7 Steps to Survey Marketing Heaven

April 2005

Surveys and feedback questionnaires are forms of corporate communications and need as much attention as advertising, websites and other means of communication receive. For any customer-centric organisation, the professionalism of any contact with customers is critical to their success.

There are many reasons the marketing of surveys is important. One such reason is that they are a direct request for customer time and effort above and beyond the use of your service. Hence each questionnaire, and the benefits of responding, needs to be sold to each customer. Surveys have the potential to be as valuable to an organisation as its products or services.

Here are seven tips for your consideration in the marketing of any survey. By ‘marketing’ we mean the approach to a survey that will meet the needs of your customers and your organisation. It is by no means a comprehensive list.

1. Create awareness and build anticipation in advance of your survey.
2. Make sure your customer database/list is fresh and clean – even the slightest error can be costly.
3. Make sure the text used on your introductory page and invitations is succinct and has a positive, encouraging tone.
4. Communicate the purpose and objectives of your survey and how the feedback will be used.
5. Offer tangible incentives such as a prize draw and announce winner. Incentives linked to early response could be especially effective.
6. Send a thank you note to all those who respond with any results information and other ways of providing feedback.
7. And test, test, test your questionnaire.

Do you have any tips to add – about any aspect of survey management? Email them to news@snapsurveys.com. The best ones will be published with credit.

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