As a new wedding planner, you may find that with the holidays just around the corner, you are being asked, by members of the business and social groups you belong to, to help plan their holiday events for the “exposure” it could give to you and your new business.
Don’t jump at the opportunity until you review these DO’s and DON’Ts of planning holiday events for free:
DO find out exactly what your responsibilities would be before you agree
You need to know if you will be required to just find a venue, send invitations and manage RSVPs, or plan and manage the entire event by yourself from start to finish.
DON’T believe it when the group tells you that you will get a lot of business from planning the event
You may get some exposure, but unless the group includes a large number of brides in your target market, you may not get very many opportunities.
DO write a contract, just like you would for a paying client, and ask the group to sign it
Clearly state what you plan to do, how much you would charge if they were a paying client and add the statement “fee waived.” Then state what you expect the group to give you in lieu of money, such as recognition as a sponsor.
A contract will help make it clear to them that you are a professional and it will help you to see how much of your valuable services you are offering for free.
DON’T be afraid to say, “NO”
You plan events to earn a living. Any event you do for free takes your time, energy, and even money, if you need to drive around making arrangements or use your own materials and equipment to make the event run smoothly.
So if you decide to plan an event for someone for free, choose the event carefully. Don’t be afraid to decline if the opportunity offers little or no value to you.
