If you’re looking to run a customer satisfaction survey, or a general survey for your customers to provide feedback or insight, here are some tips to obtain better results.
First, set up the survey using simple software (surveymonkey.com is an easy sample site). Make sure you’re asking questions that you don’t already know the answers to. For example, don’t ask them if they’ve ever purchased X if you can look up in your records and see that yes, they did buy X! Browse the web for sample surveys and ask the questions you’d be comfortable answering (keeping in mind that many people are not comfortable answering demographic data questions – so make those optional).
After you’ve created the survey, put a link to it on your own site as well as on your social media pages (Facebook and Twitter, etc). Then, email the survey link to your current and potential customers.
Email subject line tips:
- Subject lines should be kept short (35 characters or less). Avoid using all caps, exclamation points, or dollar signs and avoid words that spam filters might not like, including “important message” and “free.”
- When you use “minute” in the subject line on surveys, they tend to perform more poorly
- Suggested subject lines are: “satisfaction survey” “Short Survey” “customer survey” with your company name in it. For example: Big Tree Marketing Satisfaction Survey.
- Once the user opens the email, give them incentive to finish the survey. Cash is always a popular prize. For example: Win $100! Just for letting us know how we’re doing and how we can improve, etc.
Actual email text idea:
Dear (enter customer’s name if possible),
In an effort to better serve our customers (or name your goal), (your company name) is conducting a customer survey. Your input can help us better serve you (or actual benefit to recipient). We estimate that it will take you approximately 5 (or however many) minutes to complete the survey.
Simply click on the link below to access the survey:
Survey link
If possible, please complete survey by (deadline). All answers are confidential and appreciated.
If you have any questions please contact me at (email and phone)
Sincerely,
Name
Title
Company
Address
To be removed from this or any future mailings, please click here or reply to this message and enter “REMOVE” in the subject line
