Tori McElwain from the Quilt Patch by Tori
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"First you are really passionate about what you do and are therefore a really good person to be a teacher. You are always available to answer questions and your lessons are clear and easy to understand. Your smile always puts me in a good mood! Secondly, you really know your stuff, but welcome comments or suggestions from your students, making learning from you a real pleasure. Lastly, your pricing is really reasonable and affordable. I think you are worth every penny!!"
- Kelli Romanovsky, Master Color Course
As an instructor, keeping up with your audience and students is crucial to giving impactful and well marketed workshops.
Not only do surveys give you insight on what can be improved on, but what you're doing great at. The quote above was from one of my first full courses I taught! Notice that the quote highlights what I need to do more of in all of my workshops - including time for discussion, giving feedback quickly, and pricing for value not for time.
Also, when it comes to telling people about your workshop (marketing!), surveys are invaluable to finding your ideal customer and communicating the value of your workshop.
When to Get Feedback
1. During your workshop, take moments to access your attendee's progress and understanding simply by checking their expressions and asking "what questions do you have on (insert topic)?" Avoid asking, "are there any questions?". Inquisitive minds will still generate questions, but asking this question differently encourages more attendees to think about questions to ask.
2. At the end of the workshop, ask students if they had an "ah-ha" moment. What did they learn that made them say "ah-ha! I get it now!" it could also be a favorite thing they learned or did during the workshop - something that excites them. This will give wonderful feedback on what you are doing well and allow the brain of your attendees to reflect on what they learned - increasing the probability that their learning will stick!
Not to mention, ending a class this way allows them to feel more successful, happy, and like their time was spent well.
Keep in mind what Maya Angelo said: "at the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel."
You can also hand out a physical survey. Although I would keep this short. One or two of your most burning questions.
3. Follow up with them! If you're teaching in person, ask them if you can add their email to your email list. Then send out a course survey within 24 hours.
If you are teaching virtually, send them a survey within 24 hours. I like to send workshop recordings and usually have these in the same email.
Expectations: Do NOT expect everyone to fill out a survey. It will not happen. However, if you are letting them know during class that it's coming and that it's important for you (and if you want to, sweeten the deal with an offer!) you will get the feedback you need to see what's going well and what needs to be improved.
Before we get into my favorite questions, let's take a look at how to use them - or skip this part if you have an effective system in place!
How to Use the List of Survey Questions
There's a fine balance between having a survey that is valuable and one that is short enough that your students don't mind taking the time to complete it. Start with the questions you want to know the answers to (2-3). Then build up from there.
Open questions (questions that require a unique response - not one word or short phrase answer) are the most insightful, however, they do take time to fill out and you will get less (but more valuable!) responses.
Closed questions (one-word or phrase response questions - like a rating scale or a yes/no question) are easy to fill out but do not leave room for elaboration. If you are looking for more responses rather than quality responses, closed questions are quick and easy to fill out and will generate more responses! These surveys are great for quantifying responses and you will get more complete surveys.
So which should you choose? I like to mix it up and make the closed, quick, questions mandatory and the open questions optional.
Lastly, my beta offer, or the first time I launch a course or workshop, I offer it at a lower price but I ask them to fill out a longer and more detailed survey. All learners that have attended a beta workshop have been happy to help fill out the survey for a lower price.
Not all these questions may apply or you may want to keep your surveys shorter, feel free to pick what you'd like the most feedback on!
REAL Feedback from my Master Color Course:
Survey Questions for Brand New Courses (aka Beta Workshop or Courses):
Below are the added questions for longer follow-up surveys that I use for my brand-new workshops or courses:
Did you receive enough value for your time and expense?
This question can give insight into how well you are communicating the value of the workshop.
Were there any topics/concepts/steps that were confusing?
Consider reworking these sections.
How was the presentation? Could you hear and see the instructor and examples clearly?
I use this question when my setup has changed.
Survey Questions for Established courses:
Did the Course meet your expectations? How? How not?
A GREAT question to help you analyze your communication in your market and description.
What was most valuable?
Feel free to format this question as a multiple-choice list or open question. This will give you insight on what to do more of AND what to focus on when you're marketing your workshop or courses.
Where did you hear about this class?
Have you ever heard the marketing gurus say "share where your audience lives," or form of that question? This answer gives great insight into where to focus you're post, sharing, or marketing if you are marketing in multiple places.
If you were to recommend this class to a friend, what would you say?
Don't skip this one! This is the question that gives me stories, and impactful insight, and it gets them thinking about WHO would like this class and could inspire a recommendation to that person!
Is there anything else you'd like me to know?
This open question has been used in many ways. I have gotten feedback on parts of the experience that I hadn't considered asking about, stories, and another great place to get valuable testimonials!
ASK Permission to share their answers in the future marketing of the class.
It's always good to get their written expressed permission to use their words in your testimonials!
If I have a specific concern I would add a specific question about it. So maybe a question about timing, or amount of follow-up emails after they signed up, etc.
Survey Tool Ideas
There are so many survey tools out there, however, pick the easiest option for your students. Here are a few ideas:
In Person:
~Written survey
~Email for virtual surveys
Online:
~In the email and a reply
~Check your website or platform and see if there is a survey plug-in
~Google Forms (free service)
~Google free (or paid) survey providers
Follow up
After every class, I set time aside to check out the survey answers. It can be a week after, 24 hours after I "close" the survey, or immediately after an in-person workshop. In a busy season, I have also waited to go back to the surveys until it's time to upgrade and launch the course again. I don't suggest this, because there's been a few questions put in a survey that you have the opportunity to follow up about and create a great connection outside of the workshop or class.
Make a plan to apply what was learned and document the testimonials!
Need help? Check out my "Optimize Your Course! For Quilt and Craft Instructors" blog post and the accompanying checklist to improve your course.
I also offer Course Design Classes and 1-on-1 Coaching! If you're stuck, need ideas, or someone to hold you accountable and make sure you get your course done and make it impactful and profitable - check out my Course Design offers here!
Grab Your Free eBook, Design Your Workshop, here.
Take a look at my Printable Survey Question Sheet .
Check out the "Optimize Your Course! For Quilt and Craft Instructors" blog post!
Learn more about my Course Design Offers here!
To keep in touch, sign up for the monthly Newsletter here!
Grab Your Free eBook, Design Your Workshop, here.