- If you can’t measure it, how do you know it was a success? Make sure and ask yourself: What is the purpose for having your program? What are your goals? How are you measuring your results?
- Too often there is no conversation about how to measure the success of an event after it is completed. Talk to the stakeholders so everyone is clear on the goal of the event. Is it ROI, motivation, knowledge, appreciation? Know what you are measuring to consider your event a success and figure out ways to measure that data.
- ROI: Use programs and platforms (like Cvent and Salesforce) to track connections long after the conference has ended. Maybe a lead does not come through for 6 months, but being able to track the lead and put it toward the measured success of your program is important to your long term growth and goals.
- Knowledge and Education: Have platforms through apps where guests are able to give live feedback. Not only is it important to know if a session is going well, but if something missed the mark, figure out why and address the possibility of correcting it onsite. You have all of your attendees together for a short time so make the most of it. Welcome their feedback on the program and impress them with your real-time changes.
- Incentivize guests to participate in a short and anonymous questionnaire after the meeting. The key is SHORT and ANONYMOUS. We recommend going one step further and making it multiple choice with an optional comment section. Too much thinking often leads to a lower response rate.
- It is important to measure how people are adapting to change. Everyone uses apps, more and more conferences are going paperless, social media is a FORCE. Have platforms in place to measure how people are using and adapting to the new technologies you are making available. If your percentage is lower than you would like, discuss options to ensure a better rate of adaption in the future. Many groups will simply leave this to the attendees to figure out. We recommend being proactive. Have help desks and video tutorials if needed. Your extra attention to details like this is what pays off in the end.