Participation in surveys at events is often less than 10%. Here we’ll show you 6 strategies to maximize this rate and get visitors excited about participating in your surveys.

Again and again, organizers ask us if they can conduct surveys with LineUpr at their events. Of course, you can, but often the problem is not the technical provision but the participation rate. After more than 700 events, we have gained some expertise in dealing with attendees and today tell you how to get (almost) all your guests to answer your surveys. Basically, two things are crucial. First, the visitor needs to know about the survey, and second, he must be convinced to participate.

Short Briefing

Added value of surveys: The focus when communicating surveys should always be the added value for the participant.

Presentation of the app: Use the introduction of the app to present your surveys and to show how they work.

Moderators and Speakers: Use the presence of the persons on stage. They should briefly mention the benefits and usage of the app.

Integration into program items: Integrate surveys directly into workshops and lectures.

Presentation of the results: Present the results of the survey live, thus ensuring greater participation in surveys.

User-friendly integration: Make it easy for your participants and integrate the surveys into the app so that users can quickly find and answer them.

What added value do surveys offer your participants?

Very few people do anything without expecting something in return. This also applies to the participation in your surveys. Regardless of how you inform your guests about the existence of the surveys, you need to explain in advance what added value they are getting. This added value should always be at the center of the survey and app information.

At Live Q & As, the added value is clear. Here visitors can direct the discussion on the stage or ask their own questions to the speakers. If you’re looking for feedback on the event or individual program points, then you need to make it clear that the feedback will help you streamline your events and give your guests an even better experience at the next event. General surveys on topics, for example, to develop a study from it, are rather difficult since there is no direct benefit for the participants. Here you could argue that the information collected will be made available to all participants free of charge.

In general, you should communicate to your participants that through surveys they can become part of the event and actively participate in changes and communication topics.

Presentation of the App

The first time the app is presented, the focus should be on the direct added value of its use. Here you can already refer to your surveys which can be done through the app. The users are thus already sensitized and can inform themselves beforehand on how exactly they can use the app.

Also, added information about the app should always shortly talk about the survey function and for what specific cases it will be used at your event.

Presentation by the moderators and speakers

Even though we always talk about the success and scope of digital strategies, at events the physical and analog instruments still work very well. The moderators should refer to the app and surveys at the beginning and in between.

The speakers can also play a decisive role here. The guests always look up to the participants on stage and would like to be guided by them accordingly. Be sure to use this possibility.

Connection to program points

If the surveys refer to individual program items, then, of course, the respective speakers are in question. They should also orient themselves during their presentation according to the survey and take the guests by the hand and motivate them to answer the questions.

Presentation of Results

You can also present the results of the surveys live to your audience via projectors or screens. Your participants can get direct feedback. At the same time, it increases the likelihood that people who have not yet taken part in the surveys will still do so.

User-friendly integration into the app

Besides informing participants about the existence of the surveys, you should, of course, make it as easy as possible for your visitors to participate. This means that you should integrate the surveys into the app accordingly. For example, in global feedback surveys, it is useful to display them directly on the start screen. And if a survey refers to a specific program point, then you should definitely link this point in the app.

What you should have learned

For surveys among your guests to be successful, your visitors need to know about it and you also need to convince them to participate. For the latter, it is important that they recognize the added value. For the first point, you can integrate your app and the surveys into the whole event. In addition to digital communication, your speakers and moderators are also important. They should regularly refer to the survey function. Last but not least, your surveys should, of course, be integrated into the app so that your guests can find them quickly and easily.

What is your opinion on interactive surveys at events? Would you participate in such surveys? If not, why? We appreciate your feedback.

“Reach For The Stars” (https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=reach&i=83713) Icon created by Gerald Wildmoser from “the Noun Project” (https://thenounproject.com).

The post LineUpr Tutorial – 6 Steps to Maximize Survey Participation first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Constructive feedback. This is the Holy Grail for long-term success. Of course, only if this feedback is implemented. This applies in particular to organizers and events. Only those who regularly ask their participants for feedback can continuously improve.

That’s why LineUpr has developed several features for you to use to quickly and easily collect and analyze feedback from your participants. Nearly all our customers use a feedback survey. Here you can easily collect all the information and evaluate it quickly. You can find out how that works in our survey tutorial.

In addition to the survey function, LineUpr also offers a feedback function that allows participants to rate individual programme points quickly and easily. This article is about this feature. We’ll show you how your participants can provide feedback and how you can maximize participation rates.

Collect Feedback on Individual Schedule Points

Your participants can submit their feedback on individual programme points in just a few seconds. To do this, you must first open your event app and under the agenda heading then click on the programme item. A speech bubble can be found in the middle of the upper area in the programme point profile. Just click on it and the feedback window will open. Here the participants can give 1 to 5 stars for this programme point and leave a comment at the same time.

The participants may also choose to only use the star rating or the comment field. They can even enter several comments in succession. However, the star rating is automatically hidden after the first entry.

