10 steps to launch as a freelance event manager.
Turn your side hustle into a paid freelance gig.
Whether you’re starting in events as a side hustle and growing slowly, or jumping straight in and giving it a go as a full-time business, you need to know the key steps to make it happen.
But let’s face it - the task of turning your love for events into a successful career can feel overwhelming, particularly if you want to be your own boss while you do it. Not only do you want to want to work in events, you also want to work for yourself and work on your own terms!
Break into the events industry.
Events is a highly competitive industry, and while you’ve got the dream, you might not be sure where, or how, to start. In this article, we explain 10 key steps to help you become a thriving and successful freelance event manager.
Rachella SAYS
“When events is still just a side hustle and you want to turn it into a full-time business, you need to know the key steps to make it happen.”
Be strategic and systematic; use our 10 steps.
Breaking into the event industry and becoming a freelance event manager requires a strategic and systematic approach. By following a well-structured process, you can pave the way for a successful career in this dynamic field. From building a strong network to honing your skills and staying updated with industry trends, each step plays a vital role in your journey.
Define your business goals.
Find your focus.
Get your finances sorted.
Identify your ideal client.
Clarify what you’re selling.
Set your pricing.
Create a brand that inspires.
Maintain your online presence.
Learn how to talk about yourself.
Stay persistent!
10 steps to launch as a freelance event manager - be systematic and don’t miss a step.
Define your business goals.
To find clarity and purpose for yourself as a freelancer, you need to ask (and answer) some important goal-oriented questions.
Why do you want to run this business?
If you’re leaving a full-time salary job, why are you leaving it? Is it to set your own hours? Is it to change your career direction? Is it to fulfil a dream of being your own boss?
What are your goals for this business?
Do you want to build your own event agency with employees? Or are you happy to always use this as a side hustle? What aspirations do you have for your business?How much money do you want to make?
Now, yes, we all want to make as much money as possible. But, how much do you really want to make? The amount of money you plan on making will determine what type of business you create, and how hard you’re willing to work.
Asking yourself questions like this will give you clarity about how much you want to commit to your business. Once you have clarity about what’s important for you and the future of your business, you’ll inevitably start making better business decisions.
Find your focus.
Your focus, or niche, is what sets you apart from the competition.
There’s never been a better time to be a freelancer, as the workforce moves more towards contract-based engagement of workers. There are a lot of opportunities for budding freelance event managers, however it also means there is a lot of competition.
Having a dream and a passion for events is not enough to set you apart from the competition.
You need to know what sets you apart from the competition. You need to know what it is that you offer your potential clients, and that is what’s called, your Unique Selling Proposition. A unique selling proposition refers to the unique benefit that you offer that makes you stand out from your competitors.
Do some research to find what a Unique Selling Proposition is, and isn’t; and find examples to inspire you. Then spend some time to reflect on the special qualities of you, and your unique personality and skillset. Once you’ve got a good understanding of your point of difference, you’ll find your focus in business and events flows easily.
Get your finances sorted.
You need to have a plan before taking the leap!
Pursuing what you love in events is certainly living the dream… but it also takes a lot of work and careful consideration, especially when it comes to your bank balance. Your dream career might not come to fruition as quickly as you’d like.
Before you quit your other job, take a good look at your personal finances. Determine how long your savings can sustain you, just in case the opportunities don’t come as quickly as you expect. It will take time to build a loyal client base, and it’s possible you’ll be living on just a trickle of revenue for a while. Be prepared to not have full-time work at first. Be realistic, not idealistic, with your business finances. Even if you set yourself up with long-term contracts and have a few events lined up when you start freelancing, have a plan for if that dries up. It’s always smart to start with savings in the bank to cover you while you get established.
Identify your ideal client.
Who do you really want to work with?
As an event freelancer, you have the opportunity to expand your client base and work with new clients who inspire you. It’s a wonderful way to spend your days at work. It’s your business, and you get to choose who you want to with. However there is a catch… to do that successfully, you must spend time reflecting on who your ideal client is.
I’ve spoken to many aspiring freelancer event managers who don’t have a clear idea of who their ideal client is. As new event planners, they are so focused on being grateful for securing any client they can, that they forget to day dream about their ideal.
How do you identify who your ideal clients are?
It’s about getting super clear about the kind of clients you want to attract. Think about their characteristics or qualities or values, think about where they are located, what they want in an event planner and what types of events they have to offer you.
An ‘ideal client’ is not the same as a ‘dream client’.
A dream client is just that - a dream. Some traits of a dream client may include: always being on time, doesn’t ask questions, trusts my design judgment, and explains everything in a way I can understand. How likely is it I find clients that fit all of those qualities? Not very likely and that is what makes them dreamy.
In contrast, your ideal client is a single persona that embodies clients who are already purchasing what you’re selling and offering you the event experience you desire. Every freelancer needs the ability to identify, find, and sell to their ideal client. Learn more about how to identify and attract your ideal client.
