After the Event — How to Keep the Momentum and Leverage your Success
It’s closing time. The balloons have dropped, and the tables have all been cleared. The party is over, and your event was a success in so many ways! After months of planning, preparing, and organizing… Now what?
Celebrate your success
Your team worked really, really hard on this, and you should be proud of yourselves. Don’t forget to grab a few moments after the event to enjoy the fruits of your labor. This is a good time to gather your team and let them know how much you appreciate them. Expressions of gratitude and accolades let your team know that you value them and that you see their contribution to the success of the event. The bartenders, waitstaff, hosts, organizers, and everyone involved worked together to make your event successful — celebrate!
Professional relationships with your vendors and sponsors
After the event, be sure to promptly pay any outstanding invoices. This is a great time to ask for feedback from your vendors and sponsors, as well as their suggestions for the next event. Consider sending an email that thanks them for their participation and shares insight about the results of the event. While you’re asking for feedback, also ask them for referrals and reviews. You can do this by including easy-to-follow links at the bottom of your email. Pro-tip: This is also a good time for you to thank the vendors and other professionals publicly on your social pages, as well as leave them with positive reviews. All of these things will help you continue to build and grow great professional relationships.
Schedule a wrap-up meeting: Discuss, Evaluate, and Document
As soon as possible after your event, plan a wrap-up meeting with your team. Use this time to gather feedback: what went wrong, what went right, and where are the opportunities for improvement? During this time, you can review the results of the event. Did you meet your goals? Encourage everyone involved to share their observations, ideas, and suggestions. This is also the ideal time to gather any content or media, including photos, videos, and quotes, that can be used in marketing for the next event. Compile all of the notes from the meeting into a summary that can be used to plan and improve your upcoming events. Be sure to include things like professional contacts, vendor lists, and any potential leads.
Strategize, plan, and organize
While the details of your event are still fresh in everyone’s mind, make any adjustments you need to future strategies. Did you realize that you needed a bigger marketing team? Adjust the plan for next year. You had some staffing issues? Adjust the plan for next year. Developing a timeline and strategy for following up on any leads can help your team reach their goals. Immediately and for the coming weeks, include sharing attendees’ social media posts in your marketing plan. Sharing content lets people know that you appreciate their support and gives your followers a peek into the event.
The time spent organizing and ‘wrapping up’ after your event should be a fun part of the overall event process. It’s an opportunity for you and your team to reflect on the goals that were reached while also setting new ones. Good post-event practices can be a gift to your future self. Check out this article about unique ways to find inspiration for your next event.
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