Meeting Planner Careers

Businesses that are successful almost always find themselves at a point where they need to start organizing events. These events could be company gatherings, sales promotions, seminars to inform certain members of the press and/or industry-insiders about new products/services, or something else entirely. It does not necessarily matter why a company eventually needs to have meeting/events planners, but it is almost a certainty that such a position will need to be filled at some point in time. Here is how to hire a meeting planner:

Meeting planners should be outgoing, honest, and self-motivated – After all, the business needs to get on with whatever it is doing and be able to trust that meetings and events are being scheduled.

A meeting planner will need tools – A meeting planner will need access to a phone (preferably a cellular/mobile smartphone), a computer with access to the Internet. A desk to work from is also helpful, and a laptop or netbook should also be considered.

A budget – Meeting planners need realistic budgets to work with.  While a good meeting or event planner can usually pay for herself, you need to have funds available for those events.  Be sure to track your ROI on meetings and events to justify the plan, but do not hire a meeting planner without the ability to give them a budget.

Trial basis – It might be a good idea to start a meeting planner on a temporary or part-time basis just to see how things work out.

Freelance meeting planners can make an incredible amount of money if they are self-motivated and have an ample amount of people skills. The problem is that many larger companies have meeting planners on staff, and thus one has to find a way to attract attention if they want to be a successful freelance meeting or event planner. Here are some tips on how to build up a reputations as a freelance meeting planner and perhaps generate business:

• Start by making contacts within the service industry, especially at hotels and other venues where people want to visit and/or hold their events or gatherings. These contacts can be useful when it comes to negotiating lower prices.
• Start a blog and try to guest post on other blogs as well. Some businesses might know that they need help, but do not know where to turn. Be there for them and they will come to you.
• Consider advertising, even in Craigslist or other online arenas that are cost effective. Newspapers might be worth advertising in as well, but print is certainly on its last leg.
• Be willing to knock on doors and network. This will mean having a business card ready, and spending money to attend conferences and meetings in order to network.
• Consider specializing in a certain type of meeting planning such as educational conferences or meetings-at-sea.  Developing a reputation as a niche expert.
• Remember that honesty and fair prices are important, especially at the beginning. Do not look to recoup all initial startup losses on the first few clients are nobody will recommend you.