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.

Surveys and live polls are a very important topic on our blog. They are used hundreds of times each day in our apps. After exploring why events should use surveys 4 weeks ago, today’s topic is best practices. We’ll tell you what you should be aware of when dealing with surveys, which types of questions we provide, and a step-by-step guide to the most popular surveys at events.

What You Should Pay Attention To

Please only ask relevant questions. Surveys are not an end in themselves, and participants can be annoyed pretty quickly if the questions seem nonsensical. Such an impression is often dull and participants will use your surveys less.

If you want to integrate your speakers into the surveys or to relate them to program points, then inform the speakers in advance about it. Nothing is more unpleasant than being approached about something that you are integrated in, but have no idea about.

If you integrate surveys, for example, live surveys, into individual sessions then everyone on the stage should know in advance about how the process will go. This includes being able to explain to participants why and how the survey can be answered with the app. Also, where the results will be published and what will happen to them.

Create surveys in the language of your target audience. This is especially important when using foreign words. Participants should never have trouble understanding the questions.

Frequently Used Question Types

LineUpr offers you 5 different types of questions. In this article, you will learn exactly how to you use these in your app.

Ranking Questions

If you want your participants to rate something, use the star rating. You ask the questions and the participants can answer based on a star scale.

Examples:

• How did you like the keynote?
• How do you rate our use of event technology? (1 not good, 5 very good)
• On a scale of 1 – 5, how did you like our location?

Single Choice Questions

If you want to give the participants several answer options to choose from, then single choice questions are well suited for this. Here, the participants can select only one of the possible answers.

Examples:

• Should we use an event app again next year? (Yes; No; Doesn’t matter)
• Which theme tracks were the most interesting for you? (IoT; Automotive; Healthcare)
• How many new contacts did you make at the event? (0; 1-5; 6-15; 15-30; more than 30)

Multiple Choice Questions

In contrast to the single choice questions, participants can choose from several possible answer options. This is very suitable for questions in which a participant cannot commit 100% to an answer.

Examples:

• Which features of the event app did you use? (Directions, list of participants, program plan, individual program, favorites, surveys)
• Which theme tracks did you attend? (IoT; Automotive; Healthcare)

Open Free Text Questions

This type is great for questions to which you do not know the answers to, or for which you want to use to know more about the participants. Here the participants have access to a text field where they can enter their answers.

Examples:

• Which speakers do you want to see at our next event?
• What is the biggest challenge for you with the digitalization of events?
• What will you remember most about our event?

Step-By-Step Guide to the Most Popular Surveys

Questions to the Speakers (Live Q&As)

You should define in advance who will take over the moderation of the live Q&As and how they will run. Should the questions be published live or does the moderator select individual questions and read them out?

Test the session before to check if the technology works as planned and shortly go through the process with two questions. Everyone involved should be trained in using the app and the presentation medium. If the moderator, for example, reads the questions, then a tablet is best suited for this.

The moderator must be informed about the complete process. He should also know and explain how attendees can enter questions through the app.

At the beginning of the session, show a slide explaining how participants can ask questions through the app. A QR code is a great way to directly lead to the survey.

For safety reasons, prepare a few starting questions and a little intro until the first questions arrive. No matter how fast the technology is today, the participants will still need a few seconds to type the first questions.

Live Polls During a Session

Inform the participants at the beginning of the session how and when the live polls will be used. Remember, for people to do something, they need to be convinced by it first. So give them a reason to participate.

It is a good idea to give participants a brief explanation of how to use the app to participate in surveys.

The speakers must also be informed about the entire process. Preferably, the questions come directly from them and the results are integrated into the presentation.

When starting the live polls, the questions should appear on a slide. It is certainly not a hindrance if the speaker additionally reads the questions aloud. Another mention of how voting can be done is also great.

Since it may take a few seconds for the results to arrive, the moderator should come up with a small bridge for it. Of course, he can also wait for the results. A few seconds can be a treat for some participants.

The incoming answers for the poll should definitely be presented live. First, the moving bars provide a wow-effect in the audience and secondly, even the skeptical participants are still encouraged to join in (keyword: peer pressure).

Finally, the speaker should definitely integrate the results into the presentation or at least briefly discuss them. Otherwise, the impression that the poll does not really matter to the speaker is conveyed.

Feedback on Presentations and Individual Sessions

At the end of the session, the speaker should definitely point out the evaluation of the program point with the event app.

