If you’re the one putting on health fairs, preventative screenings, or outreach events, you know the basics: get people in the door, provide useful services, and hope they leave better informed.

But, as it’s said, you can’t improve what you don’t measure. So how do you go beyond that, and track real-world impact that can help make your next event even better?

Here are a few ways to think about how to measure the success of your event.

beyond attendance: measuring true engagement

Counting attendees is easy. But to understand if your event truly connected with attendees, dig deeper. Here are questions to consider, and ways to measure engagement:

• How long did people stay? Use sign-in and sign-out sheets, QR code check-ins at key locations, or Wi-Fi tracking to measure dwell time.
• Did they visit multiple booths, or just one? Provide booth passports, stamp cards, or digital scavenger hunts that encourage attendees to explore and log their visits.
• Did they ask questions or participate in activities? Track interactions by giving vendors a simple way to tally engaged conversations or participation in hands-on activities.
• What was the ratio of casual visitors vs. those actively seeking health services? Use a short intake survey at check-in or exit to identify intent. Were they browsing or there for a specific reason?

Tracking engagement also helps inform programming for future events by showing what truly captures attention and keeps people involved.

screenings: what happens next?

Offering preventative health screenings is great, but the real impact comes afterward. Consider tracking:

• Which screenings had the highest participation, and why? Track sign-ups for different screenings and cross-reference attendance with event layout, promotion methods, and time of day to identify factors influencing participation.
• How many people needed follow-up care? Set up a system where screening providers document cases requiring follow-up and share anonymized data with event organizers.
• How many actually followed through with referrals? Use QR codes or digital referral forms that link to follow-up surveys, allowing attendees to confirm whether they scheduled or attended appointments.

A strong referral process ensures the event is more than a one-time checkup, and provides a bridge to real healthcare access. If you’re not a healthcare provider, partnering with providers who can offer low-cost or free follow-ups strengthens the impact.

Did it inspire action?

A good event educates. A great event changes behavior. Instead of simply asking attendees if, or how much, they enjoyed the event, track whether they took action. Try these follow-up strategies to inspire attendees to follow through, and measure the results:

• On-site commitment tracking: Provide attendees with pledge cards or digital forms where they can commit to a specific action, such as scheduling a check-up or joining a health program.
• Automated reminders: Use email or text message follow-ups to remind attendees of their commitments. A simple nudge can increase follow-through.
• Post-event surveys: Send a survey a few months later asking: Did they make an appointment they had been avoiding? Did they sign up for a health program or service? Did they commit to a specific health goal (e.g., quitting smoking, exercising more)?
• Health behavior tracking: If you’re a healthcare provider, or you partnered with healthcare providers for your event, track whether event attendees showed up for follow-up appointments or enrolled in ongoing programs.

Measuring behavioral change gives a clearer picture of an event’s long-term impact, rather than just gauging short-term interest.

what are people saying?

You likely ask for feedback, but who fills out your surveys? Often, it’s those who had the best experience. To get a fuller picture:

• Conduct exit interviews: Randomly select attendees as they leave and ask about their experience in real time.
• Gather vendor, sponsor, and partner feedback: Their perspective on attendee engagement, logistical challenges, and overall event value can help refine future planning.
• Use multilingual or culturally-adapted surveys: Ensure that language barriers don’t limit participation in feedback collection.
• Offer incentives for survey participation: Small giveaways or prize drawings can increase response rates and diversify feedback.

Honest feedback helps ensure future events serve the widest audience possible and highlight areas for improvement that might otherwise be overlooked.

roi: was it worth it?

To measure overall ROI effectively and justify future funding, consider collecting and tracking these data points:

• Cost per person reached: Divide total event costs by the number of attendees who actively engaged (not just walked in). Consider segmenting by engagement level: those who attended screenings, participated in activities, or signed up for services.
• Cost per screening completed: Track total screenings provided and divide by screening-related expenses. Compare across different screening types to see which provide the highest impact for cost.
• Estimated healthcare savings: Partner with healthcare providers to estimate the potential cost savings from early detection. Use public health data or case studies to quantify how catching conditions early reduces emergency visits or long-term treatment costs.
• Long-term cost benefits: Survey attendees to see if they took follow-up health actions that could reduce future healthcare expenses, such as scheduling preventive care visits.
• Non-monetary ROI: Track community goodwill, media exposure, and relationship-building with stakeholders. These qualitative benefits can influence future funding decisions.

Presenting ROI in clear, data-driven ways strengthens the case for continued investment and helps refine cost-effective strategies for future events.

year-over-year or event-over-event progress: are you improving?

Finally: all of the above information is helpful, but it’s even more valuable when you have something to compare it to. To track year-over-year (or event-over-event) trends and improve future events, measure and manage these things:

• Attendance and engagement trends: Compare total attendance numbers, but also look at engagement metrics—average time spent, number of booths visited, and participation in activities. Use check-in data, surveys, or vendor reports to track these changes.
• Screening effectiveness: Analyze screening data over time to see if detection rates are increasing, if certain health issues are becoming more common, or if specific screenings are underutilized. Adjust outreach strategies accordingly.
• Follow-up and behavior change: Track whether more attendees are taking action based on what they learn. Are more people scheduling follow-up appointments, joining health programs, or making lifestyle changes? Follow-up surveys and referral tracking can help measure this.
• Demographic shifts: Compare attendee data to see if you’re reaching new or underserved populations. Adjust marketing and partnerships to expand outreach where needed.
• Event ROI improvements: Track cost per engagement, cost per screening, and sponsorship retention to ensure your event remains financially sustainable and continues to deliver value.

