Post-Event Survey Questions: Best Practices for Event Success

Post-Event Survey Questions: Best Practices for Event Success

Your attendee feedback is crucial at your events.  A great event would be a success if you ask your attendees for feedback and improvement. Feedback can be in the form of questionnaires, survey forms, feedback forms etc. According to a *study by SurveyMonkey, the average open-ended question in a survey receives a response rate of only 11%. In contrast, the same study found that multiple-choice questions have an average response rate of 92%, and rating scale questions have an average response rate of 87%.

If you want to improve the quality of your upcoming events or provide event attendees with what they want for any kind of event, then a robust post-event survey questionnaire is a must. Post-event survey questions can be used to discover what attendees think of your event, what they like best, what they didn’t, and what areas could be improved at upcoming events.

There are a variety of questions to be used when creating post-event surveys. You can get useful information if you ask the right questions during event surveys. You can go for collecting qualitative data from open-ended questions or using quantitative surveys to measure attendee satisfaction. In this guide, we aim to educate you about crafting effective event surveys and best practices, what you should ask your event attendees, and what are the benefits of such survey questions.

What is a Post Event Survey?

A post-event survey is a set of questions or questionnaires that are sent to attendees or participants following a conference, seminar, training session, or other well-planned gathering. The event survey’s best practices goal is to gather feedback and evaluation from the attendees regarding various event details after the event.

Using the information gathered post-event, you can judge what worked well, what needed to be improved, and what was most appreciated by attendees during the event. This post-event survey feedback helps to improve and enhance upcoming events so that they are sure to meet the needs and expectations of the audience. There are 3 types of event surveys – 

• If your event organizer wants to learn about the attendees’ expectations and the event’s success, pre-event surveys are helpful.

• Mid-event surveys frequently address an organization’s event-in-the-moment need to measure the success of an event and let attendees know their opinions are valued.

• Post-event surveys provide insight into the benefits and drawbacks of the event, helping you to adjust your procedures for the event the next time.

Importance & Benefits of Post-Event Surveys

Gathering attendee feedback through post-event surveys is an essential practice for ensuring the success and continuous improvement of events. By soliciting insights directly from participants, organizers can gain invaluable perspectives and make data-driven decisions to enhance future events. While there are definite benefits to surveying before, during, and after an event, many organizations opt to send a single comprehensive post-event survey to avoid overwhelming stakeholders. However, pre-event and post-event surveys serve distinct purposes, and utilizing both can equip organizations with the information necessary to deliver exceptional experiences.

Evaluating factors such as quality of sessions, speaker effectiveness, venue logistics, networking opportunities, attendee satisfaction, etc make post-event surveys provide an opportunity to gather feedback on the event’s execution. This feedback is invaluable for identifying strengths, addressing weaknesses, and implementing data-driven improvements for subsequent future events.

How Can Implementing Post-Event Surveys Help Your Event?

Identify strengths and weaknesses

Post-event surveys provide an in-depth analysis of what worked well and what areas needed improvement, enabling organizers to capitalize on strengths and address weaknesses. Feedback from participants can help identify specific areas where expectations or issues were encountered.

Measuring Attendee Satisfaction 

Post-event surveys reveal valuable insights into how well participants are satisfied with various aspects of the event, including speakers, venue, organization, and networking opportunities. You can learn from your feedback on what worked well and what needs to be improved.

Identify Areas for Improvement

Organizers can identify areas for improvement or replication in upcoming events by evaluating individual components like speakers, sessions, venues, and networking opportunities. Post-event surveys can provide feedback on specific aspects of the event, such as individual sessions, speakers, or activities. With the help of this objective evaluation, you can identify both the most well-known and successful elements as well as those that may need adjustment or replacement.

Gather Ideas for Future Events

Open-ended survey questions give attendees the chance to exchange ideas, suggestions, and feedback that can influence and enhance upcoming events. Participants have the chance to share their ideas, and suggestions for improving upcoming events by answering open-ended questions in post-event surveys. These insights can make a significant difference in event content, execution, and planning.

Promote the Event’s Value to Stakeholders

Sponsors, partners, and other stakeholders can be persuaded to use positive feedback and high satisfaction ratings, which could increase funding and support. Sponsors, partners, and other parties can draw on feedback from satisfied customers to highlight the value and impact of the event. This can help ensure that funding for upcoming events and sponsorship will continue to be provided.

Foster Participant Engagement

Asking questions raises awareness of the value of their opinions, fostering a sense of involvement and commitment to the success of the event.

Continuous Improvement

By analyzing feedback, organizers can implement data-driven adjustments and improvements to ensure that each event’s quality and attendee experience surpasses the previous one.

Tailor Future Events

The insights gained from post-event surveys can be used to plan and execute future events that are more in line with the needs, interests, and expectations of the audience.

What Are Some Post-Event Survey Questions?

Post-event surveys are a great way to get honest feedback from actual event attendees, helping you improve your event in the future. The business impact of post-event surveys cannot be understated, regardless of whether the feedback you receive from them is positive or negative. Post-event surveys have the same impact on how planning for upcoming events is conducted by using actual event feedback to improve operations. Analyzing event survey data can help you plan future events, from the timing of your event to how well the speakers are perceived, how useful the content is, and how likely people are to attend future events. Every event you hold should have post-event survey questions at the end of the event, whether it’s a live or recorded one, a networking event, or a conference or corporate event.

