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How to Write an Event Planning Business Plan + Free Template

Planned a few events in the past?

And, if you feel that event planning is your forte, and you have ideas that are both creative and functional, event planning might be an exciting endeavor for you!

Although most people start out by working under someone, everyone dreams of starting their own event planning business.

Also, you are about to go ahead and start yours; wait a moment!

You might have sufficient knowledge for planning events, but navigating the complexities of the event planning industry needs a well-thought-out roadmap. And that roadmap is a comprehensive event management business plan.

Yes, you read it correctly. A business plan can be of great help while starting your own event planning company. It not only sets the foundation for your venture but also enhances your opportunities for success.

So, we have created a Sample Event Planning Business Plan for you to get a good idea about how a perfect event business plan should look like!

Now, without any further ado; let’s explore all the details you will need to write in your stunning business plan.

Key Takeaways

• Clearly define your goals, mission statement, service offerings, and management team in your business plan.
• Perform thorough market and industry analysis to identify target customers, and adapt to the latest trends.
• Present a realistic financial plan, including startup costs, revenue projections, and a break-even analysis to attract investors.
• Effectively draft your pricing strategy and unique selling propositions to meet the specific needs of your target customers.
• Provide a clear outline of your business operations to efficiently deliver your planning services and seize new opportunities.
• Craft your marketing techniques, sales tactics, and promotional activities to reach a wider audience.
• Recognize your key competitors, and develop strategies that make your event planning business stand out in the competitive landscape.

How to Write an Event Planning Business Plan?

• Get a Business Plan Template
• Write an Executive Summary
• Provide a Company Overview
• Conduct an Industry and Market Analysis
• Describe your Product and Service Offerings
• Outline a Sales and Marketing Plan
• Introduce Your Team
• Outline Business Operations
• Prepare a Financial Plan

1. Get a Business Plan Template

Before you start writing a business plan for your event planning business, it is recommended to get a business plan template first.

It’s like having a valuable resource for your business planning. It not only simplifies the business plan writing process but also helps you include all the essential elements in your plan.

However, you can effectively organize your thoughts and accurately draft a strategically sound business document according to your specific requirements and preferences.

Not only that, it sets the stage for a comprehensive, professional business plan that empowers you to highlight your vision, attract potential investors, and navigate the competitive event planning landscape.

If you are a budding entrepreneur or looking for a polished template, choose Upmetrics’ business plan template now and ensure that you won’t skip any important facts in your plan.

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2. Write an Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first and foremost section of your event planning business plan. It provides a brief introduction to the entire business plan.

Make sure that it is clear, concise, and engaging, as it will create your first impression and attract investors or readers to delve further into your plan.

Start this section by describing your idea behind an event planning and type of business; for example, are you a startup business, want to grow an existing one, or running a business chain?

Communicate your business objectives and emphasize how you will be different from other event-planning businesses. Here is an example of event planning objectives using Upmetrics:

Next, give an overview of each of the subsequent sections, including offered services, market opportunities, marketing strategies, and financial projections that will be explored in greater detail within the plan.

Not only that, you can end this summary with a compelling call to action, inviting potential investors or readers to the next meeting if they are interested in your event planning.

Generally, this section is written after the whole event business plan is ready. It is often the easiest way to do so as you have simply gone through and written all the key sections of your plan.

3. Provide a Company Overview

Now, provide detailed information about your event plan business. It contains ownership, legal structure, office location, business history, and other such business-related facts.

Begin with the intro of what type of events you are organizing. For instance, it will be corporate events (catering to businesses), social events/celebrations(wedding planning, birthday parties, etc), or niche events(specialized in just one type).

Discuss a little bit more about your business history, including when you started event planning and what milestones you have accomplished. Also, accentuate your mission statement.

Take reference from the below example describing the mission of the event planning company:

In an ever-changing, fast-paced world, success is determined by good choices for lasting effects. Eventel strives to be the best choice for clients by helping to ease their event planning burden.

Through consistent, predictable professionalism, Eventel will ensure a worry-free and hassle-free event at a reasonable price.

Event also has internal clients to serve. The event will strive to provide the same predictable and professional working environment to its employees and contracted vendors, justly compensating them for their services.

It is also a priority to make a comfortable living wage for its owners, founders, full-time staff, and their families.

Keeping in tune with the needs of the market, utilizing the latest technology and trends, all while ensuring the client receives the individual attention they deserve, is the vision and daily mission of Eventel; The Event Planning Specialists.

In addition to that, you can mention your startup summary and future business goals, as this section gives an in-depth overview of your business.

4. Conduct an Industry and Market Analysis

Starting an event management business requires a strategic events industry and market analysis. So, take some time to go further and locate more accurate data.

Try to include certain key elements in this section:

Market size and growth potential

You need to study specific data about various markets in which you are trying to get into and ensure profitability. So, describe your market size & growth potential and whether you will target a niche or a much broader market.

For instance, the USA industry revenue for event planners has grown at a CAGR of 4.1% over the past five years and reached $5.6 billion in 2023. So, it is crucial to define the target market segment.

Target market segment

Start this section by describing your target market. Define your ideal customer and explain what types of services they prefer. Creating a buyer persona will help you easily define your target market to your readers.

Do proper market research and try to create a buyer’s persona in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles.

Take reference from the below example written using our innovative AI writing assistant :

Competitive analysis

Identify and analyze your direct and indirect competitors. Recognize their strengths & weaknesses, and describe what differentiates your business from other planners.

Direct competitors can be other event planning businesses, while wedding planners, local venues, caterers, or conference centers can be indirect competitors.

Point out how you have a competitive edge in the market, such as superior event management options, user-friendly methods/tools to book your services, and adequate pricing plans with better services.

Not only that, describe emerging market trends in the industry and explain how you will cope with all the directions. You can also list regulations and licensing requirements that may affect your company.

5. Describe your Product and Service Offerings

Next, specify the scope of your products and service offerings. As an event management business, you can describe the size and type of events you cater to, including a variety of event planning services.

This section must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors or readers understand the value of your business.

While drafting your  event planning services and products, you can take reference from the below example:

Eventel provides event planning in a wide range of applications. We guarantee satisfaction in the areas of appearance, performance, and taste. 

The following is a sampling of the types of events we plan every year:

• Corporate events or meetings, Training, and Retreats
• Conferences and Workshops
• Birthday parties, Anniversaries, Graduations, and Holidays
• Weddings, Receptions, and Showers
• Company picnics, banquets, and award ceremonies
• Caterer coordination and decor
• Trade shows and fashion shows

Effectively define your pricing plans for event planning services. Also, communicate your services to the customers by sharing a detailed description of the procedure you use while working with clients.

Mention if your event planning company offers any additional services. You may include services like lighting & sound, vendor negotiation, guest concierge services, etc.

6. Outline a Sales and Marketing Plan

Writing the sales and marketing strategy section means a list of tactics you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing strategies:

Social media marketing

Use social media platforms to present your company’s essence. Regularly post exquisite snapshots or videos of your planned social events, decor, and behind-the-scenes moments.

User-friendly website

Assure that your event management company has a user-friendly website that provides basic information about your services, pricing, and contact

details. Also, share informative blog post content or event videos.

Pricing strategy

Describe your pricing strategy—how you plan to price your services and stay competitive in the local market. You can mention any discounts you plan on offering to attract new customers.

Collaborations

Build an extensive vendor network to expand your reach and draw their existing customers. This might do wonders for your business and enhance your brand image.

Offline advertising

Effectively reach your target audience using offline advertising methods like brochures, newspapers, social gatherings, or events. Also, try to offer a personalized approach or stress-free planning to retain existing clients.

7. Introduce Your Team

A powerful management team is paramount for demonstrating your business’s ability to thrive in the event planning industry.

Letting your readers or investors know about your business leadership or key managers will help them have a clear idea of who is running your event planning company.

So, start this section by introducing key team members and highlighting their event planning skills & previous experience.

Jot down their qualifications and specific responsibilities. You can also shed light on how your experienced event planners contribute to the success of your business.

Next, describe the compensation plan for the leadership team and event planners, including salaries, bonuses, and other benefits. This can help key stakeholders to ascertain how much percentage is allocated to salaries.

If you have a board of advisors for your event management business, then mention them along with their roles and experience.

8. Outline Business Operations

Now, it’s time to outline the processes and procedures involved in your day-to-day business operations. Detail how you will eventually plan to manage your business effectively.

Staffing & training

Highlight your staffing needs by mentioning the number of employees, planners, or coordinators. Also, include their qualifications, the training required, and the duties they will perform.

Operational process

Outline the processes and procedures you will use to run your event planning business. It may include initial client meetings, decor, party favors, caterer coordination, set up/clean up, etc.

Equipment and machinery

You can also include the list of equipment and machinery required for event planning, such as office supplies, camera & photography equipment, event planning software, etc.

Explain how these technologies will help you maintain quality standards and improve the efficiency of your business operations. Refer to the below example written using Upmetrics AI assistant:

9. Prepare a Financial Plan

For a successful event planning business, you need to prepare a well-structured and in-depth financial plan with a realistic financial projection. It comes last in the business plan but is the most important section for investors.

So, mention all the below key components in your financial plan:

• Profit and loss statement
• Sales forecast
• Cash flow statement
• Balance sheet
• Break-even analysis
• Financial needs
• Tax considerations

From the above, you can identify the funding needs and evaluate the funding resources for your event planning company, including bank loans, SBA-guaranteed loans, angel investors, and personal savings.

In this section, you need to make a few assumptions. It will greatly affect the financial forecasts of your business. Refer below table to make important assumptions:

Well, having a realistic financial plan in your hand not only helps you present your business’s fiscal health but also emphasizes its sustainability.

However, calculating all the financial statements from scratch can be an overwhelming task. But, not to worry; use Upmetrics’ financial forecasting tool to formulate all your financial projections.

All you need to do is provide the information you have, and let the tool estimate financial factors, and create visual reports for you. No manual data entry, recalling Excel formulas, or preparing graphs—nothing.

Here’s an example of a projected cash flow statement for an event planning business:

Download Free Event Planning Business Plan Template

Need help writing your event planning business plan from scratch? Well, here you go; download our free event planning business plan template now and start writing.

This modern, user-friendly event management business plan template is specifically designed for your event business.

With a step-by-step guide and example, it assists you in creating your own plan without missing any crucial details.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Prepare Your Business Plan with Upmetrics AI

Finally! You know how to write an event planning business plan with the help of our free sample business plan template. So, you are one step closer to starting or growing your business confidently- pretty exciting, right?

But you know what else is exciting? Your business planning process can be even faster and easier than this. Yes, you heard it right; it’s possible with the power of the Upmetrics AI assistant tool .

So, take a sigh of relief and focus only on planning the most happening events in the town!

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Frequently asked questions, what are the key components of an event planning business plan.

Writing a professional event planning business plan involves the following key components:

• Executive summary
• Company overview
• Industry and market analysis
• Product and service offerings
• Sales and marketing plan
• Management team
• Business operations
• Financial plan

How often should I update my Event Planning Business Plan?

Your event planning business plan should be reviewed and updated at least once in a year or more often if there are significant changes in your business environment or services.

What are some tips for writing an Event Planning Business Plan?

Consider the following factors before writing an Event Planning Business Plan:

• Define your niche and business objectives
• Clearly mention unique selling points
• Be realistic in the financial statement
• Understand your target customer
• Stay agile in a dynamic industry

How much does it cost to start an event planning business?

A fair estimation for an event planning business can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. It can vary widely depending on office space, equipment, and initial inventory.

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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Event Planning Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Event Planning Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their event planning businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through an event planning business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is an Event Planning Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your own event planning business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for Your Event Planning Company

If you’re looking to start an event planner business or grow your existing one you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your event planning business to improve your chances of success. Your event planning business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Source of Funding for Event Planning Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of secure funding for an event planning business are bank loans, personal funding, credit cards, and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

Another common form of secure funding for an event planning business is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding or, like a bank, they will give you a loan. Venture capitalists will not fund an event planning business.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for event planning.

When you write a business plan, you should include the following 10 key aspects:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each important component of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of event planning business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have an event planning business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of businesses.

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the event planning business industry. Discuss the type of business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target audience. Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy and plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types:

• Corporate Events : this type of event planning business caters to businesses, charities, nonprofit organizations, and the like to plan fundraisers, receptions, conventions, trade shows, competitions, award ceremonies, product launches, and other types of meetings.
• Social Events : this type of event planning business targets middle- to upper-income individuals and families to plan events such as weddings, birthdays, reunions, and other types of celebrations.
• Niche Events : some event planners specialize in just one of the above event types.

In addition to explaining the type of event planning business you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new contracts, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your business structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the event planning business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the industry educates you. It helps you understand the target market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards events that adhere to social distancing guidelines, it would be helpful to ensure your plan details what approach you would take (suggested venues, creative solutions for inclusion, etc.).

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section:

• How big is the event planning industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your business. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section must detail the clientele you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: private and corporate clients, high-income households, medium-income households, engaged couples, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of event planning company you operate and the event services you offer. Clearly, businesses would want a different atmosphere, pricing, and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than engaged couples.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the age groups, genders, locations, and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most event planning companies primarily serve customers living in the same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target market. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do to attract customers and retain your existing customers.

