How do you use surveys for your events? If you typically use them to get post-event feedback, you’re definitely not alone. Many event planners use survey forms to gather attendee thoughts after an event. But wouldn’t it be helpful to get feedback before an event so you can give attendees what they want in the first place? If you've never tried it, here are three reasons you should include a pre-event survey form in your event strategy from now on:
1. Create an event people want to attend.
When planning an event, it’s easy to just assume you know what attendees like. A particular speaker or theme may appeal to you, but will it resonate with your audience? The best way to find out is to ask them yourself. With a pre-event survey form, you can get valuable opinions on event content. Will a particular theme provide value for your attendees? Is a particular speaker someone they would like to hear? Since content is the meat of the event, gathering these details will help you create an event that your attendees find worthwhile and enlightening.
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Pro tip: If you really want to dig into opinions about event content, be sure to use some handy survey form tools to ensure people aren’t overwhelmed with too many questions. At Formstack, we use Conditional Logic to hide or show form fields based on people’s previous responses.
2. Set the event at an optimal time and venue.
Sometimes people really want to attend your event, but they just can’t make it due to the location, time, or date. Use a survey form to ask for opinions on these details beforehand to gauge your best options. You won’t be able to please everyone, but finding options that work for the majority will help you maximize attendance and participation. Also, don’t forget to follow up with people even if they say they can’t attend your event. They might be able to attend another event in the future.
Pro tip: Make sure your pre-event survey forms are mobile-friendly so you can gather as many responses as possible to help define optimal event logistics. A poor mobile experience can put people off and prevent them from successfully filling out your survey.
3. Gain new ideas for future events.
Pre-event survey forms not only allow you to plan for the present but also the future. Ask your attendees what themes, speakers, venues, and foods they would like to see in an upcoming event. This can help your team save time and effort while planning your next strategy. Plus, your attendees will feel truly valued and will be far more likely to participate in the future.
Pro tip: It could take time for your attendees to decide on what they might like for a future event. Let them save their progress and finish the survey form later with a feature like Save & Resume.
Professional Pre-Event Survey Forms
Whatever your event plans are this year, it’s important to get attendee feedback to ensure your guests have the most enjoyable time possible. At Formstack, we have a lot of powerful features to help you create professional pre-event survey forms. See how we compare to other survey builders by clicking below.
