How to create a post-event survey in Microsoft Forms

Collecting valuable data is the cornerstone of any business. Whether you are working in the finance industry or the owner of a small shop, data and information are helpful to you, no matter the type. One area of employment where data is also important is event planning, and the data that is the most beneficial to event planners is the post-event information.

In this article, we will look at a post-event survey, why it is crucial to create one, 30 essential questions to ask in a post-event survey, and how to create a post-event survey in Microsoft Forms. We will also look at a better way to create post-event surveys with the advanced features of forms.app, and 5 expert tips for the best survey experience possible.

What is a post-event survey?

A post-event survey is a tool that is used by event planners to gather information from the participants who attended the event.

The planners send the survey to participants after the event to collect information about the event attendees' experience and receive constructive feedback. It is a valuable tool for improving future events and is used by many successful event-planning businesses.

Post-event survey example of MS forms

Why to create a post-event survey?

The reasons for creating a post-event survey are pretty evident. Of course, if you have just completed a birthday party for your child, you would not use a post-event survey. However, if you are someone who runs or would like to run a successful event planning company, you must create a post-event survey. Further advantages of post-event surveys include, but not limited to:

🔑 Increase networking opportunities: A well-created post-event survey may allow you to expand your network and find more participants by showing them your professionalism and increasing your reputation.

🔑 Collect valuable feedback: Another great place to use your participants’ feedback is to improve your future events. By listening to constructive criticism, you not only show that you listen to your customers but also are professional enough to make the necessary changes.

🔑 Develop effective marketing strategies: A well-created post-event feedback survey can give you new ideas about creative and effective marketing strategies. These marketing strategies, in turn, can boost the success of future events.

🔑 Use the data as proof: One unique aspect of post-event surveys is the ability to use the data you collected as proof for future sponsors or investors. You can show evidence of the success of your events within investor and sponsor meetings and strengthen your place in their eyes.

🔑 Connect with your audience: Another great value of post-event survey data is the opportunity to serve your audience by collecting information about their expectations of the event. After gathering this information, you can host special events to thank your participants for their loyalty.

30+ Essential questions to ask in a post-event survey

The key to collecting the highest quality information about your event is to ask the right event feedback survey questions. By asking the right questions, you showcase your professionalism and show the care you give to your business and customers. However, knowing which questions are right to ask can be challenging.

That is why we have gathered 30 sample post-event survey questions for you to pick out for your following events.

1. Overall, how satisfied were you with the event?

2. How would you rate the venue for the event?

3. How satisfied were you with the event’s organization and logistics?

4. How engaging were the interactive sessions and activities?

5. What were your expectations for the event, and have we met them?

6. What was the highlight of the event for you?

7. What aspects of the event could be improved for next time?

Networking opportunities
Catering and food options
Entertainment
Venue and placement

8. Would you attend a similar event in the future?

9. How likely will you recommend our events and company to a friend or colleague?

10. In your opinion, how long was the event duration?

Too long
Too short
Just right

11. Please rate the catering and food options provided at the event.

12. How well did the event achieve its objectives?

13. Please rate the networking opportunities at the event.

14. What topics would you like to see covered in future events?

Global sustainability
Business opportunities and entrepreneurship
Technology
Fun and entertainment

15. Do you have additional comments or suggestions for improving future events?

16. Did you encounter any technical issues or challenges during the event?

17. Please rate the event’s impact on your knowledge or skills.

18. How clear and compelling was the event communication before and during the event?

19. Did you find the event registration process easy and user-friendly?

20. Please rate the event’s relevance to your interests or industry.

21. How would you rate the event’s entertainment or leisure activities?

22. Did the event provide adequate opportunities for engagement and participation?

23. How well did the event adhere to the schedule and timings?

24. Were you able to make valuable connections or contacts at the event?

25. How would you rate the event’s use of technology and digital tools?

26. Please rate the event’s engagement with social media and online presence.

27. Please rate the event’s level of innovation and creativity.

28. How well did the event handle any unforeseen circumstances or challenges?

29. Were you satisfied with the event's quality and number of sponsors?

30. Please rate the quality of the post-event follow-up and communication.

How to create a post-event survey in Microsoft forms

Now that you know which questions to put in your post-event survey, it is time to learn how to create one. Microsoft Forms is viable for creating a professional atmosphere and high-quality post-event feedback answers. Thankfully, with a few simple steps, you can learn how to create a post-event survey:

1. Start from scratch or use a template

Choose a template or Start from scratch

When creating your post-event feedback survey with Microsoft Forms, you have two options: Start from scratch with a blank survey or use Microsoft Forms’ post-event survey template. Both of these options are acceptable, depending on your preference. If you want more creative freedom, go with the blank survey, but if you want to save time, use the template.

2. Add & Edit your questions and answers

Customize the questions

After choosing your base, it is time to add and edit your questions and answer options. To add a new question, click on one of the question options and click on Add new question to add another. To edit a question, click on the question and make your changes.

3. Customize the visuals

Change the background

Once you are done with the question-adding and editing process, we recommend spending time on the visuals of your survey. Often overlooked, the visuals of a survey can be a secret weapon to keep participants' attention and showcase your creative abilities to your attendees. To start the customization process, simply click on the palette icon at the top right corner of the page.

