Make money by organising festive events this season

What you need to know:

Now that the festive season is here, there is a huge opportunity to make money as an events planner. You can learn a thing or two from those who have positioned themselves as event planners and make a killing, Dorothy Nakaweesi writes.

You could probably have seen banners, radio and television announcements about upcoming festive events.
Some event planners could have planned early for the season. But this does not mean you are too late to gain from this space. This is a season for making a killing.
Now that the festive season is here, there is a huge opportunity to make money as an events planner. Here is how you can reap from the festive season through organising events. These events could either be in entertainment or family and friends’ parties.
During the festive season, families also meet after a long period without seeing each other, to unwind the stress they’ve gone through during the year.
This is where you need to position yourself by helping them organise these get-together parties while making money.
“You can run one of such stores especially if you live in an area that is local with few stores available.”
Small events like family parties and birthdays are some of the occasions you can specialise in to ease your coordination work, it is advisable to outsource and only charge for planning the event.
After costing the services, you as a coordinator you’re earning will be in a commission form of a certain percentage.
Ideally, you are being paid to make sure all other service providers fulfil their promise.
Depending on the event, your pricing should be in the range of Shs500,000 to Shs2m. This means if you are organising four events during this season with a commission worth Shs2m, you then be assured of your Shs8 million.
Tick all the boxes that will help you have a successful event for your clients.
In this case, you need a call list of all service providers, make sure they are on set, on time.

Advice
The festive season is busy as most people would want to catch up with their families. This, Mr Newton Buteraba, the chief executive officer- House of Wealth, says prompts many people to travel upcountry. By now you should have some orders if you intend to organise a festive event.
Buteraba says: “For those who already have orders, make sure you make all bookings for any materials required in advance, because when we cross over to December, you will struggle to get all the materials you want at fair prices.”
Mr Camprine Matovu of Flora Events –a company dealing in managing events which they have been doing for over five-years shares that it is wise to pay up and get receipts this will help you get the materials that will be short in supply.
“Hiring chairs and tents during this season tend to disappear because they are all booked by other event organisers so book early and pay up,” she shares.
An event planner needs to budget carefully, stay on schedule and vet his or her team well.
Ms Matovu however says don’t overwhelm yourself, never rush things and never forget the paper work.

Prices
Regarding pricing, since the festive season comes once every year, you shouldn’t price at the same rate as you would in other months.
“During this period, people somehow have money saved for entertainment purposes. You may want to capitalise on this season to increase a certain percentage in your charges,” Mr Buteraba shares.
Ideally, because even other service providers have hiked their rates, the increase in your charges will cater for that gap.