Post Event Analysis to Get Actionable Insights

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I invite you to explore my other Podcasts and Blog Posts to learn more helpful business and marketing tips as well!

Please enjoy this breakdown of the how’s and why’s we create a Post Event Review.

The goal of the Post Event Review is to collect and record actionable insights on the effectiveness of your event. This review will help you focus on items to change, areas of focus, and to enhance future events. It is helpful for this report to contain the following segments. The following is a review of what information is helpful in your post event summary report.

To download this checklist, please click HERE.

It is helpful for this report to contain the following segments.

Basic Event Information

• Location
• Date of Event
• Number of Attendees
• Sponsoring Organizations/Volunteers
• Contact Name for Event Lead Organizer
• Phone number and email of Lead Organizer

Executive Summary

Briefly Include the most important insights and discoveries.

• Include the initial objectives and goals for this event
• Capture how the event met or exceeded the initial goals.
• Proposals for future events
• Determination of success
• If there is a need for improvement, provide a brief summary of that information also and refer more details to the section most applicable to the suggestions.

Attendee Review

While at the event, do some informal research with your attendees

• Collect ideas that might help with future events
• Use a survey, if you like or try to engage with the attendees and ask others from your company to be looking for ways the event worked well or areas of actionable improvement.
• Collect number of attendees with as much demographic information as possible.
• Collect demographics. This can be done with a casual look at the audience with regards to age range, male/female ratio, areas from, etc.

Program

This segment summarizes the program including list of presenters and/or entertainments including summary of the presentation topics.   Use this section to assess the event and whether the attendees were happy and interested in these events.

• Who were the presenters? Did you have entertainment?  Who was that? List names and general description of topics reviewed.
• List of presenters.
• List of entertainment.
• Review what was presented and how it was received by the attendees
• Add any suggestions or changes that will improve upcoming events,

Location and Venue Review

Audit the place of the event, the venue and other items associated with where this event took place

• Availability of the Venue.
• If participants needed to travel, what were the hotel or options of places to stay, were these options affordable, any group discounts available
• Cost for cabs or transportation from airport, train, or other transportation options to the venue itself and/or to the hotel or places participants stayed.
• Accommodations and capacity – was there enough room for participants, was it easy for them to make accommodation arrangements?

Marketing, Promotion, Media Review

Summarize marketing activities.  Add analytics and things that were successful and those that did not produce the intended results. Include recommendations on what to change or eliminate when planning the next event

• List promotional activities including analytics. For example, Ran Facebook ad from date to date, target audience, number reached, number engaged, number of shares etc.
• Attendee demographics—Where did your audience come from and was the promotion successful to reach this demographic?
• Social Media Engagement- number reached, number engaged, number shares, groups posted to
• List event media coverage. List any positive interactions.  If media was online and print, which coverage worked better for the intended audience?
• Website- Analytics based on the event landing page. Any other website engagement pre and post event related to this event.
• Review the marketing/promotion budget. Costs broken down by promotion source and total cost of all promotion.
• Include any of your event checklists for promotional activities.
• Include samples or photos of event posters, coverage, flyers, banners, or printed materials for the promotion of this event.

Sponsorships

Include information such as post event reports needed, results requested, impact generated

• List of sponsors and amount donated, hours volunteered and/or in-kind donations
• Review of the sponsorship program and all requirements for post event reports and/or impact reports
• Include a checklist to thank each sponsor and volunteer following the event for their specific help for the events.

Staffing Review

Review staffing requirements.

• Were the staffing/volunteer resources adequate?
• Could you have used more help and where?
• What costs were incurred, if paying for overtime or staffing requirements?
• If security or other resources were needed, what was that cost? What was the process to secure those resources?

Event Review

Activities that occurred during the event

• Evaluate MC, Performers (if any) Presenters
• The Impact of the event on the attendees
• Positive and negative feedback from attendees as well as event sponsors and those planning and pubbing on this event.
• Number of attendees
• Did the event meet the goals outlined for this event?
• Technical equipment needs/issues/changes needed
• Use post event surveys to collect attendee actionable items that will benefit your future events.

Expenses

Include all expenses surrounding this event.

• Entertainment
• Event permits. (Alcohol, city etc.)
• Event Insurance
• Decorations/ supplies
• Additional supplies… list specifics as well as cost associated with each
• if applicable
• Refreshments/Food
• Banners or printed materials supplied for this event.
• Include all other expenditures

Summary and Recommendations

Review what worked well and where things could have been better or improved.  Add those items that were not helpful and should be revised or considered not to use or do again.

Incorporate suggestions from attendees, staff, special speakers, presenters, participants that attended this event.

• Develop a cost analysis to see where it might be helpful to spend more funds when or if this event is reoccurring.
• Include all event checklists.
• What was the impact of this event? Review this item carefully as this will be the primary way upper-level management or, if you got a grant for this event, will evaluate the effectiveness.  This can be antidotal as well as analytics.  Include how many people attended, the attendee’s response, and include photos of the event so that those not attending can still get a visual look at the event.  Videos are also helpful.

Visuals of Event

Keep good notes of what is working, improvements that can be made and items for the post event report.

• This will help as you write the executive report and to provide to those not able to attend. It is important to get permission from your audience before taking or displaying their photos.  The best way to do this is add it to your sign in sheet or registration materials.
• Audio and Video. If possible, record the presenters and snippets from the event. Be sure to include a description so you and others will remember or know the significance of this content.

Conclusion

You might feel that writing a post event summary report is not important or worth your time. However, this time and report have several benefits including offering key information to help make the next event planning easier.  It is also helpful when upper management, grantors, or anyone inquires or ask for a report related to the success and impact of the event.  And, keep in mind that another key goal is to gain actionable insights to make your next event even better.

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