Ride the follow up wave

Your big event may have come and gone, Jennifer, but it's not over yet! Post-event follow up is one of the most critical components of a successful event. This is your opportunity to build relationships with new contacts, garner media coverage, and continue your company's momentum. Additionally, this is when you'll evaluate the event's success and note improvements to be made next time.

 

First: Post images from the event on your website and include a recap of event details, key speakers, VIP attendees and any other memorable content. Create a photo download page for the images so the media can access them if needed.

 

Second: Send direct mail to attendees and contributors to thank them for coming and for their involvement. Include a self addressed and stamped questionnaire asking what could be done differently to gain insight for your next event.

 

Next: If your event garners media interest, follow up with interested editors to provide the event recap, link to photo download page, and quotes from the event. Be sure to include any information that their readers will find valuable, such as spec on the new product you introduced or the amount of money you raised for a specific charity.

 

Then: Use your email marketing platform to send personalized emails to any new leads, and consistently follow up to stay top-of-mind with them. You might consider including an offer or incentive to refer a friend to convert them into new customers and multiply your leads database.

 

Finally: Measure your event's success against the performance measures you put in place during the planning process. Debrief with your team to share comments and glean insight into what worked and what didn't for future planning.