Congratulations, you did it, you executed your event to perfection. But as any great event planner knows, the work doesn’t end there. There are invoices to be paid, reports to be created and it’s time to “put your money where your mouth is”, as they say. Of course, we can report on number of attendees, entries into the contest, number of sales made, etc. However, if you want a true full scope of your event’s success there are a few additional ways to measure it. What are these additional areas of consideration? Well, that’s exactly what we’re here to share with you. If your event is truly a success, here are 3 additional ways to tell if it was a hit.

Space

In addition to your KPI’s there are other elements to consider when reporting on the overall success of your event. The first element we’d like to discuss is event space and it’s transformation. This can apply to any type of event, including outdoor or even virtual. Space is one of the best ways to get guests talking about your event and hopefully even sharing it for years to come! You want all guests to leaving feeling like its one of the best events they’ve ever been too and/or seen.

When measuring success in terms of event space we suggest asking the following questions to get yourself started. Was the theme evident? Where/how was key branding included and how many times? Did the event space engage all the senses? Was the space truly transformed? If you can report utilizing these questions, you can add a lot of depth to your overall analysis. Better yet, keep them in mind when planning and your event is guaranteed to be a spatial success!

Engagement

The next element we’d like to discuss is engagement. Besides the obvious, “how many participants engaged in X”, let’s dive in a little deeper. Reporting that 80% of attendees participated is great, but let’s think about what other perspectives can provide a wider picture. When gauging if your event is a success from an engagement perspective we would suggest considering if the engagement was in fact effective and/or if it increased as compared to previous events. When determining if your engagement was effective, consider factors such as the following: How many engagement touchpoints were there? Was the engagement interactive? What type of means was it carried out in? Was it simplistic or were there complexities involved? Did you use technology to engage with guests? And finally, was there any engagement post-event. Feedback surveys and testimonials can sometimes be worth their weight in gold!

Boundaries

Finally, we want to talk about boundaries and pushing them! Now, boundaries can mean several things to different people. For instance, physically, mentally, technology-wise, creatively, sustainably, etc. It all depends on context and perspective.  However, why not consider it from all sides. For example, did your event’s concept, theme and/or content touch on any new frontiers? If you’ve held this event before, has it improved? Really, what we’re trying to evoke is some type of emotion. Limits, boundaries, even sometimes rules are meant to be pushed or broken. Any successful event is meant to be provoking, inspiring or out of the box in one way or another.

Examples

We’ll give you a couple of examples. On a smaller, experiential scale, we worked with Amarula. While highlighting their brand and giving out samples, they also got into the heads and hearts of the consumer. How did they do this? Well, through thought provoking messaging. Because of their ties to Africa, they do a lot of advocacy work regarding elephant rescue and illegal poaching. They had a larger-than-life elephant sculpture onsite that melted at the rate of elephant’s being poached. If that didn’t provoke an emotion to consumers, we’re not sure what else would! They were able to raise awareness, while handing out samples and educating consumers on their brand.

A second example, on a larger scale, would be AT&T’s Shape Tech & Entertainment Expo from 2017. While we didn’t plan this (you can read about it briefly here) it’s interesting to analyze. Essentially, they launched a “create-a-thon” – a competition where aspiring filmmakers were tasked with creating a short film over the weekend of the event. Not only did they push boundaries technology wise – unveiling some of the newest technology, but they also added an engagement piece, no one had seen before! So, as one of our favourite teachers would say, “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!”.

Takeaways

Now that you’ve gotten out top tips, how did your last event measure up? We hope we got your wheels spinning! Our goal is always to improve, whether it be event-to-event or year-over-year. That’s why we love sharing what we’ve learned over the last 18 years and sharing it with the event community! As always, if you liked what you’ve read and would like assistance planning your next event or would like to discuss how Tigris can help elevate your next event, click below to get a free quote or call us today!

Finally, let us leave you with a last thought – never be afraid to try. You never know, you might start a trend, a movement or even a break a ceiling (or two!).