I heard the WORLDEF Istanbul event was extraordinarily successful

First, I would like to congratulate the WorldEF Istanbul event team for making this great event possible, especially in a city that helps meet the East with the West. Bravo to all the team members for a fantastic job!

Events and shows are great, I attended in my early days (few moons back) hundreds if not thousands of events and shows large and small, great and not so great. Some of these events stayed pertinent for decades and some just disappeared with the sunset. So, I took the liberty here to pass on some of the wisdom gathered in the last five decades hoping it would be of some help.

Event are great and a lot of promotions (by event producers, speakers, show participants and attendees) help achieve great feedback and social and professional media actions and trends.

But I always say this: "Now that the show is over, now what? What are the next steps, How to turn this show and event into a sustainable, continuing, repeatable success, How to prove/justify and monetize the return on investment (ROI) of this event and the ones attending, exhibiting at the event. Actually there are a myriad of other issues that need to be addressed by I will stop here.

After a great event, several key steps can help build on the success and improve future events. Here are the next steps to consider:

Immediate Follow-Up

1. Express Gratitude

- Send thank-you notes or emails to attendees, sponsors, volunteers, and speakers. Personalized messages can leave a lasting positive impression.

2. Gather Feedback

- Distribute post-event surveys to attendees, staff, and stakeholders to gather feedback on what went well and areas for improvement. This can be done via email or using online survey tools.

Evaluation and Analysis

3. Review Goals and Outcomes

- Assess whether the event met its goals and objectives. Compare the results against key performance indicators (KPIs) like attendance, engagement levels, revenue, or participant satisfaction.

4. Analyze Feedback

- Compile and analyze the feedback received to identify patterns, common praises, and criticisms. This will help pinpoint specific areas that need improvement.

5. Financial Review

- Conduct a thorough financial analysis to understand the event's profitability. Review budgets, expenses, and revenue to ensure financial objectives were met.

Internal Debriefing

6. Team Debrief

- Hold a debriefing meeting with your team to discuss what worked well and what didn’t. Encourage open and honest feedback to learn from each other’s experiences.

7. Document Learnings

- Create a comprehensive report that includes the event’s successes, challenges, feedback, financial performance, and key learnings. This document will be invaluable for planning future events.

Strategic Planning

8. Set Improvement Goals

- Based on the feedback and analysis, set specific, measurable goals for improving future events. This might involve changes in logistics, marketing, content, or attendee engagement strategies.

9. Plan Follow-Up Activities

- Consider organizing follow-up activities to maintain engagement with attendees. This could include webinars, meetups, or sending out newsletters with event highlights and future announcements.

Marketing and Promotion

10. Share Success Stories

- Promote the success of the event through social media, blog posts, and newsletters. Share highlights, testimonials, and key takeaways to keep the momentum going and attract future participants.

11. Update Marketing Materials

- Use photos, videos, and attendee testimonials from the event to update your marketing materials. This fresh content can be leveraged for promoting future events.

Logistics and Operations

12. Update Systems and Processes

- Reflect on the operational aspects and consider updating your event management systems, tools, and processes to improve efficiency.

13. Secure Future Partnerships

- Reach out to successful sponsors, partners, and vendors to secure commitments for future events. Building long-term relationships can provide stability and continuity.

Continuous Engagement

14. Stay Connected

- Keep the conversation going with attendees and stakeholders through regular communication. This could include social media interactions, newsletters, or community forums.

15. Innovate and Adapt (and be agile)

- Stay informed about industry trends and new technologies that could enhance future events. Be open to experimenting with new formats, tools, and strategies to keep your events fresh and engaging.

By taking these steps, you can ensure continuous improvement and build a strong foundation for even more successful events in the future.

The future is bright for the new generations. Wishing all the best in whatever you wish to accomplish.

HT

(Personal note: I wish I attended WORLDEF Istanbul, but being retired and starting not to like the 11-13 hours long flights made me stay home, but this time I wish I had got off my lounge chair and leave my bourbon and join the WORLDEF crowd. Maybe next time.)