Keep reading to learn about the must-have equipment and supplies you will need for a successful event planning business in 2024.
Top 10 Must-have Equipment for Event Planners in 2024
1.UUNA TEK iAuto - Automatic Writing Machine Pen
Boost your productivity and reduce the time it takes to hand write invitations for weddings, parties, conferences, or any event. Simply set it up, and let it do all the work for you!
While it is one of the more expensive pieces of equipment, the amount of time it saves event planners over time makes it a great investment that pays for itself.
Cost: $3,999 - $4,199
2.Laptop with Wifi Router
When you’re job requires you being mobile most of the time, you’ll need a computer that you can easily take with you. There’s a few things to consider when choosing a laptop, such as:
Battery life - You can choose a model that has a long battery life, or purchase multiple battery packs if needed.
Laptop Bag - You’ll need an easy way to carry so it’s convenient.
Lightweight - If you’re carrying a heavy laptop all day you’ll get fatigued quicker.
Because the laptop is the main point of event planning software, you’ll never want to leave the house (or office) without it. But, you’ll also want to ensure that the laptop can handle all the software you’ll need to use.
Cost: Estimated $1,000+ for a high end laptop
3.Cell Phone
Your phone will be a main point of contact for most of your clients, and it will likely be the most used way to get details from vendors, make changes to orders, and deal with unexpected situations.
When choosing, one of the more important factors to consider will be the battery life, you don’t want your phone to die when on a job.
Cost: Estimate $599+ for a phone, and $100-$150/month for cell services
4.Business Cards
There are many options for business cards from the traditional 2x3 inch card stock, to digital cards. Regardless of which way you decide, having a way to advertise and spread the word about your services is important. You never know when you’ll meet someone interested.
You can design and order business cards easily online form Vistaprint and other places.
Cost: Estimate $100+
5.Car
You will need transportation to get from your home or office to the event location, meet with clients, and so on. If you live in a large city with public transportation that is reliable, having a vehicle of your own is a must have.
Unless you already have a vehicle, you may want to look into a mid-size sedan, SUV or something with a little space for signs, decorations, etc.
Cost: $20,000+ for a new mid-size sedan, or $5,000+ used.
6.Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer
Having a printer will save you from living at the local office store. You’ll need to print out invoices, documents, contracts, among other stuff. Pick a printer that can print high quality color copies to maximize your abilities when making ads and flyers.
Cost: $100+
7.Canon EOS Rebel SL3 Digital SLR Camera
Starting out you can use the camera on your phone, but eventually as your business expands you’ll want to be more professional and have a high quality camera. You’ll be able to take pictures that stand out better with a DSLR camera.
You will use a camera for taking pictures of the event for your portfolio, website, in case photographers are late or no show, etc.
Cost: Estimated $500+ for a good quality DSLR
8.Event Planning Software
There are many different types of event planning software available, depending on the type of events your planning. The following are some useful software to consider.
Zoom: Setup meetings with clients easily without either having to travel.
Cvent: Event management software that provides a full line of useful features including meeting, budgeting, planning, venue sourcing, vendor sourcing, and more.
Cost: Varies depending on the software and platforms you choose,
9.File Folders (Color Coded and Numbered)
No office is complete without a way to stay organized, and color or numbered file folders are a great option. This allows you to easily find documents if a client requests a copy or if you need to go back and review something.
Cost: $25+
10.Supplies
You will need various supplies in stock such as pens in different colors to make notes, sign documents, etc. Highlighters can be useful to have, along with black markers to make signs, outline areas, labeling, and so on.For taking notes you can use a notebook, or for a smaller option sticky notes work well. A sticky note allows you to make a note and easily stick it to an area to mark what goes there, dimensions, etc.
Cost: $50+
Conclusion
While event planning is one of the cheaper business ventures to start, it does require having certain equipment to be a success. Once you’ve started, it can be a fun an rewarding career too. This article has listed the top 10 must have equipment to starting out. It’s often best to start with the low-end devices and work your way to the higher end devices as your business grows.Final note, if you know someone in the business or have friends or family that can loan you some of the equipment to start, such as printers, supplies, etc. it can really cut down on the startup costs too.
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