Start a Home Business As an Event Planner For Love and Money

If you love people, parties, and planning, why not start a home business as an event planner. Everyone is throwing events today and there are not enough planners to go around. Plus that, you can have fun and make money.

According to the International Special Events Society (ISES), the event planning business has annual sales of about USD$500 billion. Dr. Jose Goldblatt, founder of ISES, says that profit margins are 30% to 40% and they continue to rise. There is room for your endeavor.

An event is a one-time occasion that is put on for a specific reason. The three most common reasons for an event are weddings, fund raisers, and cocktail parties.

People also hold events for graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, debutant coming-out parties, and baby showers.

Companies and institutions often hold events. They include political rallies, fundraisers, in-house parties, team homecomings, award ceremonies, product launches, fashion shows, and reunions.

Full time event planners can make $80,000 to $120,000 a year. The start up costs can be as low as $2500 including insurance.

Recommended skills and training for an event planner include classes and certification. Particularly valuable are classes in sales and management as well as accounting.

To help you make money fast, it is important to become certified. As a Certified Special Events Planner, or CSEP, you have the benefits of education, networking, and a list of jobs available. The same is true if you become a Certified Meeting Planner, or CMP.

Consider membership in The Event Planners Association. They offer insurance, legal assistance, marketing help, and job search services. They also have a forum, marketing tools, and networking resources.

Other organizations to join are the International Special Events Society (ISES), the Chamber of Commerce, and the Better Business Bureau.

As an event planner, you have to actively market yourself to find new clients. Set up a Web site. Do some direct marketing. Spot ads on the radio, an ad in the Yellow Pages, and word of mouth all help drive business.

An event planner's work is to make sure an event goes off as planned. After conferring with the host, the planner chooses the venue, sends out invitations and publicity, arranges for food, music, entertainment, decorations, flowers, and guest accommodations. The planner is in charge of all personnel, vendors, caterers, photographers, wait staff, security staff, and clean up.

Here are a few helpful tips from experienced event planners:

1. Work with an established event planner before starting out on your own.


2. Know the goals of the host and make them your own.


3. Stay within budget.


4. Make a written agreement with the host.


5. Send a gift and thank-you letter to the host after the event.

Becoming an event planner is a great way to make money - but it also takes being a cool-headed organizer. Event planners are in demand so this is the perfect time to start a home business as an event planner. You can make hundreds of new friends and a lot of money while you have fun.