How to create surveys – the do’s and don’ts !!!

If you wish to create an effective email survey you need to keep the following points in mind.

•Keep it simple

If you take the simple approaching to creating your surveys - that is where all your respondents have to do is click on a few check boxes and type in some feedback - you will find that your response rates will go through the roof.

Its common for many people to create surveys which are simply boring by asking too many questions or making the intended respondent read to much.

If your survey looks like it will take a long time to complete your respondent will think – “no time now – I will do it later” and never return.

•Turn your survey into a competition

By offering a reward or incentive for filling out your survey – perhaps a bottle of wine your can improve your rate of return.

Mention this in the email invite that you send people and mention it again in the introductory section of your survey. This will create motivation to complete and improve your survey rate of return. It will also give you an opportunity to take things up with your respondent on a more personal basis if you need to at a later date.

•Stage your survey.

Don’t send all your respondents the survey at the same time. Stage it by sending some respondents your survey and then wait. Use this wait time to measure your audience uptake. Also if you discover a pattern you can adapt your survey with much more ease for your remaining participates. You can’t do this if you have sent all your surveys out at once.