He should explain how the participants can concretely rate him with the app. Here he can also work with a standardized slide that shows all steps and maybe also contains a QR code or link to the program point.

It also makes sense to give participants 2 minutes to answer the feedback survey at the end of the session. When people are immediately out of the door and on the way to the next session, then the feedback is quickly forgotten.

Feedback Surveys About the Event

When your event is coming to an end and the last session starts, then it’s time to point out the feedback survey for the whole event.

Here you should work with a slide that explains how to answer this survey using the event app. Be sure to explain what you intend to do with the feedback and that you want to continually improve your event for the benefit of the participants.

At the same time, you can send your participants an e-mail with a link to the survey. This can also be combined with the final mail after the event.

This quite generally applies to all feedback surveys: Only implementation leads to success! Please use the feedback to improve your events. If attendees visit your events over a period of several years and complain about the same problem every year and nothing happens, they will eventually stop participating in your feedback surveys. It doesn’t change anything anyway.

What You Should Have Learned

In this article, we explained how to integrate surveys into your event. First, it was about what you should generally consider when using surveys. In the middle, we then dealt with the most frequently used question types and presented you with suitable examples. Finally, we gave you a step-by-step guide on how to best implement the most popular surveys and what to pay attention to.

“Poll” Icon created by Gregor Cresnar from “the Noun Project“.

The post Live Surveys and Q&As at Events – Best Practices by LineUpr first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Live surveys and opinion polls are a wonderfully flexible tool to make your event a great event. It’s a fabulous way to connect with your participants and increase interaction. That’s another reason why surveys are among the most used features of LineUpr apps.

After many conversations with our awesome customers and the regular evaluation of all apps, 5 reasons which show why every organizer should use live surveys and opinion polls have emerged.

1. Intensify the Presentations

Frontal presentations have never been cool. Unfortunately, we did not have a choice at school and in university so we gathered in front of the teacher’s desk or beamer but things are different at your events. None of your guests have to pay attention and there is no exam at the end. So it’s up to you to design the presentations in such a way that the guests have fun and listen with interest because they are motivated to.

And how do you do that? With surveys and live polls, of course. Your speakers should lighten your presentations with small surveys and opinion polls. Thus, the audience can be interviewed directly on some topics. Firstly, your participants always stay on top and feel that their own experience and attitude becomes part of the presentation, and secondly, everyone can get a sense of what most people think in the room.

2. Collect Participant Feedback

Sure, this is a no-brainer. Surveys provide participants the opportunity to give you feedback. This has two decisive advantages. First, you can show the guests that their opinion is important to you. They can always contact you if they have any problems. Of course, you should also implement this feedback so that your participants get the feeling that their opinions count.

Secondly, it will give you quick and easy suggestions on how to further optimize your event. You can grow on negative feedback and integrate positive feedback directly into your marketing for the next event. Nothing beat user-generated content. Another treat: If you regularly implement the feedback and your participants visit your events throughout several years, then everyone can see and feel the change. And each participant feels like his opinion was part of the change. With this, you can bind the participants lastingly and intensively to your events.

3. User-generated content for your marketing

We do not know if you already know this, but most people like colorful graphs and statistics.

We have already poked at it. Surveys and opinion polls allow you to gather a lot of information about your participants. How do they relate to a specific topic? How would they react to the following problem? Which person is better suited for Job X? No matter how you turn it, you can ask your attendees various things. Of course, the results are great at the event, but you can continue to use it for your marketing even after the event. Prepare the information in pretty graphics and distribute it through social channels.

4. Live Polls as Icebreakers

Not only should your speakers use live surveys in presentations, but you should too! Opinion polls are great for kick-off events.

Your guests have all taken their seats and are now waiting for the event to begin. Do not bore your participants with 30 minutes of frontal presentation, but ask some interesting questions and then collect the input of the users. You can also heat up people by setting topics for the following networking session. You are free to ask what you want.

Another positive effect is that you bind the participants to a certain extent to the app. If the day starts with an interaction – meaning an added value for the participants – we will make the app an integral part of the event and save you a lot of work as your guests can now find the answers to most questions on their own.

5. Personalize Your Events

Live opinion polls are a great way for your participants to give the event their personal stamp. During their presentation, speakers could ask the audience which topics are most relevant. He can then only talk about the areas that interest those attending. Some speakers already set up the lectures according to an interactive path. The presentation is then a little different each time and always individually tailored to the participants.

You could also use live Q&As for this, so that the participants can ask questions to the speakers in real time or make suggestions for topics.

