. Online courses in particular offer an efficient way of learning as you can learn in your own home or from your office.
With event planning and event management becoming an in demand sector of the economy the opportunities to forge a career in this niche are many. If you like variety in your work, enjoy working with people and enjoy achieving goals then this vocation offers you an exciting future.
You can start on the path towards your new career today by enrolling in an event planning course with Courses For Success.