If Your Event Producer Isn’t Asking These 5 Questions, RUN

You did it. You reached out to an event producer (or ten) and are starting to engage. You’re asking questions, they’re asking questions and, well, it’s all starting to blur.

What should you be looking for? How do you know which one is THE ONE...and which ones aren’t?

Read on to learn the 5 questions every great event producer asks, and why you should run for the hills if they aren’t.

1.)  Who’s on your guest list?

Look for an event producer that takes the time to get to know your guest list. They should ask specific questions about their likes, dislikes, businesses, and lifestyle. As an entrepreneur intimately understands their ideal client, so should a good event producer understand their guest list. Remember, you are the paying client but your guest list is an extension of you -  since naturally, you want your guests to be served at the highest level as well.

When you have an event producer that understands the needs of your guests, they’ll plan the event with that in mind. The cuisine will align with your guest’s preferences, the entertainment will “wow” them, the design and décor will tantalize their senses, and the programming will resonate with the way they connect and communicate.

Alternatively, when you hire an event producer who follows a rigid plan and doesn’t have a strategy or process for truly understanding who they’re serving, you’ll be left with a generic event that may cover all the bases on a surface level, but will leave your guests disconnected, disengaged, and dying to get out of there.

2.)   What’s your desired outcome?

 If you’re planning to host a business-specific event, it’s likely you have an outcome in mind. For example, are you trying to convert group coaching members into private one-on-one clients? Are you hosting a party in hopes of gaining VIP-level clients? Are you gathering all your membership-holders so they can connect and collaborate with one another? Are you looking to impress VIP clients at a top-dollar mastermind, or do you want to show your appreciation to your executive team in a way they’ll remember?

All of these examples (and more!) are ones we’ve personally come across. When we have a deep understanding of our client’s desired outcome, we craft the perfect environment to accomplish it.

It’s important to note, however, that we’re able to deliver our client’s desired outcome because our team is uniquely entrepreneurially-minded. We’re constantly educating ourselves on business strategies, techniques, and processes. We strive to serve at higher and higher levels and never stop growing. Our founders have owned and operated multiple successful businesses and know what it takes to move the needle. That’s why we’re wildly popular with the high-achieving, motivated, and impact-driven community. 

In short, we’re not one-dimensional. Our skills and expertise range beyond event and experience design. So when you talk business we get it. And we can help.

So, if your event producer isn’t asking, “What’s your desired outcome?” do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Or, hire them with the understanding that you’ll get nothing more than the basic, standard deliverables.

3.)   What do you want your guests to say about the event when they leave?

This question is all about impact: What impact do you want to make on your guests? What do you want them to be saying about your event tomorrow, next month, or next year? By asking this question, your event producer should gather what components of the experience are important to you. With this information in mind, they’ll be able to pay special attention to those elements and have a goal of hearing those exact compliments as guests walk out the door at the end of the night. 

4.)   What has been missing from your past events, or past events you’ve attended?

We absolutely LOVE asking this question because it tells us so much about what our client values. It also satisfies our selfish side and gives us a glimpse into what is going wrong out there in the event world – so we can make sure we avoid it and deliver leaps and bounds above what’s available in the market.

5.)   How are you paying for the event?

This question gives insight on necessary logistics and will give you a sense of what your event producer can manage before, during, and after the event. If you’re selling tickets and your event hinges on the number of guests who purchase, your event producer’s budget may be uncertain until a final guest count is confirmed.

Secret Table is unique in that we have hosted our own events of 10 – 200+ people. We know what it takes to market an event, get creative with funding - and sell it out. We aren’t just event producers – we’re experienced designers with our own loyal following, too.

We help our clients sell out their events with the marketing and partnership strategies that have worked for us – time and time again. If an event producer isn’t asking the details of how your event is funded, chances are they’re only able to support in producing the day-of-event – and can’t support you in making it a sold-out success.

If your event producer isn’t asking this question, it’s likely they don’t have the entrepreneurial and personal experience to take a vision and implement creative strategies to make it happen. 

If you’re interested in hiring a full-service experience design company to do it all - or you want to learn how to produce experiences yourself that move the needle and make an impact - reach out. We’re here for you - and asking all the right questions.