When discussing event survey questions, quite often we put more focus on post-event surveys (survey sent after the event).
However, pre-event surveys are also very important. By asking the right pre-event survey questions, we can anticipate the unique needs and wants of attendees, as well as sponsors, talents/speakers, vendors, and other relevant parties.
You can ask various types of questions in a pre-event survey: from logistics news to accommodations to feedback about our marketing campaigns so far. Pre-event surveys can offer really valuable insights to help you improve the event planning before the d-day, but can also be a very effective tool to generate additional awareness and buzz.
Here, we will share some of the best pre-event questions to ask to make the most of your survey, and without further ado, let us begin with the first one:
- Why did you choose to attend this event?
Type of question: most effective as a multiple-choice question, you can add an “other..” field for an optional open-ended answer.
A great question to ask especially if there’s a significant delay between registrations of the event and the actual d-day (i.e. for early bird registrants). You can ask this question on the purchase confirmation page or by sending a pre-event survey before after the registration period. This question will provide valuable insights into which of your marketing campaigns are working and which can be improved before the actual event and for future events.
- How did you hear about this event?
Type of question: multiple-choice, and you can also add an open-ended (other..) option.
One of the most common questions to ask, and is especially important if you use multiple marketing channels. Will give you valuable insight into which marketing channels are most effective and other contextual information regarding event marketing.
- Which speakers/talents are you most excited about?
Type: multiple-choice, let respondents only choose no more than 30% of the options (i.e. maximum 4 out of a list of 12)
An important question to ask to weigh the overall level of excitement surrounding each of the speakers or talents. You can use the information to improve your marketing efforts or to make a case for sponsorship value.
- Which social media platform do you prefer?
Type: multiple-choice listing prominent social media platforms
Pretty self-explanatory, will help you know which platforms your audience is most likely to engage with, so you can direct your efforts to maximize ROI. It will also help you in designing the overall experience of the event (i.e. letting them posting questions to speakers on Twitter with a specific hashtag)
- Do you find the location of this event easy enough to get to?
Type: binary yes-no question
A useful question to ask if it’s not a venue you are familiar with (first time using the venue). If the majority of respondents answer “no”, then you may need to provide more detailed directions or plan additional transportation options for your attendees.
- Do you have special accommodations or needs we’ll need to be aware of?
Type: binary yes/no question followed with multiple-choice and open-ended option
A very important question to ask to ensure all attendees feel welcome and comfortable. Will also make sure your event is ADA (or similar regulations) compliant. Will provide very valuable insights into potential areas of event creation that might need to be modified for accessibility.
- Do you have specific allergies or dietary restrictions we should know about?
Type: binary yes/no question followed with multiple-choice and open-ended option
If you plan to serve foods and beverages throughout the event, this is a very important question to ask. You have to respect your attendee’s dietary choices to ensure a positive experience for all attendees.
- Have you attended this event before?
Type: binary yes/no question
If this is an annual event, you can ask this question to assess how many of your attendees are regulars, and you can also use the data to make a case of sponsorship value for your sponsors.
- Is any information related to the event hard to find or confusing?
Type: binary yes/no followed with an open-ended box
Will help you improve your website and the information you’ve published on social media. You can add this question at the end of a registration process, and use the insights to improve your content and marketing messages.
- Do you plan to stay at the suggested hotel?
Type: binary yes/no
You should include this question for events in which your attendees will travel from different cities or countries and especially if you partner with hotels. This will help your partner hotels in planning their booking schedules, and will also be useful in reminding attendees that they do have the option to choose this partner hotel. If there are any special offers or discounts, include the information when asking this question.
- What are your expectations/hopes for the event?
Type: multiple-choice or open-ended
This question will help you understand your attendees’ objectives of attending your event, which can help you in designing your marketing efforts for current and future events. Will also help you in managing attendees’ expectations to ensure they are satisfied and engaged throughout the event. For example, if many respondents answer “networking” as their main objective, then consider facilitating networking by scheduling a specific networking/mingling session.
How Can Eventtia Help?
Eventtia is a virtual event and conference management platform with a built-in event survey feature. You can easily distribute both pre-event and post-event surveys then collect, manage, and analyze the answers in a single platform. This is on top of other useful event management features like registration/ticketing, attendee tracking and management, event team collaboration, task manager, and more.
Pre-event surveys can be a very effective way to anticipate the needs and expectations of your audience, so you can adjust your event when necessary to ensure a positive guest experience.