Evaluating Events: How to Nail It Every Time. 
In this blog we’re diving into a crucial aspect of event management: evaluation. It’s the secret sauce to ensure every event we throw is better than the last.
Here’s how we do it:

 

Setting Clear Goals

First things first – define your event goals with your event team. Knowing what success looks like helps us measure it effectively. Are we aiming for increased brand recognition? Excellent networking opportunities, or knowledge sharing? Clear goals are our guiding stars.

 

Short and Sweet Evaluations

Post-event surveys should be concise but comprehensive. The quicker and easier they are to complete, the more feedback we’ll get. Remember, our goal is to gather valuable insights without overwhelming or putting off our attendees.

 

Pre-Event Preparation

During online registration, we ask attendees about their main aim for the event. Options could include:

  • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
  • Updates on scientific content
  • Networking opportunities
  • Learning best practices
  • Exploring new medical areas

 

Also, inquire where they heard about the event – this helps us refine our marketing strategies.

 

So, what should the post-event survey contain?

 

Post-Event Survey: The Essentials
  1. Event Experience
  • Venue: Rate the logistics, food & beverage, and conference facilities.
  • Programme: Did it offer value for money? Were the learning objectives met? Was there any bias evident?
  • Perception Changes: Will attendees change their practice based on what they learned?
  1. ROI and Social Value
  • Was the event a good use of their time?
  • Did they achieve their goals?
  • Did they benefit from networking and exhibitor interactions?
  1. Overall Rating
  • How would they rate the event overall?
  • How likely are they to attend again?
  1. Any Specific Feedback
  • Venue accessibility and suitability
  • Quality and quantity of food
  • Suggestions for future topics and improvements
  • Feedback on lectures

 

NB –incentivising your attendees to complete their registration will = more data! We often link completion of the evaluation to a delegate receiving their certificate of attendance.

 

NB – Tailoring your evaluation to your audience is key – you shouldn’t be asking the same questions of your delegates and your exhibitors, for example!

 

Better Data Utilisation

But what’s the point in collecting all this data, unless we use the feedback to refine our practices? Our analysis of this data includes:

 

  • Filtering responses by job title to understand who valued which sessions the most
  • Analysing our attendance numbers and registration patterns
  • Analysing venue feedback to decide whether we should use that venue again
  • Pulling out insights on trends – that we can feed back to our clients

 

It’s not all about the post event evaluation! How else can we measuring success?
  • Compare whole event overhead costs and revenue
  • Track social media activity and engagement
  • Track repeat customers (to annual events)

 

Continuous Improvement

The feedback we gather not only helps us improve but also showcases our commitment to excellence. It’s a win-win: better events for our clients and attendees and a great reputation for us.

 

As lots of our events are annual, many of our attendees see improvements based on their feedback come to life the next year!

 

At CFS Events, we turn feedback into action. Let’s create medical educational events that are not just useful, but memorable! Get in touch with us at robyn@cfsevents.co.uk

 

Robyn Bull

CFS Events

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