Event Planning Steps
- Step 1: Print Event Planning Checklist
- Step 2: Select Date, Time, and Location
- Step 3: Coordinate Campus Resources
- Step 4: Identify Off-Campus Vendor Needs
- Step 5: Ensure the Safety of Your Guests
- Step 6: Book Your Entertainment and CCU Ambassadors
- Step 7: Place Catering Order
- Step 8: Promote Your Event
- Step 9: Execute Event
- Step 10: Evaluate and Plan for the Future
Step 10: Evaluate and Plan For the Future
Convene a committee and ask yourselves what went well and what challenges you faced. Complete an Event Planning Worksheet to record your ideas and lessons learned. Update any web information to reflect the event’s conclusion or new dates.
How to Evaluate Your Events
Who Do We Ask to Evaluate?
Most Coastal Carolina University events have three key groups: your guests, your VIPs, and your vendors. It’s important to evaluate them before you let them evaluate you. Be sure to ask yourself:
- How large is this group, and can I properly manage that level of feedback?
- How educated is this group about this type of event?
- How responsive is this group to feedback?
Typically, the most useful feedback comes from your VIPs and your vendors. These key groups are small enough for you to manage the feedback, are educated in events well enough to recognize the good and “needs improvement” elements, and often respond to feedback requests.
What Do We Ask Them To Evaluate?
Evaluations could include questions for your key groups such as:
- Did the group understand the event’s purpose?
- Did the group feel the elements of the event matched the event purpose?
- How did the timing of the event feel? (This could be not only the day and time of the event but also the length and if things ran on time.)
- Would that group be a part of the event again in the future?
What Tools Can We Use to Evaluate?
- Google Forms
Google allows you to create custom forms and brand with photos from your event.
- Survey Monkey
Offers free and paid services, is easy to put together, and presents an easy-to-read final report. Ideal for reaching out to larger groups.
- Email
If you have a smaller group or want to keep it personal, email is your best method. Include a solicitation for feedback with thank you notes.