Going Beyond the Standard Post-Event Survey: Maximising Event Feedback
At Explori, while the post-event survey is a crucial tool for gathering feedback, it's not the solution for every insight need. Overloading this survey can lead to diminished response rates, unreliable data, and participant fatigue. In this guide, we'll explore alternative methods for data collection that complement the post-event survey, ensuring you get the most relevant insights without overwhelming your audience.
Why Consider Multiple Data Collection Methods?
When gathering feedback, different departments often have various, specific needs. Whether it's assessing the effectiveness of new marketing initiatives, understanding the attendee experience, or evaluating the event's operational aspects, the temptation to include everything in a single post-event survey is strong. However, this approach can backfire. Lengthy surveys not only lower response rates but also dilute the quality of the data collected.
Instead, it's crucial to match the right data collection method to the right feedback need. Here are some alternative approaches to consider.
When and How to Use QR Codes
QR codes are an excellent tool for gathering real-time feedback, particularly for conference sessions or specific event activities. By placing a short (1-3 questions) survey behind a QR code, attendees can provide immediate feedback while their experience is still fresh. This method is more effective than trying to capture session feedback in a post-event survey, where details may be forgotten or skewed over time.
When and How to Use Micro-Surveys
Micro-surveys are ideal for capturing point-in-time feedback on specific interactions, such as the registration process or exhibitor support. Deploying these short surveys immediately after an event interaction ensures more accurate data and helps avoid the memory decay associated with post-event surveys. For example, following the completion of an online registration, a quick survey can appear asking about the ease of the process.
When and How to Use In-Person Measurement
In-person measurement is invaluable when feedback is needed from niche or hard-to-reach audiences, such as VIP attendees or specific exhibitors. This method is particularly useful in markets where online survey response rates are low. Rather than relying on traditional pen-and-paper methods, equip interviewers with tablets to collect feedback digitally, ensuring data is captured accurately and efficiently.
What to Leave in the Post-Show Survey
The post-event survey should focus on high-level evaluations, such as:
- Overall sentiment about the event
- Key drivers of attendee satisfaction
- Achievement of event objectives
- Likelihood of future participation
To optimize response rates, distribute the post-show survey using unique links, allowing for targeted follow-ups and more detailed analysis. In some cases, distributing the survey via social media or your event website with a campaign link might be more appropriate.
Talk to Us
Unsure of which data collection methods are best for your project? Explori's team of experts is here to help. Whether it's refining your post-event survey or exploring alternative methods like QR codes, micro-surveys, or in-person interviews, we're ready to provide the guidance you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why shouldn't I just use one big post-event survey? Long surveys lower response rates, increase drop-off, and dilute data quality. Different feedback needs require different methods: capturing session feedback in real time will always beat asking attendees to recall it weeks later.
When should I use QR codes vs. micro-surveys vs. in-person interviews? Use QR codes for in-the-moment session feedback (1: 3 questions). Use micro-surveys for specific interactions like registration or exhibitor support. Use in-person interviews for niche or hard-to-reach audiences such as VIPs, or in markets where online response rates are low.
What should stay in the post-event survey? Keep it focused on high-level evaluations: overall sentiment, drivers of satisfaction, objective achievement, and likelihood of returning. Push session-level and interaction-level questions out into more appropriate, in-the-moment data collection methods.
How do I improve post-event survey response rates? Distribute via unique links rather than open campaign links so you can target follow-ups, segment responses, and analyse by audience profile. Keep the survey short, and frame it around what attendees will gain from giving feedback.
Apply this methodology to your own event programme.
Explori operationalises measurement methodology proven across thousands of events. The questions, the framework, the benchmarks, all built in, all defensible to leadership.