What You Should Have Learned

Live surveys and opinion polls are a simple yet great tool. They can make the difference between a normal and a great event. Through them, your speakers can interact quickly and easily with the participants and loosen up the presentation. Incidentally, with LineUpr such surveys are created and implemented in just a few seconds.

“Poll” Icon created by Gregor Cresnar from “the Noun Project“.

The post How to Increase the Interaction at Your Event with Live Polls first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

In this article, we’ll show you 12 interactive icebreakers that you can use to optimize networking and interaction on your events. We have already clarified in Part 1 what an icebreaker is and how to define suitable targets for the purpose.

The second part deals today with the deliberate use of interactive tools such as event apps, throw-microphones, and paper.

Interactive Voting with the Audience

This is where your event app comes into play. The moderator asks one or more questions to the audience. These can be general questions about the event, the participants or the theme of the event. Afterward, the participants have 1-2 minutes to answer these questions. The results are then presented live.

This exercise has two advantages. First, it always triggers a small wow effect on the audience when they see the results of a survey live, and secondly, as an organizer, you can quickly gain an overview of the opinion or knowledge of your participants.

Structured Questions to the Speakers

Of course, it goes in the other direction. Instead of the moderator/speaker asking questions to the audience, the audience can also ask questions to the people on stage. There are, in principle, multiple variations.

If you want to have structure, have your participants form small groups, and each of these groups can then ask a question. However, you can also allow all participants to individually and simultaneously ask questions through the app. As an organizer, you are also faced with the question of whether you want to show the participants’ suggestions live or curate them beforehand. Especially in corporate events, there is often the reasonable fear that some participants enter nonsensical suggestions. For this reason, many of our customers use the moderation function and select the questions in advance.

With this game, you give your participants the opportunity to ask their individual questions. They automatically feel better understood and integrated into your event. Besides, not only the very self-confident persons who have already asked their questions loudly can voice their concerns, but also the more quiet ones.

The Question Ball

A game that is more suitable for smaller groups. You need a big and light ball for this, for example, a beach ball. You design the ball around with various questions. Your participants now stand in a circle and throw this ball to each other. If a person catches the ball, then they must answer the question that is closest to their right index finger. The credits for this idea go to Jonny Heather von Artifax.

Depending on what you want to achieve with this game, you should also select the questions. If you are primarily interested in getting to know the participants, you should ask personal questions such as “Where are you from?” “What is your favorite sport?” or “Which book did you last read?”. You can also focus on the event and pick the appropriate questions. At the same time, you can also gain a better impression of your participants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-QbVh1riI

X Facts in a Hat

This game is strongly reminiscent of the game two truths and a lie. In the beginning, the participants gather in smaller groups of up to 5-10 people. Each participant writes one of his strengths on a small piece of paper and then throws it into a container. After shaking, each participant now takes a piece of paper out of the container, reads out the strength aloud, and gives an example of why he/she has this strength.

This game is straightforward and automatically creates a positive feeling among your participants. Also, one learns something directly from the other participants and can refer to it during the discussions in the break. Networking becomes even easier.

Table Games and Quizzes

Especially at many smaller events participants are often placed at several tables. As an organizer, of course, you want the table neighbors to get into conversation quickly and that no awkward silence is created. You can accelerate this process by placing small games on the tables. We all know this from the sandbox. When playing together, getting to know each other is much more comfortable.

You can also make a contest where the different tables compete against each other, for example, a little quiz duel. In both cases, the table neighbors will quickly get into a conversation.

Throw-Microphones – Questions to the Speakers

Of course, instead of using an app, you can also use another medium to collect visitor queries. Throw-microphones have become very popular in recent years. These microphones are usually integrated in a cube or ball of foam. As a result, you can throw them over several meters, without dangers for the participants. In addition, there is also a small playful effect and a lot of excitement from the game. The most famous provider is undoubtedly Catchbox.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apjN3xThfY8

Card Deck as Matchmaker

Matchmaking is currently one of the most exciting topics at business events. If the networking is lame, then simply link two people together by hand. That’s the point of matchmaking. This automatically resolves the difficult part of initiating contact. There are now many apps and software solutions which deal with it, but there is also a simple analog version: A deck of cards!

When registering on-site, all participants must draw a card from a standard deck of cards. People with cards of the same color, number/image or category must now find each other and talk to each other. This idea from EventManagerBlog is super easy to implement.

Depending on how big your discussion group should be, you can choose the card deck and the selection criterion.

