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Evaluation

Evaluation is an important part of running an event, and you shouldn’t skip it just because you’re exhausted. Evaluation helps you (and future event-planners) learn from your experiences. It’s also the time to finalise guest communications and count the profit.

Step 1: Request feedback

Wherever possible, ask guests who attended your event to provide feedback. To gather this data, prepare a short survey. Ask the survey questions either at the end of the event, or send an invitation to guests asking them to participate in the survey. Combine this with event photos on your website to increase responses.

Step 2: Meet with the team

About a week after the event, schedule a meeting with your event team. Discuss what went well, and where there was room for improvement. Write up notes from this meeting so that you – or your successor – has a good guide for the next event.

Step 3: Thank guests

It’s a good idea to thank all the guests and participants in your event. Write letters or emails to all the guests thanking them for attending. Write to all the speakers, entertainers and venues thanking them for their contribution: this will create a good lasting impression, and ease matters if you wish to use them again.

Step 4: Tell the media

Write a media release and let the media know what happened at your event. Now that your event has actually happened, you’ll have more to say (and photographs), which will make it more likely for them to pick the story up. This is invaluable exposure to help make your event a success next time, and to promote your company.