Crafting the Perfect New Client Questionnaire for Event Planners

Jun 18, 2024

As a wedding planner, your initial client questionnaire is a crucial tool for understanding your clients' vision, preferences, and needs. A well-crafted questionnaire not only helps you gather essential information but also sets the tone for your working relationship. In this guide, we'll cover what to include in your questionnaire, when to send it, and how to leverage email and Whimsy AI to streamline your process.

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What to Include in Your Questionnaire:
  1. Basic Contact Information

    • Names, phone numbers, email addresses, and mailing addresses for both partners

  2. Wedding Basics

    • Proposed wedding date (or season if undecided)

    • Estimated guest count

    • Preferred wedding location or venue type

    • Budget range

  3. Personal Background

    • How the couple met

    • Engagement story

    • Occupations and hobbies

    • Personal style and preferences

  4. Wedding Vision

    • Overall wedding style (e.g., rustic, modern, classic, bohemian)

    • Color palette preferences

    • Must-have elements

    • Any unique or cultural traditions to incorporate

  5. Vendor Preferences

    • Any vendors already booked

    • Specific vendors they're interested in working with

    • Types of entertainment (band, DJ, other performers)

    • Photography and videography style preferences

  6. Guest Experience

    • Percentage of out-of-town guests

    • Any planned pre or post-wedding events

    • Special accommodations needed for guests

  7. Catering and Bar

    • Preferred meal style (plated, buffet, family-style)

    • Dietary restrictions to consider

    • Bar preferences (open bar, cash bar, signature cocktails)

  8. Decor and Florals

    • Floral preferences and any flowers to avoid

    • Interest in rentals (e.g., specialty furniture, tableware)

    • Lighting preferences

  9. Attire

    • Wedding party size

    • Style ideas for wedding attire

  10. Planning Preferences

    • Areas where they need the most help

    • Preferred communication methods and frequency

    • Decision-making process (who will be involved)

  11. Concerns and Priorities

    • Top three priorities for the wedding

    • Any concerns or anxieties about the planning process

  12. Additional Services

    • Interest in other events (rehearsal dinner, welcome party, day-after brunch)

    • Need for vendor recommendations

    • Interest in honeymoon planning assistance

When to Send Your Questionnaire:

The ideal time to send your client questionnaire is right after the initial consultation, once the client has expressed interest in your services. This allows you to:

  • Capture the client's excitement and vision while it's fresh

  • Gather essential information before your first planning meeting

  • Demonstrate your professionalism and organization early on

Using Email for Your Questionnaire:

Email is a powerful, accessible tool for sending questionnaires:

  • It's familiar and comfortable for most clients

  • Allows for easy back-and-forth communication

  • Provides a paper trail of information exchange

Pro tip: Create a template email with your questionnaire to save time and ensure consistency.

Leveraging Whimsy AI for Information Management:

This is where Whimsy AI becomes your secret weapon. As an inbox tool product, Whimsy can:

  • Automatically detect and categorize incoming questionnaire responses

  • Extract key information from email responses and organize it in your dashboard

  • Set up automated reminders for missing information

  • Provide quick access to client details when you need them

Centralizing Information with Whimsy:

Whimsy AI helps you:

  • Keep all client communication in one place

  • Easily search and retrieve specific client details

  • Track the progress of information gathering across all clients

  • Identify trends and patterns in client preferences over time

Enhancing Client Experience:

With Whimsy AI centralizing your client information:

  • Quickly reference details in follow-up communications

  • Personalize your services based on easily accessible client preferences

  • Reduce the risk of overlooking important client requests or details

Remember, while it's tempting to ask everything at once, try to keep your questionnaire focused and not overly lengthy. You can always gather more detailed information as you progress in the planning process.

By combining the familiarity and flexibility of email with the power of Whimsy AI, you can create a seamless process for gathering and managing client information. This approach not only saves you time but also ensures that you have all the necessary details at your fingertips to create the perfect wedding for each unique client.