By trade5 min read

How to get more event planning clients

Event planning is relationship-driven and portfolio-driven. Here's how to build both systematically.

Step-by-step

Build your portfolio before you build your marketing

In event planning, your portfolio is your primary sales tool. Without photos, testimonials, and examples of events you've delivered, potential clients have nothing to evaluate. If you're starting out, offer to plan 2–3 events for minimal or no fee specifically to build your portfolio. Choose events that showcase different capabilities — a wedding, a corporate dinner, a birthday celebration — and arrange for a professional photographer to be present. The portfolio you build from these events becomes the asset that sells everything that follows.

A website with your event gallery is non-negotiable

Event planning clients will not book you without seeing examples of your work, reading about your process, and understanding your pricing structure. A website with a curated gallery, client testimonials, your specific services (full planning, day-of coordination, partial planning, corporate events), your pricing model, and a clear enquiry form is the foundation of a professional event planning business. When a potential client finds your name through a referral or venue recommendation, they will look up your website. Not having one means losing a significant percentage of warm leads.

Venue partnerships: the highest-leverage relationship in events

Wedding venues, hotels, conference centres, and private dining rooms regularly receive enquiries from clients who need event planning support. A venue coordinator who trusts you and recommends you is a consistent source of high-quality leads. To build these relationships: visit venues in your area, introduce yourself, offer a collaboration on a styled shoot or venue showcase event, and be reliable and easy to work with when you get the referral. One or two venue relationships that work can provide 8–15 bookings per year.

Corporate events: a reliable, year-round revenue stream

Corporate event planning — conferences, team away-days, product launches, client entertainment evenings — provides revenue throughout the year rather than being seasonal like weddings. The sales process for corporate clients is longer and more formal but the jobs are larger and repeat clients are common. To reach corporate clients: network in business circles (local Chamber of Commerce, LinkedIn), reach out directly to HR managers and EA/PA communities who regularly organise events, and make sure your website has a dedicated corporate events section.

Specialise to stand out in a crowded market

'Event planner' in most markets is crowded. 'Luxury wedding planner for South Asian weddings in London', 'corporate retreat specialist for tech companies', or 'sustainable wedding planner for eco-conscious couples' all have much clearer target audiences, less direct competition, and higher willingness to pay. A specialism allows you to become the obvious choice for a specific type of client rather than one of many options for everyone. It's counter-intuitive when you're trying to grow, but narrowing your focus almost always increases the volume and quality of enquiries.

Styled shoots: the most efficient way to build portfolio content fast

A styled shoot is a collaborative project between an event planner, a photographer, a venue, and a selection of other suppliers (florist, stationer, caterer) to produce portfolio content for everyone involved. For a new event planner, a well-executed styled shoot produces the portfolio content that would otherwise take 2–3 years to accumulate. Many wedding blogs and magazines feature styled shoots — published features further build credibility.

Tips & best practices

▸Your best clients come from referrals. After every event, ask the client directly: 'Do you have any friends or colleagues who are planning an event? I'd love an introduction.'
▸Join wedding and events industry networks — local wedding planner associations, industry Facebook groups, and regional networking events connect you with venue coordinators, photographers, and other suppliers who regularly refer clients to planners they trust.

Common questions

Should I focus on weddings or corporate events?

Both have merits. Weddings are often higher-value single engagements with significant creative involvement, but they're seasonal, emotionally intense, and high-stakes. Corporate events are more transactional, but repeat clients are common and the pipeline is more predictable. Many planners specialise in one category; some successfully serve both with a clear separation between their wedding and corporate propositions.

What insurance do I need as an event planner?

At minimum, professional indemnity insurance (covers errors and omissions that lead to client loss) and public liability insurance (covers accidents at events). Specific event cancellation insurance, equipment insurance, and employers' liability may also be appropriate. Get advice from a business insurance broker who works with events industry clients.

How should I price my event planning services?

Common pricing models: flat fee per event (most common for corporate), percentage of total event budget (10–15%, common for full-service wedding planning), hourly rate (for coordination and day-of services), or day rate. Research what other planners in your market charge for similar services and price appropriately for your experience level.