Post-Event Engagement Playbook

Transform your event's energy into lasting community connections with this comprehensive follow-up strategy

The Critical Window

Your attendees leave your event inspired and connected. But without intentional follow-up, 70% of those connections will fade within 30 days. This playbook gives you the exact strategy to nurture and grow your event community long after the last session ends.

48hrs
Peak engagement window
73%
Connection retention with follow-up
5x
More likely to attend again

The 90-Day Engagement Timeline

Day 0

Event Day - Capture the Energy

  • • Send immediate thank you from the stage
  • • Capture testimonials while emotions are high
  • • Announce post-event community platform
24hrs

24 Hours - Strike While Hot

  • • Personal thank you email with highlights
  • • Share photo album and recordings
  • • Open community platform/group
72hrs

72 Hours - Facilitate Connections

  • • Send connection facilitation email
  • • Share attendee directory (with permission)
  • • Launch first community challenge
Week 1

Week 1 - Deepen Engagement

  • • Host virtual reunion/debrief
  • • Share implementation resources
  • • Spotlight early success stories
Month 1

Month 1 - Build Momentum

  • • Launch alumni program
  • • Announce next event with early bird
  • • Celebrate community milestones

Email Templates & Scripts

24-Hour Thank You Email

Send: Day 1
Subject: Thank you for making [Event Name] incredible! 🎉

Hi [First Name],

I'm still buzzing from the energy at [Event Name] yesterday! Thank you for being part of such an amazing gathering.

I wanted to make sure you didn't miss anything from our time together:

  • 📸 Event photos are here (password: [password])
  • 🎥 Session recordings are now available
  • 📑 Download all presentation slides
  • 👥 Join our private community

Your next step: We created a simple way to stay connected with everyone you met. Click here to access your personalized connection dashboard.

Looking forward to seeing how you'll use what you learned!

Warmly,
[Your Name]
[Event Name] Team

P.S. Did you take any great photos? Share them with #[EventHashtag] - we're creating a community album!

Connection Facilitation Email

Send: Day 3
Subject: 🤝 Your connections from [Event Name] (action needed)

Hi [First Name],

Remember those amazing conversations at [Event Name]? Let's make sure they don't fade away!

We've made it easy to reconnect:

Your Connection Checklist:

  • ☐ Review your personal attendee directory
  • ☐ Send at least 3 follow-up messages today
  • ☐ Schedule a virtual coffee with 1 new connection
  • ☐ Join our [Event Name] Alumni Group

Need help starting conversations? Here are 3 templates:

  1. 1. "Hi [Name]! Loved our chat about [topic] at [Event]. Would love to continue the conversation over virtual coffee next week?"
  2. 2. "Hey [Name]! You mentioned [specific thing] during [Event]. I found this resource that might help: [link]. Hope you're doing well!"
  3. 3. "[Name], your perspective on [topic] really stuck with me. I'd love to hear more about your experience with [specific aspect]."

🎯 Community Challenge: Make 5 meaningful reconnections this week and share your favorite reunion story in our group!

Here to help you stay connected,
[Your Name]

Virtual Reunion Invitation

Send: Day 7
Subject: 📅 You're invited: [Event Name] Virtual Reunion (Thursday @ 2pm)

Hi [First Name],

Has it really been a week since [Event Name]? Time flies when you're implementing great ideas!

Join us for a special virtual reunion:

🎉 [Event Name] Virtual Reunion

📅 Thursday, [Date]

🕐 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM [Timezone]

💻 Join on Zoom

What we'll do together:

  • • Share your biggest takeaway or win from the event
  • • Reconnect with fellow attendees in breakout rooms
  • • Get answers to your implementation questions
  • • Preview exclusive resources for our alumni community

Can't make it? No worries! We'll record the main session and share highlights with everyone.

→ RSVP here to receive your personal Zoom link

See you Thursday!
[Your Name]

P.S. Bring your favorite beverage and one connection story to share!

Community Building Strategies

Quick Wins (Week 1-2)

  • Photo Sharing Campaign
    Create a shared album and encourage tagging
  • Implementation Buddy System
    Pair attendees for accountability
  • Daily Discussion Prompts
    Spark conversations in your community
  • Success Story Spotlight
    Feature early wins from attendees

Long-term Engagement (Month 1-3)

  • Monthly Challenges
    Theme-based activities with prizes
  • Expert Office Hours
    Regular Q&A with speakers/experts
  • Regional Meetups
    Facilitate local gatherings
  • Alumni Benefits
    Exclusive perks for engaged members

Community Platform Options

Low-Tech
  • • WhatsApp/Telegram groups
  • • Email lists
  • • LinkedIn groups
Medium-Tech
  • • Slack/Discord
  • • Facebook groups
  • • Mighty Networks
High-Tech
  • • Circle/Tribe
  • • Custom platforms
  • • Event app extensions

Metrics & Success Tracking

Key Performance Indicators

Engagement Metrics

Email Open Rate
Target: 45-60%
Track across all post-event emails
Community Join Rate
Target: 30-40%
% of attendees who join community platform
30-Day Active Rate
Target: 25-35%
% still engaged after one month
Connection Rate
Target: 3-5 per attendee
Avg new connections made post-event

Weekly Tracking Dashboard

Metric Week 1 Week 2 Week 4 Week 12
Email Opens ____% ____% ____% ____%
Community Active ____% ____% ____% ____%
Content Engagement ____% ____% ____% ____%
Event Interest ____% ____% ____% ____%

Action Checklists

Pre-Event Preparation

Week 1 Critical Actions

Recommended Tools & Resources

Email Automation

  • • ConvertKit - Event sequences
  • • ActiveCampaign - Behavior triggers
  • • Mailchimp - Simple automation
  • • Drip - E-commerce events

Community Platforms

  • • Circle - Modern community
  • • Mighty Networks - All-in-one
  • • Discord - Tech-savvy groups
  • • Heartbeat - Chat-first

Analytics & Tracking

  • • Google Analytics - Web tracking
  • • Mixpanel - User behavior
  • • Segment - Data pipeline
  • • Airtable - Custom dashboards

Ready to Build Your Community?

Get the complete playbook with all templates, checklists, and bonus resources.

Related Resources