Rachella SAYS
“An ‘ideal client’ is not always the same as a ‘dream client’. A dream client is just that - a dream.”
Clarify what you’re selling.
You can’t conduct business without having something to sell.
The success of your business quite literally depends on if you sell a lot of your service or not, so figuring out what you sell is important. In the events industry, event professionals often sell a service that is related to their role in events. Event Managers sell their ‘event management service’, Sound technicians sell their ‘AV management service’.
There are two different ways that a freelance event manager can decide to sell:
Become highly specific and expert in one thing.
You will offer one service and do it well. The goal of this is to become the best in that specific one thing. A good example of this is a Wedding Planner who specialises in tropical beach weddings.The second way is to diversify your business into multiple areas or skillsets.
If you’re more of a generalist, or have multiple skills you’d like to work on, this can be a good way to proceed. Diversifying what you offer means you have more opportunities to shift and pivot if something unexpected happens (like say, a pandemic). A good example of this is an Event Manager who offers a complete package of marketing and events management.
Set your pricing.
Determining the price for your services is more than just deciding how much you want to get paid. It requires that you have some understanding of pricing strategy. When planning the price for own business services, you will want to ask yourself the following questions:
Are you offering hourly services? Are you charging a flat day rate? What will be your freelance event manager day rate?
Do your prices change depending on the size of the client?
Will you quote on individual projects?
Will you put your prices public on your site?
Finding the right price and day rate for your service often takes some trial-and-error. It is also something you can work on and develop over time. It’s important to document the process and experiment until you find the right price that works for you, and your business. If this is all new to you, you will probably want to get a copy of the ‘Event Services Pricing Guide’ in our Event Planning Business Kit.
Create a brand that inspires.
Now for the fun part… creating a brand for your business.
Your brand is how you tell your story to the world. It’s what makes you stand out online and on social media so that people recognise your branding as your work. It doesn’t matter than you’re just a one-person show, doing independent contract work for clients. You are a legitimate business and you are a brand.
You will want to create a brand that inspires and resonates with your ideal client, and that encourages them to engage with it. Yes, a brand is something visual, but it’s something intangible. Your brand reflects your values, your priorities and it symbolises the way you work. When thinking about the visuals, you might consider having a set logo, colour palette, font type and slogan. You might also decide to engage a designer to ensure your logo and slogan looks as professional as you want your business to be.
When thinking about the intangible features of your brand, refer back to the work you did earlier when you were finding your focus, developing your niche, and creating a point of difference for the amazing service you want to provide your clients.
Maintain your online presence.
Out of sight, out of mind. So stay seen. We are not saying you need to be constantly posting on social media for your business. Who has the time when you’re busy planning events?!
However, you should definitely be present and discoverable. These days, more often than not, online is the first place people discover new work and ideas that interest them. Having a good-looking and cohesive online presence is important to catching eyes. It shows your new clients that you’re serious about your business, and it is a great forum for showcasing your best work.
Learn how to talk about yourself.
You’ve probably already heard about the elevator pitch. Yes, you need one. The most uncomfortable part of being a freelance event manager is that you are the only one to hype it up. You can’t network effectively without being willing, and able, to talk about what it is that you do.
Think about a one-line pitch that you’ll use when people ask what you do. Talk about the business as part of your personal journey. Remember that you are building this from the ground up, so it’s. very likely that the story you tell will be ever-changing. People are inspired by stories of resilience and perseverance, think about how you might incorporate that in to your business story.
As an event freelancer, you deserve to receive praise for how hard you have worked to get to this point!
Stay persistent.
And finally, the trick is to stay persistent when challenges arise. You are more than likely going to reach a roadblock in your first year of operating your freelance business, and you may not see perfect results right away. Remember that starting anything new takes time and effort. So, try to stay persistent and do your best to keep pivoting, and keep pushing yourself to achieve your dreams.
Wrap up.
We know it can be hard.
We understand the challenges and uncertainties that come with venturing into the world of freelance event management. We've been there, just like you. With over two decades of experience, we have built an award-winning event agency and orchestrated remarkable experiences for millions of individuals. Now, it’s time for our team to unlock the vault and share our expertise with you, empowering you to embark on your own journey towards a fulfilling and successful event career. Remember, although it may be tough at times, with the right guidance and determination, you have the potential to turn your dreams into reality. Together, let's step into the world of events and create extraordinary moments that leave a lasting impact.
WRITTEN BY RACHELLA THOMAS
Rachella Thomas is the powerhouse behind award-winning event consulting agency, Event Kit. With her 20+ years’ experience producing world-class events for high-profile clients and brands, Rachella has honed her skills to create a valuable resource for event planners looking to elevate their events. Her wealth of expertise has established Rachella as the go-to event consultant and mentor for aspiring event professionals and businesses alike.
Continue Reading
