Event Evaluations

Yesterday I put together a small event for COLORS (www.colorsalliance.org), an organization for local, independent busineses. It was small, but as big as we wanted it to be, and made a small profit for the group.

At the end of the meeting, we distributed a short (five questions), subjective evaluation. One hundred percent of the attendees gave it back, with varying lengths of response (thankfully, almost entirely positive). Collectively, the evaluations will provide a wealth of information as our group moves forward. For example, we asked for suggestions for programs the participants would like to see in the future, and we received some great ideas.

I find that this evaluation piece is too often forgotten, despite the fact that is so essential. First, because it provides information that can help future events. Second, because it helps people see that their input is valued by the presenting organization.

For this event, I added a second level of evaluation, and we are still seeing how that will work. I received an e-mail this morning from an events consultant I respect, Eugene Loj (www.eugeneloj.com). His suggestion came from someone else -- he said to send an e-mail immediately after the event, thanking people for attending and posing just one question, "What did you not like about the event?"

Loj says the question makes people think and communicates that you are serious about improvement. That makes sense to me and I'm already receiving great feedback that makes me want to make this a permanent part of my event marketing mix.

- sean

Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net

online event registration services

I recently found an online event registration service that I like pretty well.

www.eventbrite.com

So far, I have only used the free functions. It allowed me to create a page for an event with its own URL (mine is www.colors.eventbrite.com -- which I suspect will go inactive after the event, on 2/10/2009). It isn't super fancy, but it allowed me to post my group's logo and descriptive text.

Credit card payments are processed through my PayPal account, but registrants do not need an account, just a card. It allowed me to create several levels of tickets, which was cool, but it did not allow me to restrict who gets which kind of ticket. So, for example, I have to hope that non-members of the organization will not register at the cheaper "member" price. That's a pretty small problem, though.

Setting up my event took no more than 15 minutes.

For a quick and easy way to have online registration for your events, I definitely recommend www.eventbrite.com.

- sean

Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net

The key to being popular at a potluck.

What's your favorite dish?

Perhaps counter-intuitively, this is not a particularly important question to consider when choosing what to make for a potluck dinner.

The key to being a successful pot-luck guest (i.e. taking something that most people will actually eat), is taking something recognizable, that LOOKS appetizing. It is all about visual presentation, and some level of familiarity. It is about appealing to the lowest common denominator.

My favorite things to take to a potluck are chocolate covered strawberries (cheap and easy to make), homemade chunky guacamole and chips, and stuffed mushrooms. Recognizable. Appetizing to most folks.

Happy Super Bowl!

- sean

Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net