The Show’s Over – Now What? Part II: A Post-Event Checklist
As promised to my readers at Scrapbook Business Magazine, I created a post-event checklist.
I hope you find the list helpful in learning as much as possible from your last event, and making future events the best they can be.
Care to share it with others? Please feel free to do so by providing a link to this page.
Please remember, this content is copyrighted. Thanks.
Note: The companion article published previous to this checklist is included here:
The Show’s Over – Now What? Part I: Time to Reflect
Post-Event Checklist:
Overall Event Goals-Did we reach, exceed or miss our goals?
Sales
Yes-final numbers:
What contributed to the success?
What else can we do to further improve our numbers at future events?
No-final numbers:
What contributed to the shortcoming*?
How will we make improvements before our next event?
Marketing
Yes-outcome:
What contributed to the success?
Are there any new opportunities as a result of our efforts?
What action is required, by whom and by when?
No-outcome:
What contributed to the shortcoming*?
How will we make improvements before our next event?
What action is required, by whom and by when?
PR
Yes-outcome:
What contributed to the success?
Are there any follow-up items that need to happen?
What action is required, by whom and by when?
Are there any new opportunities as a result of our efforts?
If so, what are they and what action is required, by whom and by when?
No-outcome:
What contributed to the shortcoming*?
What can we do better next time?
What action is required, by whom and by when?
Networking
Yes-outcome:
What contributed to our networking success?
Are there any follow-up items that need to happen?
What action is required, by whom and by when?
Are there any new opportunities as a result of our efforts?
If so, what are they and what action is required, by whom and by when?
No-outcome:
What contributed to the shortcoming*?
What can we do better next time?
What action is required, by whom and by when?
*This is not the time for the “blame game,” simply a chance to focus on what didn’t work well this time and make changes to enable better results next time. No fixing blame, only fixing problems!
The Event-how did we do?
Booth Set-up
What worked?
What didn’t?
What changes need to be made before the next event?
Who’s responsible for the changes, and what’s the deadline?
Who will communicate the changes to the staff and add it to the event checklist for future events? By when?
Booth Tear-down
What worked?
What didn’t?
What changes need to be made before the next event?
Who’s responsible for the changes, and what’s the deadline?
Who will communicate the changes to the staff and add it to the event checklist for future events? By when?
Traffic Flow (in the booth)
What worked?
What didn’t?
What changes need to be made before the next event?
Who’s responsible for the changes, and what’s the deadline?
Who will communicate the changes to the staff and make changes to the event plans for future events? By when?
What were the busiest times? Slowest times? (Make a note of these so staffing can be adjusted accordingly for future events)
Make-and-Takes
What worked?
What didn’t?
What changes need to be made before the next event?
Who’s responsible for the changes, and what’s the deadline?
Who will communicate the changes to the staff and make changes to the event plans for future events? By when?
Are there any staff training needs as a result of the performance of staff at this event?
If so, who will provide the training and by when?
What were the busiest times? Slowest times? (Make a note of these so staffing can be adjusted accordingly for future events)
Did we have enough supplies? If not, how many more of which items do we need?
Do we need to replenish make-and-take supplies prior to our next event? If so, what needs to be added, and by when? By whom?
Did we have enough spaces/seats? If not, what changes will we make for future events?
Demos
What worked?
What didn’t?
What changes need to be made before the next event?
Who’s responsible for the changes, and what’s the deadline?
Who will communicate the changes to the staff and make changes to the event plans for future events? By when?
Are there any staff training needs as a result of the performance of staff at this event?
If so, who will provide the training and by when?
What were the busiest times? Slowest times? (Make a note of these so staffing can be adjusted accordingly for future events)
Did we have enough spaces/seats? If not, what changes will we make for future events?
Contests
What worked?
What didn’t?
What changes need to be made before the next event?
Who’s responsible for the changes, and what’s the deadline?
Who will communicate the changes to the staff and make changes to the event plans for future events? By when?
Do we need to replenish contest supplies prior to our next event? If so, what needs to be added, and by when? By whom?
Staffing
What worked?
What didn’t?
What changes need to be made before the next event?
Who’s responsible for the changes, and what’s the deadline?
