You rarely meet a party planner who has been in the field because they wanted to from the time they were a child. After all, there’s almost no formal education for the job. Many of them started out with organising events for their friends, family, and even their coworkers. After that, they came to the realisation that they’re good at it, they enjoy it, or there’s money to be made with it. Why wouldn’t they now that there’s a greater demand for quality events? If you’re thinking of being a professional party planner yourself, you should try answering the following questions:
Can You Think Outside the Box?
Each of your clients will have their own requests and demands, but sometimes due to certain circumstances, you won’t be able to give them exactly what they want. Sometimes, you would have to change it up a bit and give them creative alternatives. For example, you don’t have to stick to typical event venues if you want to make the most of your budget. You can choose restaurants or bars as your place. Or if you can’t get a cake from a bakeshop, you can choose to order custom-made ice cream cakes online. There are endless choices available to you and your client if you can think creatively.
Can You Organise?
Of course, a party planner won’t be called such if one doesn’t know how to plan or are not used to doing such in general. For many major events, such as weddings and company gatherings, it is a must to make reservations ahead of time, especially if you’re thinking of getting a popular venue or caterer. They are often easily and fully booked for months in advance, and you will have a difficult time getting their services on the spot. That’s not the only challenge that you will face. You will also have to be on top of everything, making sure that every element matches each other perfectly.
Can You Communicate Well?
To be able to organise the different parts of the event that you’re planning, you should be able to speak with the people in charge of them. It’s not just about talking and sounding good, mind you, but also conveying what the client wants and negotiating for it. In addition to the ability to speak well, you also have to be patient and always show a good attitude to whoever you meet with, whether it’s your client, a supplier, or your own staff. You won’t be able to last long in the industry if others won’t want to work with you again.
Can you say yes to all three questions? Good! That would mean that you have some of what it takes to become a party planner by profession. Now the next step for you is to learn the tricks of the trade. Expose yourself to as many events as possible and observe carefully how they are organised. Did they turn out well? What elements would you say needed more planning on? If you can, try working with someone who already is working in the business. Planning a party can be an enjoyable profession as long as you don’t neglect best practices.
