Wondering how to get people to fill out a survey? In today’s fast-paced, information-overloaded world, it can be quite a challenge. Survey incentives are no longer a “nice to have,” but a must.
Even when you’ve done your homework, targeted the right respondents, and asked really, really nicely… the results often don’t match up to the expectations.
So what is a market researcher like you to do? We’ve mined the data and put together a short list of the best practices for better survey response results. From changing your approach, to incorporating modern, affordable survey incentive solutions, here are the top 3 ways to get more people to take your survey.
1. Break Through the Inbox Noise
First and foremost, if your survey is getting lost in their spam folder, it doesn’t stand a chance.
Be sure that you’re targeting the right people. Sending survey invitations to everyone, including contacts with potentially low-engagements, could result in lower open rates and higher bounce rates.
Once you’ve narrowed down your audience to a selective subset, it’s time to grab their attention. The majority of survey emails apply a rigid, formal tone and use similar phrases. Don’t be like most people.
Familiarize yourself with the best practices for email subject lines, namely: keep it short, make it personal, and convey a sense of urgency whenever possible.
“Respond now, get an Amazon Gift Card” is more effective than “Take our 10-minute survey and we’ll send you an Amazon Gift Card.”
“How did we do, Jenna?” is better than “Take our customer satisfaction survey and tell us about your experience.”
The same goes for the body of your email. Unique and brief survey emails capture recipients’ attention better than long emails with stiff, corporate-sounding copy. Utilize creative marketing copy and design in order to make it eye-catching, personal, and fun. The less boring it sounds, the more likely people will be to give it a try.
2. Show Them the Benefit, Right Away
And we don’t mean the end benefit for you. Recipients care less about your ongoing improvement efforts and more about how this survey will directly impact their user experience right now. Sometimes, semantics are everything. Take these two sentences for example.
“Your opinion is extremely valuable to us, and the information collected from this survey will be reviewed and acted upon part of our ongoing improvement efforts.”
Compared with…
“We know you have an opinion, here’s your chance to help us make your experience easier, faster, and more rewarding.”
In the second option, the voice has shifted from US to YOU, and that can make all the difference. By making your target audience the focus of the survey, you’re giving them a reason to participate. After all, time is a commodity and few people are willing to give it up for free.
3. Offer Survey Incentives They Actually Want
Speaking of survey incentives... you should, of course, have them. But not all incentives are created equal, and not all people are influenced by the same rewards. Sure, some of your most cooperative respondents may be willing to participate in your survey if they think it will benefit them in the future. But what about the rest?
The majority of survey respondents are unable or unwilling to give their time and effort for an intangible future reward. Instant, flexible survey incentives offer today’s consumer the ease and speed they’ve come to expect. Here’s how to make them work harder for you.
Find Flexible Options that Work for Everyone
Monetary rewards like gift cards have proven effectiveness. In fact, one study found that even a $2 reward had a significant impact on response rates. Additionally, if you offer digital rewards like Virtual Visa Cards, you can save a lot of money on shipping and processing costs while managing the distribution and tracking results directly from your computer.
For companies that prefer online retailers to gift card rewards, GiftCard Pass allows you to hand-select the brands that fit your respondent’s interests for a more specific and personalized experience. GiftCard pass allows you to create an ideal list of merchants for your program — and then allows your recipients to choose from that list.
Deliver them Instantly
When you have to wait for a reward, you forget about where it came from. Instant delivery allows recipients to spend right away, even from your phone. That means, as soon as they finish the survey, they get rewarded. And they’re sure to remember you for that.
Personalize them for Your Brand
Digital rewards can be customized to fit your brand with personalized content and messaging. This means your survey incentives are doing double duty… rewarding respondents while promoting brand visibility, all for less than the cost of traditional mail-delivery incentives.
By following these simple guidelines and modernizing your survey incentives program, you can significantly boost your response rates
Ready to boost response rates and modernize your rewards program with fast and affordable incentives that don’t bust your budget? Connect with one of our expert service representatives to learn more about our results-oriented solutions today.