How to Become a Party Planner

How can I become a party planner? A common question these days, as there are plenty of enthusiastic and committed people desperate for some insight on how to break into the business of party planning. The main problem they encounter however is lack of proper advice. Since no one will give them a job, many have decided that the only way forward is to start up their own company. Being any sort of event organiser can be extremely rewarding, however as the job is often demanding and requires you to think on your feet, while keeping an apparent calm exterior.

It can also create untold stress and exhaustion if you don’t know what to expect or how to handle difficult situations. You will need to decide if you have a true vocation for this kind of work which requires sound organisational skills and, even more important, the staying power you will certainly need to see a party through from initial conception to ordering a taxi for the last drunken guest.

What Exactly is a Party Planner?

A professional party planner or organiser is an individual, or company, who arranges a party or major social event, usually from start to finish, for individuals or companies that feel either overwhelmed by the whole process or simply don’t have the time in their busy working schedule to arrange a party or event. A successful party planner will:

Have a clear and professional understanding of the requirements of the job.

Have a wealth of ideas and up-to-date information.

Be willing to take full responsibility, giving the client confidence in the whole process.

Operate full-time with manned offices.

Have a strong understanding of current business and contract law.

Offer a variety of top-class services.

Create a tailor-made party for every client.

Offer a free initial consultation to ascertain the client’s budget and vision.

Be flexible and plan as little or as much of the party as is required. Remember tiny tasks, willingly and well done can lead to huge events to organise.

Be able to interpret the brief properly and understand precisely what the client wants.

Advise on party themes, styles, current trends and etiquette.

Be open-minded and never belittle the client’s ideas – remember it is their big day!

Undertake all the requested aspects of the party from helping choose the menu to dealing with late music licences.

Be able to source the right venue that matches the style of the party.

Be able to choose and work with professional suppliers in all categories.

Offer a written simple-to-follow proposal.

Draw up an event cost planner and maximise the client’s budget.

Help research and book the entertainment.

Attend all meetings with the venue and suppliers.

Never allow the client to be taken for a ride by unscrupulous suppliers or the venue.

Get everything in writing.

Use checklists and timetables for everything.

Learn to delegate when necessary.

Always be aware of any security risks, especially at high-profile events.

Be available and understanding if the client is stressed and needs reassurance.

Deal efficiently and above all promptly with any problems that may arise, both before the party and on the day.

Make the whole thing fun!

Will I Be Any Good at It?

There are so many people who dream of being a party organiser but never actually make it to the starting gate, mainly because they never thought it through properly in the first place. Being a party planner requires not just a love of the whole party scene but also stamina, patience, good organisational skills and an ability to stay calm under fire. If you are thinking of making a serious career change do not take the plunge simply for the reasons listed below:

I organised my own party/wedding and that went really well.

My friends think I’ll be great at it.

I’m sick of my job and would love to do something glamorous.

I’ve met professional planners and it sounds a very easy way to make money.

Going down the self-employed road can be quite an onerous decision to make, so it is as well to consider your suitability as an individual. Do you have staying power? Do you have confidence in your own abilities as an organiser? Is your health strong enough to cope with long hours and stress? Do you have sufficient finance to see you through the quiet periods?

Ask yourself also if you can deal with all types of people – especially clients, with busy fraught lives, who often need tactful and adroit handling? Have you got sufficient working space? Will you be able to deal with the inevitable lows when things don’t go to plan?

Make a truthful from-the-heart appraisal of your own abilities and talents. Be honest about your strengths and never follow a path that makes you feel uncomfortable or out of your depth, no matter how exciting it may seem.

Make sure that becoming a party planner suits both yourself and any dependents, future or otherwise. Family in particular, and even some friends, will need to commit a fair amount of support and understanding.

To win them over you must gain their confidence and enthusiasm by proving that your great idea for the future is workable and doesn’t carry too many risks, and before you take the plunge do check out whether there is sufficient demand for planning services in the area you plan to cover.

Become an Expert

Research everything you can that relates to the party business and beyond. Read industry journals, join web-based discussion groups and keep a close eye on day-to-day event news.

Find out what the competition is doing (you can do this via their web pages) and then change your approach and do it better.

Keep your antennae up and be aware of the latest trends or any industry changes.

Go on courses.

Attend exhibitions and talk to the stand-holders. It is amazing what people will reveal when they are trying to sell in a competitive environment.

Write for magazines and develop your guru status. Clients will trust you more if they see your name in print.

Become a helpful resource for your clients.

Choosing & Meeting Suppliers

Finding the right suppliers is utterly vital to the smooth running of your business. It can’t be emphasised enough that your business reputation can stand or fall through the actions of those you appoint as the vital cogs in the whole event organisation procedure.

