Event Planning Illumination for 2017

A soft pink light illuminates the horizon out my window as I observe my partner of 30 years walk to our mailbox. You might not be surprised to know I met him at my own dorm party organized to money for my college bills. Event planning has been in my life in every aspect and at every turn. Even when I was planning parties in college I knew I couldn’t produce a great one and make a profit without three ingredients to success – sales, people and partners.

If you have ever planned a corporate, non-profit or personal event you understand you begin with a vision of its purpose followed by establishing themes, menus, music and activities. Next comes the “sales” process of inviting people to attend. Sometimes you need to make phone calls to check with them when the RSVP date expires and your list is low. Bottom line, an event isn’t successful unless you have people at it. The amount of people in attendance might not matter but you have to have an audience.

Attracting people to an event, in a world with a multitude of programs, also takes collaborative partners and sponsors. A collaborative partner might be a next door neighbor if your event is a social neighborhood gathering. A mutual partner could be another woman entrepreneur sharing the costs, marketing and profit. A joint partner might also be someone with a keen interest to be in the crowd talking up a product, service, program or offering. Sponsorship partners usually have some skin in the game and help offset expenses by investing financially to be with your crowd. They get air time while you get cash all with the intention of both partners gaining something vital.

Since event planning has been in my life since I was 7 years old and in my professional life since I was 21, I have learned the key aspects to a successful shindig and collaborative partnerships and so have other marketing and event professionals. In fact, events get richer when you have other compatible and purpose driven people to work with. Embarking on new event or marketing partnerships can be an valuable revenue stream for any woman entrepreneur.

Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is to inspire you this 11th day of 2017 to consider creating collaborative event, marketing and business partnerships to elevate your exposure, increase your profits and develop a wider audience. Women are great at gathering together at functions but this year consider producing more purposeful and successful functions by creating a list of similar women or businesses to collaborate with.