The Toilet Paper Challenge

If you want participants to share personal information with each other, this is a simple and quick game to play. In the beginning, groups of up to 10 people are formed. Then toilet paper rolls are passed around and each participant is allowed to take as many sheets as he wishes. Afterward, every person in the group has to list just as many personal facts about himself as toilet paper sheets that he has.

Since it is not yet known what will happen afterward when choosing the number of sheets, there is always a positive tension to be felt. When the explanation is given there is always a loud reaction. So it stays in the memories of the participants.

Individual Name Tags

As already described several times, the main problem with networking is the fear of the initial contact. Most participants do not know what to ask here. You can make it easier for your participants to start this first conversation when you prepare conversation tags, such as individual name tags. Here you could publish three facts about each participant. Or the participants have to answer three questions at the registration and the answers will be published on the business card. No matter how you offer a perfect reason to address the person.

Human Bingo

A bit more elaborate, but still very funny. You’ll need to create several different bingo cards with character traits or information about people in advance, for example: Comes from Berlin, is under 25, plays football… Each participant will receive such a bingo card and must find the appropriate persons with the appropriate criteria among the other participants. So if he talks to someone who plays football, then he can check this box. The participant, who is the first to fill a row, shouts BINGO!

This is an enjoyable game and your participants can get to know each other in a fun way. Thanks to the idea of competition, there will also be a lot of movement.

Fairy Tale Introductions

What is it like to be presented as a fairy-tale hero? This experience can be made possible with this game for your participants. Again, small groups of up to 10 people are formed. Each participant may now introduce his left and right neighbors in about 30 seconds. The unique thing is that, except for the name, all statements must be made up. The participants should also use flowery words. There are no limits to their creativity.

This ice-breaker was taken from David Becker von ZKIPSTER.  It is guaranteed to lead to a lot of laughter and creative suggestions. This connects the participants with each other.

Paper Fight

If you want to increase the activity of your participants with your game rather than the networking, then the paper ball fight is perfect. Each participant receives a piece of paper and should write down a wish, a goal, a question, etc. Subsequently, the sheet is formed into a ball and thrown on the stage at the moderator’s signal.

How this can be done can be seen in this video by Eric de Groot at 3:00 mins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=_kI-V4FCdx4

Of course, instead of paper balls, this can also be done with paper planes. Optionally, participants can then pick up the paper objects and read aloud. That depends on the size of the event.

Anyway, that will stay in their minds and increase the energy level.

What You Should Have Learned

Today we presented 12 interactive ideas with the help of event apps, throw-microphones, and paper to increase networking among your participants. This reduces their fear of contact and allows for optimal networking at your event.

“Network” Icon created by Chameleon Design from “the Noun Project“.

The post 12 Interactive Icebreakers for Your Corporate Events first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Today we welcome Torsten Fiedler from City Drainage Dresden to our blog. As a co-organiser of the Dresdner Sewage Conference, one of the leading German-speaking sewage conferences, he knows precisely which difficulties organizers have to face. He explains how an event app is superior to a responsive website and how surveys can increase participants‘ attention.

LineUpr: Hello Torsten. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the City Drainage Dresden. What are your goals and what role do events play in achieving them?

Torsten: I’m Torsten Fiedler, press spokesman for the City Drainage Dresden GmbH. Our company is responsible for the sewage disposal in Dresden. Around 400 employees clean 60 billion liters of sewage per year, look after 1,800 kilometers of sewage network, and maintain, renovate and build new sewage plants.

We also want to be opinion architects to positively shape the political, technical and economic conditions of our industry. Our Dresden Sewage Conference (DSC) is an annual forum for sewage treatment plant and network operators, municipalities, engineering firms and planners. The Congress with its accompanying industrial exhibition has become one of the five most important German meetings in the sewage sector in recent years.

LineUpr: Have you used event apps in the past? If so, what are your experiences? If not, what was against the use of an event app?

Torsten: No, at the DSC in 2018 we tested an event app for the first time – LineUpr. We learned about the app during an informative event of the Dresden Marketing Society for Organisers.

LineUpr: You have now used LineUpr for your conference for the first time. What was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Torsten: Today’s conference participants expect more from a conference than just head-on presentations, they want to be involved. The interaction is probably just as crucial at such conferences as the technical program. We already offer a very well received supporting programme. By means of an event app, the 650 guests can find their way around several locations. We were particularly tempted to start surveys directly from the stage.

LineUpr: You’re right. This insight is also slowly getting around to other organizers.

