Buyers Guide to Furniture for Your Event Planning Business
As an event planner, you know how important chairs and tables are to your client’s events. They’re not just functional; they play a role in the overall theme, decor and overall feel of the event. So you’ve probably found a few vendors that you work with that can accommodate your client’s furniture needs, but wouldn’t it be easier (and more lucrative!) if you could provide the furniture directly to your clients?
Whether you’re adding pieces to your stock or purchasing your first fleet of furniture pieces, let’s take a look at why offering furniture in your event planning business makes perfect sense:
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It sets you apart from other event planners.
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It can become a new source of revenue.
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You can ensure the right furniture is delivered to your client’s event location at the right time and avoid any mixups.
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You can pass on savings to your clients.
It’s a big decision to buy furniture for your own home, but purchasing for your business and clients places additional pressure on your design skills. And while some business expansion tactics allow you to ease into it and start small, you’ll need to be completely equipped for your client’s events. If you’re not, you risk having to piece together furniture from different vendors and increase delivery costs. So here’s what you need to know when purchasing furniture for your event planning business:
Storage
You’ll need a suitable space to store your furniture when it’s not in use. Here are a few places to consider:
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Storage unit
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A (clean) barn if you or a family member have one on their property
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Large garage
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Storefront. This might be wise if you have other items available for your client’s events like invitation services, day-of signage, or linens. This is also a great option if you want a professional brick-and-mortar space to meet face-to-face!
TIPS: Ideally the space should be one you can access at any time for off-peak events, or to bring clients in to show them your stock. It’s also important that the location is central to where most of your client’s events are held. Delivering the furniture can be costly if it needs to be transported a long distance for each event.
Delivery
Once the furniture is yours, clients will expect you to be able to deliver it to the event location. Whether you find a delivery truck company to work with for each event or invest in a vehicle that can transport the furniture, it’s a consideration event planners need to take when purchasing furniture.
It’s also wise to invest in carts to move chairs and tables more quickly. They’re inexpensive and will save you a lot of time.
Inventory
Deciding which items to purchase will depend on a few different factors:
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What types of events do you typically plan?
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How large are the events?
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Is there a particular style of event you’d like to be able to specialize in?
The furniture items you carry will ultimately depend on your event planning business. Take a look at the past 5-10 events you’ve planned and find common pieces of furniture among them.
Use this checklist to determine which items you’ll carry in your stock:
Chairs
- Chiavari – Wood or Resin
- Folding
- Wood
- Padded
- Metal
- Plastic
- Church style
- Banquet
- X-Back
Tables
- Stainless steel or iron
- Acrylic
- Folding
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- Plastic
- Plywood
- Laminate
- Cafe style
Pricing
Being able to offer furniture to your customers may be able to give you a competitive advantage over other planners, especially if it helps them save money. Do your research to determine what price you want to pass on to your customers that will earn you income and help your clients see added value in your services. A good equation to use is:
Break-even price = direct costs / unit + fixed costs / volume
Don’t forget to include your costs for storage, maintenance, and delivery in your direct costs!
Photography for Your Website
No matter what type of event you’re planning for your clients, they typically want to see the decor items before agreeing to rent them. Once you’ve invested in your furniture, ensure you have quality photos to share with your clients. Consider hiring a professional photographer to do a custom shoot or purchase stock photos with the same items.
Get the Word Out!
Expanding your business can be a great way to promote your business. Share teasers on your social media pages and website about some exciting new offerings coming soon. Once you’re ready to start renting out the furniture to your clients, share the announcement with your networks. Consider offering a promotion as part of your launch to attract new clients.
Looking for some help purchasing furniture for your event planning business? Hardware Wedding Furniture offers competitive pricing for furniture for your event planning business.
Related article: Elegant Banquet Chairs
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