7 min readOleksii Sribnyi
Post-event survey questions people answer
A survey sent a week after the event gets a few ratings and not much else.
These questions for attendees, speakers and sponsors are short enough to answer on the way out.
You put weeks into an event. Then the feedback is a handful of 4 out of 5s, and you still don't know what to change.
Ask fewer, better questions, the same day. Pick three to five below for attendees. With SendMyVoice, the answers come in out loud from a QR code, before anyone leaves.
How was today?
Answer out loud on your phone
No app or account needed.
2. What would you change for next time?
3 answers
Tom Becker
0:52Shorter morning talks, and a proper break before lunch. The Q and A felt rushed.
Aisha Rahman
0:38More time in the small groups. That's where I learned the most.
Luis Ortega
0:29The room was cold all afternoon, and I couldn't find the slides afterwards.
Attendees: overall
If you only ask three questions, take them from here.
- 1
What was the most useful part of the event?
Tells you what to keep. Ask it first, while people are still thinking about the content.
- 2
How would you rate the event overall, from 1 to 10?
One number to compare across events. One rating is enough.
- 3
What would you change for next time?
The question you're really here for.
Attendees: content and speakers
Which sessions earned their slot, and which didn't.
- 4
Which session was most worth your time?
Points at speakers and topics to book again.
- 5
Was there a session you'd skip?
Easier to answer honestly out loud than to write down.
- 6
Was the content too basic, too advanced or about right?
Tells you who you're really programming for.
- 7
Was there enough time for questions?
Q and A is usually the first thing cut when a day runs late.
Attendees: format and logistics
The things people complain about in the hallway and leave out of a form.
- 8
How was the length of the day?
Tells you whether people left early because of the content or the timing.
- 9
How were the room, the sound and the food?
Small problems you can fix cheaply, if you hear about them.
- 10
Was it easy to find what you needed before the event?
Covers the emails, the agenda, directions and parking.
- 11
How did you hear about this event?
Tells you where to announce the next one.
Attendees: what's next
Your next agenda and your next guest list, from the people who came.
- 12
What should we cover next time?
Topics chosen by people who'd come back.
- 13
Would you come again, and would you bring someone?
A better signal than a score, because it's about what they'd do.
- 14
What day, time and format would suit you best?
Settles evening versus weekend, or online versus in person, before you book a venue.
Speakers
Speakers see the event from the stage and the green room. Ask them separately.
- 15
How was the preparation from your side, before and on the day?
Covers the brief, the deadlines, the tech check and the timing.
- 16
What did you need that you didn't have?
Gets specifics: a clicker, a mic check, a clearer brief, a drink of water.
- 17
Was the audience what you expected?
Tells you whether your brief described the room accurately.
- 18
Would you speak at a future event?
Ask while the day is fresh, and you have your next shortlist.
Sponsors and exhibitors
They paid to be there. Ask whether it was worth it, in their terms.
- 19
Did you meet the people you came to meet?
The real measure for a sponsor, more than how busy the stand was.
- 20
How were your stand location and the flow of people past it?
Helps you plan the floor next time.
- 21
What would make you sponsor again?
Tells you what to put in the next sponsor package.
Virtual events
Add these when some or all of the audience joined online.
- 22
How were the sound and video for you?
The first thing that goes wrong online, and the first thing people leave over.
- 23
Did you watch live, the recording, or both?
Tells you how much to invest in the live format next time.
- 24
Was it easy to ask questions and talk to other attendees?
Meeting people is the part online events find hardest. This tells you how yours did.
When to send it
By the next morning, the day is a blur. A survey email a week later sits unopened.
Ask the same day, before people leave the room. Put a SendMyVoice QR code by the exit and on the last slide. Send the same link by email that evening for anyone who left early.
How many questions to ask
A long form gets skipped, or answered in two words. You end up with less than if you'd asked less.
Three to five gets answers. The same goes for a customer feedback form. The SendMyVoice free plan allows 3 questions per form, which is a good place to start.
Ratings and open questions
A score tells you the day was a 7. It doesn't tell you why, or what to change.
Use one rating, to track from event to event. Use open questions for the reasons. A spoken answer usually says more than a typed one.
Answers by voice at the door
Nobody wants to type on a phone in a busy hallway. You get three words, or nothing.
A SendMyVoice voice form takes the answers out loud instead. Print the QR code as a poster or table cards. No app or account needed. You get each answer as a recording and a transcript.
You can see everyone's answer to one question side by side, or ask a question across all of them. Download everything as Excel or CSV on any plan.
Free: 3 questions, answers up to 1 minute, 10 answers a month. Pro, $6 a month: 20 questions, answers up to 5 minutes, 200 answers a month, and answers sent to a Google Sheet or Notion.
Start from the event feedback template. It has five questions from this list.
Step 1 of 5
What was the most useful part of the day?
Tap to record. Up to 2 min.
Start from a template
Event feedback
Five questions after a workshop, conference or meetup.
- 1What was the most useful part of the day?
- 2What would you change for next time?
- 3Was there a session you'd skip?
Customer feedback QR code
A voice feedback form behind a QR code at your counter.
- 1How was your visit today?
- 2What's one thing we could do better?
- 3Anything else you'd like us to know?
Feedback form
Three open questions. Fits the free plan.
- 1What worked well?
- 2What was slow, confusing or annoying?
- 3If we changed one thing first, what should it be?
Questions
What questions should you ask in a post-event survey?
What was most useful, what to change, which session to skip, what to cover next time, and whether they'd come again. Add one rating if you want a number to track.
When should you send a post-event survey?
The same day. A QR code at the exit catches people before they leave. An email that evening reaches the rest.
How many questions should an event feedback form have?
Three to five. Longer forms get fewer answers, and shorter ones.
Should I use ratings or open questions?
One rating gives you a number to compare between events. Open questions tell you why it went up or down.
Can I use the same questions for a customer feedback form?
Yes. Ask what was most useful, what to change, and whether they'd come back. Swap the event questions for ones about your product or service.