Evaluate Feedback on Individual Programme Points

With LineUpr feedback can be given in just a few seconds, but where can you, as an organizer, find this feedback and how can you evaluate it? To do this, you must log in to your LineUpr CMS. Only you can see the feedback. The users of the app do not see the feedback.

Once in the LineUpr CMS, click on the overview of your programme points.

At first glance, you can see if a single programme point has already received feedback and comments. The stars indicate the current average star rating of the programme point and the number with the speech bubble next to it indicates the number of comments. The hearts show you how many users have favorited this programme item for their individual agenda.

For you to see these comments and the exact ratings of the programme points in detail, you have to click on a Schedule point. This will automatically take you to the edit view of this programme profile. But we want to see the reactions to this profile, so you have to click on the button Feedback in the middle at the top.

Now you are in the feedback view, where you can see the number of favorites, the number of ratings for each star rating, the average of all ratings, and the participants’ comments.

How Do I Maximise the Feedback Rates?

Now that you know how your participants can provide feedback and where to evaluate it, it’s time to start. Now comes the last stumbling block. Especially with event app newbies and less technical people you have to provide some support beforehand.

First, it is essential that the participants know where to find the feedback function. So show it to them in a few short sentences (e.g. having the moderator show it on stage or showing a video about it or explaining it with a post message). You also need to explain why they should use the feedback feature. So who sees the feedback and what will be done with it.

Since the feedback is directly linked to the programme point, many organizers also use it to give feedback to the speakers. In this case, it is very promising if the speakers themselves point out the possibility of providing feedback.

What You Should Have Learned

This article was all about the feedback feature of LineUpr. We’ve explained to you how your attendees can quickly and easily submit feedback on individual programme items, where and how you can evaluate this feedback, and how you can motivate your guests to participate to maximize your feedback rates.

“Feedback” Icon created by Delwar Hossain from “the Noun Project“.

The post Feedback Function – How to Quickly and Easily Gain Feedback About Speakers and Programme Items via the App first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Digitalization leads to a better connection between tools, saves resources and delivers superior data. Finally, this Progress leads to improved processes for both organizers and participants. Experiences of Steve Hopf and the Wilken Software Group using an event app.

With Steve Hopf, we invited the person responsible for the events of the Wilken Software Group to our blog. The Wilken Software Group is a family-run software company focusing on the utility industry, health & insurance, social economy, tourism, and trade. In this fields, the group organizes trade fairs, roadshows and industry days. Steve will tell us more about their channels of distribution, the use of paper in a digital world and the benefits of an event app at the „Branchentreffen Versorgungswirtschaft“.

LineUpr: Hello, Steve. Thank you for your time. Please introduce yourself and the Wilken Software Group in your own words.

Steve: The Wilken Software Group is a medium-sized, family-run software company with around 550 employees at 7 locations. We are one of the leading accounting specialists in the sectors of utilities, health & insurance, social economy, tourism, and trade.

Among other things, I am responsible for the events of the entire group. We organize trade fairs, roadshows and industry days.

LineUpr: How much time and effort do you invest on average in planning these events?

Steve: That depends on the event. This can range from one hour to one day.

LineUpr: how do you reach your target group? Do you use specific processes or which channels and tools do you use for the marketing?

Steve: Mainly we communicate via e-mail and landing pages. In exceptional cases, we also use print invitations, but the response process is still digital.

LineUpr: Interesting point. So you also use print products? Which ones and how?

Steve: Yes, we do, but only for special events and product launches. This provides us more options to be perceived by the recipient. We use particular designs, surfaces, and fragrances.

LineUpr: Last year you have used LineUpr for the „Branchentreffen Versorgungswirtschaft“. How did you hear about LineUpr and what was the primary reason to use an event app?

Steve: LineUpr got recommended to us. The reason for using an event app is quite simple. Every guest should have the possibility to get all relevant information about the event at any time. The attendee can find everything in an optimized view in the app.

LineUpr: How did you use the app before, during and after the event?

Steve: Before: Communicate the schedule and individual information to the speakers.

During: Communicate adjustments of the schedule. Advise users how to score speakers and presentations.

After: Thank you message to all users and feedback evaluations.

LineUpr: The keyword digitization is a big topic in Germany. How do you think this trend will change your company and events?

Steve: I think we’re starting to jump on the bandwagon. The advantages are obvious. All the tools used are connected – saving resources and delivering results in real time. We can take immediate action. In the end, the daily work is much more straightforward – both for the guest and the organizer.

LineUpr: Finally, a personal question. What is the ultimate tip for newcomers to the events industry?

Steve: You can celebrate as soon as your event is over. Before that, you are responsible for the smooth running! And there’s always something that doesn‘t work. Here you have to improvise. If nobody notices it, you have done everything right: -)

Thanks Steve for the great interview. If you would like to find out more about the Wilken Software Group, feel free to visit the homepage, the twitter profile or the facebook profile. We are already looking forward to your next events and how we can support them with LineUpr.

The post Live Communication and Participant Feedback – Experiences of the Wilken Software Group first appeared on LineUpr Blog.