As a corporate event planner in New York, you know that your job isn’t done when the event or conference is over. In fact, one of the most important steps in your planning process happens within 24 hours of the event’s conclusion. Post-event survey questionnaires should be sent out within the first few days after the event, prompting attendees to share their sentiments while the memories of the conference are still fresh in their minds. But there’s even more to know about post-event surveys, including these emerging trends you can expect with corporate events in 2024.
1. Post-Event Survey Questions Have to Be Thorough
Post-event survey questions have to prompt thorough feedback from your event’s target audience. You can’t get actionable insights if your survey asks generic questions. But the other caveat is that if your questions are too in-depth, participants might experience survey fatigue and bail on your questions altogether. The solution involves crafting thoughtful, easy-to-answer questions without overwhelming event guests. Consider these tips as you develop your surveys:
- Provide an equal balance between yes/no questions, rating scale questions, and open-ended questions.
- Include questions that ask the participants to describe their perceived value of the corporate event.
- Ask about both the best aspects of the event and areas of improvement.
2. Net Promoter Scores Still Matter
Net Promoter Scores (NPS) still matter as valuable event rating tools. They rate a guest’s experience based on whether or not they’d recommend the event to a friend or colleague. And NPS surveys categorize respondents as follows:
- Promoters: Champions of the event
- Passives: Neutrally supportive of the event
- Detractors: Not likely to attend again
3. Surveys Have to Align with Specific Goals
Your corporate event goals should inspire your post-event survey questions. Attendee engagement and guest satisfaction were listed as top event KPIs by 80% of professionals. And 90% of virtual event planners use surveys to measure their online attendee satisfaction rates.
Start by identifying the key stakeholders or those with a vested interest in learning more about the results and success of your event. These include:
- Corporate event client responsible for hosting the event.
- Event sponsors who supported the event.
- Exhibitors who participated in the event.
- You, as the event planner, are looking for insights for improvements for the next corporate event.
Use your post-event surveys to gather the relevant information and guest experiences that support the overarching goals so you can extract the data and provide proof of its success.
4. Go Digital with Event Survey Software
The days of paper or even emailed doc surveys are long gone. Today’s event planners are tapping into easy-to-use survey apps designed to prompt quick responses and assimilate answers and data. There are all kinds of digital platforms worth exploring. Make sure you’re using the right tools for the post-event survey job, including:
- Mobile event app surveys
- Google forms
- Website platforms like SurveyMonkey
- Pre-formatted survey templates
5. Maximizing Post-Event Survey Data
Once you’ve collected post-event survey responses and calculated your corporate event’s NPS, it’s time to put that data to good use. In 2024, look for ways to interpret your survey responses that provide value and actionable next steps needed to facilitate change. Don’t just sit on all that high-value data - put it to work in the following ways:
- Build more trust with your corporate event clients and attendees.
- Make more informed planning decisions about future events based on feedback.
- Measure your event’s potential to be even greater by assessing areas of improvement and taking action.
Discover the Most Impactful Event Planning Trends at The Expo
When it comes to post-event survey methods, along with marketing, event planning techniques, emerging business trends, and more, there’s one place to be to learn from the best - The Event Planner Expo 2024. Explore Expo ticketing options and inquire today about reserving your exhibitor booth at this premier, one-of-a-kind conference for event professionals!
