Party planners are wanted across the country, whichever country you’re in! And for many people being a party planner is a great and fun way to earn a substantial living. And who wouldn’t want to be paid to party!

Party plan companies come in all shapes and sizes – and the fees party planners pay to get started vary from completely free, to having an initial small investment. The small investment covers the start up costs and kit and products – otherwise the companies would go bankrupt and without people paying out some of their own money they might just receive all the free goods and put them into the spare room, never to see the light of day again!

Party planning is a legitimate work from home job, but you do need to be organised and to really want to make it work. The work is easy to do, but you will have to be motivated to get started. Once you’re an established party planner, with your adverts and contacts in place, you’ll find people are coming to you to ask you to do a party for them, which makes it all a lot easier!

Party plan works on the basis that you have a kit of products and you organise parties in people’s houses. The people holding the party plan parties are called Party Hosts – and there’s a financial incentive for them to hold a party – sometimes it’s cash, but usually it’s a free gift and a discount on their personal order.

Many party plan ranges are also suitable for selling at more informal coffee mornings, or even by setting up a stall at local craft fairs – if you’re keen to do party plan, but not actually organise parties, maybe you can think which products would lend themselves well to alternatives styles of marketing.

There’s a slight distinction, in my mind, between work AT home – and work FROM home. With work at home jobs you’re working at home, whereas work from home indicates more that you can do a lot of the planning work at home, but you will need to go out for some of the activities. Party planning is definitely working from home as you do need to go out to the party bookings; however, you get to choose when these are – and if you don’t have transport you can even make it a requirement that the party host collects you and brings you back home!

Party Plan Companies

We’ve all grown up with household names that are party plan – one of the original party plan companies was Tupperware, but these days there are party plan companies in everything from makeup and perfume to cookware, from silver and gold to High Street names such as the Body Shop. There are even now Sell Your Gold party plan companies, where the people coming to the party are selling their old gold, rather than coming to buy goods!

Top Tips For Successful Party Planners

  • You must love the products you’re selling. If you’re not enthusiastic then nobody will want to buy from you.
  • Make sure you understand any agreements you’re signing.
  • Make sure you’ve got Public Liability Insurance, in case anybody has a little accident at a party.
  • Understand your commitment if you want to quit – how do you give up your party plan business?
  • Choose your income level – if you want to make money from selling products that’s great, but some party plan companies offer the chance for you to build a team and be a manager. Which do you want to do?
  • Remember that party plan, while great fun, is a “job” – once you start you owe it to your party hosts and their guests to turn up on time and handle their orders efficiently. Nobody likes or wants a sloppy party planner!

Getting More Customers For Your Party Plan Business

As a party planner you’ll have to drum up some business, especially in the first few months. Once you’re holding parties you’ll be able to approach the people attending to see if they want to hold a party – in fact you should try to come away with at least two bookings from every party.

If you want to find out ways to get more customers for your party plan business, then have a read of this article: How to Find New Customers, although aimed at Avon Representatives, the article’s valid for any party plan business success.

Public Liability Insurance for Party Plan Consultants

If you’re wanting to work as a party planner, you’ll need to consider taking out public liability insurance. This is an annual, low, cost – but it protects you in case of little accidents when you’re holding a party. What if you held a part of babywear and a boisterous toddler knocked into your display, which then fell onto a new-born! It wouldn’t bear thinking about. Public liability insurance cover is cheap – and can cover you for £/$millions in case of a mishap.

Some of the larger party plan companies will insist you take out public liability insurance before you can start representing their company, offering it as part of the Starter Kit.

Below is a list of UK party plan companies and US party plan companies, to give you an idea of what’s out there – what do you fancy doing?

List of UK Party Plan Companies

Party PlanProductsCosts
Virgin ViePerfume and cosmetics£25-£65 + public liability insurance
Bodyshop Toiletries£40 for the kit.
Jamie Oliver at HomeCookware, kitchenware and more.£115, including public liability insurance
Ann SummersAdult and lingerie---
ArbonneSkincare and cosmetics---
BaghappyHandbags£100/year
Enjo CleaningCleaning productsMinimal/free
OriflamePerfumeMinimal/free
ParticraftCraft parties£175
Usborne BooksBooks and childrens toys£100
FM CosmeticsMakeup and perfume---
Mary KayCosmetics£90-120
ScentsyWickless Candles£85
WikanikoEco friendly cleaning products£48
Phoenix TradingGreetings Cards.£30 in the first year, which includes Starter Kit. Then £25/year afterwards.
Party Cash 4 GoldSell your old gold ---
Barefoot BooksBooksFree
Pampered ChefCookware£110

List of US Party Plan Companies

Party PlanProductsCosts
Pampered ChefCookware, House and Kitchenwares$80 for the mini starter kit; $155 for the standard starter kit.
PartyliteCandles, Perfumes and Home Accessories Free as you can earn your starter kit by holding a Starter Show.
Stampin' UpScrapbooking and rubber stamps. Crafts.$175 for the Starter Kit
Barefoot BooksEducational books, toys and gamesFree. No obligations, no quotas.
Gold CanyonCandles, home accessories, personal care$99 Sampler Kit or $150 full kit.
Orenda InternationalNutritional supplements and wellnessThere is a charge for a starter kit.

I hope that’s given you something to think about. Party plan is legitimate work – and if you put real effort in at the start you’ll be off to a flying start and having a great social life for free!