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Pre event survey questions to ask registrants

Nine questions for registrants, on what they want, what they need and what they eat. Try it here first.

  • 9questions
  • About 3 minto complete
  • Beforenot after the event
  • No nameor email asked
Use this template Take the survey first
Pre-Event Survey · answer to move through it
Use this template
Question 1 of 9 What to put on
What do you most want to get out of this event?
Learn something specific I can use straight away
Meet people who do what I do
Hear from the speakers
Find tools, suppliers or services
Represent my team or organization
I am not sure yet
Question 2 of 9 What to put on
Which of these would you make time for?
Talks from the main stage
Hands-on workshops
Small-group or roundtable discussion
Questions and answers with the speakers
Structured networking with introductions
Unstructured time to talk to whoever I want
A quiet space to work or rest
Question 3 of 9 What to put on
How much do you already know about the main subject?
This is new to me
I know the basics
I work with it regularly
I could teach it
Question 4 of 9 What to put on
What would make this event worth your time?
Question 5 of 9 Who to plan for
How much of the event do you expect to be there for?
All of it
Part of it, and I know which part
I will drop in if I can
I am not sure I will make it
Question 6 of 9 Who to plan for
Do you need anything from us in order to take part?
Live captioning
A sign language interpreter
Step-free access to the room and the facilities
A seat near the front, or near an exit
Materials in advance, or in large print
A quiet space to use during breaks
Something else
Nothing, thank you
Question 7 of 9 Who to plan for
Is there anything else we should know so you can take part fully?
Question 8 of 9 What to order
If food is served, do you have an allergy to any of these?
Milk
Eggs
Fish
Crustacean shellfish
Tree nuts
Peanuts
Wheat
Soybeans
Sesame
Something else not on this list
No food allergies
Question 9 of 9 What to order
Which of these describes what you eat?
No restrictions
Vegetarian
Vegan
Halal
Kosher
Something else

The 9 pre event survey questions

A pre-event survey goes to people who have registered but not yet arrived. It asks what they want from the event, how much of it they will attend, what they need in order to take part and what they eat, while all of that can still change. Every question opens ready to edit in the online survey creator.

Plain text, one question per line, with the answer scale.

What to put on

Four items that shape the agenda. Ask them while the running order is still a draft.

  1. What do you most want to get out of this event?Pick one of 6, optionalSet the running order against the split of answers.
  2. Which of these would you make time for?Tick all that apply, optionalSwap the seven options for formats you can run.
  3. How much do you already know about the main subject?Pick one of 4, optionalBrief speakers with this spread, not your own guess.
  4. What would make this event worth your time?Short text, optionalRead as a list. It catches what you missed.

Who to plan for

Everyone answering is a registrant, and some will not come. The first item allows for that.

  1. How much of the event do you expect to be there for?Pick one of 4, optionalUse it for chair, badge and catering counts.
  2. Do you need anything from us in order to take part?Tick all that apply, requiredAct on each answer alone. One captioning request is one booking.
  3. Is there anything else we should know so you can take part fully?Short text, optionalPrint an email address beside it for private requests.

What to order

Two items, because an allergy is a safety matter and a diet is a menu choice.

  1. If food is served, do you have an allergy to any of these?Tick all that apply, required Option list: the nine major food allergens, FDA[2]Give the counts to the caterer as they stand.
  2. Which of these describes what you eat?Pick one of 6, requiredSets dish counts. It is not a safety list.

How to use the pre-event survey

Send it to everyone who has registered, in the confirmation or reminder you already send. Work back from the decision that closes first, such as the access booking or the catering numbers, and close the survey then. Drop questions 8 and 9 if there is no food.

No name or email is asked, so answers are anonymous. Add the registration email as question 1 only when an answer has to reach one person. Only questions 6, 8 and 9 are required, because a blank looks the same as no need.

Read questions 1 to 5 as counts, biggest first, and plan against them. Read 6 to 9 one row at a time: a single need is a booking, however many people need nothing. Afterward, send the event feedback survey questions. For a single talk, the seminar feedback form fits better.

Diagram of a pre-event timeline: a rail running left to right toward a closed door, with the room set, the catering order and the access booking each locked onto the rail at its own earlier point
Each decision closes on its own date.

Pre-event survey FAQ

What questions should you ask in a pre-event survey?

Ask only what you can still act on: what people want, which formats they would attend, how much they know, what they need to take part and, if you cater, what they eat. Leave out ratings, since nothing has happened yet.

How many questions should a pre-event survey have?

Nine is enough for most events, and it takes about three minutes. Every item should feed a decision you can still make. Add a question only when you can name the decision it changes.

Should a pre-event survey ask about access needs?

Yes. Section508.gov says meeting invitations should always include a means to request accommodations,[1] and a survey question is one simple way. Ask early enough to book a captioner or interpreter.

What is the difference between a pre-event and a post-event survey?

A pre-event survey asks registrants what they expect and need, so you can shape the event. A post-event survey asks who came to judge it. For an online session, use the post webinar survey questions.

Related business survey templates

This one runs before the event. To hear from members across a whole year, the membership survey questions fit better. The business survey templates collect the rest.

BusinessEvent Feedback SurveyWhen the event has finished and you want to know how it went.12 questions, 3 min MarketingPost Webinar SurveyWhen the session was online and you are asking how it went afterward.10 questions, about 3 min BusinessSeminar Feedback FormWhen one talk to one audience is over and you want to know what they took away.14 questions, about 5 min BusinessMembership SurveyWhen the question is what members want across a year, not what one event should contain.14 questions, 4 min TrainingTraining PresurveyWhen the same questions will be asked again afterwards to measure a change.10 questions, 5 min TrainingGeneral Workshop SurveyWhen you are judging one training session after you ran it.10 questions, 6 min

Michael Hodge, survey methodology · Updated 29 September 2026 · How templates are reviewed

Sources (2)
  1. U.S. General Services Administration. "Accessible Meetings." Section508.gov, reviewed July 2026. section508.gov
  2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "The FASTER Act: Sesame Is the Ninth Major Food Allergen." Last updated 12 April 2024. fda.gov

Ask while the plan can still change

Nine questions, about three minutes, and a closing date set by your earliest decision. Open it in the editor and put in your own formats.

Use this template