Why your success as an event planner rides on event planning statistics
Event planning has evolved into a science. Organising an event that makes the maximum impact and results in ROI, boils down to measurable metrics. Brands are demanding an informed approach as opposed to the practices of old that were nothing more than a shot in the dark. The most successful corporate events of today are based on specific sets of data that ensure every aspect of an event is as impactful as possible. From attendance rates, invite open rates, bounce rates and more – event managers need to be au fait with the behavior of their guests.
Obtaining event planning statistics drives superior decision making and implementation.
For example, The RSVP Agency recently extracted the following information from our online RSVP service: 44.68 % of guest’s will accept your invite outright, and 14.06% will decline. This is good news for event planners, as it means you’ll be able to concentrate your efforts on the 41.26% of guests who’ll require a follow-up phone call or email.
Event planning statistics collected in real time will enable you to raise the bar when it comes to your invitations.
If you’re seeing that most people are opening their invites in the late afternoon, you’ll know to send out future invitations around the same time. Without this information, you’d carry on sending out invites at 9am – which will increase the likelihood of them being ignored as by the time your guest checks their mail, your invitation will be lost amidst a host of more recent mail.
Ensure against dismal attendance rates by putting your event planning statistics to work.
If you’re aware that 14.06% of guests decline an invitation upon receiving them, you’ll know that an additional back-up guest list is a pre-requisite. This will enable you to have extra invitations ready to be sent out as soon as you’re notified that someone from the original list has declined. You may want to enlist the use of save-the-dates that include the options: “Yes I’d love to attend” and “No thank you”. This will give you more time to invite other guests and re-arrange logistics like seating plans, the printing of name cards, menus, gift bag labels and the like.
Corporate events that result in ROI rely on consistently updated data.
As an event planner tasked with handling big-budget events, your number one concern is generating ROI. In order to ensure that your event doesn’t result in a loss of revenue you’ll need to be able to see at what stage your guests are, from start to finish. Being aware of information such as, whether they’ve downloaded your online invite, if they’ve opened it, clicked through to read the web invitation or forwarded it on to colleagues, will ensure you can take the necessary action. As they say, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed”, and planning an event is no exception.
If you don’t have any event planning statistics on hand, you’ll repeatedly make the same mistakes.
It’s crucial that you’re aware of what aided the success of a function, and what could have been improved upon. Examining the data on hand will alert you to areas that require a different approach, but without any information to look at, you’ll have to make do with a guesstimate
Using a service like The RSVP agency allows you to integrate real time analytics into your events by using our event management software. Not only will you be able to compile and use event planning statistics, we’ll provide you with professional call downs, professionally designed invitations and assistance on the day of your event.
Having these real time analytics data gives you insight into knowing whose email has bounced or what the guest’s food preferences are and other pertinent information, so you can make informed decisions at the drop of a hat.
Image Credit: Telegraph
