Your Complete Guide to Event Survey Questions

Surveys have become an essential, if not standard operation procedure, of any event planner. Without conducting a post-event survey, event planners won’t be able to accurately assess the success of their event’s objectives. Furthermore, the data collected from the event survey questions enable data-driven decision-making for event organizers and brands.

In this blog post, we will provide useful event survey questions you can use as you craft your event surveys for different stakeholders. There will also be downloadable templates for the event survey questions for different types of events too.

Importance of Post-Event Surveys

Event Surveys are very critical that in some events, they are even giving incentives just to make sure attendees can give their feedback and organizers can collect responses. This is usually done by organizing a raffle from the surveys and organizers give a simple prize for chosen survey forms.

To name a few, here are some reasons why post-event surveys are important:

Measure attendee satisfaction: Post-event surveys provide valuable information about attendee satisfaction with the event. Most event organizers are probably familiar with the Net Promoter Score or NPS. This is an important metric that measures customer satisfaction and loyalty and event surveys would be the most common means to measure this.

By asking attendees to rate their likelihood of recommending the event on a scale of 0 to 10, organizers can calculate an NPS score that indicates overall satisfaction and loyalty. This score can then be used to improve future events and ensure that attendees have a positive experience.

Identify areas for improvement: Surveys can help identify areas of the event that need improvement, such as the quality of the speakers or the accessibility of the venue.
Collect data for future planning: Surveys can provide organizers with data about attendee preferences and interests, helping them to plan future events that are tailored to the needs of their audience.
Evaluate the success of the event: Surveys can help organizers determine if the event met its goals and objectives.
Gauge interest in future events: Surveys can also be used to gauge interest in future events and to identify topics or themes that attendees would like to see covered.
Improve communication: Surveys can provide organizers with valuable feedback on their communication and marketing efforts, helping them to improve their messaging and outreach strategies.
Encourage engagement: Surveys can be a way to engage with attendees after the event and show that their feedback is valued.
Build relationships: Surveys can help organizers build relationships with attendees by showing that they care about their opinions and are committed to improving the event experience.

Overall, post-event surveys are a critical tool for event organizers to gather feedback, improve future events, and build relationships with attendees. Now that we’ve established the importance of conducting post-event surveys, what exactly does a good event survey look like?

What Makes a Good Event Survey

If we’re conducting a survey, you need to make sure that it’s brief and direct to prevent wasting your respondent’s time. Here are some components of a good survey questionnaire:

1. Have a clear and focused goal in mind. Every project begins with a clear definition or goal in mind. What is the purpose of your survey? Is there any particular theory you want to be validated?

2. Optimize the length of your survey. No one wants to spend more than 10 minutes answering a survey especially if they don’t get anything in return. Make sure you optimize the site and frame your surveys for convenience and clarity.

3. Make your questions clear and concise. Attendees don’t have the time and energy to understand ambiguous survey questions. Make sure to simplify your questions and make them direct to the point. A simple question that asks attendees to rate their answers from 1 to 5 is the most usual format of surveys.

4. Send it promptly. Send the survey out as soon as possible after the event, while the experience is still fresh in the attendees’ minds. In the case of a virtual audience, you can set up an auto-send survey once the event is over.

5. Ask open-ended questions. Asking open-ended questions allows your participants to be more detailed in their responses. This can give you more insights into what your attendees actually feel and have in mind.

Best Practices and Tips for Writing Your Event Survey Questions

1. Include demographic questions such as age, gender, and profession to help you segment your results and gain insights into different attendee groups.

2. Pilot test your question: Before you send out your survey, pilot test your questions with a small group of attendees to ensure that they are clear and easy to understand.

3. Word your question carefully: Since the main purpose of your survey is to get quality feedback, how you word each question is important. Make your question general enough to gather an overview of their insights but specific enough to get their honest feedback on that specific question.

4. Thank respondents: Finally, don’t forget to thank respondents for taking the time to complete your survey. Showing gratitude can help build goodwill and encourage future participation.

Examples of Post-Event Survey Questions

Now that you’re ready to write your event survey questions, we’ve created a list of sample questions that you can specifically use for the different stakeholders of your event like your attendees, sponsors, vendors, etc. Use this as a template or customize it to fit the objectives of your survey questions.

Post-Event Survey Questions for Attendees

How did you discover the event?
How satisfied were you with the overall experience of the event?
How likely are you to attend a future event by us?
How would you rate the quality of the speakers and performers?
How did you like the presentation of (insert product, service, or main cause of the event here)?
How would you rate the event in terms of value for money?
Would you recommend our events to your friends or family?
What stood out for you at the event?
What areas of improvement you can suggest for the event?

Post-Event Survey Questions for Sponsors

How effective was the event in showcasing your brand?
How satisfied are you with the interaction with attendees?
How satisfied are you with in terms of event attendees and registration?
How likely are you to sponsor this event again in the future?
Were the sponsorship packages and benefits clearly communicated and fulfilled as promised?
How satisfied are you with the support and communication provided by the event organizers leading up to and during the event?
Did you feel that the event provided adequate opportunities for networking and relationship-building with other sponsors and attendees?
How likely are you to recommend this event to other sponsors or colleagues in your industry?
Did the event generate leads or new business opportunities for your company?
Is there anything the event organizers could have done differently to better support your sponsorship goals or improve the overall experience for sponsors?
What could have made your sponsorship experience better?