By analyzing these patterns over multiple events, you can refine your approach, enhance impact, and make data-driven decisions for future programming.

the takeaway

The value of a health fair, health awareness, or preventative screening event extends well beyond a single day; it’s about driving lasting change. By collecting and analyzing meaningful data, you can continually improve each event, ensuring it has a greater impact than the last. 

Hosting a health fair, health awareness, or preventative screening event is an excellent way to engage the community, raise awareness, and promote healthy lifestyles.  But even the most well-planned event will only be successful if people attend. To ensure you reach the right audience, a well-considered promotional plan is essential. 

Here are 8 steps to effectively promote your health event, starting with the smaller, easier things you can directly influence:

1. Define your target audience and goals

Before you can promote your event, clearly identify who you’re trying to reach, and why. Are you targeting families, seniors, or young adults, or a specific demographic such as women or individuals with certain health risks? Are you trying to increase awareness of a specific disease or health risk? Encourage or offer preventative screening? 

Clearly identifying both your audience and your goals will help you tailor your message, choose the right promotional channels, create an event that appeals to the needs and interests of your audience, and make it easier to measure the outcome of your event.

2. Come up with incentives for attendance

Providing incentives can be a great way to attract attendees. Think about offering:

– Free health screenings or consultations (if this isn’t already part of the plan)

– Gift bags with wellness products or coupons to local businesses

– Raffles or door prizes for participants

– Free health workshops or fitness classes during the event

Be sure to feature any incentives prominently in your promotional materials.

3. Leverage your database with email outreach

If you’re running a health awareness event, chances are good that you have a database of contacts who fit your target audience. A short series of three emails – Save the Date, Event Highlights, and an Event Reminder – can go a long way in creating and sustaining interest. 

Don’t forget to personalize your emails to make them more engaging. And if you’re targeting multiple audiences, segment your email list and tailor the messaging for each group.

4. To expand event awareness, start with social media

Social media is a powerful tool for spreading the word about your event beyond the folks in your CRM. Build event pages on Facebook and LinkedIn, and share regular updates leading up to the event or run a contest with event-related prizes. Create engaging visuals, videos, and infographics to capture attention, highlight key details such as date, time, location, and what attendees can expect, and clearly communicate the benefits of attending. Remember to use relevant hashtags, particularly if your event is related to a widely-known health observance like Lung Cancer or Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

As you build your content plan, remember that personal stories and testimonials are powerful tools. Beyond standard event information, you can share stories of individuals or families who have benefited from similar events or initiatives. Highlighting how a previous attendee discovered a health issue early through a screening or learned and applied valuable wellness tips will help potential attendees connect the dots on how and why your event may be beneficial.

Finally, reach out to the folks who run local or regionally-focused social media accounts, or national organizations that might share the same goals. They can amplify your message. Ask them to promote your event through their channels, whether by sharing posts, creating content that you can share, and invite them to attend the event themselves.

4. Partner with local businesses and organizations

Reach out to  local organizations, businesses, and community groups to boost your promotional efforts. Schools, gyms, senior centers, and healthcare providers can help distribute flyers, share event details on their social media pages, and encourage their members to attend. If your event aligns with a particular cause or health initiative, partnering with related nonprofits or advocacy groups can also enhance both credibility and visibility.

5. Don’t underestimate traditional media and press releases

While digital marketing is essential, don’t overlook traditional media outlets. Reach out to local newspapers, radio stations, and TV channels to promote your event. Local media outlets often offer free community event listings, and some may be willing to feature your event in an on-air segment if it’s newsworthy. A well-crafted pitch, event summary, and/or press release make it easier for those outlets to run with your story. 

6. Distribute flyers and posters

Flyers and posters placed in high-traffic areas such as libraries, grocery stores, community centers, coffee shops, and healthcare facilities are another inexpensive but effective way to promote your event. A visually appealing design will help your poster standout, but the message is equally important. Be sure to include all essential information, and a URL or QR code for your event’s website or registration page.

8. Seek out community calendars and online listings

Get the word out by posting your event on community calendars and platforms like Eventbrite, Meetup, EventBoost or local city websites, and look for Facebook groups that align with your audience. These tools are magnets for people actively hunting for fun and educational things to do in their area.

And don’t forget: promotion doesn’t end once the event is over. Following up with attendees helps maintain engagement and encourages them to participate in or share information about future events. Send thank-you emails, share photos or videos from the event, and invite feedback to learn how you can improve (we’ll cover post-event best practices in another blog post, as well).

If you’re looking for ideas about how to create a one-of-a-kind health fair or health awareness event, check out our Health Fair Planning Guide.