If you’re not in the industry, you may not realize that almost everything is an event. I love having a variety of projects on the go, which means that this world is a great one for me. But it also means that explaining to people what I do can be difficult, and that potential clients might not even understand the services I can provide! Talk about small biz challenges. And even aside from that, event industry stability is always in question.
Event planning can encompass such a large range of projects and can require an extremely varied set of skills. From weddings, funerals, and birthday parties to concerts, festivals, and sporting events, to meetings, product launches, and awards nights, events can be found anywhere and can consist of almost anything.
And not just that, but my role in events as a planner is extremely open to interpretation as well. On any given project, I may act as project manager, research venues and vendors, create financial projections, craft decor items, act as graphic designer, put together a marketing plan, coordinate food and beverage, find and manage volunteers, write ad copy, create a floor plan, create a sponsorship package, write a script, and so much more. Basically, I have a core set of skills that I add to with each project I do; I learn what is necessary to pull off the event.
So when people ask if I’m worried about the stability of a job in event planning, I tell them I’m not, for a few reasons. The first is that events really are all around us. There might not always be huge budgets to put towards planning them, but events will always happen. People will always get married, celebrate milestones, or bring large groups together to celebrate one another. This means that if there is a lull in the industry, I need to be really good at what I do, and I know that I am. It’s typically hard for me to sell myself, but that is something that I’m working on. I also can gain a leg up in the event industry by saving my clients money however I can, whether it’s through industry discounts, creative sponsorship deals, good planning, or just straight up efficiency. I always work hard to provide the best service that I possibly can.
In addition to this, I find that my skills are so varied that I can find ways to contribute to most projects. If I’m not working on events, there are almost always parallels in other opportunities. The level of project management knowledge I’ve achieved while planning events lends itself well to planning and coordinating marketing campaigns. My background in fundraising means that I know how to work with charities. My light graphic design knowledge means that I can create online ads and posters. The skills that are required of an event planner really do carry over into so many other areas, and I’m lucky in that way.
So the short answer is: no, I’m not worried about event industry stability. As long as people enjoy interaction, events will be here.
Cheers,
KG
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