Best Practices for Post-Event Survey Questions

For getting great feedback and insights, it’s crucial to create effective post-event survey questions. Keep the questions brief, to the point, and focused on specific event topics. To capture both quantitative and qualitative data, use a combination of rating scales, multiple-choice questions, and open-ended questions. Avoid provoking or biased inquiries that might affect responses. Ask about attendee satisfaction, as well as specific questions like networking opportunities, venue amenities, and speaker performances. Give questions a personal touch with your event’s objectives and goals, leaving room for feedback or suggestions. Your survey questions should strike a good balance between breadth and depth so that you can get actionable feedback about upcoming events and enhance the user experience.

Typical Post-Event Survey Question Types

Rating Scale Questions:

Respondents can provide quantitative analysis by grading particular aspects of the event on a numerical or descriptive scale. They can be used to evaluate individual session satisfaction levels, speaker ratings, or other amenities.

Example: On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is “Poor” and 5 is “Excellent,” how would you rate the overall quality of the event?

Multiple Choice Questions

Respondents can choose from a variety of predetermined answer options in multiple-choice questions, which makes them simple to answer and analyze. They are appropriate for gathering categorical data, such as demographics, preferences, or specific event feature feedback.

Example: Which of the following best describes your primary reason for attending the event? a) Professional development b) Networking c) Learning about new products/services

Open-Ended Questions

Respondents can provide in-depth, unstructured feedback in their own words, capturing qualitative insights and suggestions, using open-ended questions. They are useful for gathering in-depth feedback, identifying pain points, and identifying fresh ideas or areas for improvement.

Example: What did you like most about the event, and what suggestions do you have for improving it in the future? 

Likert Scale Questions

Respondents are asked on a 5- or 7-point scale to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with a statement. They can be used to evaluate how people perceive, value, and interpret the various aspects of the event.

Example: Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “The event venue was convenient and well-suited for this type of event.” (1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree)

Getting some quantitative as well as qualitative feedback from your audience is important. Here are some Post Event Survey Questions that you could use after your event:

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your overall satisfaction with the event?

• What was the most valuable aspect of the event for you?
• How likely are you to recommend this event to a friend or colleague?
• Did the event meet your expectations? Please elaborate.
• Which session or speaker did you find most engaging or informative?
• What could we do to improve future events?
• Did you encounter any challenges or issues during the event? If so, please specify.
• How satisfied were you with the event venue and facilities?
• Did you find the event content relevant and useful to your needs?
• Would you attend future events organized by us?
• How would you rate the event logistics and organization?
• Did you have enough networking opportunities during the event?
• Did you encounter any technical difficulties during the event?
• What did you like most about the event, and what could be improved?
• What did you like least about the event?
• What topics would you like to see covered at future events?
• How did you hear about this event?
• What could we do to improve the event experience next time?
• Any other comments or feedback you’d like to share?

Post-Event Survey: The Number of Questions

According to Survey Monkey, respondents are most likely to finish shorter surveys while there is no set cap on how many questions the ideal post-event survey should have. Avoid overburdening attendees with too many questions because they could get irritated and may quit the survey mid-way. Having said that, you should ask as many questions as necessary to get feedback on your event. To ensure a balance between the quantitative and qualitative responses, you should combine question types.

Although you can make your survey template through Google Suite, to increase event survey response rates, we have listed some companies that offer free post-event survey templates as well as paid plans with more advanced features:

1. SurveyMonkey
   SurveyMonkey offers a wide range of survey templates, including post-event feedback surveys. Their template gallery includes options for event satisfaction, speaker evaluation, venue feedback, and more.
2. Qualtrics
   Qualtrics provides several pre-built survey templates for events, including templates for event satisfaction, speaker evaluation, and exhibitor feedback.
3. SurveyGizmo
   SurveyGizmo has a collection of event survey templates that cover areas like event experience, speaker ratings, venue evaluation, and session feedback.
4. Typeform
   Typeform offers a variety of event survey templates with a focus on engaging and visually appealing designs. Examples include templates for event satisfaction, speaker feedback, and attendee experience.
5. SurveyPlanet
   SurveyPlanet provides various event survey templates, including options for event evaluation, speaker feedback, and venue assessment.
6. SurveyLegend
   SurveyLegend has a dedicated section for event survey templates, covering areas like event satisfaction, speaker ratings, and exhibitor feedback.
7. SurveyAnyplace
   SurveyAnyplace offers customizable event survey templates for gathering feedback on speakers, venues, and the whole event experience.
8. SurveyMethods
   SurveyMethods provides a range of event survey templates, including options for event evaluation, speaker assessment, and exhibitor feedback.

Final Thoughts

Remember that finding a balance between quantitative and qualitative data is essential for creating effective post-event surveys. You can streamline the process and gather actionable data to improve the success of your events by adhering to best practices and using templates and tools from reputable survey providers. For more insightful blogs and resources on event planning, management, and technology, visit www.eventdex.com. If you’re interested in exploring our event management solutions further, email our sales team at sales@eventdex.com for a quick sales demo.

*Study by Survey Monkey