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other planners and businesses that offer event planning services.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from you that aren’t direct competitors. This includes caterers, venues, and customers planning events on their own. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who throws a party hires an event planner each time.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be other businesses that offer event planning services very close to your site.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What planning services do they offer (wedding planning, baby showers, birthday parties, social events, etc.)?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. 

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide superior event management options (e.g., more cuisine types, better venue options, etc.)?
• Will you provide event options that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you make it easier or faster for customers to book your services (e.g., utilizing event planning software, etc.)?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For an event management business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

In the product section, you should reiterate the type of business that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products/services you will be offering. For example, in addition to designing the event, locating the venue, arranging vendors, coordinating personnel, and supervising the event, will you offer services such as catering, decor, and entertainment?

In this section, document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place refers to the location of your event management business, conference centers, and/or venues in which you own and/or have a relationship. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success.

The final part of your event planning business marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your site. The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Social media marketing
• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites 
• Partnerships with local organizations (e.g., getting on the list of recommended vendors with local venues)
• Local radio advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your event planner business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your event planning business such as interviewing clients, making arrangements, keeping the store/studio clean, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 100th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in total sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch in a new market.

Management Team

To demonstrate your own event planning business’ ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company. 

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience as event planners or in the industry. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in event planning and/or successfully running small businesses.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you plan one event per week or several events? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your business, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. For example, let’s say a company approached you with a massive $100,000 event contract, that would cost you $50,000 to fulfill. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $50,000 now for supplies, equipment rentals, employee salaries, etc. But let’s say the company didn’t pay you for 180 days. During those 180 days, you could run out of money.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key startup costs needed in starting or growing your business:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• The total cost of equipment and furnishings like decor, sound systems, etc.
• Cost of maintaining an adequate amount of supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your store design blueprint or location lease.

  Event Planning Summary Putting together your own event planner business plan is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the event planning sample template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the business, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful event planning business.

Event Planning Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my event planning business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Event Planning Business Plan.

What is the Goal of a Business Plan's Executive Summary?

The goal is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of event planning business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have an event planning business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of event planning businesses.

  OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.

Click here to see how Growthink’s business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.   Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

How To Write a Successful Event Planning Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for event planning businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every event planning business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Business Plan Template

What is an Event Planning Business Plan?

An event planning business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write an Event Planning Business Plan?

An event planning business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Event Planning Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful event planning business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of an event planning business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your event planning company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your event planning business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your event planning firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen event planning business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of an event planning business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the event planning industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the customers of an event planning business may include:

• Wedding planners needing help with transportation logistics
• Conference organizers wanting assistance with on-site registration
• Caterers in need of assistance to manage the timing of service delivery

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or event planning services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your event planning business may have:

• You are the only event planner in your city with an events app that allows customers to book and manage their event logistics in one place.
• You have a team of experienced event planners who specialize in military funerals, which is a niche market.
• Your company is the go-to choice for conference organizers looking for assistance with on-site registration and event management.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it gives you an idea of the types of competitive advantages you may have.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your event planning business via a combination of these channels.

Operations Plan

This part of your event planning business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for an event planning business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include launching a new product/service, expanding to a new market, or hiring key personnel.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific event planning industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Event Planning Business

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Event Planning Business

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup event planning business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Event Planning Business

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your event planning company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

A well-written business plan is an essential tool for any event planning company. If you are seeking funding from investors or lenders, it’s important to have a polished and professional business plan. Use the outline above as a guide as you write your own event planning business plan.   

Finish Your Event Planning Business Plan in 1 Day!

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Event Planning Company Business Plan

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Event Planning Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your event planning business plan.

We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their event planning companies

Below is an event planning business plan sample to help you create each section of your Event Planning business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Special Occasions Event Planning is a startup event planning business located in Des Moines, Iowa. The Company is founded by Jennifer Brown, an experienced event planner who has been planning themed weddings and birthday parties as the manager of a local event venue for the past ten years. Now that Jennifer has gained valuable experience managing an event venue and planning special events of various sizes and styles, she is ready to start her own event planning company, Special Occasions Event Planning. Jennifer is confident that her event planning skills, combined with her understanding of business management, will enable her to run a profitable event planning company of her own. Jennifer is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running an event planning business – sales and marketing, supply sourcing and procurement, customer relationship management, budgeting, financial reporting, and vendor relationship management. 

Special Occasions Event Planning will provide customized event planning services for special occasions big and small. Special Occasions will specialize in themed birthday parties, but will provide planning services for other types of events such as weddings, parties, and corporate gatherings upon request. The Company will be the ultimate choice for unique and memorable themed birthday parties for clients of all ages. 

Product Offering

The following are the event planning products and services that Special Occasions Event Planning will provide:

• Venue Sourcing 
• Tables & Chairs
• Dinnerware & Utensils
• Caterer Coordination
• Entertainment
• Party Favors
• Photography/Videography
• Lighting/Sound
• Bartending/Liquor 
• Set-up/Clean up

Customer Focus

Special Occasions Event Planning will target individuals, families, and social groups in Des Moines, Iowa. The Company will target people looking to plan a one-of-a-kind birthday party for their child, significant other, friend, or other relative. No matter the customer, Special Occasions Event Planning will deliver the best communication, service, and attention to detail. 

Management Team

Special Occasions Event Planning will be owned and operated by Jennifer Brown. Jennifer is a graduate of Iowa University with a degree in Business Management. She has over ten years of experience working as an event planner for another local venue. Jennifer will be the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Head Event Planner. She will lead the more complex events and oversee the event planning staff. 

Jennifer has recruited an experienced administrative assistant, Patricia Smith, to help manage the day-to-day business operations. Patricia has been an administrative assistant in the event planning industry for more than 15 years. Jennifer relies on Patricia’s organization, attention to detail, and punctuality when organizing her schedule, managing clients, and maintaining her files. 

Jennifer and Patricia have recruited an experienced marketing director, John Jones, to become a member of the Special Occasions Event Planning management team. John is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Jennifer and Patricia rely on John’s expertise to execute the Company’s marketing plan and advertising strategies.  

Success Factors

Special Occasions Event Planning will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Skilled team of event planners who will ensure every client receives exceptional customer service and that all reasonable requests are met. 
• Special Occasions Event Planning’s leadership team has established relationships with local venues, vendors, and entertainers, thus providing customers with a wide selection of options to choose from when planning their special event. 
• The Company specializes in the themed birthday party niche and is well-versed in the latest trends in the industry. 

Financial Highlights

Special Occasions Event Planning is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its event planning business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing an office space and purchasing equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff and marketing expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Office lease and renovation: $80,000
• Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $20,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, utilities): $90,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Special Occasions Event Planning.

Company Overview

Who is special occasions event planning .

Special Occasions Event Planning is a newly established event planning company based in Des Moines, Iowa. Special Occasions will be the first choice for unique themed birthday parties for people of all ages in Des Moines and the surrounding communities. The company will provide customized event planning services for parties large and small. 

Special Occasions Event Planning will be able to provide all the essentials for any special event from highly rated caterers to the hottest entertainment due to the Company’s existing relationships with industry professionals and vendors. The Company’s team of highly qualified event planning professionals will manage the entire planning process from ideation to execution. Special Occasions even provides clean-up services. Clients can opt for full-service event planning services or purchase specific aspects (such as decor or catering) a la carte. 

Special Occasions Event Planning History

Special Occasions Event Planning is owned and operated by Jennifer Brown, an experienced event planner who has been planning themed weddings and birthday parties as the manager of a local event venue for the past ten years. Now that Jennifer has experienced managing an event venue and planning special events of various sizes and styles, she is ready to start her own event planning company. Jennifer is confident that her event planning skills, combined with her understanding of business management, will enable her to run a profitable event planning company of her own. Jennifer is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running an event planning business – sales and marketing, supply sourcing and procurement, customer relationship management, budgeting, financial reporting, and vendor relationship management. 

Since incorporation, Special Occasions Event Planning has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Special Occasions Event Planning, LLC to transact business in the state of Iowa. 
• Has signed a contract to lease the office space. 
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include local venues, catering companies, entertainers, and decor suppliers to spread the word about her new business opportunities. 
• Began recruiting a staff of accountants, event planners, sales and marketing associates, and office staff to work at Special Occasions Event Planning Services.

Special Occasions Event Planning Services

Industry analysis.

The Party and Event Planning industry in the United States is valued at approximately $4B, with 70,000 businesses in operation, and over 82,000 employees. The market for event planning services is expected to grow over the next several years due to an aging baby boomer population, many of whom have children and grandchildren who will have weddings, birthday parties, graduations, anniversaries, and other special events in the coming years. Additionally, the corporate event planning segment is expected to grow due to more companies pursuing team building opportunities and hosting events that can serve as marketing for the business. 

The event planning market is split into two broad segments: corporate and social. Corporate events such as holiday parties, meetings, trade shows, conventions, fundraisers, and receptions are just some of the events included in this segment. Corporate customers include companies, non-profit organizations, and charities. The social segment includes a wide range of special occasions such as weddings, bridal showers, birthday parties, anniversary parties, reunions, and more. The largest and most lucrative category in the social event planning segment is wedding planning. 

Industry operators can specialize in one or two niches such as wedding planners or corporate planners. Alternatively, industry operators can provide planning services for a wide range of events. Industry operators that specialize in a specific niche and even narrow their niche to a specific type of event, such as “kids’ parties” or “fashion shows” may have more success because they can become an expert in one area and target a highly specific customer segment. Industry operators who provide a broad range of services to a variety of customers can be successful if they provide high levels of organization, customer service, and unique or highly customized services. 

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Special Occasions Event Planning will target individuals, families, and social groups in Des Moines, Iowa. The Company will target people looking to plan a one-of-a-kind birthday party for their child, significant other, friend, or other relative. Special Occasions Event Planning will also target young adults looking to plan a memorable, themed 21st birthday party. No matter the customer, Special Occasions Event Planning will deliver the best communication, service, and attention to detail. 

The precise demographics for Des Moines, Iowa are:

Customer Segmentation

Special Occasions will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Millennials
• Individuals with disposable income
• Families with children and disposable income

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Special Occasions Event Planning will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Emily’s Event Planning

Established in 2017, Emily’s Event Planning is now a well-known event planner in the Des Moines, Iowa area. The company provides event planning services for large corporate events, weddings, and birthday parties. Emily’s Event Planning is most well-known for its picturesque venue choices. The company has relationships with some of the most in-demand venues in the area. Emily’s Event Planning provides an all-inclusive event planning and management service with packages that include venue rental, decor, entertainment, food, and clean-up services. 

While Emily’s Event Planning has an established reputation in the market for quality event planning services, it has a list of predefined event packages and does not customize its services or take unique requests from customers. 

Fancy Event Planner

Fancy Event Planner has been operating in the state of Iowa since 1982. This company is a small business run by a husband and wife team that specializes in event planning and catering services for weddings, birthday parties, and other special occasions. Fancy Event Planner provides decor, venue coordination, and food service for events of up to 100 guests. The company specializes in providing gourmet dinners, desserts, and appetizers. Additionally, Fancy Event Planner provides hand crafted decor and floral arrangements for weddings and parties. Fancy Event Planner is for customers looking for an elegant presentation in a traditional setting. 

Fancy Event Planner has a limited selection of services and does not offer entertainment, set-up/clean-up, lighting/sound, or liquor accommodations. 

Wonderfully Perfect Event Planning Services

Wonderfully Perfect Event Planning Services is a new Des Moines, Iowa-based event planner that provides superior service to its customers. The company is managed by an experienced entrepreneur who has been working in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. She opened Wonderfully Perfect Event Planning Services in 2019 when she discovered a lack of options for themed party planning in the area. The company provides customized planning services for any event and will strive to ensure all customer requests are met to ensure a perfect event experience every time. 

The company does not have established relationships with vendors, venues, or entertainment in the area and as such, trails behind Special Occasions Event Planning in this area. 

Competitive Advantage

Special Occasions Event Planning will be able to offer the following advantages over the competition:

• Skilled team of experienced event planners who are able to provide customized planning services and fulfill any reasonable request. 
• Special Occasions Event Planning’s management team has long-standing relationships with industry professionals and is able to provide customers with a wide selection of options when it comes to venues, entertainment, and catering.  
• The Company specializes in themed birthday parties and keeps up on the latest trends in the industry. 

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Special Occasions Event Planning will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Special Occasions Event Planning provides full-services event planning from ideation to execution. 
• The Company’s wide selection of options allows each customer to create their dream event.  

Promotions Strategy 

The promotions strategy for Special Occasions Event Planning is as follows:

Social Media Marketing

The Company’s marketing director will create accounts on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. He will ensure Special Occasions maintains an active social media presence with regular daily updates and fun content to get customers excited about using the Company’s event planning services. 

Professional Associations and Networking

Special Occasions Event Planning will become a member of professional associations such as the Event Planners’ Association, American Party Planning Society, and the Iowa Special Event Association. The leadership team will focus their networking efforts on expanding the Company’s vendor and client network. 

Print Advertising

Special Occasions Event Planning will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events. The Company will also send direct mailers to local businesses with employees who are in the target market. 

Website/SEO Marketing

Special Occasions Event Planning will utilize its in-house marketing director that designed the print ads to also design the Company’s website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the services that Special Occasions is able to provide. The website will also list information on the Company’s events and promotions. 

