| A customer survey is a systematic and objective | | | | about XYZ..." are open-ended and can produce a |
| process of gathering, recording, and analyzing data | | | | wide variety of responses that can be difficult to |
| to help make better marketing decisions. | | | | categorize and quantify. Instead, pose your |
| However, the responses you receive will not | | | | question like this: "How would you rate XYZ...?" |
| make the decisions for you. Survey data | | | | Then give a series of brief, descriptive phrases or |
| represents an opportunity for review and analysis | | | | a numerical scale so that customers can simply |
| to help point you in the direction of new | | | | check their choice. |
| responses and solutions to meet customer needs. | | | | 3. Don't ask leading questions. "You'd like to |
| Surveys can help you: | | | | purchase XYZ for less than $, wouldn't you?" is a |
| - Define your market more effectively and make | | | | leading question and inappropriate for a survey. |
| your marketing dollars go further. | | | | Leading questions imply the answers you'd like to |
| - Learn more about your existing and potential | | | | receive. |
| customers. | | | | 4. Don't make the questionnaire look too |
| - Learn how your customers perceive your | | | | complicated or time-consuming. Your customers |
| products, your offers and your customer service. | | | | are busy people. If they have to tackle a |
| - Position or reposition your product in the | | | | 100-question survey they're not likely to respond. |
| marketplace. | | | | A short, simple survey that is easy to read is |
| - Identify the specific product benefits you should | | | | more likely to receive a positive response. |
| be promoting. | | | | 5. Make your questionnaire look important. If |
| While surveys can determine the answers to | | | | customers feel that they will be performing a |
| who, what, when, where and how questions, they | | | | worthwhile service by taking the time to answer |
| will not tell you WHY an event occurred. | | | | your questions, they will be more likely to |
| While conducting surveys can be quite complex, a | | | | respond. |
| good survey does not have to be overly | | | | 6. Use premiums. Premiums have been found to |
| complicated. All you need is common sense, a | | | | greatly increase survey response. The two most |
| clear idea of the information you want to gather | | | | commonly used are money and ballpoint pens. |
| and a basic understanding of how to | | | | When using money as a premium, however, it's |
| communication effectively with your target | | | | important to point out to those who receive your |
| audience. | | | | survey that you don't intend the money to |
| Preparing the survey is the hardest part. Still, it's | | | | represent the worth of their time. |
| something that nearly any businessperson can do | | | | 7. Offer survey participants a copy of the results. |
| - and do effectively - if he or she is aware of a | | | | Such offers have also been proven to increase |
| few simple points: | | | | response. People are inherently curious; when |
| | | | they've invested their time in a survey, they |
| 1. Make the copy simple and easy to understand. | | | | naturally are interested in seeing how their |
| Remember, in most situations, you will not have a | | | | answers compare to others. |
| representative present to explain ambiguous | | | | 8. Follow up. If your responses come in slowly and |
| points. Your copy must be easy to read and easy | | | | are lower than you expected, consider mailing |
| to understand. | | | | reminder postcards to those people who didn't |
| 2. Use closed-ended questions. Avoid open-ended | | | | respond. |
| questions. Such questions as: "What do you think | | | | |