Surveys are an efficient and effective way to learn more about what people think of your brand and business. They are typically low-cost, easy to put together, and give you trackable data in a clean and organized way.
But a survey is only as good as the action a company takes from it.
If you want to get the most out of your customer surveys, there are a few best practices to follow, including keeping things short and concise, not asking questions that are too personal, and following best design practices. In creating the best possible surveys, you’re more likely to get a larger response from your customers to work with.
So how can the surveys your business produces turn into changes in the way you do things? How can you take the data you receive and bring it to life?
Surveys That Understand Your Audience
One of the best ways to turn your surveys into actionable advice is to understand your audience. While your surveys should dive too deeply into the personal lives of your customers, you should learn a bit about their demographic. You can ask questions like:
- Age
- Location
- Gender
- Buying habits
- Single/married/kids
When you know the basics of who your audience is, you can continue to create more surveys that are specifically designed to speak to them and get more information. If you want to get the most accurate information, you will need to make sure as many people as possible are actually taking the surveys you send out.
So, take actionable steps to “sweeten the deal” and reduce your bounce rate. Offer freebies or special discounts to those who complete your surveys. Or, implement FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and make sure your customers believe that if they don’t take the survey, they could be missing out on a great opportunity.
Over time, as you hone in on your audience, you can target those offers toward them even more and start to focus on building customer loyalty.
Combine Surveys with Other Data Collection Methods
Market research is important when it comes to boosting your business, understanding your audience, and knowing what your customers want. If you feel like you need more data or you’re not getting enough from your surveys, you might want to supplement them with other market research methods before taking action.
Some of the most common types of marketing research include:
- Interviews
- Focus groups
- Competitor analysis
These types of research are great for learning more details about your customers and potential followers, but they can also be used as measurement tools for internal communication within your company. If your surveys have suggested that changes need to be made within your business, then it could be time to do more internal data collection to determine where the problem is, and where you can start to shift the way your company works. You can create custom surveys using a tool like Jotform Survey Maker.
Stick With Social Media
So, what happens after you’ve collected the data you need and you’ve implemented some changes? You don’t need to sit around twiddling your thumbs while you’re waiting to send out a new survey.
One great way to overlook the changes you’ve made is to take them to social media. Did your surveys suggest that your customers wanted a new product? Post it on your platforms! Do you need to be more conversational? Strike up a chat with a discussion question on Twitter. You’ll be able to see how people are responding almost right away. This practice can also help you to receive more word-of-mouth traffic, become more relatable, and appeal to a younger audience. It’s also a cost-effective way to show your customers that you’re listening to them and taking what they have to say seriously.
If your customers are telling you what they want through a beautifully created survey, you can make changes to fit their needs quickly. Understand your audience, collect as much data as possible, and show those that are following you that you’re willing to do what’s best for them.
