“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝, 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞.”~PR Scenarios

The venue was stunning, the speakers delivered flawlessly, and the media coverage was solid. I stood at the back of the room, watching people mingle and exchange contacts, feeling the quiet satisfaction of a job well done. As far as I was concerned, the event had been a success.

The next morning, I walked into the office expecting nothing but positive reviews. Instead, I was met with normalcy. No excited messages. No enthusiastic feedback. Just a few polite nods from colleagues who had been there. Something felt off.

I reached out to a few attendees, casually asking how they had found the event.

“It was well-organized,” one said. “Smooth execution,” another remarked.
But there was no spark in their voices, no excitement. That is when it hit me, I had focused so much on logistics and execution that I had forgotten something crucial. I had not captured how people felt.

I had no real measure of whether the event had changed anything for them. Did they feel different walking out than they had walking in? Were they more inspired, more informed, more connected? I hadn’t asked before the event what they expected. I didn’t gauge afterward whether those expectations had been met or exceeded.

Even worse, I had no way of knowing what insights the organization could draw from the event. Beyond the smooth flow of the programme, what had resonated with attendees? Did the content challenge their thinking? Did they see opportunities to engage with the organization in new ways? Could their feedback help refine future events as well as the company’s products, services or overall business strategy?

I had been so wrapped up in ensuring that everything worked that I had neglected to collect sentimental feedback. Without understanding the emotional shift, from anticipation to experience to reflection, I had no way of knowing if the event had made an impact.

These days every event I manage has to be more than seamless. It has to be insightful.
I also make sure I ask the right questions:

What are you hoping to gain from this event? (Before)
What stood out to you the most? (During)
How do you feel now compared to when you arrived? (After)
Did the discussions spark any ideas or shifts in perspective?
How can our organization better support you beyond this event?

I am now a believer of measuring success beyond attendance numbers and flawless logistics. It is measured by impact – how the quality of life of stakeholders has improved. And if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.