It’s the start of the new year and we’re all hoping for good things and a better time. A time to make new resolutions and finally follow through on old ones. We need to start with knowing what we want – in life and at work.
The same logic applies to the audiences we seek to serve. We need to know them well before we’re able to give them the experiences they want. One excellent way to know one’s audience is with polls & questionnaires.
A poll is a survey that asks questions and allows people to vote on the answers. Asking poll questions is an excellent way for organizers to gather feedback, learn more about their audience, and better understand what they want out of future events.
During virtual events, asking poll questions is important for gathering valuable insight into the material that’s been covered during presentations. Creating effective polls will help you identify gaps in knowledge within sections of content where people may have lost focus. It can be used equally effectively when checking retention – by asking the same or re-framed questions throughout the presentation. You can also engage with your audience by using fun survey questions to get information, feedback, and opinions.
Simple vs Complex Polls
There are two types of polls: A simple poll and a complex one. Whichever type of poll you choose, you can gain valuable insights from your audience to perfect your program.
A Simple Poll is made up of Yes/No poll questions, or a Like or Dislike/’Would you rather’ poll, making it easier to obtain the desired results. Simple polls can be in the form of text questions or clickable images.
Useful For: Simple polls can be a great way to get quick opinions from your audience.
Complex polls are more involved and allow you to get more valuable information from your audience. Multiple Choice, Fill-in-the-blank, 1-10 Rating Scale, or Open-Ended poll questions are great for Q&A polls and surveys.
Useful For: Complex polls allow us more freedom by including multiple choices with different answers or allowing more freedom of expression.
Overall, asking good poll questions is the most important factor. Coming up with good poll ideas for your poll questions should be a big part of your overall virtual event. This article will help you with some great ideas for good poll questions.
Use Polls for More Engagement and Interactions
Using polls for engagement and interaction with your audience will help foster an open dialogue with your online audience. Poll questions are also great for testing. The use of polls has become widespread and continues to increase in popularity.
Virtual event platforms like Everytale, an online events marketplace, offer polls and tests as part of their many tools to allow users to collaborate efficiently. You can create a poll or test in minutes on the Everytale platform before, during, or after your event.
Linkedin also recently introduced polls onto their platform. Check out this relevant LinkedIn article titled ‘Tapping into the Power of Your Professional Network with Polls’.
When working with small and large groups, sometimes it can be harder to get people in touch, especially when holding a virtual event. To make this easier for you before your next workshop, take the time now to talk about their interests!
Types of Polls
What Are Some Other Types of Polls?
Now it’s time to engage with your audience. Not sure what to do next? Start with humor!
1) Funny Polls: The Best Way to Break the Ice!
So, you are getting ready to start your virtual event or meeting; you want them to like you. After all, you are on stage! What do you do? Create funny polls; everyone loves to laugh!
The best way to use a funny poll is by asking funny questions that take the edge off. There is nothing like getting your audience to laugh right away and make it a fun poll for all! You can even create a poll of the day to keep people engaged in your fun polls.
Examples of Funny Polls:
1. What was the funniest thing someone else ever said during a virtual meeting? (Open Ended)
2. Tell the truth – are you wearing PJs right now? (Multiple choice)
a) Nope
b) How did you know?
c) Only the bottoms!
d) I just changed into work-appropriate clothes.
2) Informative polls:
Put yourself into their shoes and ask: what would make me feel included? Keeping this question in mind will help create a better experience for everyone involved.
As you adjust your presentation, it is important to consider the tone of voice in which participants might be more receptive.
Examples of Informative polls:
1. On a 1-10 scale, how much do you enjoy working remotely? (1-10 scale)
2. Do you have a good understanding of this subject? (Multiple choice)
a) 100% – I feel like an expert!
b) Kind of in the middle
c) Could use more training
3) Introductory polls
Introduce yourself or your company in a fun and engaging way by hosting a live poll. Prepare some true statements about yourself, add some lies, then let participants vote for the answer they believe to be true!
Examples of Introductory polls:
1. On a 1-10 scale, what is your energy level today? (1 being lowest, 10 being highest) (1-10 Rating Scale)
2. Which is a true statement about YOU? (Multiple Choice)
a) I have only had one job in this field
b) I have had more than one job in this field
c) I am not sure what this field is?
4) Team-building polls
Start by making introductions and creating a friendly atmosphere, so the participants feel more comfortable.
It can be difficult at first when meeting new people but remember: The goal of these preparations should be easy communication among all members of your team or company before anything else!
Examples of team-building polls:
1. Do you feel affected by the recent changes in the office? (Yes/No)
a) Yes
b) No
c) Unsure
2. I would like to work with someone that is: (Multiple Choice)
a) A leader
b) High energy
c) Quiet
Tips for creating poll questions
When creating compelling, engaging poll questions that will yield a high number of responses, it is crucial to use language in your polls with an output tone of voice that makes the reader feel comfortable. Be sure not just to be clear and concise but also to have fun!
1- Gear questions towards your target audience –
Create questions that your audience would be able to relate to and not show bias. Knowing who your target audience is will help you understand how to craft your poll questions. If you are not sure of your target audience, creating poll questions will allow you to speak to your ideal audience.
2- Create clear and concise questions –
Questions should be clear and concise. You certainly don’t want to confuse your audience as they might choose not to participate or just choose any answer to just get it over with. You can also prefer expert help from a copywriter or by essayservice provider, if required.
3- Make your questions short and sweet –
Don’t create long, drawn-out questions that require a lot of reading and thinking. Questions should be short and sweet so you can take their temperature and move on to the next phase, whatever that might be.
4- Show your results after the event –
Publishing results of your polls or surveys show your audience that they are a part of the solution and that their input is valuable. No matter what their choice was, it is nice to see how others answered the same question. It is good to know where you stand in the poll. Don’t you agree?
The Bottom Line:
Online polls are an excellent way for companies to get feedback from their target market or employees. Following best practices by asking clear-cut questions is one way that firms can improve results from these assessments–and this also allows them a greater opportunity to communicate with clients or employees afterward about what was learned or how things went during your virtual event! Creating great polls is important to make sure you get the results you are looking to achieve.