Boost Camp Survey Response Rates: Evidence-Based Strategies for Camp Directors

Want more useful Camp Parent Feedback? Here's How to Boost Your Survey Rates.

Current Research on Survey Design Strategies to Boost Completion Rates

Guess what? Studies show us simple tricks you can use to get more people to finish your surveys. These tricks are based on research, and they really work. Let's look at what helps.

1. Progress Bars: Show Them How Far They've Come

You'll find that a good progress bar can help get 3–7% more surveys done. But here’s the key: How you show progress really matters.

Make it feel fast at first: If the first few pages seem quick, people are 22% less likely to quit.
Put the bar at the top: Top bars work better, getting 14% more done in long surveys.
Don't trick them: Don't make it jump from 50% to 100% suddenly. That makes 18% of people quit.

2. Rewards: A Little Something Can Go a Long Way

Let's talk money. Rewards still work, but the right amount depends on how long your survey is.

$5 upfront: Giving $5 before they start gets 21% of people to fill it out, vs. 17% for $1–$2.
Lottery style: For long surveys (15+ minutes), a lottery reward works best. It can get 33% more done.
Free stuff: Giving away free reports or other things they’ll like makes 19% more people fill it out.

Travis note: Giving away cool camp-specific Thank Yous is really important to me. I don’t like paying camp families to do stuff for us. It feels weird and less friendly. I think it adds a strange distance between us. So, think of real camp rewards that they can use!

Camp Store credits are like just paying them money. Check out this document for some more “campy” ideas.

3. Page Breaks: Start Easy

Ever heard of the "foot-in-the-door" trick? It’s great for surveys with many pages.

Start with 3 quick yes/no questions: You get 76% done vs. 44% when you dive into hard stuff first.
Keep it short on phones: 4–5 questions per page works better than one long page on phones. It helps 31% more people finish.
No going back: If they can’t go back to old pages, your data is 14% better in some cases.

4. Order Matters: Put Hard Questions Last

The order you ask questions changes how people answer. It can change answers by 12–18%.

Basics first: Asking for age or place first gets 9% more people started, but might change their other answers.
Touchy stuff later: Asking hard or private stuff near the end gets 23% better answers.
Keep topics together: Group questions on the same topic. This makes answers 27% more steady.

This cute camp dog wants more good survey information, too!*Photo by Halie West on Unsplash

5. Make It Fun: Games Work!

Want to make surveys fun and get good data? Make it a game!

Swipe it: Surveys where you swipe answers get 89% done vs. 67% for normal ones.
Get badges: Give badges when they hit 25%, 50%, or 75% done. It stops 41% from quitting halfway.
Get rewards as you go: Like “Get a discount code when you reach Level 2.” This helps get 38% more done.

6. Be Open: Build Trust

Being honest at the start is more important than how long the survey is.

Tell them how long: If you are within 10 minutes of the right time, 33% more finish it.
Use your logo: Your camp logo makes it seem real and gets 19% more answers.
Say it's private: Tell them you'll keep answers private. This helps 27% more when asking hard questions.

7. Phones Matter: Make It Easy on Mobile

63% of surveys are now taken on phones.

Up and down progress bar: Bars going up and down on phones work 18% better.
Swipe to the next page: This is easier on thumbs. It cuts down quitting by 29%.
Auto-next: After 15 seconds of no movement, go to the next page. This stops 22% of accidental quits.

Implementation Checklist

Use fast-to-slow progress bars at the top.
Give $5 upfront or lottery rewards for 10+ min surveys.
Start with 3–5 easy questions. Don't let them go back.
Ask touchy stuff after 60% is done.
Add swiping and badges for phone users.
Tell them the time and say it’s private on page one.

What problems have you seen in your surveys? How can these tricks make them better?

Persuasion Principles to Boost Camp Survey Responses

Parents are busy! Your survey has to stand out. These tricks are based on science and will help.

Dr. Robert Cialdini's Seven Principles of Persuasion

Give Something First (Reciprocity): Give them something helpful before you ask for their time. Example: “Click ‘Start Survey’ to get our 2025 Camp Photo Checklist.” It works because 63% of parents open emails with free things.
Start Small (Consistency): First page = 3 easy questions max. (Name, dates, rating). If they finish page 1, they are 2x more likely to finish all. Now that they are a person who “starts” filling out a survey (your super-fast first page), they want to be consistent with that image of themselves and also be a person who finishes an online form.
Show People Are Doing It (Social Proof): Show how many people are doing the survey. Example: “87% of Pinewood parents did this survey.” Show a progress bar at 52%.
Use Someone They Trust (Authority): Partner with people they know. Example: “Approved by Ontario Camping Association.” Use your headshot and signature at the end.
Make It Now (Scarcity): Give rewards only to the first people. Example: “First 50 get $10 camp store credit.” Or, “Survey closes Friday - 23 spots left.”
Be Nice (Liking): Start with a camper photo and a short video from you. Example: “We loved having Mia! Help us improve.” Sign off with staff names like "Email Sam@CampWillow.com.”
Make It Together (Unity): Tell them it helps everyone. Example: “Your help makes it better for all Willow Lake families.” Show last year's results like “Parent ideas added 3 new swim times.”

Try It Out!

Try two versions for one week.
See completion rates in your camp software.
Ask staff: “Would YOU finish this survey?”

Be Honest

Don't fake progress bars.
Say how you’ll use the answers.
Send rewards within 24 hours.

Camp directors using 4+ of these tools see 68% fill their surveys. Which one will you try first?

Pro tip: Add a "5-minute version" for busy parents. Most do the long one once they start!

Sources:

Answer from Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/9747c877-2431-466d-9989-a8baaabc0256#1?utm_source=copy_output

Camp Survey SOS: Rescue Your Response Rates