How To Start A Party Planning Business

Getting started in party planning isn’t hard – and has many advantages to busy stay-at-home mums!

In this article, we give you some tips on getting started in party planning. Many stay-at-home parents these days like to do something to contribute towards the household income, but there aren’t many jobs out there that are flexible enough when you have kids to look after and a household to run. One job that lots of mums (and dads!) find fun, exciting, rewarding AND flexible is being a party plan consultant.

There are lots of different companies that have branched out into selling their products via party plan – these include kids school labels, makeup, homeware, linen, toys and books, aromatherapy and perfumes, cleaning products, food and kitchen items, and even adult toys and lingerie!

1. Find the Right Suppliers

Look for suppliers that you will be interested to work with. And make sure you are satisfied with the services they provide. There’s no point trying to tell someone how great it is if you don’t really like it! The next step is to compare and research different companies to find the right one for you. They all have different ways of selling and different consultant commission rates, so look for one that resonates with you most. Ask other consultants to find out what they like or don’t like about the company you are considering. Attend a couple of parties if you can.

2. Check Them Out!

Once you have found the product and the company that stocks the product, do your homework on the company itself. Check that the company is listed on DSA (Direct Selling Australia). Consultants and companies have rules and guidelines, which protect both parties, that must be followed.

3. Know The Rules

Happy with the company? Great! Next step is to learn as much as you can when you join about the incentives in place for you as a consultant to be able to build up your basic kit asap. The things you have on display are the things you will sell, so know how to get more (for FREE even) from the company.

Also, consider learning as much as you can how the compensation/reward plan works for you and your customers. If you do not know how much or what they are entitled to when hosting a party, you are not doing the most for them or yourself!

4. Down to the Nitty Gritty

Time management is huge. Yes, you can work party plan businesses around a family, but if you are doing it for passion AND an income, you need to be diligent and organised. Diaries are a must! Family time needs to be put in there, then the times you are allowing for demos.

Get to know the team you belong to and who you can ask for help. Support within the company is paramount when you are brand new and excited! Find out who you can ring as many times as need be if you need help. Don’t ever be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure of anything.

Ask your friends or family to book parties to get you started – and book as many as you can into your first 2 – 3 weeks as this gives you a great start! Practise your sales pitch either on the job or in front of the mirror – nerves are healthy but not if you forget your name!

Most importantly, HAVE FUN!!! In no time, you will be confident and comfortable with talking to people and asking for their orders at a demo!

Points to Consider:

• Some party plan companies need party payment upfront at the time you place your orders to them. This means customers have to pay at the party (not always a bad thing and less running around chasing up money when goods have arrived). You just need to promote it positively to customers!
• Delivery of goods can be costly if you have to do all the running around. Check if company can post orders to hosts that live a distance away. That way, you only need to travel that far once.

Above all, keep in mind that with any truly reputable party plan business, once you have completed the qualification for your initial kit (like number of parties and/or sales amounts) and you decide it’s really not for you, then you should not be out of pocket.

So there’s some really great advice and tips to help get you started on hopefully launching your party planning career. Good luck!