Party Planners Want Your Party Rentals. Can They Find Them?
When most of us think of the customer base of your typical rental business, we probably imagine either parents booking birthday parties, or business executives organizing things like corporate expos or trade shows. Only some rental companies will think about party planners and their needs for party supply rentals … and that’s a significant oversight, to say the least.
Some party rental companies are full service. They handle not just the logistics of party supply rentals, but also the party planning itself. And they’re surely uninterested in dishing up party equipment rentals to their competitors. But that’s a small swath of the party and event rental industry overall.
Most rental companies supply equipment, and that’s that. They likely reach out to those sorts of typical rental customers we mentioned earlier, without thinking of party and event planners as a potential customer base. And in most local markets, that’s a pretty big chunk of rental opportunities getting missed.
Party and event planners aren’t usually deeply involved on the rental side of things. In their world, to plan events means to conduct third party services like an orchestra, negotiating with and directing caterers, DJs and bands, florists, and more. They’re looking for party supply rentals, shopping around for the right equipment at the best prices.
Their party planning business doesn’t have a warehouse full of party tents or inflatables like your company does. But they do plan all types of events and work with a wide range of customers. They're going to book parties and events your rental business might not be able to work otherwise. Establishing a working relationship with those party planners can be hugely profitable for your rental business and their planning business alike.
What Do Planners Do for a Living, Anyway?
The first time you heard someone refer to themselves as a “party planner,” chances are you didn’t take them very seriously. It almost sounds like a fantasy job title; some fabrication of a rich kid proving to their parents they’re doing “real work” to avoid getting financially cut off.
The reality, however, is that party planning is intense, challenging, arduous, stressful work. To be successful in the field requires salesmanship, logistical expertise, diplomacy, a strong handle on the use of space and interior design, and charisma.
A party planner needs to rapidly assess and establish an intimate comprehension of their customers and their wishes. They need to build strong, lasting working relationships with vendors and service providers. For rental professionals, it’s all about booking the special event, but for party planners, their job is to understand what makes that event special and to shape an entire experience from the ground up.
Party planners don’t often own equipment. Instead, they employ the services of vendors and suppliers. Catering, music, games, tables and chairs, tents, decorations … it all gets handled by third parties. When you hire a party planner, you’re not just getting their talents. You’re also hiring their third party vendors and service providers.
Winning favorability with a party planner means their bookings are also your bookings. And when their planning services aren’t fully needed, yours will be the company they suggest for equipment and party supply rentals.
The Driving Factors for Party and Event Planners
According to data gathered by the American Rental Association (ARA) for the November 2019 issue of Rental Management Magazine, most party planners would prefer to rent equipment rather than buying it themselves. They often require specific equipment for limited periods of time, and lack storage space for keeping it long term.
Instead, party planners prefer outsourcing their party supply rentals, looking for companies like yours. And a great many factors go into their searches, too.
Like any customer, party planners want to find the best equipment for the job at hand at the lowest cost possible. They want a good selection of products to choose from with convenient and cost-effective delivery options.
It goes without saying that availability is key, too. Fulfilling a party planner’s need for immediate availability shows them yours is a company that can deliver at the last minute, a quality they’ll put to the test more frequently than they surely want to.
How are party and event planners finding their party rentals? According to the ARA’s study, 59 percent of party planners find companies through web searches. More than half (54 percent) will visit rental stores in person, or visit that store’s website (48 percent). And 37 percent of planners found rental company information through social media, topping out television’s 25 percent and snail-mail marketing efforts (22 percent).
What Types of Equipment do Party and Event Planners Rent?
So what gear does your party equipment rental service need to provide in order to attract party and event planners? What’s popular for event and party rentals amongst the sorts of customers party planners book? Working in this industry, you can probably guess the answers here.
According to the ARA’s study, party table and chair rentals are the most popular amongst party planners, while party tent rentals see their fair amount of action as well. Hovering in the neighborhood of tents (no pun intended) are balloons and helium tanks, food service equipment, and commercial inflatables such as bounce houses.
Also making the list are games (air frame games and carnival games, amongst others), lighting, portable bars, and dance floors. Other items include A/V equipment, linens, gazebos, fountains, concession equipment, air conditioners, carpeting, fences, and props.
Party planners are more likely to do regular business with your rental company if you provide a broader selection of rental equipment to choose from. If you’ll forgive the shameless plug, it’s one of the many reasons Tent and Table is so popular; we’re a one-stop shop for party and event equipment. It’s convenient to buy from us because we offer a bit of everything. Your party planner customers want that same sort of convenience. It's a good idea to stock up on tents, inflatables, tables, chairs, and various event products.
Five Tips for Establishing Alliances with Party Planners
So how do you go about establishing a strong, working business relationship with a party planner? How do you convince them your equipment and party supply rentals are better than the competition? Here are a few useful tips for finding party planners and building successful alliances with them.
-
- Reach out to party planners directly. Look up party planners in your area. Find party planner websites and search for them on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Contact them directly and explain your services to put yourself on their radar.
- Offer special discounts for party planners. Offering planners these deals means they can offer discounts to their customers in turn, and everyone wins.
- Implement a loyalty or rewards program for frequent customers, with special offers and incentives for party and event planners.
- Get involved with your local chamber of commerce and try to do as much business-to-business (B2B) networking as possible.
- Network frequently at trade shows and festivals. One of the big perks of attending IAAPA and The ARA Show is that you can meet other industry professionals and talk shop in person, and party planners are always worth chatting with. Look for networking opportunities and events in your local area, too!
Having strong working relationships with party planners can vastly improve your party rentals throughput. Their constant need for equipment and party supply rentals, plus the scope of other local businesses they work with and you can network with, make their partnerships invaluable. We hope our tips help you find a party planner in your area worth working with.