Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Ten Mistakes To Avoid In Online Surveys

If you're creating surveys for your website or company you will no doubt be after information and feedback which you wish to use to take your business forward, to increase your customer base, improve your customer experience and ultimately increase your revenue. Only the very best surveys will allow you to achieve all these goals and there is a common set of mistakes to avoid when creating your surveys.

1) Don't discount an online survey specialist or online survey provider when planning your survey. Online surveys are easy to create yourself. But by employing the expertise of an experienced company that specialises in online surveys you may avoid making some of the mistakes listed later in this list.

2) In an online survey, there's no such thing as wrong answers, only wrong questions. So make sure that your survey asks relevant questions that will provide you with the information your company needs to take your business forward.

3) Don't ask questions that require you to interpret the answers. Sometimes open ended questions can lead to answers from your customers that may lead your business down the wrong path. Ensure that your online surveys are clear with questions that aren't to open to interpretation.

4) Ensure your surveys aren't difficult to use. Sign up to an easy to use survey tool that enables you to design a user-friendly survey that is more likely to generate completed survey submissions.

5) Don't shy away from questions that may put your business in a negative light. If you only focus on positive questions what information can you take from the survey to help improve your business and move it forward?

6) Don't ask questions in surveys that cover more than one area. For example, don't ask "are you happy with the speed and packaging of the delivery item?" as both speed and packaging are un-related. A customer might be happy with one and not the other. By being specific with your questioning you will get a more detailed level of feedback that will be better utilised.

7) Don't make your surveys overly long or complicated. You're risking a higher abandonment rate if you do. Short, clear surveys that are to the point are more likely to give you the feedback you require.

8) Don't waste your questions. You need to make every question count so that while you have the participant's attention, you're getting the information you need.

9) Don't needlessly offer prize rewards with every online survey. Choose when and where to offer prizes on your online surveys. If you are after important feedback from customers or fellow professionals that matter, you don't always want to attract individuals that rush the survey with misleading answers and are only in it to win it.

10) Get a second opinion on the results that you obtain. By referring to a professional survey provider they will have the experience and the knowledge to assist in interpreting your survey results so that you can trust the information you've obtained. Keep in mind that most people that participate in a survey are either very happy or very unhappy with a service. This needs to be taken into account when looking at results.

About the Author: Paul Smith
For further information on online surveys.

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