Have you ever attended an event and struggled just to find your way in?
As an event organizer, that’s a scenario you definitely want to avoid!
To prevent major mishaps (like a vegan at a BBQ festival), it’s crucial to understand your attendees’ expectations and design your event around them.
One effective way to gather this information is through a pre-event survey.
At Sickening Events, we specialize in event data. Our app integrations and tools help you digest the “boring” data, allowing you to enhance your next event.
Read on to discover why pre-event surveys are essential, explore 30 key pre-event survey questions, and learn how Sickening Events can streamline the survey process.
30 ESSENTIAL PRE-EVENT SURVEY QUESTIONS
Qualitative Pre-Event Survey Questions
Quantitative Pre-Event Survey Questions
Binary Pre-Event Survey Questions
Why Organize a Pre-Event Survey?
Event planning is all about supply and demand. It’s your job to supply the type of event experience your guests want. But how can you know what they want if you don’t ask them?
That’s where an event planning questionnaire or survey comes in handy.
Sending a survey to your target audience provides real-time feedback, allowing you to make adjustments and cater to your ticket holders. It’s better to hear suggestions before an event than complaints afterward.
Pre-event surveys help gather vital information for creating an inclusive event.
You can also ask ticket holders why they bought tickets and how they heard about the event to better market your next event.
And don’t forget, surveys aren’t just for before the event. Post-event surveys can gather attendees’ thoughts on the event setup, organization, food and drink, staff, and more.
Types of Pre-Event Survey Questions
The questions you ask determine the answers you get, so it’s essential to use the right types of questions.
The three main types of event survey questions are:
- Qualitative Questions: These are open-ended or provide space for an open-text response, allowing respondents to share their thoughts, opinions, and concerns.
- Quantitative Questions: These are often multiple-choice questions, perfect for generating data that can be used for statistical analysis.
- Binary Questions: Simple “yes” or “no” questions. Use these for quick, easy-to-compile answers.
Avoid poorly worded questions, like “Do you always drive and park at events?” Instead, ask questions that provide valuable feedback.
30 Essential Pre-Event Survey Questions
Every event is unique, so your pre-event survey will be too. Here are 30 questions to inspire you:
10 Qualitative Pre-Event Survey Questions
These open-ended questions allow respondents to elaborate on their thoughts:
- How did you hear about this event?
- Why did you choose to register for this event?
- Which aspects of our event are you most interested in?
- Do you have any dietary restrictions?
- Do you have any accessibility requirements?
- Is there any information you’ve been unable to find?
- What are your thoughts about our event location?
- What could we do to make attending this event more valuable to you?
- What topics would you like us to cover at this event?
- Do you have any suggestions about how we could make our event more sustainable?
10 Quantitative Pre-Event Survey Questions
These multiple-choice questions produce data for analysis:
- Which social media platforms do you prefer?
- Which type of event format do you prefer?
- How would you like us to communicate with you?
- What’s your ideal event running time?
- How are you planning to get to our event?
- Which event speakers or entertainers in our lineup are you most excited to see?
- How long will it take you to travel to our event space?
- When do you plan to arrive at our event?
- How much money are you willing to pay for food and drinks at this event?
- How would you rate your customer experience with us so far?
10 Binary Pre-Event Survey Questions
These “yes” or “no” questions are quick and easy to compile:
- Do you plan to attend our event alone?
- Have you attended any of our previous events?
- Will you require parking at the event?
- Do you follow us on social media?
- Have you visited our event website?
- Will you need accommodations for a disability?
- Are you interested in post-event networking opportunities?
- Do you plan to stay for the entire event?
- Are you aware of our event’s COVID-19 safety protocols?
- Would you recommend our events to a friend?
Get Creative with Your Wine Tasting Party Themes
For your next wine-tasting event, think outside the box to wow your attendees.
Once you’ve nailed down your idea, use Sickening Events to reach new attendees and market your event effectively.
With actionable data insights and AI integration, Sickening Events can help you streamline your marketing campaign to boost ticket sales and build a loyal community of recurring attendees.
10 Binary Pre-Event Survey Questions
Binary questions have a simple “yes” or “no” answer, making them quick and easy for respondents. Include these essential questions in your survey to maximize response rates:
- Have you attended one of our events before?
- Have you attended similar events in the past?
- Was the registration process for this event easy?
- Do you plan to bring a guest with you to this event?
- Have you previously visited our event venue?
- Will you require parking at our venue?
- Do you prefer more interactive audience sessions?
- Do you plan on purchasing food or drinks at our event?
- Would you like additional information about nearby accommodations?
- Will you tell friends about our event?
How to Get More Responses to Your Pre-Event Surveys
To maximize your survey responses, follow these strategies:
- Automatically Collect Contact Information Use a ticketing partner like Sickening Events to set up an event page that collects key contact information during registration. This ensures you can easily distribute your pre-event survey and use the gathered data for automated audience reports.
- Choosing the Right Time to Send Timing is crucial. According to SurveyMonkey, Mondays are the best days to send surveys for maximum responses. Avoid sending surveys on Friday nights when people are less likely to respond.
- Optimize Your Subject Line The subject line significantly impacts your email’s open rate. Use an email partner like Mailchimp to A/B test different subject lines. This feature sends two different subject lines to small test audiences and determines the winner before sending it to the rest of your audience.
- Keep It Short People are busy and may be reluctant to complete long surveys. Aim for 7-10 questions, which 42% of consumers are willing to answer. Keep the survey focused on your most important questions to ensure higher completion rates and better-quality results.
- Integrate Your Event Management and Email Marketing Platforms Seamlessly integrate your event management and email marketing platforms to streamline the survey process. Sickening Events’s integration with Mailchimp allows for real-time data transfer, audience segmentation, and tagging registrants based on their responses. This makes the process more efficient and ensures you can categorize your audience effectively.
Let’s Start Asking Questions
Pre-event surveys are essential for gauging interest, managing expectations, and enhancing the attendee experience. By asking the right questions and following proven strategies to maximize responses, you can ensure your event is successful. Partnering with an event management platform like Sickening Events simplifies the process and increases your chances of getting meaningful insights from your audience.
