Event-Planning: After the Event
The event is over and you take a deep sigh of relief – but not too fast! There are many things you need to do after an event to get the full value and insure a successful repeat event!
Post-Event Checklist
- Send thank you cards and final payments promptly to vendors – Build your relationship by showing appreciation and consider sending photos they can use in their marketing efforts!
- Organize photo albums – Work with your photographers and videographers to organize your photos and distribute to sponsors, vendors, and guests.
- Sponsors – Thank your sponsors and let them know to save-the-date for the following year!
- Review analytics – Did the event increase site visits? Was the attendance what you hoped for? Review your numbers and be prepared to share them with the planning team as you propose future events.
- Finalize event budget – Review your final invoices and how your actual budget and estimated budget compare. Analyze areas that you could have saved or where you wished you had the ability to spend more.
- Host a debrief – Memory fades quickly! Try and host a debrief within one week of the event. Invite key players and ask what they found successful and what could be improved. Prepare a document to share including your notes throughout the process.
- Create an event binder or shared folder online – Organize your contracts, scripts, floor plans, notes – everything you have – into one place to be reviewed throughout the following year as you prepare for your next event!
Leveraging the Event After Conclusion
- Send guests a call to action – A“thank you for attending” email with a call to action might include a post-event survey, link to schedule an appointment, or request to join your social media community. Depending on the size and scope of your event, consider follow-up phone calls to your guests.
- Post on social media – Leverage the event by sharing the hype on social media or extending event offers to your social audience.
- Sponsor social – Consider hosting a social thanking your sponsors after the event. Encourage them to continue building relationships with attendees and offer them resources to do so.
- Blog – Consider writing a blog series that highlights speakers from your event. This is a great way to continue gaining value from the event many weeks after it has concluded.
- Post-event webinar – Stay on your event attendees’ radar by hosting follow-up webinars that relate to the event topic.
After finishing this post-event to-do list, enjoy some well-deserved sleep and relaxation so you can be re-charged and ready to do it again! And if you’re too exhausted, give Do Good Events a call and we will take care of next year!