Better Follow-Up
An event planning company designed the special screening of a major motion picture at one New York
theater in 2020. The portion of the event that the company was hired for was what can be called the “red-
carpet event.” While the client communicated with the company and specified exactly what was needed and
how the design was to be executed, the event planning company missed an opportunity for both research and
stronger follow-up.
To begin the research stage, the event organizers should have performed a marketing analysis that
included both internal and external analysis. Before an event can exceed that of the competition, the
organization had to understand the competition’s assets and weaknesses as well as their own. However, no
marketing research was conducted, and no
ainstorming was involved. The event organization executed the
client’s order.
The event organizers did not perform these measures, due to the short time frame and because they
determined that the event was not large enough. An event is like an actor’s performance on stage in that
there are no small events, just small Event Managers. In the organization’s defense, the event was cost-
efficient and generally satisfied the needs of the client. The client told them what they wanted, and there was
not much more room for creativity.
During the formal evaluation, the officers of the event organizers reported that they really did not
conduct a formal evaluation with the client. They just gave the company feedback on how things had gone.
Only the Event Manager in charge that day listened to this feedback and no inter-company database or log
was maintained. Sometimes when the crew leaves a site, the client checks in with them and they talk
informally about how happy the client is. Then, as people come and go within the organization, this is quickly
forgotten. The organization is not sure if any better approach is possible for conducting a post-event analysis.
Thus far, the company has been able to avoid any negative experience, and there is no reason to believe that
something should be changed to improve its practices.
QUESTIONS
1. Do you agree that the cu
ent practice is the best one?
2. If several senior event officers leave the company, what effect would it have within this organization
on the Event Management company’s performance
3. If you were contracted to target the problems, what suggestions would you have for the
management?
Adopted from:
Goldblatt, J XXXXXXXXXXSpecial events: Event Leadership for a new world. 4th Edition. Wiley: Hoboken, New Jersey