If you're getting ready for your next consultation on planning an event, you might be looking for an effective way to gather all the information you need. You know just how much goes into organizing the perfect event, from choosing the ideal location to the music, food and all minor but crucial details that tie everything together. You wouldn't want your efforts to fall short of your client's expectations right?
Well, implementing an event planning intake form to your onboarding process can make sure that never happens. By asking your clients key questions before the event, you can be certain whether or not you can fully comply with their requests and set the right expectations. So what are these crucial questions that you must ask? Here's a list of elements you must not miss so you can ace your next event.
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What Should Be Included in Your Event Planning Questionnaire?
Depending on the type of event you will be planning, the questions you include in your form may vary. For example, if you are a wedding planner, you may not need to include any inquiries regarding marketing the event or what the target audience is, so stick to your personal challenges and use what works for you.
Remember, if you have already met with the client before sending out your intake form, feel free to change it up or add questions that you find relevant to your client that we might not have included here. Here's what you should cover on your intake form.
Contact Information
A basic but essential element of your intake form is the client's name (or business name) and contact details. This includes phone numbers, email address and billing address. To get a better idea of who you'll be working with, especially if you do corporate events, you can inquire about the company size, values, industry, and what kind of services they offer.
Working Relationship
You must include a set of questions on your client intake form that give you an insight on your client's expectations, their unique perspectives and previous experiences with event planners. It should also cover their preferred method of communication and how much work might be required on your end. These questions (or some variation of them) will help you uncover these aspects of the working relationship.
- How did you hear about us?
- Have you ever worked with an event planner? If yes, what aspects did you like and dislike about it?
- What do you envision the experience of working with an event planner to be like?
- What types of event planning services are you seeking?
- Why did you decide to work with me specifically?
- What aspect of collaborating with an event planner is most crucial to you? What do you need from me the most?
- Do you anticipate collaborating with me or delegating most tasks to me?
- What method of contact do you prefer?
- Do you have any preferred times to contact you?
Event Details
Next, you want to dig deep into the nature of the event and get an overview of the areas where the client will need help. Find out what type of event they are hosting, who they are hosting it for, their budget and what are the reasons behind the event. Here are some examples of questions you can use to dig deeper.
- What kind of event are you planning? (weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, conferences, etc...)
- When and where is the event taking place?
- How long do you plan the event to run for?
- What is the main objective for this event?
- How are you going to measure the success of the event?
- What, in your opinion, distinguishes your event from others?
- Do you have any worries or potential challenges with this event?
- Do you have any plans to purchase event insurance?
- How many people are expected to attend the event?
- Describe the group of people you are inviting.
- What is your overall or per-person total budget?
- Do any of your guests require special accommodations due to a personal problem (e.g., a loss in the family, people needing disability access)?
- What additional dietary choices or food options (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc.) will you need to offer guests?
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Client Preferences
Some clients will have everything completely organized and decided, and are just looking for assistance with implementation, while others may be completely lost. Include a set of questions to determine how clear they are on their preferences and if there's any wiggle room for your own ideas.
- For your theme, have you decided on any colors?
- Do you have any Pinterest boards, photographs or any visual aids to use as theme inspiration?
- What kind of mood or tone do you want to create?
- How do you want to feel during your event personally?
- Are you open to new proposals or concepts as they emerge?
- What are some essential elements you consider your event should have?
- What impression do you want guests to have of your event?
Additional Support
You'll also want to find out if your client will need any additional support, especially regarding services that you may not provide. Plus, you can use this information to make sure there is enough space for everything the client has planned. Try including the following questions.
- Do you require assistance spreading the word or marketing your event?
- Will there be speakers, a host, live entertainment, or other presenters? Who, if so?
- Do you need sponsors for your event?
- Are you looking to hire event staff?
- Which kinds of suppliers do you anticipate being required for the event? (florists, photographers, caterers, equipment rentals, etc...)
- Would you like to offer any transportation services for your guests?
- Do you need help creating a menu?
- Will you also provide beverages, either alcoholic or not?
Create Your Own Event Planning Intake Form With Bonsai
With Bonsai's custom comprehensive client forms, you can save time and seamlessly create the perfect event planning intake form. Our fully-customizable forms allow you to include as many questions as you'd like, and you can choose whether the answer should be a text, a single option, or a list of choices. After you've finished modifying your form, you have three options: send it immediately via email, let customers fill it out by sharing the URL, or add it to your website.
This is truly the easiest and most effective way to gather and keep track of all the information you need for your event planning business. If you need more help, Bonsai offers many other amazing administrative tools including invoicing software, payment integrations, accounting features and tax estimates. Basically, everything you need to run your business end-to-end. Start your 14-day free trial today and see for yourself!
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