How do you handle post-event follow-ups?

1 Send thank-you notes

The first thing you should do after your event is to send thank-you notes to everyone who contributed to its success. This includes your attendees, sponsors, speakers, vendors, staff, and volunteers. You can send thank-you notes via email, social media, or snail mail, depending on your preference and budget. Make sure to personalize your messages and express your gratitude and appreciation. You can also include a call to action, such as asking for feedback, inviting them to your next event, or offering a special offer or discount.

2 Collect feedback

The second thing you should do after your event is to collect feedback from your stakeholders. Feedback can help you measure your event's performance, identify areas of improvement, and understand your audience's needs and expectations. You can collect feedback through surveys, polls, interviews, or focus groups. You can use online tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, or Typeform to create and distribute your surveys. You can also incentivize your respondents by offering prizes, rewards, or recognition. Make sure to ask relevant and specific questions and avoid leading or biased questions.

3 Evaluate results

The third thing you should do after your event is to evaluate your results. This means analyzing the data and information you gathered from your feedback, registration, attendance, budget, and marketing channels. You can use metrics like return on investment (ROI), net promoter score (NPS), satisfaction rate, conversion rate, and social media engagement to assess your event's impact and value. You can also use tools like Google Analytics, Eventbrite, or HubSpot to track and visualize your results. You can then use your results to create a post-event report that summarizes your findings and recommendations.

4 Follow up on leads

The fourth thing you should do after your event is to follow up on leads. Leads are potential customers or clients who expressed interest in your products, services, or brand during or after your event. You can follow up on leads by sending them personalized emails, phone calls, or messages that remind them of your value proposition and offer them a solution to their problem or need. You can also use tools like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or CRM software to automate and segment your follow-up campaigns. You can then nurture your leads until they are ready to buy or book.

5 Maintain relationships

The fifth thing you should do after your event is to maintain relationships with your stakeholders. Relationships are the foundation of your event planning business and can help you generate repeat customers, referrals, and loyalty. You can maintain relationships by staying in touch with your stakeholders through newsletters, social media, blogs, podcasts, or webinars. You can also provide them with valuable content, tips, insights, or resources that can help them achieve their goals or solve their challenges. You can also invite them to join your online community, network, or membership program.

6 Plan ahead

The sixth thing you should do after your event is to plan ahead for your next event. Planning ahead can help you save time, money, and energy and avoid common pitfalls and mistakes. You can plan ahead by setting your goals, budget, and timeline for your next event. You can also research your market, competitors, and trends to find new opportunities and ideas. You can also leverage your existing assets, resources, and partnerships to create a more efficient and effective event strategy. You can also review your post-event report and feedback to implement the best practices and improvements for your next event.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?