The marketing director will also manage the Company’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in a search engine “Des Moines Event Planner” or “Event Planner near me”, Special Occasions Event Planning will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of Special Occasions Event Planning will be premium due to the high level of customization and hands-on planning services involved. Customers will feel they receive great value when purchasing the Company’s services.  

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Special Occasions Event Planning.

Operation Functions:

• Jennifer Brown will be the CEO and Head Event Planner. She will lead the more complex events and oversee the event planning staff. Jennifer has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Patricia Smith – Administrative Assistant who will manage the budgeting, vendor relationships, and logistics.
• Sam Johnson – Accountant/Bookkeeper who will provide all accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
• John Jones – Marketing Director who will oversee all marketing strategies for the Company and manage the website, social media, and outreach. 
• Michelle Garcia – Customer Success Officer who will oversee customer relationships. 

Milestones:

Special Occasions Event Planning will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

11/1/2022 – Finalize contract to lease the office space. 

11/15/2022 – Finalize employment contracts for the Special Occasions Event Planning management team.

12/1/2022 – Begin renovations on the office and purchase office equipment and supplies. 

12/15/2022 – Begin networking at industry events and implement the marketing plan. 

1/15/2023 – Begin recruiting and training office staff and event planners. 

2/15/2023 – Special Occasions Event Planning officially opens for business. 

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Special Occasions Event Planning are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the Company’s event planning services. Customers will be able to purchase full-service, customizable packages or select specific aspects (such as entertainment or catering) a la carte. 

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff an event planning business. The expenses will be the payroll cost, utilities, party supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Average number of events per month: 4 
• Average fees per month: $20,000
• Overhead costs per year: $360,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, event planning company business plan faqs, what is an event planning company business plan.

An e vent planning company business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your event planning company business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your event planning company business plan using our Event Planning Company Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Event Planning Companies?

There are a number of different kinds of event planning companies , some examples include: Corporate Events, Social Events, and Niche Events Planning.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Event Planning Company Business Plan?

Event planning companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding. This is true for an event business plan or an event management business plan.

What are the Steps To Start an Event Planning Business?

Starting an event planning business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop An Event Planning Company Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed event planning company business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your event planning business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your event planning business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Event Planning Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your event planning business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your event planning business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Event Planning Company Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your event planning business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your event planning business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful event planning business:

• How to Start an Event Planning Business

Other Helpful Business Plan Templates

Photography Business Plan Template Event Venue Business Plan Template Catering Business Plan Template

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How to Start an Event Planning Business: The Ultimate Guide

It's no surprise that starting an event planning business involves many moving parts. It can feel overwhelming, from identifying your unique selling proposition and having all the key skills to executing flawless events to getting all the required compliances. But not anymore. 

In this guide, we'll discuss everything about  event planning  and provide a step-by-step guide on how to start your own event-planning business. This post covers everything from determining profitability to understanding the skills you need to run a successful business.   

But before you dive headfirst into how to start an event planning business, let's take a step back and understand the basics. 

What is Event Planning in Business?

If you plan to start your event planning business, you probably know the answer to this question. Event planning involves managing the details of large or small events, including meetings, conferences, or parties. This business is typically utilized for: 

• Large educational meetings, such as graduations or conferences.
• Major promotions, including marketing events, product launches, and fashion shows.
• Corporate events , like after-work cocktail hours, trade shows, galas, and more.
• Celebrations and social events like parades, weddings, birthdays, reunions, and more. 

What Do Event Planning Businesses Provide?

As an event planner, you are expected to work with clients to understand their requirements and goals and then provide end-to-end event planning and execution services to ensure the seamless and successful execution of in-person or virtual events . 

Some of the services you must include are:

• Event management and coordination
• Theming, décor, and styling
• Conferencing and exhibitions
• Signage and branding
• Entertainment and talent management
• Venue sourcing and management
• Catering and food & beverage management
• Audio-visual production and management
• Logistics and transportation management
• Budgeting and financial management
• Marketing and promotion
• Security and risk management
• Registration and guest management
• Post-event evaluation and reporting 

Why Do People Hire Event Planning Businesses?

There are two primary reasons why people hire event planning services: 

• To allow event attendees and guests of honor to thoroughly enjoy themselves without worrying about event logistics. 
• To ensure that the event runs without any glitches. 

Consider a typical corporate conference, for example. 

A business may hire your services to create a stellar multi-day conference while their employees and attendees can focus on networking or learning. This way, they don’t have to worry about details like catering, keynote speakers, registration, and managing the event schedule. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Starting an Event Planning Business

As with everything, the event planning business also has advantages and disadvantages. Some of them are: 

• Enjoy the freedom to choose who you work with, where you work, and how you manage your schedule.
• Pull off a showstopping event, and chances are your clients will return repeatedly, thus building loyalty.
• Event planning business lets you unleash your creativity as you get to design events that are unique and unforgettable for your clients. 
• Establishing relationships with reliable vendors takes time, especially in a crowded market.
• Growing your business needs adding resources or raising prices, which can be tricky.
• Most of the time, although the planning takes place in advance, you must ensure your presence in the field during the event—meaning long working hours, even on evenings and weekends. 

How to Start an Event Planning Business

Here are some steps to help you start an event planning business: 

Evaluate your  event planning skills.

Event planning involves many tasks beyond the glamor of parties and events. To be successful, you must be able to handle various responsibilities. After all, successful event planners are masters of multitasking, with a talent for keeping calm under pressure. 

For example, you’ll need to create an event theme or design, find a venue, arrange entertainment, book vendors, send RSVPs and marketing information to attendees, and balance the budget. The list goes on. 

If you're unsure whether you possess all the necessary skills, consider gaining some hands-on experience. Perhaps shadow an experienced planner, assist with events at a local organization, or even volunteer for a nonprofit event. 

Create your event planning business plan.

A well-structured business plan is the foundation of any successful venture, and event planning is no different. Consider it your roadmap to success. Here are the key sections to include: 

• Executive Summary:  Summarize your business concept, goals, and what sets you apart.
• Overview : Outline your company background, structure (e.g., sole proprietorship), and essential details.
• Industry Analysis : Demonstrate your understanding of the local event planning market, including potential clients and event trends .
• Competitive Analysis: Examine your competition, identifying their areas of strength and areas you can exploit.
• Marketing : Craft a strategy for attracting clients—how will you make them aware of your exceptional services?
• Management: Detail your unique experience and skills.
• Operations Plan : Describe your day-to-day process for planning and executing events.
• Financials : Project your income, expenses, and profit expectations over your initial years of operation. 

Find your event planning niche.

Finding your niche is how you stand out from the rest—it helps you specialize in a specific subset of the broader event planning industry. Also, it becomes easier for your target market to find you. Common niches and event types include: 

• Business event planning:  Award ceremonies, charity and nonprofit events, corporate bonding retreats, meetings and seminars, conferences, grand openings, fashion shows, experiential events, holiday parties, networking events , trade shows, and VIP events. 
• Private/social event planning:  Weddings,   anniversaries, holiday parties, baby showers, theme parties, wedding/bridal showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, milestone birthday parties, and murder-mystery parties. 

Identify your unique selling proposition.

Identify your event planning business’ unique selling proposition (USP) to set yourself apart from your competitors. It is the reason why clients should choose your company over others. 

Here’s how you can define your USP: 

• Identify your target market:  The first step in uncovering your event planning USP is to identify your target market. Who are your ideal clients? What type of events do they typically host? What are their pain points and needs? Understanding your target market lets you tailor your services to your client's needs and preferences. 
• Analyze your competition:  The next step is to analyze your competition. Who are your competitors? What services do they offer? What is their pricing strategy? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Understand your competition to identify gaps in the market and ways to differentiate your business. 
• Determine your unique strengths:  What sets your business apart from your competitors? What unique strengths do you bring to the table? It could be your expertise in a particular type of event, your creative approach to event design, your extensive network of vendors, or your exceptional customer service. Identify your unique strengths and use them to craft a compelling USP.

Consider funding and costs.

The events business can be lucrative, but getting started requires smart financial planning. Calculate your initial startup costs carefully. Price your services strategically so you cover expenses while remaining competitive. If number crunching isn't your strong suit, invest in a bookkeeper or accountant early on.

While exact costs vary by location and services offered, here's a ballpark range to get you thinking:

• Rent: $0 to $2,300
• Equipment: $5,000 to $17,000
• Inventory: $0 to $500
• Licenses and Taxes: $250 to $350
• Communications: $100 to $250
• Payroll: $0 to $4,000
• Advertising/Promotion: $500 to $2,000
• Legal Fees & Accounting: $650 to $1,500
• Insurance (1st Quarter): $800 to $1,700
• Miscellaneous: $750 to $1,500
• Total: $8,050 to $31,100 

Remember, startup expenses don't have to be astronomical. Begin with the essentials, and scale up as your business grows.

Structure your pricing strategy.

Pricing your services is an art and a science. Factor in your location (cost of living varies), your experience level, and what your competitors charge. Most importantly, ensure your pricing allows you to cover costs and earn a worthwhile profit while remaining attractive to clients. 

Remember, transparency is key—explain your fee structure clearly so there are no surprises later on.

Here are some common pricing models for your consideration: 

• Hourly rate: Ideal for projects where the scope is difficult to predict upfront. Rates typically range from $25 - $100+ per hour, depending on your skills and the complexity of the event. 
• Flat fee:  A single charge covers your planning services. This works well for events with well-defined parameters. Sometimes, planners add a percentage of vendor fees to ensure sufficient compensation. 
• Percentage of the event:  Typically, this will be 15-20% of the total event cost. Such pricing structure is common for complex events, as your fee scales alongside the project.  
• Day-of coordination:  A specialized service, handling the on-site logistics on the day of the event itself. 
• Vendor commission:  In this model, your income comes from commissions from selected vendors, rather than directly from the client. This requires careful negotiation and transparency with all parties involved. 

Obtain necessary legal documents and permits.

Don't neglect the legal side of your business. Taking these steps protects both you and your clients from potential issues:

Register Your Business :   Choose a legal structure (LLC, Sole Proprietorship, etc.) that's right for you, and register officially with your state. Obtain a tax ID—essential for everything from opening a bank account to filing taxes. 

Obtain Necessary Permits : The red tape of event planning might not be glamorous, but it's crucial. Permits vary by location, so contact local authorities to learn exactly what you need. Common examples include: 

• Building permits (tents) for outdoor events that require tents.
• Business license to operate legally.
• Event permits vary by city, so contact the local government for relevant ordinances.
• Noise permit if your event is outside.
• Fire/fireworks permit, which you must check with your county.
• You can get a health permit from your county’s health department.
• You need a liquor license if you plan to serve alcoholic beverages. 
• Seller’s permit, which you may need as an event planner.
• Temporary use/structure permit for vacant land or temporary space for loading areas, vendors, and parking. 

Get your event planning business insured.

Obtain insurance coverage for your event planning business to protect yourself and your clients from unexpected incidents. Here are some important coverages to consider:

• Workers' compensation:  This is mandatory in all states. It protects your employees (and yourself, if you count as an employee) in case of work-related illness or injury.
• General liability insurance:  A must-have for any event planning business. This protects you from claims of property damage or bodily injury at an event you organized. 
• Property insurance:  Safeguard your equipment (tables, chairs, laptops, etc.) from theft, fire, and other unexpected events.
• Business interruption:  If unforeseen circumstances force you to temporarily shut down, this can provide financial support. Think of it as backup income if things go awry.
• Business Owner's Policy:  This bundles several important coverages into one convenient package, often at a good value. 

Market your event planning business.

Once your business is set up, it's time to attract those exciting new clients. Here are some strategies to get you started:

• Build a Website: Your website is your online storefront. Services like Weebly and Squarespace make it easy, even if you're not tech-savvy. Invest time in making it visually appealing and easy to navigate.
• Boost Your Online Presence: List your business on directories like Yelp, Eventective, and Google My Business. This helps potential clients discover you when they're searching for event planners in your area.
• Get Social: Create engaging profiles on relevant platforms (Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, etc.). Share social media-worthy photos, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and client testimonials.
• Traditional Marketing Still Works: Don't underestimate the power of beautifully designed brochures, flyers, and business cards. Distribute them strategically at local businesses or events.
• Get Referrals: Happy clients are your best advertisement. Encourage them to leave glowing reviews, and feature video testimonials on your website and social media.
• Strategic Partnerships: Caterers, photographers, venue owners—these businesses have the same clientele as you. Build relationships and create a referral network to mutually benefit. 

Related: Read some practical  event planning tips  for before, during, and after the event. 

What skills do you need to run an event planning business?

The basic skills needed to run an event planning business effectively are primarily soft skills, such as organizational skills, business management skills, and presentation skills. Here are some necessary skills to run an event planning business successfully: 

• Attention to detail
• Customer service
• Education (staying updated on event trends) or experience
• Interpersonal relationship skills
• Negotiation
• Organization
• Under-pressure performance 

Is an event planning business profitable?

Event planning has the potential to be a very profitable business venture. The fact that  89% of event and meeting leaders  consider in-person events crucial for revenue growth demonstrates the ongoing demand for well-planned events. 

However, the profitability of your event planning business will depend on several factors. The key to success lies in your ability to command premium rates for your services while keeping your expenses in check.            

What does an event planning business do?

