5 Questions to Ask When Hiring an Event Planner

Planning, organizing and executing an event all by yourself is never a good idea. The process leading up to the evening of the event requires a lot of heedful considerations and is prone to costly mistakes. But having an experienced event planner by your side in this situation can make a huge difference.

The success of your event, whether it’s a corporate event, a team building event, a high profile conference or just a family picnic, depends on the event planner you hire.

Finding the right service and professionals is extremely important. This is why we’ve compiled a list of questions you must ask your event planner candidates before you hire them.

1. What Kinds of Events Are You Most Experienced In Planning?

Events can vary drastically in size, purpose and logistics. You should make sure the service providers you’re willing to trust with your event is actually an expert in the kind of event you want to organize. Try to identify the company’s area of expertise. An event planner who has only ever organized weddings might not be a good option for your corporate event.

2. What Are All The Services You Offer?

If the event planner you’re interviewing has a website, you can check out the services they offer and ask them to elaborate on them in the interview. What you have to ensure is that their services cover all the requirements you have for your event. These could include décor, entertainment, catering, staffing, transportation, and more.

3. Can You Provide Me With A Portfolio Of The Past Events You Have Organized?

You event planner should be able to provide a list of references and a portfolio on request. Their past work will help you determine the quality of their services and make it easier for you to decide if they’re the perfect company to help you with your event.

4. Can You Tell Me About A Time When You Dealt With An Unexpected Situation?

Events are vulnerable to sudden changes and unexpected situations, such as weather changes, tech problems, catering issues and more. In such instances, it’s important that the event planner is able to come up with an effective solution in the moment. Therefore, make sure you hire someone who has excellent problem-solving skills, communication skills and is resourceful.

5. How Do You Manage an Event’s Budget?

To ensure the success of your event, hire a planner who is well-versed in budgeting tactics, has organizational skills and is known to pay attention to detail. This is very important as the costs of an event can spiral out of hand in no time.

Let Us Help You!

Let our team at The Great Event help you plan, organize and execute your event!

We’re one of the leading event planning companies in the Bay Area, and we’ve worked with the Silicon Valley’s Fortune 500 companies, including Apple, Samsung, and PayPal, Twitter, Intel and more.

Our corporate event planning San Jose services include catering, party décor, entertainment and interactive games. Connect with us today!