The Event Leadership Institute (ELI) released its 2016 Planner Pricing Report: How & How Much, Independent Planners Charge. ELI surveyed 516 independent corporate and social event planners and the findings show that the most popular pricing model is a flat fee versus hourly. When using an hourly compensation model, the most common rate charged is in the $50-$99 per hour range; 35 percent of planners accept commissions from vendors at some point.
ELI breaks down the data even further based on years of experience, type of event (such as corporate, nonprofit or social) and whether the planner works from home or an external office, among other variables.
ELI conducted a similar survey in 2013. Some notable differences between the first and second survey are that fewer planners responded that they work from home in 2016, with 49 percent in 2016 and 64 percent in 2013. Planner companies are larger, with businesses of more than 20 employees registering 24 percent in 2016 as compared to 6 percent in 2013.
ELI was established in 2011 to providing training, education and career development to event and meeting industry professionals through an on-demand subscription video service, featuring instructional videos on topics such as creativity and design, strategic planning, event logistics, technical production, venues and destinations. ELI also offers professional development courses online and in person that follow an instructor-led syllabus and range from five to 12 weeks in duration.