An event planning business organizes and coordinates various aspects of events for individuals or organizations. This includes selecting venues, arranging catering and other vendors, creating event schedules and itineraries , managing budgets, and ensuring all necessary equipment and supplies are available. 

Do event planners travel a lot?

Event planners may travel depending on the nature of the events they plan. Some events may occur locally, while others may require travel to different cities or countries. Ultimately, the amount of travel required will depend on each event's specific needs and requirements. 

The Future of Event Planning is Yours to Create

The event planning industry offers vast opportunities for those with an eye for detail, a flair for organization, and a knack for staying on budget. Whether your heart lies in orchestrating sleek corporate events or bringing dream weddings to life, the skills you hone as an event planner are valuable in countless contexts. 

A carefully crafted business plan, paired with smart marketing and a dedication to providing exceptional experiences, can turn your passion into a truly successful venture. Find your niche, or cast a wide net—the choice is yours.

If you're ready to take the leap into the world of event planning, don't hesitate. Use this guide as your springboard. With hard work, a little business savvy, and a genuine love for creating memorable moments, there's no limit to what you can achieve.  

Up next, learn some  best practices in event management to create scalable and successful event strategies for your business.

John Hunter

John is the Senior Manager of Event Cloud Content Marketing at Cvent. He has 11 years of experience writing about the meetings and events industry. John also has extensive copywriting experience across diverse industries, including broadcast television, retail advertising, associations, higher education, and corporate PR.

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Event Planning Business Plans

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Margarita Momma is a start-up frozen drink machine rental service, providing machines to individuals wishing to spice up a party or event with a frozen beverage alternative.

Catering and Ballroom Rental Business Plan

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Catering Company Business Plan

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Event Planning Business Plan

Corporate Retreat Professionals is an event planning service for corporations focusing on leadership training retreats, team building programs, and product launch/public relations events.

Funeral Home Business Plan

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Global Event Planning Business Plan

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Limousine Taxi Business Plan

San Francisco Limo, an existing limousine service serving weddings, proms, and nights-out, is expanding into student transport, sightseeing, and elderly transportation.

Membership Social Events Business Plan

Gastronome Gander's Gatherings, a private dining club for upscale singles, offers single men and women the opportunity to share good food and drink while engaging in interesting and intelligent conversation.

Nightclub Resort Complex Business Plan

Ebony Sun is a start-up nightclub entertainment complex hosting 10 different themed venues in a single location.

Nonprofit Trade Association Business Plan

CMBA--the Connecticut Motorsports Business Association--is a nonprofit, ongoing trade association of motorsports businesses, working to enhance and improve motorsports business in Connecticut.

Online Booking Business Plan

Gigmasters.com is an online entertainment booking system for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and other events.

Personal Event Planning Business Plan

Occasions is a start-up business specializing in event planning, making its expertise and its products available to help its customers plan their own events.

Video Production Business Plan

Michael's Video Service is a start-up company providing video production services on a freelance basis to television stations, companies, high schools, and families.

Do you love to see when a plan comes together? Are you an expert at throwing killer parties? You may want to consider becoming an event planner. And while you have it all together when it comes to coordinating a delicious seafood spread and booking the hottest alternative rock entertainment, you may need a bit of guidance when putting together a business plan.

Check out our selection of event planning sample plans to easily create your own business plan. Having a solid business plan in place ensures that you can worry less about the state of your own business, and focus on developing innovative events for your clients.

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

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10. Basecamp

Basecamp is a project management tool that can help event planners get their entire team on the same page while scaling their services to accommodate multiple events at once. Their task lists are advanced, allowing planners to organize complex thoughts into actionable steps. 

What You’ll Use it For: Resource management – everything from budgets to scheduling to task assignments can be visually represented and tracked by this tool. 

Why We Love It: Their dashboard pins entire project files to it so you can quickly see everything you have on your plate in one space. You can also communicate with teammates in the projects themselves, eliminating issues caused by messy email chains and chat groups. 

11. Monday.com

Monday.com is another project management tool event planners can use to get everyone on the same page. The difference is here is how you’ll use it – their platform is highly visual and relies more on images than lists to track open tasks. 

What You’ll Use it For: Simplifying project status updates and keeping your event timelines in check while giving team members autonomy to communicate with each other all on one site. 

Why We Love It: You can quickly add members to a project via email, drag and drop workflows as needed, and view project data in 4 different ways (as a calendar, bar chart, circle graph, and color-coded lists) in the simplest possible visual forms.  

Wrike is all about efficiency and for event planners, this means being able to draft projects, anticipate and plan for roadblocks, and collaborate with large teams all in one place. 

What You’ll Use it For: Creating repeatable workflows, downloading instant event data reports, and organizing all your event goals. 

Why We Love It: While the other project management options on this list are also really great, Wrike has built-in task automation, which means event planners can scale their productivity without doing anything extra. 

13. EZOfficeInventory

This time-saving event planning tool helps you iron out back-office details and organize all the physical bits and pieces you’ll need for the big day. 

What You’ll Use it For: Automatically keep up with office supply ordering, catalogue event decor materials, and create an equipment lending system your event partners can use. 

Why We Love It: The interface is simple and clean. They let you take your own photos or pull brand name images from the seller’s website. It’s super easy to figure out at a glance which speakers have which microphones, what laptops are still available for presentations, and who might have that missing tablet. 

14. Ticket Tailor

Ticket Tailor is an affordable ticket sales platform that you can customize to suit your event needs and branding. 

What You’ll Use it For: Create a smart event ticketing website using templates and automatic data tracking. 

Why We Love It: It’s great for one time events or for event planners who need something simple yet beautiful without compromising on functionality. 

15. TicketSource

TicketSource is another ticket sales platform that helps planners organize, advertise, and sell-out events. It also allows attendees to select their own seats, automatically receive physical tickets in the mail, and print their own wristbands at home.  

What You’ll Use it For: Sell tickets, market your event on social media and via email newsletters, then keep track of it all with advanced reporting and analytics. 

Why We Love It: It’s user-friendly but also venue specific. So things like floor plans and seating arrangements options are more accurate. 

16. ThunderTix

ThunderTix integrates with your existing event website or other favorite event apps and helps planners sell, refund, and exchange tickets. 

What You’ll Use it For: Market and sell event tickets as well as set up gift cards and loyalty programs. 

Why We Love It: If you have an event website tool, marketing software, or payment processor you already love, ThunderTix can work in the background to streamline payments as well as handle all other ticket-related tasks. 

17. Wild Apricot

This event planning tool is a membership management software designed to help users create groups, market events, and create a community. 

What You’ll Use it For: Add your VIPs to a special club, organize and assign event volunteers to different activities, and create an event registration site that accepts secure payments. 

Why We Love It: Not only does it cover some of the most basic event planning necessities, Wild Apricot gives event planners the tools they need to authentically engage with attendees before, during, and after the event. 

18. GiveSmart

GiveSmart is a fundraising software available as a mobile app. 

What You’ll Use it For: Create an engaging donation platform, add custom branding to any campaign, and manage event ticketing. 

Why We Love It: Their users rave about their great customer service as well as how easy it is for both their team and their attendees to use the platform. 

19. Avochato

Avochato is a business texting platform designed to scale communications across all types of mobile devices as well as pinpoint new sales opportunities. 

What You’ll Use it For: Drip market your event tickets and special packages, organize all attendee communications onto one dashboard, and increase lead conversions. 

Why We Love It: It’s fantastic for sales and customer service. And it integrates with major relationship management tools like Salesforce and Slack. 

Ready to jump-start your next event planning project? 

Then take a look at these event management tools , some event planning insurances you might need, and some productivity hacks to save you even more time! 

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10 Free Event Planning Templates for Excel and Word

Planning an event can range from a meeting at work to a convention and everything in between. It’s another project where you have to manage time, cost and scope (and don’t forget quality) to deliver on a deadline. Using planning templates can help you stay organized and keep to your budget and they allow you to schedule and create the kind of event that serves its purpose, whether that’s networking at a trade show or launching a team-building workshop.

ProjectManager is award-winning software that can help you plan, manage and track your events. We’re also the online hub for everything project management-related. You can read weekly blogs, guides and download free event planning templates for Excel and Word. We have free templates for every phase of a project. Below, we collected 10 free event planning templates that you can use to propose, plan and manage your next event.

1. Event Proposal Template

Every event starts as an idea. Someone or some organization wants to have an event and puts out requests for proposals (RFPs). Just as you’d bid for any project, you have to propose why you’re the best contractor to do the job. Convincing that potential client is where our free event proposal template for Word comes in. It gives you the space to prove to stakeholders that you can do what they need to deliver a successful event.

2. Event Plan Template

Once you get the job you’ll need an event plan template to show how the event will run from start to finish. Our free event plan template for Excel helps make sure that you’ll meet deadlines and do so within the budget approved by your client. No different than any other type of project plan, the free event planning template identifies resources and includes phases to make it easier to manage.

Best of all, there’s an option to skip the Excel spreadsheet and get a free trial of ProjectManager , award-winning project management software that can do much more than a static template. Open the software in the Gantt chart to organize your event tasks and add resources and associated costs. You can even make assignments, attach files and add descriptions, tags, priority and more. Everything you add to the spreadsheet populates on a visual timeline so you can see the event in one place, adding milestones and linking dependent tasks to avoid delays. Then set a baseline to track your planned effort against your actual effort in real time, something you can’t do on a spreadsheet. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

3. Event Budget Template

You got the job and you’re making a plan, but you need to have an event budget to know what to bill your client. If your financial forecast is off, then you could possibly be out a large sum of money. It could be enough to make the whole event a loss for you. To avoid that disaster, you need to use our free event budget template for Excel . This allows you to more accurately estimate the costs of the event before you commit to it so you can make a profit and not lose money.

It’s hard to know how much an event will cost . There are a lot of variables and you have to consider risk, which might impact the event’s costs. Our free budget template lets you collect costs, such as those associated with labor, any consultant fees you might have, raw materials and more. Of course, no two events are exactly alike. That’s why our free template is customizable. You can add things like marketing and promotions or anything else that might be missing from the template to ensure you come up with an accurate figure. There are even columns to track your actual budget against your planned budget to keep on track.

4. Event Marketing Calendar Template

Speaking of marketing, no event is successful without a marketing campaign to attract the event’s target audience. That’s easier said than done. Just like the event plan, there are deadlines, resources and costs involved. It doesn’t matter if you’re working on an email blitz, direct mail or even billboards; there’s a lot to coordinate. Our free event marketing calendar template for Excel helps you put all those ducks in a row. This versatile tool shows you the marketing campaign on a monthly, quarterly or yearly calendar. You can see who’s responsible for what and when that work is due.

The deceptively simple design is very powerful for marketing management . It’s a grid, the same as what you’d see in any calendar, but it allows you to look at the big picture and see the marketing campaign laid out over the month, quarter or year. The template is broken up into tabs, each with the date on the left and the name of the campaign. Following that are the tasks associated with that campaign, including a description, due date and who’s responsible for completing that work. Then you can add the cost for that task, which is a line item of the total budget. There’s even space to add the goals of the campaign and the duration of the entire marketing campaign.

5. Event Task Tracker Template

We’ve talked about landing the job, planning for the event, estimating the budget and even the marketing and promotion campaign that’ll ensure that it’s well attended. What we’ve not talked about yet is how to ensure you’re staying on track. To do that, you need to compare the planned versus actual effort. That way you can see if you’re adhering to your event schedule or lagging behind. You don’t want to find out that you’re behind schedule when it’s too late to take action. You don’t have to worry if you use our free event task tracker template for Excel .

You’ll find everything you need to track your tasks. There’s a place to list the name of your tasks and add a description of the work. If there’s a dependency , you can also list that to avoid costly delays. Then add who on your team is assigned to that task. There’s a place to add the priority of the tasks to know which needs to be done first and the due dates, including start, planned end and actual end dates. Then add the task status to know if it’s delayed, paused open or completed.

6. Event Timeline Template

Of course, all of this must be done within a certain timeframe. Events take place over a specific time, day or days. There’s no wiggle room. Marketing materials have been sent out with the time of the event and nothing is going to change that. Producing that event on time means you have to schedule wisely. Using our free event timeline template for Excel can help you make sure that everything is done when it needs to be done.

With our event timeline, you have two parts. On the left is a spreadsheet, again fully customizable, in which we have four columns. There you can list the tasks, start dates, end dates and duration. On the right is a visual timeline, like a Gantt chart , which automatically populates the timeline for your event. You can make phases different colors to make them easy to discern as you get an overview of the event plan in one place.

7. Cost-Benefit Analysis Template

Before you propose to produce an event, you need to know that the project is going to bring a return on your investment. Otherwise, you’re a charity, not a business (though even charities need to remain solvent to continue their good work). To determine whether the event is worth bidding for, use our free cost-benefit analysis template for Excel and see if the expenses you have to put out are going to be recouped.

Our free event planning template does this by capturing the quantitative costs , such as indirect, intangible and opportunity, and pushes those out to whatever the length of your event plan is. Then you list the quantitative benefits, such as direct, indirect, intangible and competitive, again forecast out over the life cycle of the event. From that, the template calculates the total cost and compares that to the total benefit to help you make the right decision.

