Post-Reunion
How to Run a Family Reunion Satisfaction Survey
A good post-reunion survey improves every subsequent reunion. A bad one gets ignored or creates awkwardness. The difference is asking the right questions, keeping it short, sending it at the right moment, and actually using the results — not just collecting them.
When to Send: The 72-Hour Window
The best time to send your post-reunion survey is 48-72 hours after the event. Here's why the timing matters:
Day of
Too immediate. People are tired and haven't had time to reflect. Response rate is low; answers are surface-level.
48-72 hours after
The sweet spot. Memories are fresh. People have had time to form opinions. Energy is still positive. Highest response rate.
2+ weeks after
Too late. Memories fade. People move on. Response rate drops significantly and feedback is less detailed.
Set a calendar reminder the day of your reunion to send the survey 48 hours later. Don't rely on remembering — schedule it in advance.
The 7 Questions to Ask
Keep your survey to 7 questions or fewer. More than 7 and completion rates drop sharply. Here's the question set that gets you the most useful feedback:
Overall, how satisfied were you with this year's reunion?
Format: 1-5 scale
Your headline metric. Tracks improvement year over year. Simple enough that even rushed respondents will answer it.
What was your favorite part of the reunion?
Format: Open text
This tells you what to keep and expand. The answers are also genuinely enjoyable to read — this is the question that reminds you why the work matters.
What would you change or improve for next year?
Format: Open text
The most valuable question for planning. Family members will say things here they'd never say face-to-face. Read every response carefully.
How was the food?
Format: 1-5 scale + optional comment
Food is the single biggest driver of satisfaction at reunions. A separate question for food gives it the visibility it deserves.
Was the schedule (activities, timing) about right?
Format: Multiple choice: Too packed / About right / Too unstructured + comment
Schedule pacing is hard to judge from inside the event. This gives you direct feedback on structure.
Are you planning to attend next year?
Format: Yes / Probably / Unsure / Probably not / No
Early signal for next year's headcount. Also: if someone answers 'No,' the open text field gives you a chance to understand why.
Any other thoughts or suggestions for the planning team?
Format: Open text, optional
The catch-all. You'll get everything from heartfelt thank-yous to specific ideas for new activities. Both are useful.
🚀 With Reunly
Reunly makes it easy to follow up with attendees
After your reunion, use Reunly's attendee list to send your survey link to exactly the right people — no digging through email threads.
Free Survey Tools to Use
You don't need to pay for survey software. These free tools all work well for a family reunion survey:
Google Forms (free)
Best overall choicePros: Completely free, connects to Google Sheets for easy analysis, works on any device, easy to share via link. This is what most organizers should use.
Limits: Limited visual customization.
Typeform (free tier)
Most polished presentationPros: Beautiful, conversational format that feels less like a corporate survey. Higher completion rates due to the question-by-question format.
Limits: Free tier limits 10 questions and 10 responses per month — may be too limiting for larger families.
SurveyMonkey (free tier)
Good for complex surveysPros: Solid analytics, good question types including the scales and multiple choice options in our template.
Limits: Free tier limits to 10 questions and 40 responses. May require an account to respond.
How to Use the Results
Collecting survey responses is useless without acting on them. Here's the framework for turning results into action:
Read every open text response
Don't just look at the averages. Open text responses contain the most valuable insight — specific, unexpected feedback that aggregate scores will never surface.
Look for patterns, not outliers
One person hating the DJ doesn't mean the DJ was bad. Three people independently mentioning the parking was confusing means the parking was actually confusing. Weight recurring feedback heavily; dismiss isolated complaints.
Create an action list for next year
Write down 3-5 specific changes you'll make based on the feedback. Store this with your planning notes. When planning starts next year, this list is your starting point.
Share the headline results with the family
A short 'Thank you for the feedback — here's what we heard and what we're planning to do about it' message builds trust and shows the survey wasn't just performative. People participate more next year when they see their feedback was heard.
Use Reunly for Your Next Reunion — Even Better
Take what you learned from this year's survey and build it into next year's Reunly plan from day one.
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