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

Torsten: In our first test we didn‘t exploit the full potential, I think. The Dresden Sewage Conference has had its website for many years, so we have all the content that we need there, like the programme, accommodation recommendations, list of exhibitors, locations, etc. Also, we published the speakers with a photo and used the survey tool. I only worked with the app during the event. Although the website is also responsive, the event app is definitely much more practical on the smartphone.

We informed the participants via the website, the Dresden Sewage Conference Facebook page, e-mail and also in the accompanying booklet directly on-site. At the beginning of the conference, our moderator also once more invited all participants to open up the event app.

LineUpr: A responsive website is fantastic, but an app is something else if you‘re out and about with a lousy internet connection.

How did your visitors respond to the app?

Torsten: There was no direct feedback. This new opportunity has not yet been established. After all, around 60 conference participants answered the five questions.

LineUpr: But you used the survey feature. Can you tell us a bit more about why and what you wanted to achieve with the surveys?

Torsten: We consider the live interaction at the conference to be an essential element to involve the conference participants and to keep their attention. In the end, a convention can indeed be fun, right? Surveys like this make the whole thing more relaxed.

LineUpr: How did you accomplish this at the event? How did you get your guests to participate?

Torsten: Well, we are fortunate with our moderator – he has a very motivating effect. However, he made a small mistake and did not present the survey results live immediately. Next time, we’ll do it better.

LineUpr: This can happen. Everything rarely runs perfectly the first time.

Is there an exciting story from the last event that you would like to share with us?

Torsten: It was interesting that we got the highest marks for keeping to the schedule for the first time – in the background, however, two speakers were left hanging. But it will work with time.

LineUpr: So, of course, you can also save time. But as long as the participants did not notice, then you have done a great job as an organizer.

What top three tips for other promoters do you have as an event app rookie using LineUpr?

Torsten: Do it! The app is intuitive – great tool. If you do not yet have a website for your event, you can even forgo it thanks to this app. In any case, the QR code should be sent in advance by e-mail to all concerned.

LineUpr: Thank you Torsten for the very detailed interview. You can also find out more about the Dresden Sewage Conference on the website  and on Facebook.

We look forward to your next events and to how we can support them with LineUpr.

The post More Than Just Head-On Presentations – Event Participants Want To Be Integrated first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

In this tutorial, we will deal in detail with the topic surveys. What types of surveys are there and how can you use them in the app? We will show you how to create feedback surveys, opinion polls and live surveys that allow your guests to ask questions directly to the speakers on stage.

The featured examples can be found, as always, in our demo app.

What types of surveys does LineUpr offer?

We offer a total of three different types of surveys, which are suitable for different purposes.

Survey: This survey type is the general survey feature that allows you to model different kinds of surveys. There are four types of questions available and you can theoretically create an unlimited number of questions per survey.

With this type of survey, our organizers typically set up feedback surveys and gather information from participants’ data and interests.

Live Poll: You would like to know more about your audience, or you want to integrate them into a presentation or into the event interactively? Then this is the perfect survey type for it. Here you can only create one question per poll and only the question types available are “star rating”, “single choice” and “multiple choice”.

Organizers use this type of survey to capture public opinion or to learn more about their participants’ interests or existing knowledge. With this information, the speakers can adapt their presentations and focus more on the participants.

Questions and Answers: You want to give your guests the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers directly via the app? Then use the survey type “questions and answers”. Unlike the other two survey types, users can answer this survey indefinitely, asking multiple questions to the people on the stage. The nature of this kind of question specifies that only one question can be asked and this question can only be answered in the form of a text field.

As the name implies, users should ask the people on stage questions using this question type. However, other organizers also use this type of survey to gather questions about the procedure or about the event- as a support channel, so to say.

What Types of Answers are Possible?

As indicated in the section about the different types of surveys, there are four types of answers available. You can use star ratings, single choice, multiple choice or text fields as the answer type for the surveys.

Star Rating: In the Star Rating, the user can give 1 to 5 stars for the question.

This type is particularly suitable for questions about a subjective assessment, for example, “How did you like the food?” Or “How did you like the hotel?”

Single Choice: With the single choice you define a question and give two or more answer choices. The user can now select one of the answer options.

This type is best suited to questions with clearly identifiable and previously known answers, in which the user may choose only one selection. In case of doubt, the user still has to commit to an option. The classic example here is selecting a person for a position.

Multiple Choice: With Multiple Choice, you define a question and give two or more answer choices. The user can now select one or more answer options.