8. RACI Matrix Template

If you’ve bid and won the event, then you’ve already done a cost-benefit analysis, plan and schedule. Now you have to get your team to work and keep your client updated. They do, after all, have a vested interest in your success. This requires identifying the stakeholders and defining their roles and responsibilities, including your team, and how they relate to the project and its tasks. This is done with our free RACI matrix template for Excel.

RACI is an acronym for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. Our free event planning template is a spreadsheet in which you can list the project tasks as rows and across the top list all the members of your team, each as an individual column. Then next to the box where their name meets the task, you can note whether they’re an R, A, C or I. This greatly improves your management of the project, team and client.

9. Stakeholder Map Template

Another tool to identify the stakeholders in your event project is our free stakeholder map template for Excel . Remember, stakeholders can be anyone from your team and the target audience for the event, and, of course, the client. Using this visual tool makes it easy for you to see each stakeholder’s impact and how they influence your work.

The free event planning template is easy to use. It’s broken up into a grid of four squares. First, list your stakeholders and color-code them either green to indicate they’re an advocate, yellow if they’re neutral and red if they’re critical and potentially can block work. Then add each to the grip, which is broken up by how to manage them, keep satisfied, manage closely, and the level of their influence, from low to high. This helps you create a stakeholder management and communication plan .

10. Timesheet Template

Finally, you’ll need to keep track of your team as they do their work. Timesheets are valuable tools not only for payroll but to keep track of the cost per hour, vacation and overtime of your team. Using our free timesheet template for Excel can help you manage your team’s time while keeping track of their hours.

The timesheet template helps you track your employees. Start with capturing the personal data, such as name, department, hourly rate, etc. Then define a timeframe for the timesheet and collect their hours. Add the total work hours and you’re able to keep track of where they are in terms of completing their tasks and ensure they’re paid promptly and accurately.

Use ProjectManager to Deliver a Successful Event

Free event planning templates are great, but only to a point. For example, our timesheet template has to be manually inputted and there’s no security. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that has timesheet features that automatically populate and give managers a real-time look into how far they are in completing their tasks. But that’s just one feature of many to help you manage and deliver a quality event for your client.

Plan Your Event on a Gantt Chart

Rather than using an event planning template, timeline template, event budget, tracker, etc., our Gantt chart organizes your tasks, resources and costs and tracks your progress in real time. You can link all four task dependencies and set a schedule baseline , which allows our software to show you real-time data on your progress and performance. That’s how you stay on track and don’t go over budget.

Track Your Progress on Real-Time Dashboards

It’s easy to edit the Gantt; just drag and drop as things change. All details of your event plan adjust accordingly. Then you can toggle over to our real-time dashboard and get a high-level view of everything from your time, cost to workload and the overall health of your project. You don’t have to waste time configuring it as you do with lightweight tools. It’s ready when you are.

Our software has more than Gantt charts, which are more suited for managers. There are kanban boards to visualize the workflow, task lists and calendars for your marketing and promotion push. The multiple project views all work in unison so no matter which tool you’re using, it has the most up-to-date data. Everyone is always on the same page.

Related Event Content

Whether you’re new to managing an event or have worked on dozens in the past, there’s always more to learn. Our site is an online hub for all things project management, which includes event planning. Here is a sampling of our weekly blogs, guides and tutorial videos.

• How to Plan an Event: Event Planning Steps, Tips & Checklist
• How to Plan a Virtual Event: Virtual Event Planning Checklist
• Event Management: A Quick Guide
• Event Project Management Software
• How to Create an Event Budget

ProjectManager is online software that empowers teams to plan, manage and track events in real time. Use our task management, risk management and resource management features to stay productive and on track. Our collaborative platform makes it easy to comment and share files wherever you are. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our tool to deliver success. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Deliver your projects on time and under budget

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Event Venue Business Plan Guide + Free Example

July 6, 2023

Adam Hoeksema

Finding the perfect venue for an event can be a daunting task, and running the perfect venue can be even more challenging. If you are looking to start your own event venue, this demands strategic thinking, careful planning, and a sharp eye for detail. It's not just about finding the right location; it's about understanding your target market, gauging competition, predicting costs, and generating profits. Sounds overwhelming? Fear not, we have your back!

In this blog post, we will take you step-by-step through the process of creating an effective and practical business plan for your event venue business. From defining your business concept and forecasting your financials, to marketing strategies and operational plans, we will cover it all. Moreover, we've included a free, downloadable event venue business plan example to provide you with a tangible resource to guide you through your own planning process.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur who's new to the industry, an experienced event planner branching out, or simply exploring the idea, this comprehensive guide and free example are sure to make your journey to launching your own event venue a bit easier. Stay with us as we delve deeper into the world of event venue businesses and empower you to bring your vision to life.

Here is what I plan to cover in this post:

• Why write a business plan for an event venue?

What to include in an event venue business plan?

Event venue business plan outline, how to analyze the competition for your event venue.

• How to Promote an Event Venue?
• How to create financial projections for an event venue
• Event venue example business plan
• Event venue business plan FAQs

With that as our guide, let’s dive in. 

Why write a business plan for an event venue? 

The primary reason to write a business plan for an event venue is because your potential investors and lenders have asked for your business plan.  I can come up with all sorts of reasons why it might be smart to write a detailed business plan, but at the end of the day, the real reason is because writing a business plan is standing in between you and the startup funding that you need.  

If you are looking to secure an SBA loan, then this general overview on how to write a business plan for an SBA loan can be helpful.  It discusses the differences between writing a standard, long form business plan versus a lean startup business plan which will typically use a business model canvas.  I think this can be some helpful background, but we want to know more specifically how to write a business plan for an event center business.  The following is the outline we use for our event venue business plan template.   

Event Venue Plan Outline

I. executive summary.

II. Business Concept

III. Market Analysis

IV. Competition Analysis

V. Marketing Strategy

VI. Menu and Kitchen Operations

VII. Service and Hospitality

VIII. Financial Plan

Startup Costs:

• Projected Financial Summary:

Annual Sales, Gross Profit and Net Profit:

Key financial ratios:, income statement:, balance sheet:, cash flow statement:.

IX. Organizational Structure

X. Conclusion

As you review our business plan template I think you will get the idea of what to include in most of the sections, but I wanted to focus on a couple of unique sections of your business and provide some tools and techniques that I think might be helpful as you try to complete a competitive analysis and marketing section of your business plan. 

In order to analyze the competition in a given market for an event venue I like to try to pull both website traffic data and physical foot traffic data .  I use a few different tools to help find this data.  

How to Estimate Website Traffic for a Competitor

To estimate website traffic for a competitor I would start by looking up their website on a tool like Ahrefs which will show us how much organic website traffic they are getting.  For this example, let’s assume that our competitor is a wedding venue and winery called The Sycamore Winery .  We can see that they receive approximately 650 organic website visitors per month:

Additionally, with Ahrefs we can see which keywords are sending them the most organic traffic.  In this example, they are getting some traffic from wedding venue related keywords as you can see below:

You can look up all of your competitors with a tool like Ahrefs and find out which ones seem to be getting the most website traffic and from which keywords.  This can help you set an SEO strategy for your venue and determine which keywords to target first.  

How to Estimate Foot Traffic for a Competitor  

In addition to website traffic, it can be really powerful to estimate the actual foot traffic that a particular location might be getting.  This can help you get some understanding of how many events and people you might be able to expect at your event venue which can be important for your financial projections.  Ultimately, the number of events and the size of those events will likely correlate directly with your revenue, so estimating foot traffic can be a secret weapon as you analyze the competition.  

Using our foot traffic report service we can see that The Sycamore Winery has roughly 3,500 visitors per month. 

The report also allows us to see foot traffic by day, so we can see how busy various days are.  This would give you some indication of how many events you might be able to forecast on the weekends and weekdays.  

With that level of detail you may know more about your competitors than they know themselves, and it can really help you understand key drivers of business for your competitors.  

How to Promote an Event Venue? 

Another aspect of your event center business plan that I think I can provide some unique guidance in is how to promote your event venue.  There are obviously a number of ways to promote your wedding event venue such as: 

• Digital Marketing : Launch a visually appealing website that features high-quality photographs and videos of your venue. Incorporate an interactive virtual tour that enables potential customers to envision their event at your venue. Utilize SEO strategies to improve your venue’s visibility on search engines.
• Social Media Promotion : Use platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to showcase your venue. Post photos from real weddings and other events held at your location, behind-the-scenes shots, and testimonials from happy couples. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and direct messages promptly.
• Bridal Shows and Expos : Participate in local wedding expos and bridal shows. These events are a great opportunity to network with prospective clients and other wedding vendors. Provide potential customers with a tangible feel for your venue through pictures, videos, and brochures.
• Collaborate with Wedding Planners : Wedding planners can be your strongest advocates. Develop relationships with local and regional planners, and invite them to visit your venue. They can recommend your venue to their clients if they're impressed with what you offer.
• Online Wedding Directories : List your venue on wedding directories and websites like The Knot or WeddingWire. These platforms can significantly increase your venue's visibility to couples searching for a venue.

One area I want to spend a little bit of time on is how to promote your event venue with SEO.  If you can rank well for relevant keywords it can provide you with a long term competitive advantage.  So here is what I would do.  I would use Ahrefs as I showed you above and look up your competitors websites to see which keywords are sending them the most traffic.  You will see a column called KD which stands for keyword difficulty.  You should look for relevant keywords for your venue with a low KD – keyword difficulty – these are the keywords that you have the best chance at ranking well for early on.  

Additionally, I would use the Google Keyword Planner Tool , which is free, to see which keywords have the most search volume.  For example, I can see that Indianapolis Wedding Venues has roughly 3,600 monthly searches.  Using the keyword ideas function you can see search volume for other related keywords and identify smaller niche keywords that you are most likely to be able to compete in. 

These search volume estimates give you a good idea of how large the market is and ultimately can flow right into building assumptions for your event venue financial model . 

How to Create Financial Projections for a Business Plan

Just like in any industry, the event venue business has its own set of factors that influence revenue, such as location, event demand, and pricing strategies. Utilizing an event venue financial projection template can simplify the process and boost your confidence. Creating accurate financial projections goes beyond showcasing your venue's ability to host events; it's about illustrating the financial path that leads to profitability and the realization of your vision for creating unforgettable event experiences. To develop precise projections, consider the following steps:

• Estimate startup costs for your event venue, including venue acquisition or lease, renovations or decor, permits, licenses, and initial marketing expenses.
• Forecast revenue based on projected event bookings, pricing per event, and potential revenue streams such as catering services or equipment rentals.
• Project costs related to event preparations, staffing, and other event-specific expenses.
• Estimate operating expenses like utilities, maintenance, insurance, and administrative costs.
• Calculate the capital required to launch and operate your event venue, covering initial expenses and providing working capital for sustained operations.

While financial projections are a vital part of your event venue business plan, seek guidance from experienced professionals in the event industry. Adapt your projections based on real-world insights, leverage industry resources, and stay attuned to emerging event trends to ensure your financial plan aligns with your goals and helps you create a successful and in-demand event venue.

Example Event Venue Business Plan

Presented below is the text for our sample event venue business plan. To make it easier for you, we offer a downloadable Google Doc version of this event venue business plan template here . This allows you to edit it and make it truly yours. Furthermore, we provide a video walkthrough that will assist you in tailoring the business plan to suit your unique event venue concept.

Table of Contents

Ii. market analysis, iii. product and service offerings, iv. marketing and sales strategy, v. operations and management, vi. financial projections.

Startup Costs

Financial Summary

Annual Sales, Gross Profit and Net Profit

Key Financial Ratios

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

VII. Conclusion

The proposed event venue is a state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of the city, catering to a wide range of events including weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings. The venue has a total capacity of 300 guests and boasts a spacious ballroom, a cozy lounge area, and a fully equipped kitchen.

The target market for the venue is the high-end segment, which is expected to generate a significant portion of the revenue. The estimated startup costs for the business are $500,000, which will be funded through a combination of personal savings and a loan from a financial institution.

The business is owned and operated by a team of experienced event professionals who have a deep understanding of the industry and a passion for creating unforgettable experiences. The team's goal is to make the venue a preferred destination for event organizers and guests alike.

The Market Analysis section provides an overview of the event venue industry and the target market.

The event venue industry has experienced steady growth over the past decade and is expected to continue growing in the coming years. The high-end segment of the market is particularly attractive due to the increasing demand for premium event experiences.

The target market for the venue includes corporate clients, wedding planners, and social event organizers. The primary customer demographics are affluent individuals and businesses located in the city, as well as those from nearby cities who are looking for a luxurious event venue.

The venue will differentiate itself from its competitors by offering a combination of exceptional service, high-end amenities, and a prime location. The venue will also leverage technology to enhance the customer experience and streamline operations, making it easier for event organizers to plan and execute their events.

The Product and Service Offerings section provides a description of the venue's features and services.

The venue has a total capacity of 300 guests and includes a spacious ballroom, a cozy lounge area, and a fully equipped kitchen. The ballroom is equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual systems and can be configured to accommodate a variety of event setups. The lounge area is perfect for intimate gatherings and cocktail receptions, while the kitchen provides ample space for catering and food preparation.

In addition to the venue itself, the business will offer a range of services to enhance the customer experience, including event planning and coordination, catering, and lighting and sound support. The venue will also partner with local vendors to provide event decor, florals, and photography services.

