Last weekend I was out running my usual Sunday errands and one of my stops was the grocery store. I had my list ready and was ready to start shopping but when I walked through the door they were handing out coupons for 50% off toilet paper. Now, I normally stick to my list and get in and out, but the coupon seemed too good to pass up. So I added toilet paper to my list. When I got to the aisle and found the toilet paper, I stopped and sort of just stood there. There were so many options, how do I make a decision? This isn’t normally where I buy that kind of stuff so it all seemed really overwhelming.
Sure, it is just toilet paper but I am all for a good deal, so to make a decision I scanned all of the tags on the shelf of the brands that seemed familiar and compared their unit prices. I ultimately ended up with a package of Charmin Basic because it was familiar to me and because it had the best price in comparison to all the rest. After I placed the toilet paper in my cart and started heading down the aisle to get back to my shopping I was approached by a man who asked me if I had time for a survey. I wasn’t in a rush for a change and there was an incentive, a free $10 grocery gift card. So at the offer of the gift card, I obliged. The survey turned out to be about the toilet paper I had just picked out. The man was apparently an independent research company hired to ask questions to customers about why they had chosen a particular brand and why they hadn’t gone with Quilted Northern.
Apparently, they had just updated their packaging and were trying to get a feel for why people choose the brands they do and if their new packing had made a difference. I was apparently oblivious to the change and after seeing what they had done to the packaging, it was definitely an improvement, but for me the familiarity of Charmin is what ultimately led me to make the decision. However, the survey did get me to recognize them as a competitor so for their sake I think that this marketing technique was quite effective. When I first walked down that aisle, Quilted Northern wasn’t even on my radar, but next time I am faced with a dilemma as to what toilet paper to choose then I would definitely consider them because now it is a familiar name.
You may be thinking: what does this story about toilet paper have to do with me and my business? But it got me to thinking about surveys. I think this is a marketing tool that we often forget and that can be quite effective. Sure as a small business many of us don’t have the time or resources to send a mailing out, collect data and then analyze that data, but in today’s tech savvy world we have a the ever-so-efficient and cost-friendly alternative — online surveys. Online surveys are a great way to gauge customer satisfaction and the effectiveness of a marketing strategy. They can also show you where you are falling short in the products or services you offer, and help to get you back on track to facilitate your business’ growth.
With most email marketing companies such as Constant Contact or My Emma offering free online survey tools as a standard feature, there’s no reason not to take advantage of this powerful resource. However, you shouldn’t just send a survey to try something different, you want to ensure you gain the maximum advantage from your online surveys.
Instant engagement and feedback
Online surveys are perfect for gaining “snapshot” views of your business from the client’s point of view. Not only does the online format mean that people can respond to them wherever they are, especially with most people owning a tablet or smartphone, but you are far more likely to get a candid response. People tend to be more honest when they are responding to inanimate objects. Also, the cost-effectiveness of online surveys (Free!!!) means that you can reach as many people as you like, making your results even more accurate.
Asking the right questions
Be clear about the objectives of your online survey and you will know what you want to ask respondents in order to gain the information you’re after. Keep it short and sweet — resist the urge to ask everything that’s on your mind. Having a clear set of objectives will help you to determine which questions should make the cut. Concentrate on customer feedback if you want to know how your product or service rates. Allow them to help you innovate. Let them tell you what shortfalls need to be addressed. An online survey gives customers the opportunity to voice their ideas and enables organizations to turn suggestions into revenue generators. But in order for the answers to be helpful you must make sure you ask specific questions. These are what help you to pinpoint what if anything you need to improve upon. You may even want to ask respondents if they have used the services of your competitors – and what they thought of them – if you’re seeking to find where you stand in the marketplace.
Build on the customer engagement
Online surveys are a good way for customers to get their voice heard, and most will be happy to respond. They help you establish a dialogue, which you can build on and ask if the respondent would also like to become a subscriber to your company’s newsletter or direct marketing campaigns. You can also get respondents to sign up to your social media, giving you a solid basis for future business and future useful customer feedback.
So next time you have a break in business and are looking for a way to rejuvenate your company you may want to think about trying out an online survey. It could be just the help you need to make those informed business decisions that will catapult you ahead of the competition.
~ Bethany Howell, art director
