Please let me introduce myself!

 

Hi! I'm Lisa Clark and I help nonprofits and fundraisers like YOU raise money through events so you can meet your annual revenue goals! I'm also the host of a free Facebook Group, Raising with Lisa Clark, a free group for fundraisers, NPOs, development team members, volunteers, and supporters. I included a link below so you can request to join right away!

 

Link to Join Facebook Group:

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/112148672944584/

 

 

What are some great indicators you’re hosting a successful event?  Well, there are many things that you could be doing right and there are things you should never do again.  While at the event you’re likely to hear positive feedback from your guests and hear things like “The food is so good” or “l love the centerpieces.”   You might also witness smiles, laughter, groups of people chatting and engaging with each other. But, I’m not sure you’ll hear about what could be improved upon that night at the event.  

 

Speaking of places to host mini events, check out my FREE mini checklist on how to create a pipeline of new donors for your next big fundraising event.   I give you some ideas on where to host mini events. If you haven’t already grabbed it, the link will be provided below. You can also watch my recent Masterclass on Network For Good on “How To Create A Pipeline Of New Donors From Low Cost Events.”   Here’s the link to that as well!

 

 

Ok, back to surveys!

 

So here are a few things to help you get started in creating your post event survey.  

 

First, I recommend surveying your guests, your board, and your staff.  Surveying your donors and board are for obvious reasons - they are your supporters!  You want to know if they were happy and satisfied with the event. But why survey your staff?  Chances are they’re asked to work the event and have worked many events for the organization in the past.  They’ve seen things go well and not so well. They hear side chatter from supporters. You’d be really surprised how much you’ll learn from surveying your staff.  But the most important reason, for me, is you will build morale, buy-in and show your staff that you appreciate their thoughts, feedback, efforts. They matter and asking them to fill out a survey is one great way to show them that their opinion counts!

 

Next, when sending out your request for them to participate in the survey, mention that you’ll be providing everyone the results.  

 

In your email, be sure to highlight that you’re an organization that values learning and improving so you take their comments and feedback very seriously.  It’s what helps you grow as an organization and helps you serve your supporters even better!

 

Lastly, keep the survey short and simple.  I realize that I’ve provided you with a long list of survey questions to ask, but feel free to condense some of them or use the one’s you feel be represent your fundraising event.  

 

One final, final thing is Survey Monkey is a survey platform that I highly recommend for building a free survey but you are limited to only 10 questions.   I’m certain you’ll be able to get all the feedback you need in 10 questions or less.

 

Now, build those surveys!

 

Who to Survey:

1. Survey attendees immediately following the event while the event is fresh in their memory
2. Survey your board and create questions that are unique to their experience
3. Next, survey your staff.  
4. Next, select 3 to 5  key supporters who attended the event and survey them over the phone or in person.  
5. Survey your vendors (caterer, party rental company, venue staff)

 

What questions to ask your attendees:

1. Was this the first time you attended the event?
2. How did you learn about the event?
3. Would you attend again?
4. Would you invite friends?
5. Was the ticket price a good value?
6. Was there a good assortment of silent and live auction gifts?
7. Did you enjoy the program?
8. Did you enjoy the food?
9. Did you learn something about our organization?
10. Was the event easy to find?
11. Was check-in organized, fast and streamline?
12. How would you rate our auctioneer?
13. What did you enjoy most about the event?
14. What did you enjoy least about the event?
15. If you won a silent or live auction item, was checking out an easy process
16. How would you rate the event overall?

 

What questions to ask your board?

1. How does this fundraiser compare to other fundraiser’s you’ve attended in the past?  Please comment below.
2. If you didn’t invite friends, would you invite friends to attend next year?
3. Was the ticket price a good value?
4. Was there a good assortment of silent and/or live auction items?
5. Was the silent auction starting bids too low or too high or just right?
6. Was the starting bids for the live auction too low, too high, or just right?
7. Please rate the food?
8. Please rate the decor?
9. Did you learn something new about the organization?
10. Did you feel the ticket price was a good value?
11. Do you feel this event provides a good opportunity to get to know our supporters better?
12. Is there anything you would change about the event?  Please comment below.
13. Was the event easy to find?
14. Was check-in organized, fast, and streamline?
15. How would you rate our auctioneer?
16. Did we do a good job highlighting our programs and services?
17. Does this event provide a good opportunity to identify future volunteers?
18. Rate the MC’s overall performance?

 

Questions to ask staff:

1. How does this fundraiser compare to other fundraiser’s you’ve staffed in the past? Please comment below.
2. Please rate the food?
3. Please rate the decor?
4. Do you feel this event provides a good opportunity to get to know our supporters better?
5. Is there anything you would change about the event?  Please comment below.
6. Was the event easy to find?
7. If you worked the registration table, did it seem organized and streamline for our guests to check-in?
8. How would you rate our auctioneer?
9. As a staff member do you feel we did a good job highlighting our programs and services?
10. What programs or services would you like to be better represented at the event next year?
11. Does this event provide a good opportunity to identify future volunteers?
12. Rate the Executive Director’s (or whoever MC’d the event) stage presence?
13. Rate the Executive Director’s/MC/s overall performance?

CTA

 

Ok. As I mentioned earlier here’s my FREE Checklist on How to Create A Pipeline of New Donors for Your Next Big Fundraiser? Click the link to get the instantly downloadable checklist that's easily implementable (is that a word?)!

 

https://risingwithlisaclark.lpages.co/donorchecklist/