Who will communicate the changes to the staff and make changes to the event plans for future events? By when?
Are there any staff training needs as a result of the performance of staff at this event?
If so, who will provide the training and by when?
Processes
What worked?
What didn’t?
What changes need to be made before the next event?
Who’s responsible for the changes, and what’s the deadline?
Who will communicate the changes to the staff and make changes to the event plans for future events? By when?
Which other documents need to be updated as a result? Who will update them? By what date?
Collateral
Did we have enough? Way too much? (Take note so numbers can be adjusted for future events)
Who’s responsible for making any necessary changes? By when?
Do we need to replenish collateral prior to our next event? If so, what needs to be added, and by when? By whom?
Did we receive any feedback on our collateral pieces?
If so, are the changes going to be made? By whom and by when?
Are any other actions required? Who’s responsible for the actions? What are the deadlines?
Supplies
Were we in need of anything we didn’t have along?
If so, what items do we need to procure? Who will procure the items and by when?
Who will add the item(s) to our supply list and the supply bin, and by when?
Do we need to purchase any other new items?
If so, what and how many? Who will make the purchase(s) and by when?
Who will add the item(s) to our supply list and the supply bin, and by when?
Do we need to replenish supplies from our existing supply list prior to our next event?
If so, what needs to be replenished, by whom and by when?
Who will add the item(s) to our supply list and the supply bin, and by when?
Feedback-what did we hear and learn?
Compliments
Did we receive compliments?
Have we communicated the praise to everyone responsible for our receiving the compliment(s)?
Have we examined the compliment to see where else we might apply what worked?
Complaints
Did we receive any complaints?
Have we communicated the complaint(s) to everyone responsible for making changes?
Have we come up with a solution?
When will changes be made, and who’s responsible for making them?
Questions
Have we provided answers to everyone who asked questions at the booth (this pertains to questions for which there might not have been an answer available at the time the event took place)?
If not, who’s responsible for researching an answer and communicating it to the person(s) above? By when must this be done?
Additional Follow-Up
Samples
Is any follow-up required for samples that were handed out at/sent prior to the event?
If so, what action needs to take place?
Who’s responsible for the action, and by when?
Sales
Is any follow-up required for orders that were placed at the event?
If so, what action needs to take place?
Who’s responsible for the action, and by when?
Are there opportunities for follow-on sales/cross-selling?
Who will be responsible for following up on the opportunities, and by when?
Partners
Is any follow-up required for partnering contacts made at the event?
If so, what action needs to take place?
Who’s responsible for the action, and by when?
Press
Is any follow-up required for press contacts made at the event?
If so, what action needs to take place?
Who’s responsible for the action, and by when?
Meetings/Introductions
Is any follow-up required for commitments made to anyone else with whom we met at the event?
If so, for whom and what action needs to take place?
Who’s responsible for the action, and by when?
Competition
Did we learn anything new about our competition?
If so, what did we learn?
How will we leverage what we learned to better market and sell our offering?
Is any follow-up required on the competitive intelligence gathered at the event?
If so, what action needs to take place?
Who’s responsible for the action, and by when?
Opportunities
Did we discover any unmet needs or other opportunities while at the event?
If so, what were the opportunities?
Have they been communicated to those who can take advantage of them?
If so, what action was taken and by whom?
If not, when will this take place; what action is required; who will take the action; and, by when?
Staffing
Are any staffing changes necessary as a result of anyone’s performance (or non-performance) at the event?
What changes need to be made and who do the changes affect?
Who’s responsible for making the changes, and by when?
Knowledge
What did we learn at this event?
Have we communicated this newfound knowledge to those who could benefit from it?
If so, what actions were taken as a result, and by whom?
If not, when will this take place; what action is required; who will take the action; and, by when?
Copyright © 2011-2016 Stephanie Hackney – All Rights Reserved
As always, I welcome your comments, questions, calls and email.
I can be reached via email at
shackney (at) brandingmasters (dot) com
and by phone at 760.504.8563
One Response to “The Show’s Over – Now What? Part II: A Post-Event Checklist”
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[...] Please Note: This article was requested by and submitted to Scrapbook Business Magazine for their Januar... brandingmasters.com/2011/04/19/the-show-is-over-now-what
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