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The Best (And Worst) Post-Event Questions to Ask

Event planners know that a good conference, meeting, or corporate gathering doesn’t end when the last guest leaves the room. The real value often reveals itself afterward, once you sift through the feedback and measure your event’s impact. Yet for all the energy we put into planning sessions, booking inspiring speakers, and crafting the perfect agenda, the post-event survey often feels like an afterthought—hastily assembled and rarely actionable. 

Many of the questions we ask don’t tell us anything useful. Some are too vague, others too complicated. Sometimes, we’re not sure what we’d do with the answers once we got them. The result: data that collects dust instead of driving improvements. 

At The Lavin Agency, we’ve spent decades partnering with clients to create events that truly resonate—before, during, and yes, after. Drawing on our experience, here’s how to craft survey questions that spark fresh insights and tangible next steps… and some questions you’d be better off leaving out entirely. 

If you walk away from this article with only one principle, make it this: If you ask a question and don’t know how you’d use the answer, don’t ask it. Every question should tie back to your goal—whether it’s improving next year’s programming, refining your speaker selection process, or enhancing attendee networking opportunities. Ask yourself: “If I get a certain response, what will I change?” If you can’t answer that, tweak or toss the question. 

 The Best Questions are Actionable, Specific, and Purpose-Driven:

  1. “Which session or speaker provided the most actionable insights you’ll implement in the next 3 months?”
    Instead of a generic “What was your favorite session?” this question zeroes in on practical takeaways. The attendee who picks a particular speaker is telling you exactly who and what moved them to act. With this information, you can double down on similar speakers or session formats next time. 
  2. “On a scale of 1–10, how effectively did this event meet your main objective for attending?”
    This question forces attendees to reflect on their own motivations—were they there to learn a new skill, network, or gain industry insights? Their rating gives you a direct measure of whether you met their expectations. Next year, you can either pivot your content strategy or reinforce what worked. 
  3. “How did the networking opportunities (breakout rooms, mixer sessions, app-based meetups) help you establish new professional relationships?”
    Vague feedback on “Did you like networking?” won’t help you fine-tune your approach. By specifying the methods of connection, you can identify which formats fostered the most fruitful exchanges—and where you might invest more resources next time. 
  4. “In one sentence, how would you describe the impact of this event to a colleague?”
    This question harvests language directly from your audience—language you can use in future marketing. If someone says, “It’s the best place to learn cutting-edge trends in sustainability,” you know that message resonates with attendees. Incorporate their own words into your promotional copy next time. 
  5. “Were there any topics or speakers you feel we should feature next year to keep you coming back?”
    This open-ended question puts the attendee in the planner’s seat. If you start seeing repeat suggestions—like a call for more diversity in speakers, or a deeper dive into AI—consider how you can integrate those elements next time. This turns the survey into a useful planning document rather than just a scorecard.

The Worst Questions you can ask are often Unclear, Unfocused, and Unactionable 

  1. “Did you enjoy the event?”
    What does “enjoy” mean here—was the coffee good, the chairs comfortable, the content inspiring, or the venue convenient? “Enjoyment” alone won’t guide your improvement strategy. If everyone says “yes,” you’re left with warm fuzzies, but no specific steps for growth. 
  2. “How was the food?”
    Unless your main goal is to improve catering, this question is a dead end. Yes, food matters to the attendee experience, but if your event is about sparking new ideas and forging strategic partnerships, insights on the buffet won’t drive big changes. If you really care, ask something like: “Did the scheduling of meal breaks help or hinder your networking?”—connecting the question to the event’s core objectives. 
  3. “On a scale of 1–10, was the event worthwhile?”
    This question is too broad. Worthwhile in what sense? Educationally? Professionally? Economically? If you don’t define what you want to learn, the rating doesn’t guide your strategy. Focus on one dimension at a time. 
  4. “What did you think of the length of the event?”
     Sure, you might need to adjust timing. But what will you do with “too long” or “too short”? Instead, be more targeted: “Were there enough breaks between sessions to absorb the information and network meaningfully?” Now the responses can shape the actual format of your schedule. 
  5. “Any other comments?”
    This catch-all line rarely yields gold. It tends to attract either off-topic venting or faint praise. If you need open-ended feedback, direct it towards a specific purpose: “What’s one element you’d change next year?” or “If you could add one new format to next year’s agenda, what would it be?”

When you treat post-event surveys as strategic tools rather than obligatory housekeeping, you create a feedback loop that enriches future events. Your attendees see that their voices shape programming, content, and format. They trust that you’re listening. As your surveys improve, your events do too. 

