I’m a big fan of conducting post-event evaluations and reviewing the lessons learned in the process. It’s a good way to document both successes and missteps and can aid immensely in future planning.
It’s also kind of a crap shoot.
Who is to say what strategy was effective? While adding in a certain advertisement for a campaign or an event to raise funds may have produced results, it is difficult to know whether the same impact would have been achieved without that intervention. It seemed important or necessary to do, but it is difficult to assess whether doing something differently would have ultimately altered the outcome.
At the turn of the 20th century, marketing pioneer John Wanamaker said: “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.” Modern analytics have given us more data but there is still little clarity on what truly drives people to act – and whether they would have behaved the same way if you did everything or nothing in your strategy.
There is a small window between contentment and complacency; a balancing act between always improving and continually feeling regret for not doing enough. You need to heed the advice of 1980’s rocker Pat Benatar and “hit me with your best shot.” Do what seems valuable, reflect with the benefit of hindsight and your best judgment, and be satisfied with giving your best effort in the next round.
Thanks, Brian!
