What is your preferred method of collecting data from evaluation forms filled out on site at a conference?
For a large conference, to collect evaluation data immediately, do you use paper evaluations and have them scanned? If you collect them electronically, how do you ensure enough people provide responses?
Answers (9)
Simon H.
Digital Manager
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Paper evaluations handed in to get meal voucher.
No meal voucher unless electronic receipt is received for second question.
Meredith O.
Marketing Communications Manager, AdTruth, a division of 41st Parameter
I have always used a pre and post event online survey for registrants and attendees. You can implement some sort of a giveaway, lets say a new iPod Touch for filling out the post event survey. That way people are more inclined to give their feedback and have a chance of winning a cool gadget. When folks register for the event you must retrieve their email address in the process. This action will build your send list for both surveys. Or, if you choose to do only the post event survey too. I have used EventBrite for online registration and Survey Monkey for online surveys. The nice thing about collecting data online aka "going paperless" is that you can analyze the results a lot quicker and with more scrutiny than the timely process of going through paper.
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Thomas G.
Radio/TV Broadcast Professional, Game Designer, Music Composer, Film/TV Industry, Marketing, Public Relations, Inventor!
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Hi Christina -
I have been a trade show & conventions vendor (and guest speaker) since 1990 - and have seen a lot of useful data tracking tech used at different shows...
I personally recommend you contact Scott Richardson (GE2) and the "Niche Tech" people. Their convention registration and marketing system (and adjustable format) is probably right up your alley of collecting data. It is a great way to check your trade show marketers data as well. They have new developments that will help the vendors track data as well.
The reason I say contact Scott directly, is because there are many features NOT listed on their website and currently being kept under professional discretion for their company (and partners) use. (GE2 website and Scott's LI profile are linked below)
Also feel free to add me to your LI - seeing as we are both in the Atlanta area...and have a mutual interest in Trade Shows...
Cheer's
Tom...
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Nathan K.
Editor in Chief at Compassion in Politics
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The Politico a new and influential newspaper out of DC had people fill out a survey online + then gave them free schwag. (aka a t-shirt)
I think incentivizing your evaluation seems best.
I wonder if you did some during the conference + then did a follow up email targeted at those who didn't fill out the survey--if that would work?
Timing. Number of questions. Atmosphere/Context. = Key
Those tend to determine your ultimate paper vs. electronic decision.
Cheers!
I can tell you how I prefer to GIVE evaluation inputs at a conference. That is an important question IMHO. Written evaluation at the end of the session. I want to write my thoughts down immediately, when I'm in the moment. I will not go back and do it later. I might be willing to complete a zoomerang survey online if it is brief and covers the overall event, but don't make me go into too much detail.
Sue Ellen H.
Experiential Marketing/B2B + B2C Arena
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Hello Christina ~
I've found using both helps to get a great evaluation of the conference.
Paper - for break-out sessions, these are handed out with multiple choice questions as well as space to hand-write. They are able to comment on the ocnference as well - which has helped us hear feedback and make changes accordingly.
Electronic - done in General Sessions (lunch ticket proves to be a solid incentive) as well as post. Once they've attended they complete and receive an incentive/memory of the conference.
The challenge is no matter who you are there are times that completing a survey isn't on your priority list. I try to find ways to break it down to a very concise form as well as providing incentives - and they don't have to be 'valuable prizes' a lunch ticket or a 'thank you for attending' gift that you now have to mail instead of hand out at the conference. It usually is remembered more if they receive once back in their office.
It would be interesting to learn what you learn from our responses and come up with yourself,
Sue Ellen
Because of the poor response rate in past meetings, we will be using Audience Response Systems (ARS) from TurningPoint Technologies. This will provide us with nearly 100% response; no data entry and a very green meeting!
we found that moving away from paper surveys for an Adobe Air based application, that could record data off line, improved response rate tremendously. Attendees can fill out surveys later in the day and upload then, or even be offline and store locally, uploading the next time they launch the app and are online.
To entice results we do raffles at lunch, winners drawn from survey submissions.
Samantha T.
Seasoned Public Relations, Marketing and Communications Specialist
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As a conference attendee I always prefer to have an online form to fill out. Generally once the conference or session is over, I’m in a hurry to get some place else.
At the seminars I plan we do the evaluations differently depending on the event attendees. For example, at construction seminars we use a hard copy survey and at our technology seminars we send out an email link after the session
