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Party planner, anyone?
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February 22, 2000: 2:39 p.m. ET
It may be fun but it's just as much work; get everything in writing and plan ahead
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Dear Jane: My sister and I like to throw parties and have been asked to plan a small bachelorette party. We are both full-time working mothers and our time is limited. Still, we want to make money and have fun. Should we go for it?
Party planning sounds like fun, but it can be time-consuming and exhausting. You should start small and see if you can handle the work and make money. Meet with the clients and make sure you put in writing what you will provide and exactly how much you will be paid for your services. I would recommend collecting a deposit of 50% to help you pay for the supplies, food and other expenses.
If you are responsible for creating and sending out the invitations, be sure to charge extra for that service. I would assume you'll also be responsible for cleaning up the mess, so you may want to budget for extra cleaning help.
This type of service business will flourish with strong word-of-mouth recommendations. Be sure to ask your happy clients to write you letters praising your services. You can use these testimonial letters in your marketing kit.
Don't spend a lot of money on advertising. Start by putting up fliers at local churches, community centers, daycare centers and playgrounds. Be clear about the kinds of parties you will take on. You may not want to do children's parties because they are generally more stressful to plan and execute than adult celebrations.
A newly revised edition of "Small Time Operator" by Bernard Kamoroff, CPA, is available; his book is great for anyone starting a small company. To order call: (707) 459-6372.
(Jane Applegate, a syndicated columnist and the author of 201 Great Ideas
for Your Small Business, answers your questions here regularly. Readers with questions can e-mail her at: . She will answer questions of general interest in future columns.) 
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ApplegateWay
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