9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Organizing an Event

Below are nine key questions you should ask before you take the first step. And most importantly – we answer them in the context of the event industry, suggesting practical solutions.

1. What is the goal of this event?

It might sound obvious, but this question sets the direction. Are you aiming to sell? Build relationships? Educate? Recruit? Without a defined goal, you won’t be able to measure success.

Is the event a one-time thing or recurring? Local or international? Free or paid? The answers to these questions will shape your planning process.

2. Who are your attendees, and what will attract them?

If you don’t know who you're speaking to, your message won’t land. Every audience has different expectations and levels of experience. Define what value you’re offering and communicate it clearly:

• in your emails,
• on the event website,
• via social media,
• in video materials,
• in external media,
• and through advertising.

3. Do I need an attendee registration system?

For a small event, Excel might do. But for larger events, paid access, different attendee types, communications, or on-site check-in – manual methods quickly fall short.

An Event Management Software is more than just a signup form. It’s a versatile tool supporting your event from announcement to post-event analytics. With it, you can:

• build a responsive event website,
• launch registration and automate ticket sales,
• manage communication via email and SMS,
• track registration in real-time,
• issue badges and control access to different zones,
• generate reports to analyze attendance and sales.

4. What will the registration process look like?

Will it be open, invite-only, or require approval? Will attendees choose additional services? Are you offering multiple ticket types? A well-designed process is not only more user-friendly but also easier to manage.

5. How will attendees hear about your event?

Even the best event will fail if no one knows about it. Plan your promotion early – combine email, social media, partnerships, and advertising. Treat your event like a product. Sell it like there’s no tomorrow.

Recommended reading:

• 10 Tips to Help You Promote Your Event
• Tools to Help You Organize and Promote Your Event

6. Am I ready to sell tickets or handle payments?

If you're charging for attendance, you need more than a form and a bank account. You’ll need to handle payments, issue invoices – and ideally, automate it all.

Essential articles:

• How to Properly Account for Event Ticket Sales?
• How to Manage Paid and Free Event Registration Simultaneously?

7. How will I support attendees on the event day?

Check-in, access control, badge printing, last-minute updates – all of it can run smoothly or become a mess. The outcome depends on your preparation.

Check out these articles:

• How to Ensure Efficient Event Check-in?
• How to Equip Your Event Check-In Stations?

8. How will I measure event success?

Without data, you can’t improve. Think early about what you want to measure – financial performance, session attendance, survey results?

9. What happens after the event?

Many organizers end communication when the lights go off. But this is a great moment to gather feedback, thank attendees, and build loyalty for the next edition.

In conclusion

You don’t need to have all the answers right away. But asking yourself the right questions early on gives you control and helps avoid costly mistakes. Good luck!

Tomasz Chrościechowski