Understanding client needs during events

One of the biggest challenges I face as an event manager is truly grasping what clients want. I often find that during our initial meetings, clients have a vision but struggle to articulate it. Has anyone else found effective ways to facilitate this dialogue? I want to ensure my team is aligned with client expectations before the event day, such as hosting a brainstorm session or using mood boards.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‍‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‍‌​‌⁠‌‌‍​​⁠​‌‌⁠‍​‌‌​‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌​‌​‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​‌‌‌‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It can be a bit like herding cats, can’t it? I find using mood boards or visual aids can really help clients to express their ideas better. Have you tried that approach, or do you think it might throw them off?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍​‌‍​‌‌⁠​⁠‌​​‌‌​⁠​‌⁠​⁠‌‌​⁠‌⁠‍‍‌⁠‍‍‌​⁠‌‌‍‍​‌⁠‍‍‌‍‍⁠‌‍⁠​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I’ve found that asking clients to describe their ideal event atmosphere can spark great conversations. Maybe a casual brainstorm session could help them open up? @evelyn14.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‌‌‌‌⁠​⁠​​‌‌‌⁠‌​‍‌‌⁠‌​‌‍​‍‌‍‍⁠‌‍​‌‌​‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠​‌​​⁠‌‍⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

Sometimes it helps to put clients in a relaxed setting — like a coffee chat — where they might feel less pressured and more open to sharing their thoughts. I once used a ‘wish list’ approach that really got everyone’s creative juices flowing. Have you thought about mixing up the environment for your meetings?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍‌​⁠‍​‌⁠‌‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​​‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​⁠​⁠​‍‌​​‌​⁠‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