Once the last attendee heads home, you might think your event is officially “over.” But in reality, it’s just the beginning of a whole new phase: post-event engagement. This is the right time to deepen relationships with your attendees, and get them excited for what’s next. Follow our expert tips to elevate your event follow-up strategy!

1. Send a memorable thank-you email

The very first step in your event follow up should be a heartfelt thank you. After all, these people just showed their support by attending your event! Sending a personalized email within 24–48 hours after your event ends allows you to connect with attendees again while the experience is still fresh in their minds. For the most effective event follow-up email, make sure to use their first names in the greeting, share a few standout photos or a short recap video, and include a note from the organizer that expresses genuine gratitude. With TicketLeap’s built-in email feature, you can easily send this message to attendees in just a few clicks!

Pro tip: Identify those who purchased tickets but didn’t attend, and send them a different follow-up email saying “We missed you!” with highlights of what they missed and a sneak peek at your next event!

2. Keep the conversation going on social media

Your social media channels are the perfect space to keep attendees engaged after the event. As a few ideas for your post-event marketing, try sharing highlight reels, behind-the-scenes moments, and shoutouts to key volunteers or sponsors. Asking open-ended questions — such as “What was your favorite moment from our festival?” — can spark conversation and encourage attendees to post about their favorite memories from your experience.

Want to take it a step further? Encourage guests to post photos from your event and tag your account, so you can reshare them. This not only boosts your organic reach on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, but it also helps showcase the vibrant community surrounding your event!

3. Gather valuable feedback with a post-event survey

Collecting feedback after your event is one of the best ways to understand what worked well and what you can improve upon. A brief post-event survey allows attendees to share their feedback and ideas for future events, helping them feel valued and heard. Try offering a small incentive, such as a discount code for your next event, to encourage more responses. Make sure to mention the incentive in your email’s subject line to increase your open rate! With TicketLeap, you can include a link to this survey in one of your email campaigns and send it straight from our platform, so it’s sure to reach your attendees.

4. Share evergreen event content throughout the year

Just because your event has ended doesn’t mean your content has to! Repurposing photos, videos, and testimonials helps you keep the momentum going year-round. You might post high-quality photos from your past events on social media, create a recap page on your website with highlight videos and attendee testimonials, or share short video clips on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube. Adding compelling statistics, like total attendance, percentage of first-time attendees, or feedback scores, can build additional credibility for your event too. This event follow-up approach helps extend the life of your event and keeps your brand top of mind until your next one comes around.

5. Analyze your event data to improve what’s next

Reviewing your event analytics is crucial for making informed decisions and improving your future events. Looking at ticket sales trends can help you pinpoint when sales spiked, while analyzing marketing channel performance reveals which tactics were most effective. Combining these insights with feedback from your post-event survey gives you a clear picture of what resonated with attendees. TicketLeap’s reporting tools make it easy to gather and review this information (including our new sales report!), helping you create a stronger, more strategic post-event marketing plan.

6. Give attendees more reasons to come back

The best time to get attendees excited about your next event is while the buzz from your current one is still strong. Offering discounted early bird tickets, sharing save-the-date announcements and invitation emails, or giving exclusive previews of upcoming activities can help keep the momentum going. By continuing to nurture the relationships you’ve established, you make it more likely that attendees will say “yes” to your next event.

Why post-event engagement matters

At its core, post-event engagement is about building lasting relationships with your attendees and getting them to come back again and again. From sending personalized thank-you emails to repurposing content for social media, you can keep the excitement alive long after your event ends. These strategies not only help you maintain a connection with your audience but also provide valuable insights to make your upcoming events even better!