Search around for plenty of options before you make your final choices; ask others for lists of recommended suppliers, study brochures and websites, check references and don’t believe everything you are told! Always have a meeting face-to-face before employing any supplier no matter how established they are. In meetings follow these simple tips:

Dress to make you feel empowered but not self-conscious.

Listen attentively to what is on offer and measure how you reply. In other words don’t overdo the rapture, by remaining somewhat enigmatic you may be offered more than you expected for your money.

You are in the chair so take your time and find out all the facts before you go ahead with any decisions.

Always compare prices and deals from your suppliers’ competitors, if only to use gathered information as extra bargaining power.

If the meeting is at a supplier’s premises ask to look around, it will give you a pretty good idea of efficiency levels and staffing quality – important factors if you are going to be relying on a company in the future.

If the meeting is at your premises show your supplier round and impress him with your efficiency levels and staffing quality, then inform him politely but firmly you will expect similar standards from his company.

A final word about suppliers – some will offer commission, it is entirely up to you whether you accept, but make sure that commission isn’t at the expense of a hidden costing to the client. If you go out to lunch the supplier should pay.

Interpreting the Brief

When you and your client have met, discussed the party in principal and finally reached the stage where you have both verbally agreed to work together, you will then need to accomplish possibly the hardest task of the whole project. You will need to fully comprehend and interpret the brief. In other words you will need to cut through all the glamour, excitement and indecision and work out not only exactly what the client’s dream party is, but also whether it is practical, possible and affordable.

There must be a budget set between you and your client and this should be adhered to as much as possible or all future calculations will go out of the window.

Go over the brief several times with the client and also with anyone else closely involved who could throw an unexpected wobbly nearer to the big day. Be absolutely certain that you are in possession of all the relevant facts and make sure that you and the client agree on precisely what your job consists of from beginning to end. Once you have this firmly set, with no possible doubts, write a proposal and draw up a contract.

The Proposal & Contract

The formal proposal (printed on your business letter heading) should be easy to follow and neatly laid out showing a detailed plan of the original party brief, preferably divided into the relevant planning sections such as the venue, supplier costs and transport etc. Itemise everything in detail and state exactly what you plan to do, even to what you will do with any commission you receive.

Also clearly state on the proposal your terms and conditions of business, this way there can be no arguments in the future about money or your supposed duties. Give the client plenty of time to digest the proposal and show it to their family and colleagues before presenting the contract.

All contracts are legally binding so be sure that what you include is not going to put you or your client into an awkward situation. Check with your solicitor that the contract is legal, simple and easily understood and above all don’t include reams and reams of unnecessary legal jargon that will confuse your client and may even put them off going ahead with you.

There should be two copies of the contract that are then signed by both you and your client. FINALLY do check whether the client has read and digested your terms of business before they sign – this avoids future disagreements that could flare up when everyone is under pressure.

What to Charge & How to Get Your Money

It is always hard to know what to charge when first entering the world of self-employment. Do you charge a sensible commercial sum right from the start, or do you deliberately under-cut your competitors with the hope of whisking away some of their clients? Not an easy decision - since there are so many pros and cons to both sides of this particular coin.

If you set a proper commercial value on your services, but you are new to event planning you will have to work extra hard to convince potential clients that they should employ you to organise their party, rather than a well-established company that already has a good track record but is charging no more than yourself. On the other hand if you pitch your services too cheap you may be considered an amateur or worse still desperate for any business you can get!

Overall it is probably better to set up your whole business very professionally from the word go, appear totally confident, believe you are the best anyway and wait for proper clients to give you the chance to prove just how good you are at your job.

This probably has a better ring to it than starting cheap and then suddenly finding you need to put up your prices to earn a decent living. But at the end of the day you should go with what makes you feel personally comfortable and even more important - confident.

Established party planners seem to charge about 10% - 12% of the total party budget. You must also make it very clear to the client that all extras will be added to the final bill. Do not run around doing lots of “favours” for nothing – you are running a business and therefore you must set a proper commercial value on your time.

Always ask for 50% of the agreed amount up front before you start to plan the party for real and ask for the remainder about two weeks before the party. Never agree to be paid after the big day as you could find it difficult to get your money once the event is over and the reality of unpaid bills hits the client.

Explain that you have expenses and suppliers to pay yourself so you will need ready cash in your hands well before the event. A reasonable client should understand and be happy to pay up with no fuss at all, if however you encounter a tight-fisted client who quibbles over every penny leave him for some other mug and run like the wind!