A party organizer, also known as an event planner, is an individual hired to oversee, coordinate and plan social events, including everything from children's birthday parties to weddings. Deciding to become a party organizer means running your own business and being self-employed, building clients and experience from the ground up. In order to become a party organizer, you will need to develop a business plan and begin gaining experience, generally by planning smaller events for people you already know who will then be able to provide a good reference in the future. Some people choose to get education in the field of event planning, usually through an online or distance-learning certificate programs, but this is typically not necessary to start a successful business.
When choosing to become a party organizer, a business plan is the first place to start. It is is important to consider start-up costs; though they may be fairly low for a home-based business such as this, it may still include things such as office supplies, custom stationery, advertising, and other costs. Making some initial earnings projections may help you to make better decisions when first making choices for the business. Consider also any additional expenses that can come with self-employment, such as health insurance and taxes, for example.
The next step with starting any type of new business is to get experience. Coordinating any type of event can be added to your resume as you attempt to become a party organizer, even planning a medium to large event for a friend. This person can then provide a reference, making it more likely that you will be hired for other events. It will take time to build up a base of clients, but it is important to always maintain positive relationships and encourage recommendations. When trying to become a party organizer, it is important to be professional in appearance and behavior at all times, and always carry business cards. You never know when you might run into a past client or a potential new one.
Once you have a larger roster of happy clients, you can decide whether you want to specialize your services at all. Some people choose to become solely wedding planners, for instance. These are the most lucrative events to plan, but they are also the most stressful, and most couples will not hire a party organizer without a great deal of experience to plan a wedding. Party organizers who plan corporate events also earn more money than some other types of planners.