This type is best for questions with definite answers, but where the user does not have to commit to one answer fully. The classic example here is the question of which topics should be discussed at an event.

Textfield: With the text field option, you define a question and the user can enter his answer in a text field without any specifications.

This survey type is particularly suitable for questions in which the answer is not previously known or where there should be no deliberate manipulation. The classic examples here are the questions “What did you like?” and “What did you not like?”

How to Create a New Survey

First, log in to your account and go to your event dashboard. Now navigate to the menu item “Surveys” (1) and start the compilation by clicking on “+ New Survey” (2).

With “Survey” (3), “Live Vote” (4), and “Questions and Answers” (5), you now have the choice between three different survey types. The appropriate option in your case is dependent on the goal that you want to achieve with the survey. More about the different survey types can be found in the previous section.

How to Create a General Survey

If you have decided to use a “Survey” (3), a new page opens where you can now define questions for this survey. First, however, you must set a “Title” (6) for the survey. This title is also the name under which the users will see the survey in the app.

Next, you can specify a sort criterion (7). This is especially interesting if you are working with several surveys in parallel. Here you can define the order of the surveys in the app. Surveys with a “1” are shown at the top, and surveys with higher numbers are shown below.

You can also allow your participants to edit their answers later. All you have to do is activate the corresponding slider (8).

Let us now turn to the questions. As already described, in the general survey all four types of questions are at your disposal. To create a question, first, select the question type (9) and then click “+ Add question”.

Now define the actual question (10) and, depending on which question type you have chosen, also the answer options. You can add more answers to the question with “+ Add answer” (11).

Besides, you still can specify whether a question needs to be answered by the user or not. If the button “Answer required” (12) is activated, then users have to answer the question to be able to submit their answers to the survey. For text field questions especially, we recommend that you do not activate this button and allow the user choose to enter their text as input or to submit it without doing so.

If you want to delete a question, click on the “X” (13) next to the subject. If you want to change the order of the questions, please use the opposite arrows (14) to move the item.

You can conclude the survey by clicking on the green “Create” button in the top right.

How to Create a Live Poll

If you opt for “live voting” (4), a new page will open where you can now define the questions for this poll. First, however, you must set a “Title” (15) for the survey. This title is also the name under which the users will see the survey in the app.

Next, you can specify a sort criterion (16). This is especially interesting if you work with several surveys in parallel. Here you can define the order of the surveys in the app. Surveys with a “1” are shown at the top, and surveys with higher numbers below.

You can also allow your participants to edit their answers later. For this, you only need to activate the corresponding slider (17).

Let us talk about the actual questions. Unlike the general survey, you cannot use a text field here and you are only allowed to use one question per survey. So choose the right question type (18) and add, if necessary, answer options (19).

You can conclude the survey by clicking on the green “Create” button in the top right.

How to Gather Questions from the Audience

If you choose the Questions and Answers (5) option, a new page will open where you can now define the questions for this survey. First, however, you must set a “Title” (20) for the survey. This title is also the name under which the users will see the survey in the app.

Next, you can specify a sort criterion (21). This is especially interesting if you work with several surveys in parallel. Here you can define the order of the surveys in the app. Surveys with a “1” are shown at the top, and surveys with higher numbers below.

The Questions and Answers Survey allows you to only use the Textfield as the question type and allows only one question. Now enter a proper question (22), such as, “What questions do you have for me?”

You can conclude the survey by clicking on the green “Create” button in the top right.

Plan Surveys in Advance

Of course, you can also prepare all kinds of surveys but publish them later. Just set the slider (23) in the top right corner from “Visible” to “Invisible” and save it.

The survey has now been created, but it is still invisible to users. When the time comes, you can publish the survey live during the event by re-opening the survey in CMS and setting the slider (23) back to “Visible”.

What You Should Have Learned

In this tutorial, we introduced you to the different types of surveys and questions. Use this opportunity to receive feedback from your participants or to integrate them into your event interactively. Many participants have, for example, questions for the speakers, but do not dare to make this public. Here, the app offers you an intuitive and anonymous way. Through this interaction, your event will be perceived more positively and the connection between visitor and event organizer will be strengthened.

In the next tutorial, we will deal with the marketing of your event app. We’ll show you how to maximize the reach and usage among your guests. More on our blog. 

“Poll” Icon created by Bakunetsu Kaito from “the Noun Project“.

The post LineUpr Tutorial – How to Create Surveys, Questions for Speakers, and Polls in Your 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.