The pricing for the venue will be competitive with other premium event venues in the market, with a range of packages available to meet the needs of different types of events. The pricing strategy will be based on a combination of demand and cost considerations, with the goal of maximizing revenue while delivering exceptional value to customers.

The Marketing and Sales Strategy section provides an overview of how the venue will reach potential customers and generate revenue.

The marketing plan for the venue will focus on three primary channels: digital marketing, events and promotions, and partnerships. The digital marketing strategy will include a strong presence on social media, a website optimized for search engines, and targeted online advertising campaigns. The events and promotions strategy will include hosting events and open houses at the venue to showcase its features and services. The partnership strategy will include working with wedding planners, corporate event organizers, and other local businesses to promote the venue and generate referrals.

The Operations and Management section provides a description of the venue's organizational structure and day-to-day operations.

The venue will be owned and operated by a team of experienced event professionals who will be responsible for the overall management of the business. The team includes a General Manager, an Operations Manager, and an Event Coordinator.

The General Manager will be responsible for the overall strategic direction of the business, including financial management, marketing and sales, and customer relations. The Operations Manager will be responsible for day-to-day operations, including staffing, scheduling, and vendor management. The Event Coordinator will be responsible for event planning and coordination, ensuring that each event runs smoothly and meets the expectations of the customer.

The venue will utilize a booking and event management system that integrates with the financial and operational systems, making it easier to manage bookings, track revenue, and provide excellent customer service. The venue will also have a robust staffing plan, including a team of event staff and catering staff, to ensure that each event is staffed appropriately.

All of the unique financial projections you see here were generated using ProjectionHub’s event venue  financial projection template . Use PH20BP to enjoy a 20% discount on the template. 

The Financial Projections section provides an overview of the startup costs and the financial performance of the business.

The estimated startup costs for the business are $500,000, which will be funded through a combination of personal savings and a loan from a financial institution. The startup costs include the purchase of equipment and furnishings, leasing costs for the venue, and initial marketing expenses.

Financial Summary:

Watch how to create financial projections for your very own event venue:

The Conclusion and Appendices section provides a summary of the key points of the business plan and supporting documentation.

In conclusion, the event venue business is poised for success due to the growing demand for premium event experiences, the experienced ownership and management team, and the state-of-the-art facilities and services offered. This business plan outlines a comprehensive strategy for reaching potential customers, generating revenue, and delivering exceptional value to event organizers and guests.

Event Venue Business Plan FAQs

How do i start an event venue business.

To start an event venue business, you'll need to identify your target market and niche, secure a suitable location, design and set up the venue space, obtain necessary permits and licenses, establish relationships with event planners or vendors, and create marketing strategies.

What amenities should I consider offering in my event venue?

Amenities to consider offering in an event venue include seating and furniture arrangements, audiovisual equipment, lighting and sound systems, catering facilities or partnerships, restrooms, parking or valet services, and any unique features specific to your venue.

How can I attract clients to book my event venue?

To attract clients, develop a visually appealing website and online presence, showcase your venue's unique features through high-quality photos and virtual tours, offer customizable packages, provide exceptional customer service, and establish relationships with event planners or industry professionals.

How to create pricing packages for an event venue?

Pricing models for event venues can vary, and may include hourly rates, package rates based on event duration and services, tiered pricing based on the size or type of event, or customized pricing based on specific client requirements. Research the local market and industry standards to determine your pricing strategy and if you'll include any equipment rental options.

How can I effectively manage bookings and scheduling for my event venue?

You can effectively manage bookings and scheduling by utilizing event management software or tools, maintaining an up-to-date calendar, streamlining the booking process through online forms or platforms, having clear communication channels with clients, and having dedicated staff to handle inquiries and event coordination.

About the Author

Adam is the Co-founder of ProjectionHub which helps entrepreneurs create financial projections for potential investors, lenders and internal business planning. Since 2012, over 50,000 entrepreneurs from around the world have used ProjectionHub to help create financial projections.

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Have some questions? Let us know and we'll be in touch.

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May 9, 2024 | Categories DonorPerfect Fundraising Software , Event Management , Featured

Stress-Free Event Planning for Small Fundraising Shops

I have five hours a week and no budget. here’s how i fundraise..

When I worked as a professional fundraiser at larger nonprofits, I got to help plan and participate in impactful, effective, and – dare I say – fun fundraising events. I loved wearing (thrifted) fancy dresses to fine arts galas, chatting with athletes and donors at climate-controlled tailgates, and “volunteering” for cleanup duty so I could squirrel away leftover hors d’oeuvres.

But now that I fundraise as a volunteer for a community choir, events are a completely different experience. Who can I recruit for help? How can I raise enough money to justify hosting an event without throwing my sanity and hobbies out the window? And who’s going to pay for everything?

If you’re a volunteer or professional fundraiser for a smaller or newer nonprofit, these questions might be on your mind, too. Here’s what I’ve learned from my real-world experience.

Gather your crew

Many hands make light work! As a millennial with lots of student loans, I’ve recently started exchanging professional services with friends so we can help each other out without going broke. It helps us feel connected, useful, and valued without feeling put upon. If you can recruit volunteers from your nonprofit or your friends and family to pitch in one small task each, you can save yourself a lot of stress.

Worried about asking too much of your personal network? It’s a common and understandable fear, but don’t let it stop you from asking entirely! Find quick and easy ways to get help with your event that don’t take extra training. Try to keep each task to around 30 minutes, and distribute tasks as widely as possible.

Here are some ideas for fast tasks that feel good to complete as a volunteer:

• Brainstorm event theme ideas and big-picture thoughts
• Share a crowdfunding page on social media to drum up support ahead of the event
• Put together centerpieces with thrifted/loaned vases and supermarket flowers, reusable paper or wooden bouquets
• Set up or tear down tables and chairs
• Act as IT support during the event
• Put together a playlist if your event calls for music
• Make thank-you calls to event attendees afterward
• Create templated event collateral, like programs or invitations

Pro tip: Don’t forget to treat your volunteers the same way you’d treat your donors for their gifts of time and expertise! Make sure to give each person who helps a heartfelt, meaningful thanks.

Get creative

I asked a generative AI tool to create scenes of a fundraising event, using this prompt:

“Please create a scene of a successful fundraising event. Include happy donors, staff, and volunteers raising money together for a good community cause.”

And here’s what I got:

Even AI has a bias toward busy parties attended by well-dressed people. If this is how you envision fundraising events, throw that thought out and try thinking with a blank slate! Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

• Un-gala with an informal dress code and finger foods
• Virtual town hall or trivia night
• BYOBoard game night
• Movie screening and discussion
• Mini house parties/salon-style events scattered across your community
• Picnic or cookout at a local park
• Bonus: do any community music ensembles perform at your local parks or libraries? Connect with them for some audience-building/fundraising event collaboration ideas!

In short, wherever people can gather and have fun, you can have a fundraiser. 

Use AI tools to create your action plan

While it doesn’t have a great imagination (or any imagination, for that matter), generative AI can take a lot off your plate. If you’re inexperienced with event planning and aren’t sure where to start, you can get a personalized game plan using free AI tools and adjust it to meet your needs and preferences. Here’s an example of how I’ve asked AI tools to help me plan:

The prompt:

Create a timeline and assigned task list to plan a happy hour fundraising event for a community choir on or around June 3, 2024. The main planner has 5 hours per week to spend on choir activities, and there are 3 other reliable volunteers each with 1 hour per week.

The result:

“Here’s a suggested timeline to plan a happy hour fundraising event for a community choir on or around June 3, 2024, considering the available time from the main planner and volunteers:

April 30, 2024 (9 weeks before the event on June 3)

• Main planner: Identify potential venues and gather information on availability, capacity, and pricing (2 hours)
• Volunteers: Research potential entertainment options (music, performers, etc.) and gather quotes (3 hours)

May 14, 2024 (7 weeks before the event)

• Main planner: Finalize the venue and secure a booking (1 hour)
• Volunteers: Finalize entertainment plans and confirm bookings (3 hours)

May 28, 2024 (5 weeks before the event)

• Main planner: Develop a budget and pricing structure for tickets/donations (1 hour)
• Volunteers: Create a marketing plan and design promotional materials (flyers, social media posts, etc.) (3 hours)

June 3, 2024 (4 weeks before the event)

• Main planner: Launch ticket sales and begin promoting the event (1 hour)
• Volunteers: Distribute promotional materials and manage social media promotion (3 hours)

June 17, 2024 (2 weeks before the event)

• Main planner: Coordinate with venue regarding logistics (setup, staffing, etc.) (1 hour)
• Volunteers: Continue promoting the event and monitoring ticket sales (3 hours)

June 24, 2024 (1 week before the event)

• Main planner: Finalize event logistics (schedule, volunteers, supplies, etc.) (1 hour)
• Volunteers: Assist with final preparations as needed (3 hours)

June 3, 2024 (Event Day)

• Main planner: Oversee event execution and manage volunteers (5 hours)
• Volunteers: Assist with event setup, operations, and breakdown (3 hours)

June 10, 2024 (1 week after the event)

• Main planner: Evaluate the event’s success, thank donors and attendees, review finances, and document lessons learned (2 hours)
• Volunteers: Provide feedback and assist with any remaining tasks (3 hours)

This timeline allocates the available time resources effectively and allows for a structured approach to planning and executing the happy hour fundraising event. Remember to adjust the timeline as needed based on actual progress and any unforeseen circumstances.”

Thankfully, I won’t need to accomplish every task on this list. But it took me from having nothing to having a robust template in a matter of moments, and it’s much easier to edit than it is to create!

Want more guidance on how to use AI in your fundraising efforts? Get the guide, AI for Nonprofits , yours for free! Want to put AI to use right away? Write your next fundraising communication with the DonorPerfect Fundraiser Bot !

Commit to quality follow-up

Stay on top of the momentum your event creates! Make sure to include thanking all donors and attendees in your timeline and planning. You can call, send an email or video message, mail handwritten notes…anything goes as long as you deliver a genuine message of gratitude.

Don’t forget to include ways for your newfound donors to stay connected! Do you have a newsletter they can subscribe to? Another upcoming event or volunteer outing that might interest them? Capture their contact information now, while you’re on their minds and they’re thinking fondly of their event experience.

Not a DonorPerfect user? Request a demo to see how you can raise 25% more in your first year with us!

DonorPerfect users: did you know that you can send thank-you videos to your donors directly from your DonorPerfect system? Check out DP Video here !

Events are a great way to build community and recruit new donors, volunteers, and champions for your cause. But they’re certainly not the only strategy! Want to learn more about how to acquire new donors who are passionate about your mission? Take our five-question quiz for personalized steps you can take toward your nonprofit’s growth.

Get Your Guided Growth Plan

Emily Zacek joined the DonorPerfect team as a copywriter in January, 2022. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014 with degrees in flute performance and organizational studies, and her undergraduate thesis focused on labor activity trends in American arts nonprofits. She brings a...

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Free Scenario Analysis Templates

By Courtney Patterson | March 31, 2024

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We’ve compiled the most insightful scenario analysis templates for strategic planners, business analysts, project managers, and executive decision-makers. Utilize these templates to guide your strategic foresight and long-term planning.  Included on this page, you’ll find a  scenario analysis presentation template , a  financial scenario analysis template , an  operational risk scenario analysis template , and more. You’ll also learn about the different  types of scenario analysis templates — including when to use each — and  how to do a scenario analysis .

Excel Simple Scenario Analysis Spreadsheet Template

Download the Sample Simple Scenario Analysis Spreadsheet Template for Excel  

Download the Blank Simple Scenario Analysis Spreadsheet Template for Excel  

When to Use This Template:  This simple scenario analysis spreadsheet template, with or without sample data, is ideal when you need a quick assessment of straightforward scenarios. It's perfect for team leaders and small business owners who are in the early stages of project planning or dealing with time-sensitive, smaller-scale projects.  Notable Template Features:  This template stands out for its user-friendly design and focus on the essential elements of a scenario analysis — without overcomplicating the process. Key features include easy-to-fill sections for scenario description, impact assessment, and outcome visualization, making it an accessible tool for quick decision-making.  Explore these free scenario planning templates and examples to systematically evaluate and prepare for potential futures, enhancing your strategic decision-making process.

Simple Scenario Analysis Presentation Template

Download a Sample Simple Scenario Analysis Template for 

PowerPoint | Google Slides  

Download a Blank Simple Scenario Analysis Template for 

When to Use This Template:  Opt for this simple scenario analysis presentation template when you need to communicate straightforward scenario analyses to your team or stakeholders. With or without sample data, the template is particularly useful for team leaders and small business owners who must present basic scenario outcomes clearly during meetings or strategy sessions.  Notable Template Features:  This template offers a streamlined format perfect for presentations. Key features include intuitive slide layouts for outlining scenarios and their impacts, along with visual aids to enhance understanding. The template is designed to convey scenario analysis effectively without overwhelming your audience.

Business Analysis Scenario Template

Download a Sample Business Analysis Scenario Template for 

Download a Blank Business Analysis Scenario Template for 

When to Use This Template: Employ this business analysis scenario template with or without sample data to present a detailed assessment of complex business scenarios, such as shifts in market dynamics or competitive landscapes, to your team or stakeholders. It's particularly useful for business analysts and corporate strategists who need to convey business environment analyses during strategic planning meetings or executive briefings.  Notable Template Features: This template features comprehensive slide layouts that facilitate a clear, thorough exploration of various business scenarios. Its standout attributes include dedicated sections for detailing market trends, competitive analysis, and strategic implications, complemented by engaging visual elements.  To prioritize tasks and projects efficiently, download one of these  free priority matrix templates , tailored to help you align your focus with your most impactful activities.

