How to earn money as an event organiser in Thessaloniki

Where customers actually come from in Thessaloniki

Event organisers in Thessaloniki find customers from several directions at once. Schools and kindergartens need help with graduation parties, open days and seasonal celebrations. Hotels, restaurants and event venues hire organisers for conferences, weddings and private functions. Small businesses organise team events and product launches. Individuals plan birthdays, anniversaries and family gatherings. Some of these people search online - Google, Websta and local directories - when they need an organiser. Others hear about you through friends, family or local business networks. Word of mouth is powerful in a city like Thessaloniki, but you cannot rely on it alone when you are starting.

Being findable online matters from the start. A Websta profile in Thessaloniki shows up when people nearby search for event organisers on the platform's marketplace. You can also be found on Google and other search engines if you have a web presence. Many people still call or ask locally, but a growing number start with a search.

Setting your first prices

Pricing event organising work is not straightforward because every job is different. A small birthday party is not the same as a corporate conference. You need to think about what you actually do - planning, booking venues and caterers, managing logistics on the day, coordinating people - and what your time is worth.

Start by working out what you need to earn per hour or per job. Talk to other event organisers in Thessaloniki, if you can. Ask people who work in related fields like catering, photography or venue management what rates they charge. Look at what similar services cost in your city. Remember that you are setting the prices yourself - Websta does not set them for you.

Your first prices do not have to be your final prices. Many organisers start lower to build a portfolio and get reviews, then raise prices as they get busier and more experienced. Be honest in conversations about money. Customers in Thessaloniki will ask what you charge, and a clear answer shows you are professional and serious.

Talking about money and payments

When a customer books you through Websta, they pay by card at the time of booking. The money is paid out to your own bank account through Stripe, Websta's payment partner. This means you control when and how often the money arrives in your account - no middleman taking a cut of your earnings.

You need to handle the payment side correctly as an independent person in Greece. Register as a self-employed person (freelancer) with the tax authorities if you are not already registered. Keep records of every job - dates, customer names, what you did, and what you were paid. Talk to an accountant or check with the Greek tax office (Γενική Διεύθυνση Φορολογικής Διοίκησης) about what you owe in taxes and social contributions. Do not guess or skip this - it matters for your future and for your legal standing.

What your first ten customers usually look like

Your first customers are rarely the big corporate events or the fanciest weddings. They are usually smaller, simpler jobs - a local school's end-of-year party, a small family gathering, a restaurant's private dinner. These jobs matter because they pay you, build your experience, and often lead to recommendations.

Your first customers also tend to be price-sensitive. They may choose you because your rates are lower than an established organiser's, or because they found you easily on Websta. Some will be cautious about booking an organiser they have not used before. This is normal. Do the job well, stay in touch, and ask them to recommend you to others or leave a review on Websta.

Do not expect all your first customers to become regulars. Some jobs are one-off events. That is why you need to keep finding new customers - through search, word of mouth and your profile.

What tends to go wrong in the first months

New event organisers often underestimate how much time a job takes. Planning looks easy until you are juggling five phone calls, three emails and a venue that changes the date. Build in buffer time for every task, and be realistic about how many jobs you can handle alongside another job.

Communication fails more often than anything else. Customers want to know what is happening. Vendors you book - caterers, musicians, photographers - need clear briefs and reminders. Keep everyone in the loop and respond quickly to messages.

Pricing too low is common. You feel pressure to compete or land your first jobs, so you charge too little. This leaves no room for mistakes, unexpected costs or the time you actually spent. Raise your prices as soon as you have a bit of experience and confidence.

Cash flow can be tight. You may need to pay deposits to venues or caterers before the customer pays you. Use Websta's online booking and payments to reduce this risk - you get paid upfront.

How a Websta profile fits into your work

A Websta profile is a page that looks like a website. You describe the services you offer - event planning, day-of coordination, full-service organising, whatever you do. You set your prices. You upload photos of your work. People nearby can see all this, book you through an online form, and pay by card.

This saves you time. You do not have to explain yourself in every phone call or email. Potential customers can see what you offer and what it costs before they contact you. You do not have to manage payments outside the platform - Websta handles that through Stripe and pays you to your bank account.

A Websta profile is also a page you can send to anyone - a school you want to work with, a venue, someone who asks for a recommendation. It looks professional and gives people confidence that you are real and serious about the work. Search engines can find it, and people browsing Websta's marketplace in Thessaloniki can discover you too.

The profile is not a replacement for everything else you do - you still need to reach out, build relationships, and deliver good work. But it is a solid foundation that makes it easier for people to find you and book you.

Getting started

Start small. Take on jobs you can do well, even if they are not glamorous. Build your portfolio with photos and descriptions of the work you have done. Ask happy customers for reviews or referrals.

Be patient. Earning real money takes time and consistent effort. Some organisers are booked solid after a year or two of building up. Others take longer. It depends on how much time you put in, how good you are, and how well you find customers.

Set up your Websta profile early. Use it as your central hub - the place people land when they search for you, the page you send to leads, and the way you handle bookings and payments. Keep it updated with new photos, accurate services and current prices.