Questions You Need to Ask to Your Event Attendees, Sponsors & Stakeholders

All the questions that you should be asking your event attendees, sponsors and stakeholders—and why.

Questions for your attendees

1. Why did you decide to attend the event?
   Knowing what made an attendee make the decision to buy a ticket is just as important (if not more) than learning about their event experience. This can help you focus your content for future events.
2. How likely are you to tell a friend about this event?
   While some people may have enjoyed the event themselves, the true test of their experience is to see whether or not they’d bring a buddy along. After all, 65% of people are more likely to purchase a product that a friend shared with them.
3. How would you rate the organization of this event?
   Attendee responses can be helpful in identifying weak spots you might not have seen while the event was happening.
4. Is there anything we could have done to make your event experience easier or more convenient?
   It’s not easy to admit your event wasn’t perfect. But this question builds trust through transparency—your honesty to ask this question will elicit an honest answer from your attendee.
5. How would you rate [this part] of our event?
   This is the quickest way to get feedback that you can quantify and compare. It’s also easy to answer. Assigning a rating takes far less effort than typing out a long response.
6. Do you have any other suggestions for future events?
   This question performs double duty by gathering information for your next event, in addition to evaluating the last event.
   
   

Questions for your sponsors

1. What are your thoughts on the event as a whole?
   Reaching out to your sponsors for event feedback shows them that you weren’t in this only for their money or assistance—but that you appreciate their opinion as collaborators.
2. Why did this event have a positive impact on your business goals?
   Let your sponsors tell you, in their own words, the benefits (or potential challenges) of partnering with you and your event.
3. How likely are you to tell others about a sponsorship opportunity with us?
   Some people don’t give perfect scores. Even if they had a wonderful time, they assume there’s always room for improvement. However, if you ask a question about recommendations to friends and colleagues, you’re taking the perfection bias out of it. Now, they either will or won’t recommend you.
4. Will we see you again next year?
   If you create a pool of sponsors and partners who will take part in most of your events, you’ll make things much easier for yourself, in terms of future events organization.
   
   

Questions for your stakeholders

1. Did this year’s event meet your expectations? Why or why not?
   It’s not easy for anyone to gauge their own assumptions about an experience until it’s over, which is why including this question along with a prompt to further explain their answer is often more insightful than simply checking ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
2. What did you enjoy most/least about the event?
   Get insight into what they might want more or less of at future events. Remember to address any concerns or negative feedback personally and do your best to apply the note when it's applicable.
3. Was the event length too long, too short or about right?
   Sometimes, people can’t get enough of your event—for the first two hours. Then they get bored. Or they’re just getting into it, and then it’s over. Since stakeholders are experiencing more of the event, they can be better judges of how the event flow felt, which can have a major impact on overall satisfaction.