Children’s Party Planning

Business Overview

Today’s moms and dads want to give their kids memorable parties justlike they had, but with a two-income household, it’s difficult to findthe time to plan and organize all this stuff.

And even moms or dads whodon’t work often feel that a really creative party is beyond theircapabilities. But if you’re creative, then you can be the life of thegala with a children’s party planning business. You’ll plan the theme,provide costumes (unless guests arrive wearing their own), décor, food,favors and other assorted goodies, entertainment, and clean upafterward so parents can enjoy the festivities instead of runningthemselves ragged. And you can do more than birthday parties–go allout with Halloween, Christmas, Chanukah, end-of-school andend-of-summer parties–whatever you can dream up and sell.

Theadvantages to this business are that your startup costs are low, it’screative and it’s always fun–heck, you get to go to birthday partiesevery working day! Besides that all-important creativity, you’ll needthe organizational skills to pull everything together and do itsmoothly so that everyone has fun. You should also know what kids liketoday so that you can plan parties around the cartoon character or hitmovie of the hour. And you’ll need to be a people person who can makesure that no shy child gets left out of the fun and no sensitive parentgets miffed at being left out the picture.

The Market

Your customers will be parents and kids who just wanna have fun. Sendbrochures to moms and dads in your area. Write fun, informativearticles for local newspapers. Place ads in the Yellow Pages and inlocal publications. Network among the kiddie set and post fliers (withthe owners’ permission) at dance and karate studios and otherchildren’s hang-outs. Donate a party to the lucky winner of a charityauction–always good publicity–and give free parties to friends who’llspread the word. Be sure to take pictures for your portfolio.