EVENT PLANNING MYSTERIES REVEALED

Are you looking to hire an event planner or maybe even become one? I love it when I meet someone for the first time and one of there first questions is, "what do  event planners do".  When it comes to event planning, we have been called Party Planners, Meeting Planners or Event Planners. What you do in this business may have a lot to do with your title but I want have always wanted to do is throw fabulous party. Since that is what I do, I don’t mind being called a party planner. Of course I also plan fabulous events so take your pick. I love talking about what I do and that is because I love what I do.  So, I thought I would start off my Monday blog by providing a little more information on who we are and what we do.

First Things First

First if you want to become a planner, you have to decide if you want to work for someone else or if you want to work for yourself. If you work for yourself, you definitely want to understand the business side of event planning as well as the dynamic of creating fabulous events. You can be exceptional at what you do but if you do not know how to market yourself or how to get clients, where will your business come from? If having your own business is something you need to learn more about, I would suggest starting out working for someone. It is a great way to learn the business without the pressure of finding new business. If you want to hire a planner, you have to weigh the pros and cons to hiring an event planner that has their own company or works for an event planning firm. Of course I would always advise that you choose a planner like myself. Perfection Squared is my passion and it is what I do 24 hours a day (no I never sleep). So, when you hire me to plan your event you are hiring someone that will eat, sleep and breathe your event. I like that concept and I believe you will too.

Relax, Don’t Stress

Next, the key to being an exceptional event planner is to remember, “Don’t stress for any reason”. One thing I have learned is that there are some things you can’t control. However, if you have a level head it will always turn out better than it would have if you stressed out. There is a solution to everything and don’t be fooled, your clients don’t just come to you because they want you to plan their event. They will come to you because you have the expertise, patience and know how to produce a flawless event. As your reputation grows for having the innate ability to handle your events with flair and composure, you will become your own business card. Keep in mind that patience and strong presence create an impression. Did someone say patience equals Perfection?

Don’t Miss A Thing

My next suggestion would be “Think of Everything”. Is that possible? I am not sure but I always try. Not only do I sit down with my team and have a brainstorming session, throughout planning, I take time to think of ways I can make it better. I try to think of everything possible from planning dos and don’ts to those things that add an extra touch. This is your business. I own countless magazines and books on design, space planning, organization, as well as anything I can get my hands on that will make me a better planner. I stay educated on the venues and details about various locations. I continuously educated myself on my profession and the professions that impact what I do. If you are constantly thinking about what you do, it makes it that much easier to think of everything when you need to.

Know Your Foods

 Yes, there are some events that are foodless but in my personal opinion every great event has a great menu. One of the things I do when I sit down with a new client to help them pick a menu is ensure that I have a good sense of the demographic that will be in attendance at their event. True, you want your client to be happy but one of the keys to a successful event is making sure the guests are happy as well. That means making sure there is exciting entertainment, great ambience, a pleasant aesthetic and yes, fabulous food. Not only do I spend a lot of time reading about food and wine, I spend time preparing meals so that I can be more familiar with what goes into the preparation. I try to make sure that I understand the texture, flavors, aromas and more. Before I can suggest something to a client, I want to make sure I can give them all the information I can. I do this by taking every aspect of this business serious and that includes the food.

Love What You Do

I can give you a lot more advice and information on what it is we do.  However, I think the key thing and the perfect place to end my blog for today is to love what you do.  Someone recently asked me, "you love what you do don't you?"  When my reply was yes, they replied "it shows".  Whatever you do you have to do it to the best of your ability and that is so much easier when you genuinely love what you do.  This is my job but it isn't just my job.  Event planning is my life and I can honestly say, I love what I do.