💡The Style menu allows you to choose between various themes or add background music.

4. Change the settings and preview your survey

Customize the settings

After the overall creation process is done, you can change the general settings of your survey by clicking on the gear icon at the upper right corner of the page. The settings menu allows you to customize the settings regarding responses or the question order, and the Preview menu will enable you to see how your post-event survey questions for attendees would look on a computer or a mobile device.

Share your survey

When customizing the details is over, you can share your survey with your attendees at the end of an event and collect the necessary feedback. To share your survey, simply head to the Collect responses section. This section also allows you to change small settings in the sharing process and make customizations.

Check the responses

When you start collecting responses, you can analyze the data you have collected by heading to the Responses section. The Responses section lets you see various aspects of your form and details about the question responses, a highly important process for successful event planners.

Try more advanced features: forms.app

If you want to experience the best form creation process with the most advanced features you can get for your post-event survey, we recommend heading to forms.app. With the help of numerous advanced features and template options, you can create the best post-event survey the market has ever seen. The best part is that you do not even have to be an expert at form creation, thanks to forms.app’s accessibility.

1. Choose a template, start from scratch, or use forms.app AI

Choose a beginning

When creating your survey base in forms.app, you have the option to choose between starting from scratch and having complete creative control with a blank form, using our event feedback survey template, or using forms.app AI to create a personalized survey in a matter of seconds with one sentence.

💡 Our templates come with all of the post-event survey questions examples that you need.

2. Edit the questions or add your own

After you choose your base, you can start adding your questions by going to the Fields tab within the Build section. Furthermore, you can edit or delete a question by clicking on any question you would like and making the necessary changes.

Add your questions

You can also choose to use dedicated fields by heading to the Fields tab to see our collection of dedicated fields, such as an Opinion Scale, Ranking field, or an Explanation field. Many of these dedicated fields are highly compatible with post-event surveys and can help create a unique experience.

💡 You can also use Rewrite with AI to edit questions. Click the colorful icon next to your question title to rephrase or rewrite your question using AI.

3. Customize your survey design

Style your form

You can also count on forms.app when it comes to the visual design department of your survey. To edit your form’s visuals, go to the Design tab within the Build section. You also have the option to edit your theme and font colors, primary form colors, background images, border radiuses, and many other settings from the Customize section within the Design tab.

💡 The design tab also allows you to choose animated themes for your survey. Scroll to the end of the design tab to choose an animated theme.

4. Connect your survey to workflows

Integrate your form with other platforms

With forms.app, you can connect your survey to other business applications and sync your data. Go to the Connect section to link it to any third-party apps your business uses, such as Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, and Slack. Furthermore, the workflows are automatically updated whenever you get a new response from one of your attendees.

Share your survey

Once you have created your survey and linked it to your business's workflows, you can head to the Share section to share your survey. However, you should know that the Share section is not just for sharing your survey. It allows you to customize the domain of your survey, use the shortcuts for sharing your survey quickly on social media platforms, or customize the embedding.

6. Analyze your results

Check the survey responses

After you start collecting data, we recommend heading to the Results section to observe and analyze the data that you have collected. Within the Results section, you can analyze the statistics of your survey by heading to the Statistics tab or look at individual responses from the Responses tab.

5 Expert tips to take away

While creating a good survey can be achieved by just following the simple steps within the guidelines, creating a survey that your attendees will remember requires you to pay attention to details. Thankfully, with these 5 expert tips, you will ensure that both your survey and events will be memorable enough so that your attendees will recommend your events to a friend or talk about them on social media.

💡 Collect contact information if possible: If it is possible, try to collect contact information in your survey. This will allow you to contact attendees directly if they have talked about a specific issue they had at your event or improve your network by contacting attendees that can be valuable for your business.

💡 Try out different types of questions: Experiment with different question types to keep the form engaging and interesting. Question types such as open-ended questions or multiple-choice questions will encourage participants to pay attention and think before answering.

💡 Work on the timing of your post-event survey: Try to get the timing of sharing your post-event survey just right. Even if it is a virtual event, try to give your attendees some time to relax and think about the event itself before sharing your survey and collecting their opinions.

💡 Make the form accessible and engaging: Make sure to make the form accessible, easy to understand, and engaging with the help of correct field options and design choices. This, in turn, will increase the quality of the data that you collect.

💡 Send an automated response e-mail: To show the participants that their survey has been received, send an automated response email. You can toggle the setting to send and receive automated emails in forms.app by turning on your email notifications.

Conclusion

In summary, a well-created post-event survey can increase the memorability of the event and the chances of success for future events. It is also a great tool to increase networking strategies, develop new marketing ideas, and connect with your customers about their expectations for future events.

In this article, we have looked at what a post-event survey is, why you should create one, 30 essential questions you can have on your post-event survey, and how to create a post-event survey with Microsoft Forms. We have also looked at a better way to create surveys with forms.app, and 5 expert tips for creating the best post-event survey. Armed with this knowledge, create your own post-event survey and take the first step to success.