6 Clients That Test the Limits of Every Event Planner

When you’ve been in the event planning industry as long as we have, you start to notice patterns, and when it comes to identifying different types of clients it’s easy to place them in different buckets.

Whether you’re throwing a small get together or a major corporate event, every client is different, but Event Marketing Blog recently highlighted some of the more common clients event planner come across on a daily basis.

Referrals

If you have a portfolio of satisfied clients, you’re bound to get some referral clients. However, not all referrals are created equal. Some referrals are new to the process and require extensive hand-holding, while others are seasoned veterans. Surprisingly, the latter is often harder to please because they may be set in the ways of previous planners.

Overachievers

Event planners need to be upbeat and exuberant individuals, but when certain clients are on the same wavelength, it can create very specific obstacles. Some overachieving clients will contact their event planners 24/7 via text, phone, and email to ensure everything goes off without a hitch.

Ideal clients

The ideal client is easy to communicate with, takes direction, and presents their own ideas and insights in a constructive manner. A successful client/event planner relationship requires trust, and the ideal client knows that their event is safe in your hands.

Promise breakers

Some clients like to say they’ll show up at a particular time, only to stroll through the door an hour late. Others agree to pay vendors on a certain date, only to show up unprepared to do so. Clients who have difficulty sticking to their word require a lot of patience.

Know-nothings

Confused, closed-minded, and indecisive are three adjectives that perfectly describe know-nothing clients. These types of clients usually have a lot of good ideas but get lost focusing on small, insignificant details.

Picky planners

Event planners need to set boundaries with picky clients. If not, picky planners often get hung up on inconsequential details and derail your entire planning timeline. Once you get too far beyond your planning timeline, it’s very difficult to catch up.

And of course… the grumpy ones

Grumpy clients are very pessimistic straight out of the gate and always have something to complain about without offering any solutions. Grumpy clients can be complete wild cards, complaining about everything from the venue when it’s too late to book a new one, to something as small as napkin colors.