Evaluate Immediately! It is important to do your evaluation/assessment of the event while the details are fresh in your mind. Include anyone in the evaluation process that had a stake in the event. Stakeholders would include vendors, hired staff, volunteers and employers. You could host a debriefing session or a wrap up meeting to accomplish this task. Make this a pleasant experience. Include refreshments and lots of kudos (thank you’s for a job well done). Prior to, or when the meeting begins, enlist a “scribe” to record the comments and answers from the group. Ask yourself and them the following questions:

· Did the event fulfill the goals and objectives set forth?

· What worked? What didn’t? What would you do differently? The same?

· Did the event run smoothly and on schedule?

· Which vendors/stakeholders should be hired/recruited again?

· Were any items missing from the checklist that should be included in future events?

· Did you generate favorable publicity for the event?

· How was attendance? Were the attendance goals achieved?

· Did you receive positive feedback from those who attended? Did you use formal (written, documented forms or one on one surveys) or informal (chatting in the restrooms, lines, seminars, etc.) methods of evaluation?

· What could you do differently, better to reach your goals? To involve more people? To spread the word about the event?

· Was the event

About the Author: Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women’s ECommerce Association, International www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-k+) – an Internet organization that “Helps Women Do Business on the WEB.” Basic Membership is FREE. Ms. Richards can be reached at Heidi@speakingwithspirit.com.