Worked well, needs improvement

One of the most important things you can do after your walkathon is to check yourself.  In the words of one of my fave RHOA ladies… “Who’s gonna check me, boo?”

How did the walk do – other than the obvious indicators of walkers and dollars?  Some things you can control, and some things you cannot.  Mother Nature is one of them.  What about the other things? Things that provide customer satisfaction?  Things that make your walkers want to come back?

The day after the walkathon, I would always send an email to staff and volunteer coordinators titled “364 days to go!”

While the event was fresh in their minds, I wanted to know what went well and what needs improvement.  Who best to give me a reality check than the people who volunteered their time and talent to make it happen?  I would always receive a big-honkin’ load of responses.  Good, bad and ugly.

This kind of immediate feedback is crucial for the successful planning of the next event.  I would print-out these responses and make a list of things that are, and aren’t fixable.  Many of the nasty-gram responses were in reference to the early-hour they had to arrive or the culinary selection of snacks.  However, there would always be a few delightful gems in the bunch that I could fix for the next year.

These literary opinions would be kept in an obnoxious-colored file folder on my desk so it would always be easy to grab for an occasional perusal of the previous event.  Make sure to give credit to the person that offers a money or time-saving suggestion!  Sometimes it is the little things that make a big change!