Your Event Career

4 Goals to Set For Your Event Planning Business This Year

With a new year on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to make some professional and personal New Year’s resolutions. That being said, we much prefer making concrete goals for the year ahead instead of simple resolutions – they’re more specific and attainable. Nothing against New Year’s resolutions, of course!

As the owner of an event planning business, you know the importance of setting regular goals, as they’re what propel your business to success! So what should you be focusing on for the year ahead? We’ve put a list together of four goals that you should set for your event planning business, and how to lay the groundwork to achieve them.

Read on and take not

1. Goal: Stronger social media presence

Let’s start with an area we know you’re familiar with – social media! Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest are just some of the platforms you should be using on a regular basis as the owner of an event planning business. Not only will they help you build your brand identity, they’ll also help you connect with potential clients. If you’ve already been using social media, great! However, with a new year ahead, there’s never been a better time to step up your social media game, and there are a number of different ways to do so…

While meme posts generate the most likes, they don’t inspire people to hire you for their event planner needs. Create original content on each platform you use. While you can (and should) share funny event-related posts from time to time, your main focus should be showing off your talents to a target audience. Emotional appeals, tips, ideas, and trend trends posts will attract new followers. Draw up an editorial schedule for yourself and set specific checkpoints (such as weekly or monthly milestones) to make sure you’ve achieved the followers you want and that your content is engaging. The only way you can see growth is if you track it!

Think of growing your social media presence as a marathon, rather than a sprint. Be sure to interact with your followers instead of simply sitting back. You’re much more likely to gain likes and followers if you’re liking and following other people! Of course, some days you’ll fare better than others in growth. But growing by 20 likes one day and 5 the other is far better than by single digits each week.

2. Goal: Increase revenues

As a business owner, you know the importance of financial literacy. Charging the right amount, making sure you get paid, and keeping your event business afloat is all part of the job! Many business owners begin the New Year with the goal of increasing their revenue. But it can be tricky to know where to start!

Setting an ambitious goal for your event planning business requires you to examine your sales strategy. Look closely at your list of clients, the number of events you plan per year, and the expertise and scope of the competition. Take time to add sections to your strategy, including what opportunities you can take advantage of, where the competition is falling short, and what your clients are up to. Depending on the size of your event planning business, you may need to hire some employees to grow your team. The heart of a successful business is made up of dedicated and passionate employees. When you have a team who loves event planning and making people happy as much as you do, you’ll throw events that keep clients coming back for more!

After you evaluate your company and local industry, it’s time to outline your goals. There’s no sense in only knowing what you want. You’ll also need to figure out how you’ll achieve it! A goal won’t work unless you take it seriously, so you need to put a real plan in place to help you get there. Having a notebook with goals written down will be a constant reminder of what you want to achieve and what you’re working towards.

3. Goal: Improve customer satisfaction

This one is huge! Events are highly personal. While you can expect the final goal to be the same, the individual elements included will all differ. An example would be a wedding. All weddings are thrown to celebrate the union of a couple and their families. But every couple will have a different vision for what they want. Some want a small, rustic wedding and others want a 500-person, highly religious celebration. No matter the scale, give the utmost respect and consideration when planning them. Especially when it comes to stepping into unfamiliar territory, do some research! If they wanted cookie-cutter events that don’t reflect their values, they wouldn’t reach out to an event planner. Nobody wants to be snubbed just because they aren’t throwing a big theatrical production!

A new year is a prime opportunity to sharpen your customer service skills. Examine a new approach in crafting the best first impression; revamp your website and contact channels to become more accessible; or even go the extra mile when writing proposals! You may think you’re currently providing stellar service to your clientele (and we’re sure you are!), but setting a goal to take things even further in the New Year will only make your clients happier, and add more to your list.

Similar to your social media goals, draw up a few documents to help you meet this one. Use a call schedule to regularly let clients know the status of their upcoming event, and keep detailed planning timelines to ensure nothing is overlooked. These type of schedules will keep you on track and help you achieve your goal of more satisfied clients!

4. Goal: Better business networking

Event planners are social by nature, which comes in handy when building a network! Especially when you’re just starting out, you’ll need to build relationships with clients, vendors, and other planners if you want to get noticed. Your local event industry may already have some top dogs pulling in most of the clients. How can you make yourself look like an appealing choice when other planners have the vendor-list and portfolio to prove their worth? You have to put yourself out there! It sounds counter-intuitive, but befriending your competitors can actually help grow your business!

Meeting other industry professionals can only improve your reputation, clientele, and knowledge of the field. However, there is a right way to go about networking, and it doesn’t involve spending hours mingling aimlessly with strangers.

Research upcoming trade shows and conferences for the year. When you have all the important conferences marked down on your calendar, you can prepare ahead of time. No more getting off-guard when someone asks you what you do! Just make sure they’re right for your business (think wedding shows and food expos, for example)! Once you have a short list, set a goal for each show, such as collecting names for a mailing list, networking with new vendors, and scheduling free client consultations afterwards.

Having goals in mind will keep you focused throughout the events, and you won’t find yourself spinning your wheels while your precious time fades away. Be prepared at trade shows with a professional booth, signage, and marketing collateral – this is a wonderful opportunity for you to make yourself known, and make the most of your time at the event.

Share your New Year’s goal in a comment below, and check out some New Year’s resolutions for event planners!

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