Is your winery preparing for a significant event? Is your regional wine association gearing up for its annual summer gathering? Is your organization hosting a wine education conference or a trade show? If any of these scenarios apply to you, you must be eager to gauge the event’s success and identify future improvement areas.
A post-event survey is one of the most efficient ways to gain insight into an event’s performance. Such surveys are among the best tools to collect valuable feedback swiftly. In a previous blog, we covered six general best practices for wine surveys. Now, let’s focus on six specific best practices for using surveys to evaluate events.
1. Include an Overall Question
Having one consistent question with numerical ratings that measure overall attendee sentiment is essential. This question becomes the key performance indicator providing meaningful analysis and comparison. If the same question is asked each year, it will allow you to measure the event’s success over time.
2. Inquire About Marketing
Include a question about how attendees first heard about the event. This will determine the effectiveness of various marketing channels. A fair amount of time and money is spent on marketing. Therefore, analyzing and identifying which marketing channels prove effective for future events is important.
3. Use Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions provide valuable feedback on experiences and opinions. The input is often focused on specific areas, such as the speakers or the food, and may include suggestions for improvement. Since they are time-consuming for respondents, limit yourself to one or two open-ended questions.
4. Employ a Variety of Questions
To keep respondents engaged and motivated to complete the survey, mix up the format of your questions. Create questions with various response methods, such as multiple choice, rankings, number scales, or yes-or-no questions. People have different ways of thinking, and incorporating various question types can also capture diverse perspectives.
5. Survey Everyone Involved
Extend the survey to include not just attendees but also sponsors, speakers, staff, and volunteers. Each group will provide a unique perspective and meaningful feedback on different aspects of the event. If you decide against sending them a full survey, consider sending a simple email to request feedback.
6. Capitalize on the Last Touch
A post-event survey gives you a chance to reconnect with attendees. It allows you to express gratitude for their participation, invite them to join the mailing list, and encourage them to mark their calendar for next year’s event. Engaging the attendees also fosters loyalty and involvement.
A well-designed post-event feedback survey is a valuable tool for measuring the success and effectiveness of a wine event. It provides data-driven insights into your event that can help you put on better events and conferences.
