Survey Incentives - Examples and Best Practices

Incentives can attract attention and recognize participants for their time. The examples below are meant to help you generate ideas, not provide an exhaustive list. Choose an incentive that fits your audience, resources, and campus context.

Incentives work best as part of a broader response-rate strategy that includes thoughtful timing, clear communication, convenient access, and reminders.

Before offering an incentive, ensure you are following your institution’s policies, approval processes, and requirements. Confirm any applicable rules related to purchasing, drawings, taxes, financial aid, employees, institutional review, or human-subjects protections.

On this page:

• Incentive Best Practices
• Individual Incentive Ideas
• Group Incentive Ideas
• Low-Cost and Nontraditional Incentive Ideas

• Select an Incentive Recipient in Benchworks

Incentive Best Practices

As you plan your incentive:

• Choose something relevant to your audience. An incentive that appeals to current students may not appeal to alumni, employees, or other participants.
• Consider several smaller incentives. Multiple smaller prizes or a modest reward for every eligible participant may feel more attainable than one large prize.
• Explain the rules clearly. Tell participants what the incentive is, who is eligible, how recipients will be selected, and when participation closes.
• Define group competitions carefully. If groups are competing based on response rates, explain how participation will be calculated and how the winning group will be determined.
• Plan how rewards will be distributed. Make sure you have the time, contact information, and resources needed to follow through.
• Use incentives as part of a broader strategy. Incentives can attract attention, but they do not replace thoughtful timing, clear messaging, convenient access, and reminders.

Include the incentive in the initial invitation and relevant reminder messages. Use consistent language wherever it is promoted, and distribute rewards within the timeframe you communicated.

Individual Incentive Ideas

Individual incentives may be awarded through a random drawing, provided to a set number of participants, or given to everyone who completes the survey.

Ideas include:

• Campus bookstore or dining credit
• Retail or restaurant gift cards
• Parking passes
• Campus or alumni merchandise
• Water bottles, mugs, apparel, or other branded items
• Technology or technology accessories
• Athletic or campus event tickets
• Food, beverages, coupons, or discounts
• Rewards from campus or community partners
  
  

Group Incentive Ideas

Group incentives can encourage participation within a residence hall, floor, department, program, class, cohort, or student organization.

Ideas include:

• A pizza party or group meal
• A social event for the group with the highest response rate
• A reward when a group reaches a participation goal
• Campus merchandise for members of the winning group
• Recognition for the group with the highest participation
• A reward for staff or student leaders who support survey outreach
  
  

Low-Cost and Nontraditional Incentive Ideas

An incentive does not need to be expensive. A small reward, campus experience, or meaningful privilege may be more appealing than one large prize.

Ideas include:

• Snacks or beverages
• Stickers, pens, or small promotional items
• Reserved seating at a campus event
• A meal or gathering with a faculty member or campus leader
• Early access to room selection
• Priority registration for an event or activity
• A reserved parking space
• Recognition at an event or through a campus communication
• A small guaranteed reward for participants who complete the survey during an in-person event
  
  

Select an Incentive Recipient in Benchworks

Benchworks includes tools for selecting eligible incentive recipients from your participant list. Selecting a recipient does not give your institution access to that person’s survey answers.

Learn How to Choose a Random Participant.

Questions?

If you have questions about selecting an incentive recipient in Benchworks, contact Benchworks Support at benchworkssupport@elentra.com.

Check with the appropriate offices at your institution about incentive policies and approvals.