Sponsor surveys allow event organizers can gather valuable feedback, foster open communication, and establish a foundation for future collaborations.
The sponsor survey is a valuable tool in understanding how well the event performed in adding partner and sponsor value, and can be used to improve performance moving forward. When used correctly the sponsor survey can also held to build and strengthen partner and sponsor relationships. Here’s how.
Gathering Feedback
Post-event sponsor surveys offer a unique opportunity to collect feedback directly from sponsors. This feedback is invaluable in understanding their experience, identifying areas for improvement, and uncovering any pain points they may have encountered. By providing sponsors with a platform to share their thoughts and suggestions, organizers demonstrate their commitment to delivering a successful event that meets or exceeds sponsor expectations.
Customizing Sponsorship Packages
Each sponsor has different objectives and expectations. Post-event surveys enable organizers to gain insights into what sponsors truly value, allowing them to tailor future sponsorship packages accordingly. By understanding specific goals, desired outcomes, and preferred marketing channels, event organizers can create personalized sponsorship opportunities that maximize sponsor ROI and enhance the overall partnership.
Strengthening Communications Channels
Post-event surveys act as a communication bridge between organizers and sponsors. By initiating conversations with sponsors after the event, organizers convey their interest in establishing an ongoing dialogue. This communication can help address any concerns, clarify expectations, and foster a stronger relationship built on transparency and collaboration. Sponsors will appreciate the opportunity to express their opinions and feel valued as partners in the event’s success.
Demonstrating ROI
Sponsors invest time, effort, and resources into supporting events, and they understandably expect a return on their investment. Post-event sponsor surveys enable organizers to measure and demonstrate the value sponsors received from their involvement. By asking targeted questions about the effectiveness of sponsorships, brand exposure, lead generation, or overall satisfaction, organizers can gather data to support sponsor ROI claims, providing tangible evidence of the event’s impact.
Building Long-Term Partnerships
Successful events rely on the support of loyal sponsors. Post-event surveys serve as a valuable tool for nurturing long-term partnerships. By using feedback from sponsors to improve future events, organizers show a commitment to continuous growth and a willingness to adapt. Sponsors appreciate being involved in the evolution of an event and are more likely to renew their sponsorship when they see their feedback being implemented.
Key Questions to Ask on Sponsor Surveys
1. Overall Experience
“Please rate your overall experience as a sponsor with Experiential Event.”
Answers: 5-point Likert Scale, “Poor” to “Excellent”
Follow-up questions: “What worked well?” / “What didn’t work well?” “What can Brand do to improve the rating you provided?” with open text fields.
Why it’s great: It helps event marketers understand sponsors’ perception of the overall experience from top to bottom. It also helps identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as sponsor needs and expectations. This can provide organizers with valuable insights that can be used to improve events and sponsorship packages and design experiences that better meet the needs and expectations of their partners and sponsors.
2. Net Promoter Score (NPS)
“How likely are you to recommend Experiential Event to a business associate or colleague?”
Answers: 10-point scale. Total Promoters (9-10 score) – Total Detractors (1-6 score) / Total Responders (1-10 score) * 100 (for percentage)
Scoring: Rage -100 – +100. <0 = Poor, 0-10 = Fair, 11-30 = Good, 31-50 = Excellent, 51+ = Outstanding
Why it’s great: NPS provides a simple and standardized way to measure sponsor loyalty and satisfaction over time. By tracking NPS scores, companies can identify trends and areas for improvement, as well as track the effectiveness of event and sponsorship adjustments aimed at improving partner and sponsor satisfaction.
In addition, NPS is often used as a benchmark to compare a an event’s performance against other events in the portfolio, competitors events, or industry events. This can help companies identify areas where they may be falling behind and focus their efforts on improving those areas to gain a competitive advantage.
3. Effectiveness
“How effective was Experiential Event in meeting your objectives?”
Answers: 5-point Likert Scale, “Not at all effective” to “Extremely effective”
Follow-up questions: Be sure to ask these questions across Awareness, Demand Generation, Business Opportunities / Partnerships, Brand Positioning, and Industry Support / Affinity. It’s also a good idea to include an “Other” open text category to capture any unknown sponsor needs. For more information, you can also ask “What are the reasons for your effectiveness ratings?” as an open-ended question to get more insights form sponsors.
Why it’s great: Effectiveness questions provide insights into sponsor needs, as well as the effectiveness of the event in meeting these needs.
4. Sponsor Satisfaction
“As a sponsor, how satisfied were you with the following?“
Answers: 5-point Likert Scale, “Not at all satisfied” to “Completely satisfied”
Follow-up questions: Satisfaction should be gauged across the following categories: Sponsorship Package Offerings, Cost / Value of Sponsorship Packages, Sponsorship Sales Process, Event Promotions and Marketing, Expo, Sessions, Speakers, Content, Networking, Sponsor Support, Quantity of Attendees, Attendee Quality. Asking “What are the reasons for your satisfaction ratings?” as an open-ended question as a follow up can help you gain additional insights here.
Why it’s great: Understanding partner and sponsor satisfaction with each element of the sponsorship process can help prioritize and focus improvement areas for future events.
5. Sponsorship Suggestions
“Do you have any suggestions for additional sponsorship opportunities that you would like to see offered at future Experiential Events?”
Answers: Open-ended text.
Why it’s great: Free ideas! This can also validate sponsorship offerings, or decisions made to include or not include certain sponsorship opportunities.
6. Future Sponsorship
“How likely is your company to sponsor Experiential Event next year?”
Answers: 5-point Likert Scale, “Definitely will not sponsor” to “Definitely will sponsor”
Why it’s great: Give a sense of the impact the event made to sponsors/ Can be used as one input to forecast future sponsorship participation and revenue. Secondary indicator of sponsor satisfaction and value.
Post-event sponsor surveys hold immense potential for event organizers looking to understand the effectiveness of everything from sponsorship packages, to the overall sponsorship process. If executed well, sponsor surveys can also help build better relationships with sponsors. By utilizing these surveys to gather feedback, customize sponsorship packages, strengthen communication channels, demonstrate ROI, and foster long-term partnerships, event organizers can provide sponsors with what they need out of the event. The insights gained from post-event surveys empower organizers to deliver exceptional attendee experiences, meet sponsor expectations, and monetize the event. Together, this process can create mutually beneficial partnerships that thrive well beyond a single event. Remember, a successful event is not just about the attendees; it’s about nurturing and valuing the sponsors who help make it all possible.
For more great content on event surveys, check out: 4 Important Questions for Keynote and Session Surveys, Attendee Survey Best Practices, and Event Survey Best Practices.