Five Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Leave Post-Event Feedback on The Back Burner

Your post-event feedback plays a crucial role in the success of your events. If you’re not yet embracing it with open arms, here are the top five reasons why you should be:

1. Post-event feedback acts as a direct channel of communication with your guests

Forget focus groups and surveys. Your post-event feedback is straight from the horse’s mouth (so to speak). By conducting a post-event survey, you have a direct line to your guests. Brand to individual communication is far more effective than brand to audience – in fact, it should form the foundation of any communication you have with your guests.

2. Post-event feedback is the most effective way to pick your guests’ brains (figuratively speaking, of course)

Not only is this a much more personal way of talking to your customers, it’s also that much more accurate. Focus groups typically ask respondents about products or services they’ve yet to experience – which means that their feedback is very different compared to that of someone who’s actually had an experience with your brand. Post-event feedback – when gathered via a timely post-event survey (time is of the essence – this should be conducted just as an event if finishing or shortly after) is a much more accurate reflection of your guests’ opinions.

3. Post-event feedback gathered via a post-event survey makes guests feel that their opinion is valued

Without guests, there wouldn’t be an event. It makes sense then to do your utmost to make yours feel like they’re a pivotal part of the experience. Post-event feedback – and the acknowledgment thereof – enables your brand to emphasise the fact that their guests are a central part of the process. When guests feel valued, and heard, they’re far more likely to invest not only their time – in the form of attending your events – but their money in your brand too.

4. Post-event feedback enables you to build in-depth profiles of guests

This is one of the most important functions of obtaining post-event feedback. You need to know who your guests are, how they experienced your event, and their thoughts and opinions of your brand. Their post-event feedback doesn’t just allow you to gauge the success of the event, it gives you a glimpse into your guests’ behaviour and points of view – all of which are crucial if you want to provide them with a tailor-made brand touch point.

5. Post-event feedback is a litmus test of your event’s performance

The most obvious benefit, yet one that’s underutilised, is that your post event feedback allows you to see where you’re succeeding and where you’re going wrong. In other words, it gives you a clear indication of whether your money has been well spent, and whether or not you’re approaching your events in the right way. If you’re not able to ascertain whether your events are meeting your marketing objectives, you’re no better off than banging your head against a brick wall, and then being surprised when it hurts. Post event feedback allows you to identify your shortcomings, and then determine the most effective way of rectifying them.

If you’re using our Guest Concierge Management Software – which includes online event registration software – you’ll be able to gather crucial feedback from the moment your Save the Dates are sent out. Download our ‘Marketer’s Guide to Turning your Events into Marketing Gold’ to learn more about the benefits of gathering post-event feedback, as well as how to make the most of this data.