Event planning is a popular business to start. There are a variety of events you can plan, and you can have a full calendar of work year-round. Planning these festive and social activities can be fun and rewarding - but finding clients may be the most challenging part of event planning jobs. Below are three effective and low-cost ways to get a consistent flow of new customers to your business. 1. Get Involved A big chunk of business for event planners comes from word-of-mouth marketing and referrals. If you want this free form of advertising to work in your favor, get involved in your community. Join your local Chamber of Commerce. Become a member of social groups in your neighborhood. Volunteer in your community and socialize with the people you meet. You do not have to "sell" yourself, but inevitably people will ask what you do for a living. The more people you meet who find out you are an event planner, the more potential clients and referrals you have to draw from. You never know where a casual conversation will lead to - as the saying goes, people tend to do business with people they like. You never know where your next customer will come from, so it is a good idea to stay active and visible. 2. Do Charity Work Although you do not want to work for free, you can basically advertise your business for free by volunteering your event planning services for local charity functions. This is an easy way to demonstrate your skills to people who generally have lots of connections. You will be appreciated for your efforts and looked upon favorably by those who can refer you to others or even hire you for paid event planning jobs in the future. 3. Host a Free Workshop Show that you are the "go-to" person when it comes to event planning by hosting a workshop on how to plan parties, create invitations, make low-cost decorations or some other topic related to event planning. Your workshop does not have to involve a big presentation. In fact, those who do not enjoy public speaking find that putting on a hands-on workshop to a small group or service organization much less intimidating. With each of these three marketing tactics, you get to demonstrate your skills and knowledge up front to potential clients. People can meet you in a no-pressure environment and can see you more as a friend rather than a salesperson. In addition, these strategies are virtually free to use and can be very effective at getting new customers - sometimes even more than a paid ad.
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