Financial Scenario Analysis Template

Download a Sample Financial Scenario Analysis Template for 

Excel | Google Sheets

Download a Blank Financial Scenario Analysis Template for 

When to Use This Template:  Utilize this financial scenario analysis template with or without sample data when you need to examine the impact of different market conditions or economic trends on your company's financial standing. It's particularly beneficial for financial analysts and CFOs engaged in critical financial planning and forecasting.  Notable Template Features:  This template is equipped with detailed slides to help you develop diverse financial outcomes. It features specialized sections for analyzing changes in revenue, costs, and profitability under different scenarios, with graphical elements to represent financial data. The design facilitates clear communication of complex financial forecasts, making it a valuable tool for presentations. 

Operational Risk Scenario Analysis Template

Download a Sample Operational Risk Scenario Analysis Template for

Download a Blank Operational Risk Scenario Analysis Template for

When to Use This Template:  This operational risk scenario analysis template with or without sample data is best for risk managers and operations managers who need to identify and assess risks that could disrupt daily operations. It’s an essential tool during risk assessment meetings or operational planning sessions.  Notable Template Features:  This template is designed to help you systematically outline and analyze operational risks. It includes sections for assessing the likelihood and potential impact of each risk, as well as for planning mitigation strategies. The template’s structured format aids in creating actionable contingency plans, making it an indispensable tool for comprehensive operational risk management.  To plan for your team's future needs, explore these  free workforce planning templates , designed to help your organization strategically manage and optimize its human resources.

Scenario Analysis Axis Template

Download a Sample Scenario Analysis Axis Template for

Microsoft Word | PowerPoint

Download a Blank Scenario Analysis Axis Template for

When to Use This Template:  Turn to this scenario analysis axis template when you need a visual tool to compare and contrast different scenarios. With or without sample data, the template is particularly useful for strategic planners and project managers who need to present options to stakeholders and evaluate them based on factors such as risk and reward.  Notable Template Features:  This template stands out for its two-dimensional axis system, which enables users to plot scenarios intuitively. It allows you to compare different outcomes based on key variables, enhancing the clarity of strategic discussions. Its straightforward visual design facilitates deeper understanding and more informed decision-making in complex project environments.  Utilize one of these  free decision matrix templates to streamline your decision-making process, ensuring your team effectively evaluates and prioritizes options based on critical criteria.

Analysis Scenario Planning Template

Download the Analysis Scenario Planning Template for  

Excel | PowerPoint  

When to Use This Template:  This analysis scenario planning template is ideal for senior executives and strategic planners when crafting long-term strategies. It is particularly valuable in strategy sessions focused on mapping out the future direction of the business, taking into account diverse potential scenarios that could unfold.  Notable Template Features:  This template is tailored to facilitate the exploration of scenarios with the potential to affect the business's long-term trajectory. It helps senior decision-makers visualize various scenarios and their impacts to understand the full range of possible outcomes. The layout is structured to encourage comprehensive and forward-thinking strategy development, making it a key asset for high-level strategic planning. 

Scenario Analysis XY Axis Template

Download a Sample Scenario Analysis XY Axis Template for 

Excel | Google Sheets  

Download a Blank Scenario Analysis XY Axis Template for 

When to Use This Template:  Data analysts and strategic planners, in particular, should select this scenario analysis XY axis template for in-depth comparative analysis. This template, with or without sample data, is an effective tool for examining scenarios based on specific, distinct variables, enhancing the depth of strategic insights and risk assessments.  Notable Template Features:  Characterized by its dual-axis system, this template compares scenarios based on two key variables. Its design offers clear visual representations that aid in understanding complex strategic relationships and risks. The template is especially beneficial for translating sophisticated data into accessible, actionable insights. 

Types of Scenario Analysis Templates

The types of scenario analysis templates that businesses use vary, depending on their needs. They include simple templates for quick assessments and specialized templates focusing on financial outcomes, what-if situations, and long-term planning. These tools help businesses make strategic decisions.  Here's a breakdown of the different types of scenario analysis templates:  

• Simple Scenario Analysis Template: This user-friendly template assists in basic scenario planning, suitable for small-scale or introductory assessments.
• Simple Scenario Analysis Presentation Template: Formulated to effectively communicate and visualize the potential impacts of straightforward future scenarios, this template aids in decision-making and strategic planning discussions.  
• What-If Scenario Analysis Template: Focusing on hypothetical situations, this template enables businesses to walk through various possible futures and their impacts.  
• Business Analysis Scenario Template: Tailored for comprehensive scenario planning in business contexts, this detailed template incorporates market, competitive, and strategic factors.  
• Financial Scenario Analysis Template: An essential tool for financial analysts and CFOs, this template examines how different scenarios impact revenue, costs, and the overall financial health of the business.  
• Operational Risk Scenario Analysis Template: This template helps users identify and analyze risks to business operations under various scenarios.  
• Scenario Analysis Axis Template: With a two-axis layout to plot and compare different scenarios, this template is often used for visual and comparative analysis.  
• Analysis Scenario Planning Template:  Designed for long-term strategic planning, this template helps businesses prepare for and adapt to future scenarios.  
• Scenario Analysis XY Axis Template:  For nuanced comparative analysis, this template plots scenarios according to two distinct variables that might be scaled differently, such as risk versus reward. 

Each type of scenario analysis template serves a unique purpose, from straightforward assessments to complex strategic planning, helping businesses prepare for various outcomes.

How to Do a Scenario Analysis

Perform a scenario analysis by developing a range of possible events and using a template to understand their impacts on your business. A scenario analysis template enables you to organize your data, visualize different outcomes, and make rational decisions. Scenario analysis is a strategic planning method used to make flexible long-term plans. Here's how to conduct a scenario analysis:  

• Define Objectives Start by clarifying what you want to achieve with the scenario analysis. This could be understanding the impact of a new product launch, market expansion, or changes in the regulatory environment on your business.
• Identify Key Drivers for Change Determine the external forces that could impact your objectives. These might include technological advancements, economic trends, legislative changes, or social dynamics. 
• Gather Data  Collect relevant data on each key driver. This includes historical data, current trends, and expert forecasts. The quality of your scenario analysis depends significantly on the accuracy and relevancy of the data you use.
• Develop Scenarios Using the identified drivers, construct a range of plausible future scenarios. Typically, you should create at least three: one positive (optimistic), one negative (pessimistic), and one neutral (most likely) scenario.

Use a Template to Capture Your Findings  Use a template, such as this article’s simple scenario analysis spreadsheet template to structure your findings. A template helps you organize your scenarios, drivers, and data into a clear format that enables you to visualize different outcomes. It can display key metrics on an easy-to-read dashboard to help with your analysis. 

Enter Your Data  In the template’s Scenario Analysis Data Table , enter your data and select the corresponding scenario condition from the drop-down menu to populate the charts in the Scenario Analysis Dashboard section. 

Analyze Impacts  For each scenario, evaluate the potential impacts on your business by checking the Calculations section of the template. Consider how each scenario could affect your strategic objectives, operations, financial performance, and competitive position.  

• Develop Strategies and Contingency Plans Based on the analysis, devise strategies that would succeed across multiple scenarios. Prepare contingency plans for specific scenarios to mitigate risks or capitalize on opportunities.
• Monitor and Update Scenario analysis is not a one-time activity. Regularly monitor the external environment for signs that a particular scenario might be unfolding. Update your scenarios and plans as necessary to remain aligned with the changing landscape.

By following these steps and utilizing a structured template, you can perform a comprehensive scenario analysis that helps your business navigate uncertainties with greater confidence and strategic agility.

Strengthen Your Long-Term Planning and Strategic Foresight with Smartsheet

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The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

Discover a better way to streamline workflows and eliminate silos for good.

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7 Best Free Event Planning Software (Event Management Tools) 2024

Evan Gerdisch

Content Strategist

February 13, 2024

Let’s be honest:

Event planning is difficult.

There’s the planning, ticketing, sorting of seating arrangements, engaging your event attendees, and so much more. As an event planner, handling all of that can feel like trying to stop your dog from chewing your shoes. It’s impossible!

However, quality event management software can really streamline things for you. In this article, we’ll highlight how free event management software can help you run your events smoothly.

How to Choose the Best Event Management Software?

2. social tables, 3. wild apricot, 4. ticket tailor, 5. planning pod, make every event eventful with clickup.

Let’s get this event started!

Before we get to our event planning tools list, you need to know what you’re looking for in an event management tool or software solution.

Also, you can learn more about event project management here .

Here are some of the questions you can ask yourself to make the right choice:

• Does this free event software let you collaborate with multiple event stakeholders such as attendees, sponsors, and vendors? 
• Is the event technology suitable for an in-person or virtual event , or both?
• Does the event planning tool need to have built-in marketing tools to help you or your exhibitor attract more visitors?
• Is the event planning software easy to use for all levels of event organizers?
• Does the software let you track your progress and achievements?
• Does the app support social media integrations or other forms of social media marketing?
• And most importantly, is it an all-in-one event management tool that can bring your event-related information under one roof?

Take a minute and think it through. 🤔

This will help you find the right tool for the job. 

The kind that has all the features you need and nothing else. 

Got your answers?  

Alright then, let’s check out some event management and event planning software.

Top 7 Free Event Management Software

Here are the seven best free event management software that you can get your hands on today:

First up is ClickUp, one of the world’s highest-rated project management software.

With ClickUp, you can streamline all your event planning and attendee managing processes. For free!

ClickUp key features

A. Schedule events and tasks with Calendar view

Having two plus-ones for a wedding might make for a hilarious TV episode.

But in event planning? 

It’s a nightmare!

Avoid such embarrassing situations and just keep your planning and itinerary up-to-date with ClickUp’s Calendar view.

Use it to plan , schedule, and even manage resources for your event and visualize it on a calendar .

ClickUp also lets you integrate your favorite calendar apps such as Google Calendar , Outlook, Apple Calendar , etc.

Alternatively, check out the Timeline view to map out your entire event and assign tasks from the same place.

B. Get things done together using Multiple Assignees

Whether it’s brainstorming event themes or cleaning up after the party, some things just need a team to step up. 

For such tasks, you have ClickUp’s Multiple Assignees. Use it to assign tasks to more than one person and even an entire Team.

Let the teamwork begin!

C. Suggest changes with Proofing

You can survive an avalanche. 

But you cannot survive misspelling your guest’s name on the invitation card. 

Make sure your event material is 100% error-free and perfect looking with ClickUp’s Proofing features. 

Use it to add clear markers on design mockups to ensure you’ve got the best invite in town. 🎉

D. Don’t miss out on important tasks with Reminders and Priorities

Imagine forgetting to pick up the event banner. 

Or replacing those yellow napkins that the client hated.

Just go ahead and cancel that weekend plan. Sigh. 

Alternatively, you set Reminders in ClickUp and avoid such mishaps in the first place.  

And you know what they say about efficient management…it’s all about getting your priorities right. 

Well, we got just the thing for you. 

Categorize your Tasks according to Urgent, High, Normal, or Low Priorities. This way, your team knows exactly how to plan their days.

E. Save time with team Templates

ClickUp has several prebuilt event planning templates for all kinds of teams, including event management , CRM , design , finance , and more.

Use one of them to instantly create an event management system or workflow for your upcoming event and save some valuable time. ⌚

You can always create your own planning process and Template it for future reuse.

Don’t forget to use Custom Task Statuses to make your workflow as personalized as possible.

ClickUp pros

• Turn comments into simple tasks by assigning them
• Track time for different tasks within ClickUp with Native Time Tracking
• Document your event processes using Docs
• Host webinars, conferences, virtual corporate events , basically any kind of online event with the Zoom integration
• Use Custom Fields to calculate easy and advanced formulas for budgets 
• Integrate with Zendesk or HubSpot to create an efficient ticketing system alongside your event management
• Use Recurring Tasks to customize what you want to repeat
• Visualize your event concepts and do some solid planning using Mind Maps
• Use Offline Mode to carry on event management even when the internet is down
• ClickUp mobile app is available for both iOS and Android users

ClickUp cons

• Can’t export Dashboards

But don’t worry! 

Our team operates almost 24×7 to ensure that we always address your suggestions and resolve your concerns.

Check out our development roadmap to see what’s in store!

ClickUp pricing

ClickUp has three pricing options:

• Free Forever Plan  (best for personal use)
• Unlimited Plan  (best for small teams ($7/member per month)
• Business Plan  (best for mid-sized teams ($12/member per month)
• Business Plus Plan  (best for multiple teams ($19/member per month)

ClickUp user rating

• Capterra : 4.7/5 (2000+ reviews)
• G2 : 4.7/5 (2300+ reviews)

Use ClickUp’s party planning template for your next event!

Another free event management software is Social Tables. Its specialty is event diagramming, which lets you sort out the seating arrangements for your venue.

No event attendee goes seatless!

Social Table is also great for driving leads right from your event website. The software even has a mobile check-in app to speed up event registration.

So it’s perfect?

Sure, if you don’t mind the lack of to-dos, deadlines, or integrations with communication tools like Zoom , Gmail, etc.

