How to Get More Customers to Respond to Your Surveys

When you’re running a business, one of the most important things you can do is collect data. Of all data you try to collect, getting your customers’ feedback on your product and services is perhaps the most important. But getting that feedback isn’t always as easy as it seems; you must craft a specific strategy to ensure you’re able to get responses.

Ask at the Right Time

If you want to get customers to respond to your surveys, find the right time to ask them. Asking them out of the blue will likely not resonate with them and they will not be able to provide the best answers nor will be likely to respond. Asking them to take a survey as they are trying to rush out of your store is also not a great time.

Finding the right time to ask customers about your surveys may require a little research on your part. But finding that perfect moment will make a world of difference.

Use the Right Mediums

Emailing your survey requests might be your automatic go-to. But while emailing can be great in some situations, you must vary the mediums you use. This will not only accommodate the different preferences of your customers but will significantly increase your likelihood to get survey responses. For example, text messages have a 98 percent open rate, making SMS messaging an ideal medium for getting in touch with customers.

Make the Customer Feel Special

When it comes to encouraging customers to respond to your surveys, fostering the right mentality about it can make all the difference. When your customers feel that you honestly value their feedback and want to understand their unique perspective on the experience of purchasing and then using your product, they’ll be more likely to participate.

You also want to find the right balance between demonstrating your interest in their feedback and not taking too much of their time. Keep your survey less than five minutes at the maximum; surveys that are shorter than that tend to have a much higher likelihood of getting responses.

In summary, you need to make a plan for how you’ll get feedback from customers. Just asking them won’t cut it. And while these ideas can help you start building a particular strategy for acquiring that feedback, make sure you understand your demographic well before you make final decisions about how to reach out to customers.

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