The biggest leaders in any industry will advise that the best method for staying on top of your game is to constantly be learning. New York event planners can heed the same advice. Because so much can change, with your clients, your vendors, your niche, and even the pandemic, you’ve never really “arrived.” To be successful in this business means being just as dynamic as the industry. Always be learning or spotting new opportunities to fine-tune your skills and strategies. Doing so will allow you to directly leverage these incredible benefits.
1. The More You Know, the More You Charge
The more qualified you are to be a New York event planner with experience, knowledge, and certifications, the higher your rates can be. It’s that simple. Learning and improving ongoing will only allow you to add expertise to your resume. And those credentials will translate to higher-level event experiences, for which you can charge more. If you’re always exploring new things and learning new techniques and strategies, you’ll also be able to diversify your planning services to include broader options. This is how wedding planners grow to also offer corporate conferences and plan trade shows. Be a learner. Add to your roster of know-how. Then you can charge more.
2. Get Better at Networking, thus Growing Your Business
Always be learning might also be synonymous with always be networking. You can’t expect knowledge to come to you. Instead, go looking for those educational or learning opportunities with every networking event you can attend. Find mentors. Meet those more successful. Collaborate with everyone. The result will be two-fold. One, you’ll get really great at networking which can help you land new clients and grow your business. Two, you’ll soak up some knowledge and learning along the way, only making you a better New York event planner.
3. Learn How to Use a New Tool
If you’re feeling stuck, you can always improve by learning a new tool. Maybe it’s a time management app or event planner software. Maybe you take a class on how to operate audiovisual equipment, allowing you to be more knowledgeable when working with venue staff or tech vendors. Take a course online that teaches social media strategies for advertising, or find a webinar that offers tutorials in areas with which you’re less familiar. The more tools you’re savvy at using, the better you’ll be as an event planner.
4. Upskilling vs. Reskilling
Recognize that you have an opportunity to learn and grow your business in two primary ways, upskilling and reskilling. These can apply to you but can also be great for your teams and staff. Upskilling refers to the betterment that occurs by improving a current role or job. Reskilling is about learning in a new direction so you can provide something new entirely or take on a different role. If you’re a corporate event planner, for example, you can explore educational opportunities to be a better corporate event planner, or you can delve into new arenas and learn how to also offer wedding planning services or more social events.
5. Learning Will Save Money
Looking back to when you first started your event planning journey, how many costly mistakes did you make? With time and experience, you’ve since learned to avoid those expensive pitfalls. And that’s another benefit of learning and growing as a professional. You can explore better ways to save time, be more efficient, and streamline your processes, all of which contribute to your bottom line. Staying up-to-date on the very latest events industry trends will also provide you with the insight to stay relevant and open to money-making opportunities.
Consider these benefits for ongoing learning and start finding new ways to get better professionally and personally. You’ll grow your business and continue to be a leading force as a New York event planner! There won’t be a shortage of learning opportunities at this year’s Event Planner Expo and 10-Year Anniversary celebration, either. Get in the room with some of the biggest influencers and names in the business! Meet decision-makers, find a mentor, and collaborate with the best of the best! And contact us for sponsorship and exhibitor space to position yourself among this elite audience!
