April 25, 2021 | by Mary Windham | This post may contain affiliate links
Welcome to the Event Planning Series! This series details how to go from initial client contact to fully-realized event execution like a pro. This article covers Phase 5: Evaluation. Review the previous event planning phases here.
Phase 5: Evaluation
The evaluation phase is one of the most critical yet often overlooked parts of any event planning process. Exhausted or inefficient planners will skip this stage or do the bare minimum, since it may not have the biggest impact on the success of this particular event compared to other parts of planning.
However, the evaluation phase creates the blueprint for your next event for this client, and can provide critical feedback that improves your services as an event planner and enhances your client relations.
An effective evaluation phase includes:
1. Surveys
2. Thank You Messages
3. Debriefing
Through these key areas, you'll receive valuable feedback, provide appreciation and event closure, and improve long-term client relations.
Surveys
While paying attention during the event is always recommended, getting accurate feedback is only possible with surveys sent to all event participants and relevant parties. This may include:
attendees
sponsors
event leadership/clients
vendors and partners
venue representatives
your event team
Our team actually starts the evaluation phase during design and planning by determining who the relevant parties are, deciding which service areas we want feedback on, and then creating the survey(s).
The best practice for receiving a high number of responses is to promote surveys heavily during the event itself, while participants are still engaged.
Post QR codes or links on slides, on printed materials, in the app, and everywhere else the relevant parties may be looking. Keep the surveys as short, relevant, and easy-to-complete as possible. After the event, you can also follow up via email or other appropriate channel to request more responses.
Thank You Messages
After the event ends, we recommend sending after-event communications that provide a positive lasting impression in the participants' minds and encourage continued engagement. If nothing else, these messages should include a big thank you to all attendees, sponsors, and vendors.
If possible, you can also tailor these communications to the intended audience and provide additional, event wrap-up information as applicable. Additional information can include:
continued sponsorship opportunities
social media links, hashtags, and ways to stay in touch
survey links
event photos/gallery or videos
CLE or session credit information
save the date for upcoming events
Debriefing
Within 5 days following the event, our internal team and any key vendors meet to share personal feedback, review survey results, and debrief on the event. This first debrief is important for us to understand event planning results, identify areas of improvement, and maintain strong relationships with our trusted vendor network.
From this meeting, our event planning team will create and present a debrief report to the client. The report evaluates if the event goal was met, reviews successes and challenges, and includes analytics and feedback. During this second debrief meeting with the client, we review the results of the survey(s), discuss their feedback, and share our recommendations.
To some this may seem like a minor step that can be skipped, but debriefing is very important for truly assessing the value of the event that you planned and how you can improve. It also lets your vendors and clients feel heard and understood, which is key for creating lasting relationships that carry you through your career.
That's it! You've read through the 5 Phases to Planning the Perfect Event. Do you have questions or want to request a particular topic for a future blog post? Contact us here.
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