TOP 10 TIPS
1. Survey as soon as possible after an event.
2. Leave some questions the same over several surveys so you can measure and discover trends.
3. Don’t seek to evaluate just the past. Survey for future needs and developing issues or trends.
4. Don’t forget to ask for age and gender so you can judge survey responses and customize more to meet changing demographic needs. Don’t ask for information you don’t need (demographics duplicated in the registration process, for instance) or can’t use.
5. Separate first-timers from experienced attendees and exhibitors.
6. Let customers know how long it should take to complete a survey. On paper surveys, ask for five or 10 minutes. For online surveys, insert flags at the end of pages or after groups of questions (e.g., “only five more questions to go”).
7. Paper evaluations filled out on site still work best for workshops, demonstrations and educational sessions. The captive audience with the event fresh in mind results in higher participation.
8. If you don’t have enough e-mail addresses or can’t afford a huge mail project, try a mix of survey methods.
9. Postcard surveys mailed in advance and returned by attendees to the site for a gratuity still work.
10. Even if you’re using a survey company, send communications from the show or association. Response rates are higher when the participants recognize and know the surveyor.

The essentials
■ Be strategic. Know what you want to find out. Be sure respondents know you intend to listen and act on the results for continuous improvement.
■ Consider budget and staffing concerns before jumping in.
■ Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Hire a consultant or survey company if necessary.
■ Bring in the pros. Even if you do your own execution, get professional help with the design.
■ Conduct the survey and accumulate the data.
■ Analyze the data and craft a report. (If you’re hiring a vendor, be sure to get an executive summary and a debrief session so you’re clear on what the results mean and how to use them.)
■ Present the findings to staff and other appropriate stakeholders.
■ Prepare action steps to integrate survey results into planning for educational sessions, exhibitor marketing or changes to the show.
■ Communicate changes to the audience. Let them know how their feedback helped make things happen.

Caveat emptor
How a survey question is worded influences responses. Crafting questions that get what you want to know is an art. Seek professional help with survey design if your past surveys haven’t gotten the types of responses you need.

Online/e-mail surveys: PROS
• You can survey large groups at low cost.
• You get quick results. (Most are returned within 48 to 72 hours.)
• It’s easy to include international attendees and exhibitors.
• It’s possible to take a do-it-yourself approach if you know how to craft questions and analyze results.
• Online surveys are more “green” than their mailed-out counterparts.

Online/e-mail surveys:CONS
• People expect to complete them quickly. Even if you ask open-ended questions, responses will probably be only a few words or a sentence.
• If you don’t have enough good e-mail addresses, your responses may not have statistical validity.

What’s in it for you
Determine what matters to the attendee or exhibitor.
Open up communication between the show organizer and its participants, especially if they see changes as a result of surveys.
Discover what you can do better by determining satisfaction levels with registration, range of exhibits and product categories, hours, etc.
Get a pulse on the industry, your show’s relevance and emerging product niches.
Rate speakers and educational sessions.
Establish norms to measure against in the future.
Ask for referrals from both attendees and exhibitors.

DIY
Some wellknown free or low-cost survey tools include:
>> Zoomerrang
>> SurveyMonkey
>> SurveyGenie
>> Survey Crafter Professional
>> SurveyShare
>> Lime Survey (formerly PHP Surveyor)

A simple Internet search will reveal ratings and testimonials if you want to do it yourself.

OTHER METHODOLOGIES
■ Phone surveys: Most people see phone surveys as invasive, and playing phone tag wastes time. However, if you can set up appointments to talk with key exhibitors or buyers/members, telling them how much time you need and why their feedback is important, you can drill deep and ask open-ended questions that allow you to make leaps and get insights to help improve your show.
■ Focus groups: The ideal size of a focus group is eight to 10 people and the ideal place is at the current show, where they’ve already paid to come. You can provide breakfast or lunch or a small incentive like an electronic gadget or gift card. Use an experienced facilitator. You may uncover issues you haven’t thought to ask about in a general survey.
■ On-site surveys: Some shows use touch-screen stations on site and some are using handheld audience response systems. Think about having an on-site staffer ask questions and record the answers on paper or on an electronic device.
■ Cutting edge: New survey techniques include using RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology in conjunction with survey results, comparing what people say they did to actual tracked behaviors.

Linda C. Chandler is a freelance writer and editor based in Tyler, TX. She has written for association and convention publications for 20 years and is an active member of Tyler CVB’s tourism committee. Contact her at linda.chandler@earthlink.net.

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