According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Event Planning is an occupation that has continued to grow since 2012 at a rate much higher than the national average choice of occupation. That means more people want to do what you do. That’s exciting because eventistry has one of the best community’s of talented and smart women. It also means your competition isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Averaging a few events a year isn’t going to cut it anymore. Thus, the ultimate guide to being a competitive event planner.
Position Yourself as an Authority
A competitive event planner is the savvy combination of a creative mind and business executive. The essence of this duality is what will define your competitive edge.
As an event planner, I managed, strategized, and executed tech conferences, influencer events, product launches, business masterminds, and nearly every type of event you can imagine. I loved it. Later, I harnessed the business exec aspect of landing over a million dollars in sponsorships, event marketing, and increasing an event’s profitability. Once my eyes were opened to this part of the process I was hooked and I knew I had to share these techniques with event planners just like you.
[media-credit id=7 align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
[/media-credit]
Since coaching, I’ve seen small town event planners, brands, and businesses expand their audience outreach and sales through strategized event planning. As a competitive event planner, you are responsible for more than ticket sales and centerpieces. You are a brand ambassador and creator of interactional experiences.
Position yourself as an authority by understanding the depth of what an event does for your clients and how it can benefit them in ways far beyond a single day affair. Deliver experiences for your clients and attendees that keep them talking long after the doors have closed. In your client onboarding, always highlight an event follow-up plan. Let your client know you’ll be there afterward to wrap up the books, measure the success, and even tease their next event! Once you’ve done this, you’ve now positioned yourself as a vital part of their business plan because you are, after all, an authority.
Here are proven ways to position yourself as a boss online:
- Create added value through high-quality content on appropriate platforms
- Engage with your clients and prospects through email and social media
- Be consistent
- Engage your community
- Build relationships with influencers and experts
Find a Coach or Mentor
Flashback to a Mastermind prep in Marrakech, Morocco😍⠀
[media-credit id=7 link=”https://www.instagram.com/eventistrybyalecia/?hl=en” align=”alignright” width=”300″]
[/media-credit]
I turned my passion into profit by never selling myself short and reaching far beyond what they told me an event strategist could do. Now I sip Moroccan Mint Tea and share incredible event experiences with my clients.⠀
So many event planners believe you have to create hundreds of events before you can approach a client who wants to go international… False! Even your very first planned event can be on the other side of the world! A competitive event planner is equipped with the strategic layout to land client sponsors, develop their event message, and create a masterpiece…you can fulfill your client’s most exotic location dreams, today!
⠀
Looking to expand your event portfolio? Land clients with huge imaginations (and even bigger budgets)? Or, are you just ready to uplevel your career as an Event Planner? My specialty is creating Event Insiders who want to put Event Planning on the map for one of the most lucrative and successful careers.
I work with competitive event planners who are sick and tired of settling for less. Even if it’s not me, get yourself a coach or mentor who knows the in’s and out’s of the event planning world. Don’t waste 5 years of your event planning career learning things the hard way. Seek out a progressive mentor who makes it their business to grow your business!
Create Trends, Don’t Follow Them
This one is brief but is an ode to your originality and competitive advantage.
Trends are meant to come and go, but you’re a boss babe so your income should be around forever. The very concept of following event trends is that they are temporary. So don’t put your business at the mercy of a cute idea not meant to last. Create your own, unique and adaptable fundamentals so that your event planning business stands the test of time.
In the Event Planning for Entrepreneurs course, you can transform your unique selling proposition into an actionable plan that will grow your event planning business.
[media-credit id=7 align=”aligncenter” width=”800″]
[/media-credit]
Master Your Online Presence
Competitive Event Planners master marketing themselves as much as they market their client’s event. They’re on social media, you’re on social media. They have landing pages and multiple opt-in options, you should too. Spend marketing efforts that go beyond yelp and a website. You are an authority, an entrepreneur. Build a following online, leverage social evidence, and become an influencer in your industry. Market your talent and skill as a functional and necessary part of your potential client’s business. Just like they need a CEO, financial advisor, and partners–they need a competitive event planner.
Build a Competitive Dream Team
Lastly, every competitive event planner has a dream team that can accomplish the following:
- Attendee management (VIPs, audience personas)
- Venue
- Catering
- Scheduling
- Photography
- Videography
- Multimedia marketing
- Print & Website
- Security
- Budgeting
- …and so much more!
Now, I know some of the overachievers are out there sweating, but don’t. Your dream team is there to support you and see to it your vision is executed. You can’t do it alone. Not only will you be in a constant state of panic but you simply won’t be able to do as much which means lower event budgets and less income. Your business cannot grow without a dream team.
Are you ready for more out of your event planning career? Reach out! I’m currently taking applications for coaching and VIP days. Let’s explore where you want to be in this industry and we’ll take the steps to get you there.