Post-Event Survey Questions for Speakers or Performers

How would you rate your experience speaking/performing at the event?
Did you feel adequately prepared for your presentation/performance?
How did the audience respond to your presentation/performance?
Did you feel that your message was effectively communicated to the audience?
Was the event well-organized and managed from your perspective as a speaker/performer?
Did you receive the necessary support and resources to deliver your presentation/performance?
Was there any feedback or criticism that you received from the audience or event organizers that you found particularly helpful?
Was there anything that could have been done differently to improve your experience as a speaker/performer?
Would you be interested in speaking/performing at future events hosted by this organization?
Any other comments or suggestions you would like to share about your experience as a speaker/performer at the event?

Post-Event Survey Questions for Vendors

How satisfied are you with your sales from the event?
How would you rate your overall experience as a vendor at the event?
Were the event organizers responsive to your needs and requests as a vendor?
Did you feel that the event was well-promoted and marketed to attract attendees?
Were the logistics of setting up and breaking down your booth/station smooth and efficient?
Did you receive adequate communication and support from the event staff leading up to the event?
Were the event attendees your target audience, and did you feel that you were able to effectively reach and engage with them?
Did you experience any challenges or issues during the event that the organizers were able to resolve quickly and effectively?
Were there any opportunities or suggestions for improving the vendor experience at future events?
Would you be interested in participating as a vendor at future events hosted by this organization?
Any other comments or feedback you would like to share about your experience as a vendor at the event?

Post-Event Survey Questions for Venue Owners or Operations

How would you rate the communication and responsiveness of our team leading up to and during the event?
Did the event meet your expectations in terms of attendance and foot traffic?
How satisfied were you with the event space and logistics (e.g. load-in/out, parking, etc.)?
Were you able to successfully showcase your venue/amenities to attendees?
Did you feel that the event provided ample opportunities for networking and business development?
How likely are you to participate in future events hosted by our organization?
What suggestions do you have for improving the event experience for vendors in the future?
Did you encounter any challenges or issues during the event that our team should be aware of?
Did you receive adequate support and assistance from our team during the event?
Would you recommend this event to other vendors in your industry? Why or why not?

Post-Event Survey Questions for Media

Did you find the event to be newsworthy? Why or why not?
Was the event well-organized and easy to navigate for members of the media?
Did you have access to the information and resources you needed to cover the event effectively?
Did the event provide a good opportunity for interviews and quotes from speakers or attendees?
Was the event timely and relevant to your media outlet’s audience?
Did the event provide visuals or multimedia content that was helpful for your coverage?
Was the event properly promoted to the media beforehand?
Were there any logistical or technical issues that affected your ability to cover the event?
Did the event provide access to high-profile or relevant individuals in your industry or field?
Would you be interested in covering similar events in the future? Why or why not

Event Survey Questions Template (Downloadable PDFs)

We want to make your event planning easier. Aside from providing you with best practices for different events, we created these downloadable templates you can use for planning different types of events. Feel free to download these free event survey templates.

If you have any requests for event-survey questions for a specific event you are organizing, feel free to comment or let us know.

Measuring and Evaluating the Impact of Your Event Through Survey Questions

The main purpose of crafting event survey questions is to enable event organizers to make data-driven decisions that would result in the success of your business event’s objectives. If you’ve successfully conducted and collected your post-event survey, it’s time to move to the final steps.

Analyzing Post-Event Survey Data

Do not get overwhelmed by the number of surveys you have to analyze. Follow these general steps to get started:

1. Clean and organize the data:

First, make sure that the data is properly cleaned and organized. This means checking for missing values, correcting any errors, and formatting the data in a way that is easy to work with. There are different ways to do this quickly. You can use tools like Google Sheets or Google Forms that automatically converts attendees’ response to an organized spreadsheet.

2. Identify key metrics and variables:

Identify the key metrics and variables that you want to analyze. This may include things like overall satisfaction, likelihood to recommend, specific aspects of the event (e.g. speakers, venue, food), and demographic information about the respondents (e.g. age, gender, profession).

3. Calculate descriptive statistics:

Calculate descriptive statistics for each metric or variable. This may include calculating means, medians, modes, ranges, and standard deviations.

4. Segment the data:

Segment the data based on key variables, such as demographics or attendance at specific sessions. This can help you identify patterns and insights that may not be apparent when looking at the data as a whole.

5. Conduct statistical tests:

Conduct statistical tests to determine whether there are significant differences between groups or variables. This may include t-tests, ANOVA, or chi-square tests, depending on the type of data you are working with.

6. Visualize the data:

Visualize the data using charts, graphs, and other visual representations. This can help you identify trends and patterns in the data that may not be immediately apparent when looking at the raw numbers.

7. Interpret the results:

Interpret the results of your analysis, drawing conclusions about the overall success of the event and identifying areas for improvement. Consider how the results align with the goals of the event, and use the insights gained to inform future event planning and strategy.

Crafting a Report from Your Surveys

After making use of the data, it’s time to craft a survey report for the stakeholders of your event. This will serve as the main reference for feedback on the conducted event. It is important to take note that each stakeholder has different interests in your event and would want to get something valuable from the report you would be sending.

Choose the format of the report that would be most beneficial to the reader. Would it be in a presentation or document-type format? What type of visuals would make the findings easier to understand?

Converting the data you’ve analyzed into a report would take critical thinking and analytical skills. Presenting the data as it is won’t be of value unless you provide context and interpretation. Track trends and repeated feedback to gain a better understanding of what the audience might be saying. Make sure to add your insights and recommendations to the report too.

Getting survey feedback without acting on it is useless. On your post-event briefing, the event planning team can talk about the different recommendations and feedback the audience gave with the event survey questions.

Having genuine care and service for the audience is one of the important traits to win in the event planning industry. Align with each other on how you can move forward and start planning for the next event with these pointers in mind.

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