(Courses, Merch, Media & The New Revenue Playbook for Event Pros)
In a city that never sleeps—and never stops launching—NYC’s top event planners are getting savvier about revenue. Yes, throwing unforgettable parties, conferences, and brand activations is still the core business. But the real pros? They’re building empires.
Because here’s the truth: if your income only flows when you’re on-site running an event, you’re missing out. There’s an incredible potential for long-term relationships with the public with each successful event.
Smart event pros are now flipping their expertise into passive (and not-so-passive) revenue streams—building new income pillars through digital products, branded merch, and owned media.
Whether you're an independent planner or an agency owner with a full team, the future is clear: you’re not just selling events anymore. You’re building a brand.
Here’s how some of NYC’s sharpest planners are doing it—and how you can join them.
1. Courses & Education: Teaching What You Know Pays Off
Event planning isn’t just glamorous—it’s complicated, fast-paced, and loaded with insider knowledge. And guess what? People want that knowledge.
That’s why more planners are turning their process into products. We’re talking about:
- Mini courses on event sponsorship sales
- Masterclasses on experiential design
- Templates for client onboarding or run-of-show docs
- Full-blown “start your own event biz” programs
If you’ve been doing this for years, you’ve got gold in your Google Drive.
And in the age of digital education? That content can easily become a revenue stream. Whether it’s hosted on platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, or Gumroad, or sold directly via your site, your playbook can fund your next big project while you sleep.
Pro tip: The most successful planners start by teaching something specific—like “How to Build a 5-Figure Brand Activation Deck”—before expanding to broader topics.
2. Merch That Matches the Vibe (and the Industry)
The second income stream? Branded merch that doesn’t suck.
We're not talking slap-a-logo-on-a-mug generic swag. We mean:
- Statement tees that say “Venue Scouter. Chaos Coordinator. Budget Whisperer.”
- Conference survival kits curated by planners (hello, eye drops, aspirin, mini steamer)
- Stylish planners, clipboards, and gear organizers designed with actual planners in mind
If your personal brand is strong, or if your planning company has a loyal following, merch is a great way to monetize and boost brand visibility.
Done right, it can even turn into a movement.
Think: the Glossier of the event world.
3. Podcasts & Newsletters: The Media Model Works (Even for Planners)
Want consistent eyeballs on your brand and sponsor dollars to match?
Start a podcast. Or a newsletter. Or both.
We’re seeing NYC event pros turn weekly updates, behind-the-scenes recaps, vendor rants, and industry interviews into high-engagement content—and monetizing through:
- Sponsor placements
- Affiliate links
- Paid subscriber tiers
- Premium resources for download
You don’t need 100,000 followers. You need a focused audience—and a consistent voice.
Your content doesn’t have to be polished. It just has to be real. That’s what builds community. And the community buys from you, learns from you, and hires you.
Bonus: This kind of owned media is the perfect platform to sell everything else you’re building—like courses, merch, or tickets to your next event.
4. VIP Consulting & Done-for-You Services
Monetizing beyond the event doesn’t have to be passive.
High-level planners are now productizing their strategy skills and selling VIP days, audits, and retainer-based consulting to brands and new planners alike.
This looks like:
- 90-minute strategy sessions with corporate clients on how to boost tradeshow ROI
- Branding and marketing audits for venue owners or planners entering the space
- Monthly retainer packages for startups launching their first customer-facing event series
If you’re already advising clients as part of your planning scope, why not offer it separately—and at a premium?
It’s a powerful upsell that doesn’t require another 14-hour event day.
5. Partnered Launches & Brand Collaborations
When your brand is built and your audience is active, the door to collaborations flies wide open.
Think:
A planner co-creating a limited-edition candle with a wellness brand to celebrate a seasonal event theme.
Or a food-focused event pro launching a wine pairing series in partnership with a local distributor.
These partnerships aren’t just fun—they’re monetizable.
You split revenue, tap new audiences, and elevate your brand’s relevance outside the event space.
These kinds of launches make your business feel bigger—because it is.
6. Licensing & Event Franchising
This one’s big-picture—but it’s happening.
We’ve seen several NYC planners take their signature event concept—whether it’s a women-in-business summit, immersive dinner party, or content creator meetup—and license it in other cities.
Imagine this:
You create a killer format. Then someone else pays you to run it under your name, using your branding and playbook.
You stay in control. They run the show. You split the revenue—or charge a licensing fee.
It’s like franchising, but make it fabulous.
You become the founder of an event brand—not just the person executing it.
But Wait—What If You're Just Getting Started?
Good news: you don’t need 100K followers or a polished course funnel to start monetizing beyond the event.
Start small:
- Offer a 1-hour webinar for $47 on your best planning hacks
- Launch a Substack newsletter and share weekly venue reviews
- Design 3 statement t-shirts that speak to your people
Host an Instagram Live series with industry vendors and add a tip jar
What matters most is momentum. Your audience will tell you what’s working.
And once you know what they want? Scale it.
And Here's Where The Event Planner Expo Comes In
You want to launch merch? There are printing pros and product strategists in the building.
You want to find brand partners? They’re walking the floor.
You want to get featured in a podcast, newsletter, or collab series? Guess what—they’re exhibiting too.
The truth is, the planners who are scaling beyond the event scene aren’t doing it alone.
They’re making strategic moves in places like The Event Planner Expo—where thousands of industry leaders, sponsors, content creators, and trendsetters gather every year to build the next big thing.
Whether you’re just starting to expand or you’ve got an empire in the making, exhibiting at The Event Planner Expo 2025 puts you in the perfect position to:
- Launch your product or service in front of a highly-targeted audience
- Attract sponsors who are already aligned with your brand
- Grow your prospect email list and sell out your next offer
- Connect with collaborators, creators, and fans
- Be seen as more than a planner—you become a business builder
Exhibit at The Event Planner Expo 2025
If your revenue starts and ends with one event, you’re leaving money on the table.
Let the world see what else you’re building. And let your booth be the moment that launches it.
✔️ Turn your expertise into a scalable brand
✔️ Meet sponsors, press, and collaborators IRL
✔️ Sell out your next course, newsletter, or merch line
✔️ Build real relationships that fund your future
👉 Reserve your booth now
Because the future of events isn’t just throwing them. It’s building the business around them.
