So, you’re tasked with planning your company’s annual gala, product launch or employee appreciation event on a conservative budget.

Rather than taking a shot in the dark on what will wow attendees, leverage data to optimize every spend for maximum impact. Why not take the easy way out?

Many corporate event organizers default to tired trends or copycat what competitors are doing. However, today’s employees and clients have evolving expectations. So, how do you keep pace?

Through a data-driven approach.

Follow these best practices to guide corporate event planning using proven metrics, not guesswork:

Mine Past Feedback Surveys to Repeat Wins

Conduct post-event feedback surveys that ask attendees to rate elements like food, decor, entertainment.

When satisfaction scores are high year-over-year for the photo booth or dessert bar, keep those crowd pleasures on the agenda. Just be wary of a “flavor of the month” skew; reactions can pivot on trends.

Track Event App Analytics for Insights

Modern events leverage custom phone apps to distribute agendas, session details, maps and more. If you’re not using these tech tools, it’s not too late.

Embed analytical trackers to see which sections attract the most clicks and shares. If the conference agenda sells out fastest, allocate more budget to speaker fees next year.

Measure Social Media Buzz

Use free social listening tools to benchmark awareness and sentiment related to your event over time. If Twitter mentions doubled this year alongside a surge in registration, your PR push likely drove interest. Double down on viral marketing if the metrics align.

While some old school event planners fly by the seat of their pants, data and analytics reduce waste and guesswork. Want to have employees and clients over the moon about your next corporate affair? Partner with Villa Ragusa to pinpoint proven pleasures worth every penny!