Oh, and they also don’t have an Android app.

We feel you, Android users .

Social Tables key features

• Lets you upload PDF floor plans
• Lets you perform custom 3D event diagramming
• Lets you manage guests and their details

Social Tables pros

• Supports real-time team collaboration and updates on attendee check-ins
• Lets you view analytics to discover peak event attendance
• Lets clients view real-time edits made to event diagrams

Social Tables cons

• The free version allows only one active event at a time and one floor plan per event
• No offline mode
• Not ideal for task management

Social Tables offer two pricing options:

• Essential (free) : 150 attendee seats, one user account, and real-time collaboration
• Professional ($199/month) : 250 attendee seats, email support, and two active events

Social Tables user rating

• Capterra : 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
• G2 : 4.4/5 (100+ reviews)

Up next is Wild Apricot. 

Is anybody craving an apricot now? 😋

Well, cravings apart, Wild Apricot is an online event registration software and a good competitor on this list of free event management tools.

It provides the right tools for attendee engagement before, during, and after the event.

However, for an event management software, Wild Apricot has no way for you to assign tasks to your crew members.

Luckily, unlike Social Tables, the software has a mobile event app for both iOS and Android devices. But there’s a catch.

The mobile event app doesn’t come free. 🤷

Wild Apricot key features

• Lets you customize registration forms
• Allows automated event promotion via email
• Lets you track and collect registration fees

Wild Apricot pros

• Automatic reports on event incomes
• Online membership database for members
• Event marketing tools like quick website builders with mobile-friendly templates 

Wild Apricot cons

• No online payment processing on the free version
• No task scheduling or assigning abilities
• No Windows or Mac app

Wild Apricot pricing

Wild Apricot has six pricing options:

• Free : includes 50 contacts, database importing, and guest registration
• Personal ($40/month) : includes 100 contacts, online ticket selling, and automated reminders
• Group ($50/month) : includes 50 contacts, event website hosting on AWS, member and admin app
• Community ($90/month) : includes 500 contacts, WordPress integration, and automatic email invoices
• Professional ($160/month) : includes 2000 contacts, member-only online store pricing, drag and drop for website building
• Network ($290/month) : includes 5000 contacts, automatic invoice generator, and waitlist registration

Wild Apricot user rating

• Capterra : 4.5/5 (500+ reviews)
• G2 : 4.1/5 (26 reviews)

Number four on the list is Ticket Tailor. 

It bills itself as your go-to event management app for ticketing.

This event ticket app is one of the best you’ll find in the event management software market when it comes to selling tickets for both free and paid events.

Whether you’re fundraising , hosting an academic conference, or a party, you can sell tickets for all these events on Ticket Tailor.

Unfortunately, it’s no match for the other planning software. 

You can’t plan an event or design a workflow with it. You can manage your event tickets and daily attendees, but that’s about it.

So if you’re looking for more, you may have to find an alternative.

Ticket Tailor key features

• Built-in box office that you can embed in your website
• Customizable automated email ticket delivery
• Ticket scanning app for event day management

Ticket Tailor pros

• Multiple payment options for ticket buyers
• Supports tons of integrations, including MailChimp, Zapier, and Google Analytics
• Lets you sell password protected tickets for special groups or VIPs

Ticket Tailor cons

• No mobile apps (they have a separate check-in app called Tazotix)
• You have to pay a fee for each ticket sold after the first five tickets
• Only allows selling online tickets on Facebook pages with 2000+ likes

Ticket Tailor pricing

Ticket Tailor has three pricing options:

• Free events : includes free tickets for any free event
• Pre pay ($0.26/ticket) : includes offline payments, event organizers contact section, and customizable checkout form
• Pay as you go ($0.65/ticket) : includes unlimited ticket types, analytics dashboard, and unlimited events 

Ticket Tailor user rating

• Capterra : 4.9/5 (300+ reviews)
• G2 : 4.9/5 (50+ reviews)

Planning Pod is an excellent event management software. Its key feature set helps with venue management and floor planning.

Whether it’s to engage attendees, manage check-ins, handle registration management, or online payment processing, Planning Pod aims to make it all simple.

However, what really bothers us is Planning Pod’s free version.

Which doesn’t exist.

We know. We know.

This is supposed to be a list of free tools.

But the tool’s pretty well-known, so we couldn’t leave it out! 

Unfortunately, there are more problems.

Its basic plan only supports two events at a time.

So if you’re a beginner event manager with just two events, Planning Pod may work for you. For larger organizers or event professionals, your search for the right event management solution might not end here.

Planning Pod key features

• Provides an event webpage builder
• Has venue management for weddings, restaurants, golf clubs, etc. 
• Offers productivity reports and dashboards

Planning Pod pros

• Offers social media promotion for marketing and allows virtual event planning
• Has email and chat support
• Offers built-in online registration and RSVP forms

Planning Pod cons

• Technically, you only get a 14-day free trial; there’s no free plan
• No integration support for the Essential or Planner packages
• Very expensive for just an event planner and online event registration software

Planning Pod pricing

Planning Pod has three pricing options:

• Essential ($19/month) : includes unlimited users, online registration, and attendee list
• Planner ($39/month) : includes invoice payment processing, itineraries, and calendars
• Business ($69/month) : includes budgets, surveys, and CRM

Planning Pod user rating

• Capterra : 4.3/5 (20+ reviews)
• G2 : 4.1/5 (10+ reviews)

Next, we’ve got nTask – a project management tool that goes beyond a typical event management software. 

With to-do lists and checklists, this tool ensures that any person looking to attend your events won’t be going unnoticed or unseated, for that matter!

Manage real-life activities, corporate or SMB events, and meetings with important officials across the organizational hierarchy. 

nTask is available to users across Android and iOS platforms.

nTask Key Features

• Create events as tasks or to-do lists, or make them part of an important project’s checklist
• Avert risks through a built-in risk management feature
• Manage guests and their details
• Create attendees, assignees, and check-ins through dedicated modules
• Setup meetings across the board through the meeting feature
• Lets you time activities through the time management system
• Cannot alphabetically sort tasks and notes
• Meetings cannot be edited after posting
• Can be a bit difficult to use

nTask pricing

• Premium ($3/user/month) : offers a select number of features
• Business ($8/user/month): unlimited features and can be billed annually
• Enterprise and MNC (Contact Sales): solutions with custom features, white labeling, and much more

nTask user rating

• Capterra: 4.2/5 (90+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/5 (15+ reviews)

InEvent is made of event professionals and A/V specialists inspired to push the boundaries of webinars and event technology.

As a global event planning software, InEvent’s software is able to aggregate fundamental data to measure ROI, control suppliers and manage budgets.

InEvent also has mobile apps for iOS and Android, not to mention the possibility of having your virtual meeting with your team in a workplace setting.

Because InEvent supports large corporations, they only offer a free trial of 30 days.

InEvent Key Features

• You can have a control room, simultaneous RTMP sessions, sponsor trade shows and video conferencing breakout rooms.
• Manage your information with CRM, integration and data management.
• Get accurate and detailed reports organization-wide.

InEvent pros

• Private 1-1 chat messaging.
• Virtual Lobby reporting analytics.
• Live Studio available.

InEvent cons

• Only 10 free credits in trial. 

InEvent pricing

• Basic ($2990/year) : includes InEvent live event engagement and video interactivity.
• Express (US$ 3990/year): includes registration and live engagement all in one package.
• Advanced (contact sales): includes custom branding, RTMP streaming and simulated live streaming.
• Full (contact sales): includes integrations, API support, Full HD video, project manager support.

InEvent user rating

• Capterra: 4.5/5 (20+ reviews)
• G2: 4.5/5 (100+ reviews)

As event organizers, your plate is already full. 

Every moment can feel like an inch away from chaos.

That’s why you need an event planning tool or a free project management software that can put major event-related processes on autopilot.

Which is where ClickUp comes in.

It’s incredibly powerful and adapts to all kinds of industries. Moreover, it’s highly customizable to help you in the places you’re falling behind.

Is it tracking workload distribution amongst your crew members? Setting up a workflow ? Assigning tasks to the event team?

ClickUp can help you do it all on a single platform.

So get ClickUp for free today , and host one successful event after another. Forever. 🤝

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9 places to nosh on bagels in southern Maine

From old-school spots to foodie favorites, there's a 'hole' lot to try.

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Bread and bagels at The Works Cafe in downtown Portland. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

From New York-style boiled bagels to Montreal-inspired wood-fired ones, there’s lots of great bagels in southern Maine and several shops have the accolades to back that up.

In 2023, Bon Appetit named bagels from Rose Foods and Rover Bagel among the best in the country.

Two years before that,  Food & Wine Magazine put Rover, Forage and Scratch Baking Co. on its list of best bagels in the U.S.

Whether you like yours toasted with cream cheese or as the bread for your breakfast sandwich, you can find plenty of styles and flavors from Biddeford to Brunswick.

BEACH BAGELS

The offerings at Beach Bagels include a French toast and marble bagel, and the cream cheese menu comprises spreads like strawberry, olive and honey walnut. Along with breakfast sandwiches, Beach Bagels has hearty breakfast options like omelets and pancakes. Best of all, you’re steps away from a beach stroll. Just don’t let the seagulls steal your bagel. Advertisement

WHEN: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily WHERE: 34 Old Orchard St., Old Orchard Beach. beachbagels.yolasite.com ______________

Dutchman’s opened in 2022 as a pop-up housed at Nomad pizza in Brunswick’s Fort Andross building. It’s since become a permanent fixture there and uses the pizzeria’s wood-fired ovens to bake its bagels. The hand-shaped, honey-boiled bagels come in plain, roasted garlic, poppy and a bagel-of-the-day flavor.

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday to Sunday WHERE: Fort Andross, 14 Maine St., Brunswick. dutchmans.me ______________

FORAGE MARKET

Making bagels at Forage Market involves a two-day aging process. The bagels are naturally leavened with wild yeast starter and baked next to a hardwood fire. There are usually five flavors available, including sesame and garlic. Breakfast sandwiches (including vegan options) are available. Forage also has a location in Lewiston. Advertisement

WHEN: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday WHERE: 123 Washington Ave., Portland. foragemarket.com _____________

MISTER BAGEL

There are 10 or so Mister Bagel locations in Maine, including South Portland and Falmouth. It all began with the Portland location, which was the first bagel shop to open in Maine. The late Rick Hartglass started Mister Bagel in 1977, and it is still a family business. Music fans will appreciate the breakfast sandwich menu, which includes The David Bowie (bacon, egg and American cheese), the Jimmy Buffett (egg with roast beef and cheddar) and The Lady Gaga (avocado, salt and pepper, with or without egg).

WHEN: 6:30 a.m. to noon Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to noon Saturday and Sunday WHERE: 599 Forest Ave., Portland. misterbagelforestave.com ______________

At Rose Foods, the menu varies depending on the day, but there are usually six to eight flavors available. For example, should you pop in on a Friday, you’ll find a poppy and onion bialy (a cousin of the bagel that is not boiled). Rose Foods also makes a number of bagel sandwiches, including the Classic Nova with Nova lox and the Classic Whitefish. Advertisement

WHEN: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily WHERE: 428 Forest Ave., Portland. rosefoods.me

______________

ROVER BAGEL

At Rover Bagel, you’ll find wood-fired plain, poppy, sea salt, sesame and everything bagels available most of the time, and the spread game here is strong with cream cheese options like lemon-thyme-honey cream and chili-garlic.

WHEN: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon Sunday WHERE: 10 West Point Lane Suite 10-204, Biddeford (Pepperell Mill). roverbagel.com

______________ Advertisement

SCRATCH BAKING CO.

You haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the line of devoted fans waiting for Scratch Baking Co. to open, especially on weekend mornings. Along with the popular Maine sea salt, plain and other everyday flavors, Scratch has a daily special bagel. There’s honeyed rosemary on Wednesday and jalapeno cheddar on Thursday. Scratch is also famous, at least to locals, for its P-Cheese spread. It’s a pimento cheese recipe made with cheddar, mayo, roasted red peppers and seasoning and was passed down to co-owner and head baker Allison Reid by her grandmother, Mern.

WHEN: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to noon Sunday WHERE: 416 Preble St., South Portland. scratchbakingco.com ___________

THE MAINE BAGEL

The Maine Bagel is a drive-thru with several breakfast and other kinds of sandwiches available. With a bagel list that features egg and bialy among the standards, the family-owned spot is the perfect place to stop on your way to Pine Point Beach. The Maine Bagel really shines with a dozen kinds of cream cheese spreads, including raisin-walnut, lox, strawberry, cranberry-nut and bacon-chive.

WHEN: 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. WHERE: 117 Route 1, Scarborough. themainebagel.com Advertisement

THE WORKS CAFE

The Works Cafe is an institution on the edge of the Portland’s Old Port. It opened in 1990 as Bagel Works before it changed its name in 2002. The original shop in this regional chain opened in Manchester, Vermont, in 1988, and there are 11 locations around New England, though just the one in Maine. Gone are the ’90s-era banana-walnut bagels and cold pizza cream cheese, but The Works Cafe is still a reliable place to grab a salt, multigrain or cinnamon raisin bagel, among others. The menu also has bowls, sandwiches and smoothies.

WHEN: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily WHERE: 15 Temple St., Portland. workscafe.com

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