6 tips for evaluating your event internally
Whether you're organizing a conference for 2,000 guests or a party for 80 people, evaluation is essential. Everyone knows that guest reviews are important, but what about the internal evaluation of the event? That's something that's often overlooked. It's time for a change! Gather your production team, because we're going to give you six tips to make this valuable debriefing as easy as possible:
1. Schedule the evaluation as soon as possible after the event.
Wow! The event is over and your head is spinning with impressions. It was an overwhelming day. But when you sit down at your laptop with a cup of coffee a week later, many of the details have already faded. That's just how our brains work. We only filter the essentials. That's why you should evaluate as soon as possible after the event, when your impressions are still fresh. It is recommended to schedule the debriefing within two days.
2. Choose the right evaluation method
We can hear you thinking: "Two days?! That's not enough time!" So think in advance about which evaluation method will make this feasible. A face-to-face meeting is not a must. You can also exchange tips and tops via Skype or an evaluation form. Choose the method that suits your team and their schedules.
3. Inform each team member of the objectives
The dot on the horizon is the predefined goal. Tips and advice from colleagues are important, but make sure everyone can contribute to the target. Ask yourself: does everyone know what behavioral change our company wanted to achieve? Make sure the goals are clearly written down so that everyone is on the same page. An easy tool for this is EventPitch. This model visualizes the goal of the event on a single A4 page.
4. Evaluate regularly
Everyone is working flat out to create an impactful event. And where there is a team, there are sometimes irritations. Be careful: don't let these build up until the final evaluation. Stay ahead of accumulated frustrations and plan an interim reflection. Are things not going well? Then you can still change course now. These tips also apply to successes. You should discuss and celebrate those too.
5. Have the guest evaluation ready
You can't ignore it during the team meeting: guest reviews. There are so many different tools for collecting data at your event. Make sure you have organized the 'big data' for internal evaluation. It's nice if you can draw conclusions together for this agenda item based on figures and quotes.
6. Discuss the follow-up
What do you want to do with the input? Make a plan for yourself. During the evaluation, also tell your colleagues what they can expect now. For example, send out a summary or publish the input on an internal web page. Did you address the feedback during the next event? Let your team know! Employees always like to hear when something is being done with their feedback.
