Holiday event planning is a very seasonal job. However, to make money from this field consistently, you need to be really good at your work.
In this article, we will teach you how to capitalize on the electric moods people have during the festive season.
Whether it is the Christmas holiday season or Diwali, you will emerge as an event planner out of this.
We will teach you how to find your niche holidays and apply strategies to ace event planning.
Read till the end and remember this is part of our festival event planning guide series.
A. Top tips for holiday event planning
1. Go back in time for holiday event planning
Before you build your business plan, it’s a good practice to see what event planners did last year.
For example, if you’re planning Holi events, ask around to know how people enjoyed their Holi parties last year. Ask event planners and even eventgoers to know what stood out in their experience.
For festival event planning, you should be asking questions like:
- What were the timings?
- Where was the party?
- What were the attractions?
- How was the turnout?
- What was the budget?
- Did you dislike anything about the event?
Once you gather these insights, it’ll be easier to know what you need to exceed expectations. This is the first step in creating your success plan for the event.
2. Figure out your modus operandi
Now, let’s lay the groundwork for how you’re going to make your festival event planning model a success.
Figure out everything you need for success.
We recommend you get a team and start building an effective network of vendors. These vendors in your network will help you find the best deals for stalls, decor, or A/V equipment.
The team can also hasten the process of communication. Just think of it, you get the decoration brief from the client and your team member goes to secure the best event venue.
Things work way faster when you’re not trying to be a lone wolf.
Lastly, figure out your USP. Why should the client choose you? Will it be for your pricing? For your educational background or experience? Your portfolio? Or your genius marketing?
Answering such questions will help you prepare for your first elevator pitch.
3. Do you know the community?
Imagine this situation. You live in a Christian-majority area and you’re thinking of pitching your event plan for Navratri. It doesn’t make sense, does it?
What you need to do is have a look at the demographic details of your area or target audience. Figure out which religious organizations and places are most popular.
Find out their cultural preferences and current trends. Learn the kind of events people like attending during the off-season as well.
You can learn this by socializing with the people in this area.
4. Put your research pants on
Elaborating on the previous point, your research needs to beyond the surface level of event preferences.
And do your research on the following:
- Values: Find out what the people in your target area care about. Is it sustainability? Is it good deals? Or, do they currently value healthcare the most?
- Pricing: Look at the pricing models of the events happening around you. Do they have different pricing tiers? What are they and how much do they cost?
- Themes: What are the underlying themes in the current ethos of your targetted area? For example, during the pandemic, people weren’t keen on large-scale events. Hybrid or small house parties worked best at the time
- Target Audience: Who are the people looking for event planners for their festival event planning? What’s their spending capacity? Which social media do they use? Where do they live specifically and what do they do?
This research will not only make your pitch better but also drive you to reach out to the right people.
Make sure you track this data and research on a spreadsheet so you don’t miss a single opportunity.
Also, just in case you were wondering how to get this data. Unfortunately, Google won’t be the answer to all questions. You’ll need to reach out to the people around you and do primary research.
5. The next steps to festival event planning
Sorry to fast-forward your struggle to land the first client. But, let’s learn what you’ll have to do next to plan the most amazing festival event.
You will first need to spend a couple of hours with your client to understand their needs.
No matter how creative or visionary you are, you will always have to put the client first. Don’t try to impress yourself with event ideas, rather, ensure your client is happy throughout the process.
This is easier said than done, so you can refer to our guide on how to deal with difficult clients.
6. Flexibility will be your best friend
More often than not, your clients can have a change of heart all of a sudden. How do you tackle this?
By having flexible vendors. Try to secure venues and vendors that have flexible bookings. Usually, this only happens when you book early enough.
7. Look for all-inclusive venues
If you’re new to event planning, then you’ll love this holiday event planning hack.
Look for hotels and resorts that have had a history of successful events.
Such venues tend to have everything from tablecloths to event furniture in place.
This saves you the hassle of overhead costs and lets you focus on curating the whole experience.
All-inclusive venues will not only save you time and money but also focus on more exciting aspects like entertainment.
8. Engagement activities in holiday event planning
To design the perfect activities for your holiday event, you need to do some research.
Get into the demographic and local details. Ask how they traditionally celebrate the particular holiday in their region. For example, card games are popular in this cultural celebration of the festival.
Another popular example is how cookie decoration activities are loved during Christmas parties.
Take some time to think about how you can improve upon these traditional activities.
Then, think even harder about how you can make the whole experience more memorable. For example, consider adding a photo booth or karaoke session.
Your event doesn’t just need to be nice to look at, but also, nice to remember.
9. Food and beverages matter a lot
All holidays and traditional festivals come with a taste palette of their own. For example, Holi in North India is incomplete without Gujiya, a sweet dish.
Think of how you can make simple delicacies special on the day of the event.
Don’t neglect this important aspect of your holiday event planning.
10. Branding and holiday event planning
For sponsored or corporate events, you need to know how to include branding in events.
You need to find creative ways to include brand placement without making the festival feel like a sell-off.
Lucky for you, we have the best article on it already.
B. Steps for holiday event planning
1. Early birds get the advantage
Start by mapping out your holiday event calendar as soon as possible. This will give you a clear picture of upcoming gatherings and allow for proactive planning.
2. Make your bookings
Once you have a rough guest list for each event, lock in the dates and secure the venues.
Remember, popular venues and dates get booked quickly during the holidays.
The earlier you finalize these logistics, the better your chances of getting special rates.
3. Assemble your team
Building a strong team is crucial for efficient holiday event planning.
Clearly define roles and responsibilities for each team member.
Knowing who’s in charge of what ensures every detail receives proper attention.
4. Communicate better
Develop a clear communication plan.
Visually map out what information needs to be conveyed, to whom, and when.
This could be via email blasts, social media posts, or internal announcements.
A well-defined communication plan keeps everyone informed and avoids last-minute confusion.
5. Resource allocation
Be realistic about the planning time required for each event.
Bigger events might necessitate starting the planning process earlier.
This allows for ample time to brainstorm ideas, have meetings, and address any potential hurdles.
6. Budgeting
The costs of a holiday party can quickly pile up.
Before you book your venue and event partners, set a budget that you are comfortable with.
Focus on the venue, food, drinks, and AV first and then explore adding elements.
7. Leverage past event data
Review past event reports to identify successful marketing strategies.
Use this information to create a comprehensive marketing timeline for all your upcoming holiday events.
Analyze any gaps in promotion and fill them with high-performing channels that deliver a strong return on investment (ROI).
C. FAQ
1. When should I start planning my holiday event?
Roughly, 2-3 months in advance should be enough. However, we do recommend you start as early as possible.
Planning early allows you to book vendors and venues early. This gets you the best deals.
2. How can I save money on holiday event planning?
For budget celebrations, consider catering techniques like potlucks or boxed meals. Additionally, you can also consider cheaper community locations instead of established event venues.
DIY event decor is also a great idea to have holiday parties a lower costs.
3. What are some fun activities for a holiday event?
Holiday event activities must vary according to the holiday and the demographic. Every region has its own way of celebrating its traditional festivals.
For example, firecracker-related activities are appropriate for Diwali in India.
D. Note from EventTube
If you’ve made it to the end, we know you realize that holiday event planning can be quite hectic.
And since we know exactly how you feel, there’s one last thing we can help you with.
We are active on LinkedIn with the latest trends and tech in the event industry. This link will take you to our LinkedIn where you can connect with like-minded people and learn event planning.
Let’s come together on this journey of curating unforgettable event experiences.
Whether it be Christmas or Diwali, you’ll know EventTube is the best place to get your inspiration.
