Read our advice on how to make your survey collection easier

October 27, 2016

Audience survey collection is often one of the only ways non-ticketed organisations are able to find out more about who their visitors are and there are no shortcuts to collecting this information.

However, there are some things you can do to help make this easier...

Tips for embedding data collection with staff:

  1. Data collection benefits all staff and departments, so make surveys and research are part of job descriptions, particularly within front of house or visitor services.
  2. Give those collecting the responses access to reporting and outcomes of their efforts – this is really easy within the Audience Finder dashboard.
  3. Provide training for fieldworkers. This will instil confidence with your staff or volunteers about what is expected as well as teach them skills and offer them opportunities to ask questions about the process.
  4. Consider rewards, particularly if you are working with volunteers – but be mindful to encourage quality rather than quantity.

Tips for encouraging more people to complete responses:

  1. Try offering incentives, remember these should be neutral to your programme offer to avoid encouraging bias. Contact details can also be collected separately to ensure visitors feel confident about the anonymity of their responses.
  2. Think carefully about where in your space you conduct the interviews. It should be towards the end of their visit, but not necessarily at the exit - at that point, they probably just want to leave. Near seating is always a bonus, particularly when interviewing families.
  3. Be upfront about how long the survey will take – for example with the Audience Finder core questionnaire it should only take five minutes.
  4. Be clear about why you need their feedback – whether it’s to improve your services, monitor your engagement in the local community or help to apply for funding.

Resources that might help you with your survey collection

Cost-of-living

The impact on organisations
Can we get real about the value of digital? 

Why our Let's Get Real cohort programme offers a vital moment for reflection and learning.
Get real about wellbeing and digital

Anra Kennedy considers the role digital culture and technologies play in wellbeing
Building Better Together

How our consultants are engaging with capital projects and the heritage sector from end to end - establishing baseline insights, through the development phase and consultation to delivery and evaluation.
Learning Diaries | Developing Partnerships with Schools

To explore some of the benefits of partnership work from a teacher’s perspective we spoke to Liz Philips, a former Head of Creative and Performing Arts.