Items to Evaluate
As most event planners know, the event doesn’t end when the last guest leaves. Post-event analysis is a key step to better understanding whether you've met your goals and how you can improve the event for the future. Here are some things to consider:
- Review your initial event goals. Were they met? Did you meet your fundraising goal, attendance goal, target the correct audience, etc.?
- Was your key messaging, theme or purpose clearly communicated to your audience?
- From a logistical standpoint, mentally walk through the event from start to finish. What worked? What didn’t work? Why? Could it have been done differently?
- Did your vendors provide the agreed upon services? Are there any services that they could have performed better? Were prior issues resolved before the event?
- Get feedback from the vendors as to what worked and didn’t work from their perspective so that changes might be incorporated the next time.
- Prepare a list of who attended and didn’t attend for future planning and budgeting purposes.
Most importantly, be sure to thank all parties involved in the process – volunteers, staff, faculty, speakers, campus service providers, and vendors. Successful event coordination is truly a team effort.
