Beyond the Event: Unlocking the Potential of Event Follow-Up & Feedback
Arvind Nair
Content Strategist, Creator Event IP's, Curator- Specialty conferences & Events, Event Sales trainer, Chef, Author, Publisher,
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Organizing a successful event involves months of meticulous planning & dedicated efforts from you and your team to create a great experience for the attendees & the sponsors. Many a times, you ride the highs of a successful event and immediately after move on to your next event preparations. However, we need to understand that the journey doesn't end when the event concludes. Following up with participants and gathering feedback is a critical step in maximizing the impact of your event and building lasting relationships.
Let’s explore the significance of event follow-up and feedback, discuss effective methods to implement them, and highlight the benefits they offer to attendees, sponsors, and your organization.
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Having a clear Goal
It is very important for you to have a clear objective of conducting a planned feedback meet. What are the key areas you need to focus on improving, the audience responses to a specific/ new initiative you have introduced? etc. It is important to communicate these thoughts clearly to your team for the outcome of the meet to be productive.
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Why is the feedback & follow up meet important?
1.????Improving your Expertise
Organizing a structured event follow up & feedback program gives you an opportunity to better yourself. The feedback from your audience & sponsors is critical for you to understand their experience better and refine your event strategy for the future wherever required.
2.????Gathering Feedback for Improvement & Planning better.
Feedback is the lifeblood of event improvement. Actively seeking input from attendees, sponsors, and staff allows you to assess what worked well & identify areas for improvement. Feedback can be collected through post-event surveys, one-on-one interviews, or online platforms. By understanding the preferences, suggestions, and concerns of your stakeholders, you can enhance the quality and relevance of future events, ensuring a more tailored and satisfying experience for all involved.
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3.????Strengthening Connections
Event follow-up is a valuable opportunity to strengthen the connections established during the event. By reaching out to attendees, you demonstrate your commitment to nurturing relationships beyond the event itself. A personalized follow-up, whether through email, social media, or phone calls, allows you to thank attendees for their participation, share relevant resources or materials. This ?is appreciated by the attendees & also fosters a sense of belonging, encouraging attendees to stay engaged with your organization and future events.
4.????Celebrating the success of the event
A planned feedback meet is a good platform to celebrate the success of your event. It is an ideal place to give a shout out to all your star performers & acknowledge the contributions from your entire team. Do not forget to incentivize your staff for their commitment, inspiring them to scale further heights in your company’s future endeavours. Monetary incentives work as one of the best motivators, while reciprocating in the form of family outings or in kind gifts also equally appreciated by employees.
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Feedback from all Stake Holders: The Domino Effect
When feedback is properly received and acted upon, it sets off a chain reaction of positive outcomes and improvements. Feedbacks from each stake holders is equally important for your to improve your strategy in your future events.
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ATTENDEE FEEDBACK
Feedback from your attendees is of utmost importance and it directly impacts your ability of improving all your future event experiences that you yearn to create for them. It also gives them a voice and an opportunity to provide their perspective. When attendees feel heard and valued, they are more likely to engage in future events and recommend them to others
Additionally, these follow-up communications can serve as a platform for you to share additional resources, exclusive offers, or related events that may further enrich the experience of your attendees. By nurturing relationships with attendees, you cultivate a community of loyal supporters who become advocates for your organization.
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SPONSOR FEEDBACK
Sponsors are your backbone & play a crucial role in the success of events, and following up with them is equally important. By providing sponsors with comprehensive feedback and insights into attendee demographics, preferences, and engagement levels, you demonstrate the value they brought to the event. It also allows you to further amplify your achievement of having fulfilled of all your proposed commitments with regards to their association with your event as promised. This information helps sponsors assess their return on investment and provides opportunities for them to refine their strategies for future collaborations.
Regular communication and appreciation can foster long-term partnerships with sponsors, ensuring their continued support for your events.
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FEEDBACK FROM EVENT STAFF
Engaging event staff in the follow-up & feedback process is vital. ?They are the ones closest to the area of action, watching & judging audience moods & responses in real time. By involving staff in analysing feedback, you empower them to contribute to future event planning and problem-solving. You get an insight into what you did right, what went wrong & what you missed out completely in your efforts of creating a smooth attendee experience. These are critical while planning for your next event.
As mentioned at the start, communicating a clear objective/goal of the feedback meet will enable your staff to put forth their observations & possible suggestions in a concise manner.
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Here are several effective methods for collecting feedback and conducting follow-ups after an event:
Post-Event Surveys: Designing and distributing online surveys using platforms like Google Forms is a good idea. Surveys should include a mix of multiple-choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions to gather quantitative and qualitative feedback. The questions should be simple, with not more than 3 options as answers to tick. Ask participants about their overall satisfaction, specific aspects of the event, suggestions for improvement, and their future expectations as well.
One-on-One Interviews: Conduct in-depth interviews with selected attendees, sponsors, and staff members to gain deeper insights ( Identify if possible key influencers amongst your attendees based on their activities before & during the event). These interviews can be conducted in person, over the phone, or via video calls. By engaging in a conversation, you can explore specific topics in detail, probe for additional feedback, and build personal connections.
Feedback Cards: Providing physical feedback cards or slips to attendees during the event. Asking them to share their thoughts before leaving allows for immediate feedback and gives attendees the opportunity to express their impressions while the event is still fresh in their minds. Set up collection boxes or designated areas for attendees to drop their feedback cards.
Social Media Engagement: Leverage social media platforms to engage with attendees and gather feedback. Create dedicated event hashtags and encourage participants to share their experiences, photos, and suggestions on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Monitor these platforms for mentions and comments related to the event, and actively respond to them.
Follow-Up Emails: Send personalized follow-up emails to attendees, sponsors, and staff members expressing gratitude for their participation and asking for feedback. Provide a timeline for response and assure them that their feedback is valuable and will be taken into consideration.
Mobile Apps: Develop a dedicated event app or utilize existing mobile apps that offer interactive features such as polling, live Q&A sessions, and feedback submission. Participants can use the app to provide real-time feedback during the event or immediately afterward.
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Remember, regardless of the method chosen, it is essential to emphasize the importance of feedback and follow-up throughout the event. Communicate the purpose and benefits of providing these inputs to the audience. By demonstrating your commitment to listening and acting upon feedback, you foster a culture of continuous improvement and build stronger relationships with attendees, sponsors, and staff members
Event follow-up and feedback are indispensable components of event management. From strengthening connections to gathering valuable insights, the benefits of event follow-up and feedback extend far beyond the event itself. Embrace these practices as integral parts of your event management strategy to create memorable experiences and continuously improve your events.