Here's how you can effectively gather feedback through post-trade show surveys.

When you are looking for prospects at trade shows, be pacific of what you are looking for. Send out email, mail and promo items to those you want to connect. At the show ask questions that aren't direct but interactive. remember to be a friend not a salesperson.

Create a simple, short, and engaging survey for your clients, as close to post-completion of the show as possible. You’ll get more responses from something short, sweet, and fresh in their mind. Also, where possible get a contact and ask their permission for a more in-depth interview if possible.

Don't forget about getting real time data at the show/conference. Ask questions of people you meet and network with, even if they aren't in your booth. It's okay to have preliminary answers to gauge your better data with after the show.

Follow up ideally within 48 hours of the event, strike while the iron’s hot! Use email or a short, succinct phone call. Set up an alternative time to chat if that suits your client if time doesn’t permit. Maybe even plant the seed prior and get a commitment to a date and time. Keep it personal. Whoever has built the relationship with the client should set the meeting up and refer to whoever will conduct the interview.

As an expert in promotional branding, I can affirm that incentives are a powerful tool in driving post-trade show engagement. Offering a branded gift as a reward not only encourages survey participation but also serves as a reminder of your brand long after the event. It's important to choose an incentive that resonates with your target audience and aligns with your brand values to maximize impact.

Ask visitors what their favorite and least favorite things were about your event - then pay attention. Also reach out to those visitors (and exhibitors) who didn't come back and ask why. Even though it can be a pain to review, make all of these questions open-ended.

Worry less about industry benchmarks and worry more about Year on Year performance - is your event moving in the right direction (attendee / exhibitor opinions improving). Always weigh post event surveys against real data. You want to address how your customers feel, but at the same time, if your show is growing (attendance / square feet / etc.), then you have another metric to validate or challenge opinions found in the survey. Pay close attention to your most important subgroups (your core audience and exhibition base). Conduct subgroup analysis to tease additional insights. Use the survey to fuel sales - explore adjacent categories that your sales team should be selling to - what other products to key attendees use day to day?

Once I've gathered feedback, I dive into analysis mode, I search for recurring themes and patterns, examining both praise and constructive criticism. This helps me identify areas for improvement and make informed, data-driven decisions about what changes to implement for my next trade show. By analyzing feedback thoroughly, I can ensure that I'm making meaningful enhancements that will genuinely elevate the attendee experience and set my brand up?for?success

Review the survey feedback and ask for an in-depth meeting if there is feedback that you would like to explore further. It signals to your customers that you listen and care. First-hand experience is gold!

Consider surveying not just the primary contacts of your exhibiting companies, but seek feedback from booth staff as well. Very simple, but I’ve seen many organizers simply evaluate the feedback of the primary booth contact. Many times, those contacts are not working the booth or attending the event. Keep the audiences segmented so you can evaluate the feedback from each group. I’ve often seen higher marks from booth staff versus that of the primary exhibitor contact.

An unusual approach to gathering feedback through post-trade show surveys is to gamify the survey experience. Instead of traditional survey formats, consider creating an interactive game or quiz related to the trade show experience. Participants can answer questions about their experience, preferences, and suggestions in a more engaging and enjoyable way.