At The Lavin Agency, we believe that insightful inquiry leads to meaningful progress. That’s why we don’t settle for empty questions that yield empty data. When clients partner with us, they gain access to a blueprint for continuous improvement—one anchored by curiosity, intellectual rigor, and a commitment to delivering transformative content. Our long history of working with renowned speakers and forward-thinking event planners has taught us: better questions lead to better answers, better events, and better outcomes. 

After all, if you’re going to ask a question, why not make it one that sparks real insight—and real change? 

If you walk away from this article with only one principle, make it this: If you ask a question and don’t know how you’d use the answer, don’t ask it. Every question should tie back to your goal—whether it’s improving next year’s programming, refining your speaker selection process, or enhancing attendee networking opportunities. Ask yourself: “If I get a certain response, what will I change?” If you can’t answer that, tweak or toss the question. 

 The Best Questions are Actionable, Specific, and Purpose-Driven:

  1. “Which session or speaker provided the most actionable insights you’ll implement in the next 3 months?” Instead of a generic “What was your favorite session?” this question zeroes in on practical takeaways. The attendee who picks a particular speaker is telling you exactly who and what moved them to act. With this information, you can double down on similar speakers or session formats next time. 
  2. “On a scale of 1–10, how effectively did this event meet your main objective for attending?” This question forces attendees to reflect on their own motivations—were they there to learn a new skill, network, or gain industry insights? Their rating gives you a direct measure of whether you met their expectations. Next year, you can either pivot your content strategy or reinforce what worked. 
  3. “How did the networking opportunities (breakout rooms, mixer sessions, app-based meetups) help you establish new professional relationships?” Vague feedback on “Did you like networking?” won’t help you fine-tune your approach. By specifying the methods of connection, you can identify which formats fostered the most fruitful exchanges—and where you might invest more resources next time. 
  4. “In one sentence, how would you describe the impact of this event to a colleague?” This question harvests language directly from your audience—language you can use in future marketing. If someone says, “It’s the best place to learn cutting-edge trends in sustainability,” you know that message resonates with attendees. Incorporate their own words into your promotional copy next time. 
  5. “Were there any topics or speakers you feel we should feature next year to keep you coming back?” This open-ended question puts the attendee in the planner’s seat. If you start seeing repeat suggestions—like a call for more diversity in speakers, or a deeper dive into AI—consider how you can integrate those elements next time. This turns the survey into a useful planning document rather than just a scorecard.

The Worst Questions you can ask are often Unclear, Unfocused, and Unactionable 

  1. “Did you enjoy the event?” What does “enjoy” mean here—was the coffee good, the chairs comfortable, the content inspiring, or the venue convenient? “Enjoyment” alone won’t guide your improvement strategy. If everyone says “yes,” you’re left with warm fuzzies, but no specific steps for growth. 
  2. “How was the food?” Unless your main goal is to improve catering, this question is a dead end. Yes, food matters to the attendee experience, but if your event is about sparking new ideas and forging strategic partnerships, insights on the buffet won’t drive big changes. If you really care, ask something like: “Did the scheduling of meal breaks help or hinder your networking?”—connecting the question to the event’s core objectives. 
  3. “On a scale of 1–10, was the event worthwhile?” This question is too broad. Worthwhile in what sense? Educationally? Professionally? Economically? If you don’t define what you want to learn, the rating doesn’t guide your strategy. Focus on one dimension at a time. 
  4. “What did you think of the length of the event?”  Sure, you might need to adjust timing. But what will you do with “too long” or “too short”? Instead, be more targeted: “Were there enough breaks between sessions to absorb the information and network meaningfully?” Now the responses can shape the actual format of your schedule. 
  5. “Any other comments?” This catch-all line rarely yields gold. It tends to attract either off-topic venting or faint praise. If you need open-ended feedback, direct it towards a specific purpose: “What’s one element you’d change next year?” or “If you could add one new format to next year’s agenda, what would it be?”
When you treat post-event surveys as strategic tools rather than obligatory housekeeping, you create a feedback loop that enriches future events. Your attendees see that their voices shape programming, content, and format. They trust that you’re listening. As your surveys improve, your events do too.  At The Lavin Agency, we believe that insightful inquiry leads to meaningful progress. That’s why we don’t settle for empty questions that yield empty data. When clients partner with us, they gain access to a blueprint for continuous improvement—one anchored by curiosity, intellectual rigor, and a commitment to delivering transformative content. Our long history of working with renowned speakers and forward-thinking event planners has taught us: better questions lead to better answers, better events, and better outcomes.  After all, if you’re going to ask a question, why not make it one that sparks real insight—and real change? 

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