How to Use Online Surveys to Build Customer Relationships and Conversations

Surveys used to be rather cut and dry conversation between companies and customers.  Companies ask questions, customers answer questions and that's the end.  In fact, it wasn't really a conversation at all.  It was more of a friendly interrogation.

But what if we could actually use surveys to create conversations?  That might be interesting.  A survey could actually inspire a conversation that goes back and forth and ultimately turns into a relationship.

How to inspire conversations around online surveys

1. Introduce the presence of an online survey to your customers.  Maybe this sounds silly at first, but when you introduce your customers to the fact that you have an online survey and get them to experience the online survey in a fun and non-threatening way, they will be more likely to respond.


2. Get customers to "opt-into" a conversation with you.  Create a feedback opt-in list.  This is really a low-cost way to start building a customer panel that you can go to for quick and dirty answers to questions.  You can use your standard email marketing tool to do this or try the Survey Analytics MicroPanel application that integrates surveys and panel management under one roof.


3. Create a friendly email invitation to your survey.  If you already have a customer list, then you can easily create an email invitation that's as personalized and customized as you'd like.  You can add the respondent's first name as well as any number of customized fields that will allow you to pinpoint things such as what product or service they purchased or even a sales rep that they've worked with.  If it's a record on your spreadsheet, you can customize it it.


4. Add a Thank You Page.  You can create your own landing page where you can send your survey respondents after they've completed a survey or you can use the QuestionPro /Survey Analytics Thank You Page.  Either way - be sure to include a link where your respondents can continue the conversation with you.  The thank you page is the perfect location for a free download or the ability to register to win a prize or any creative way that you can think of to grab your respondent's information so that you can stay in touch.


5. Customized Thank You Email.  A really terrific idea is to send a customized thank you email to your respondents once they've finished the survey.  The email can also contain links to other areas where they can stay in touch with you as well as free gifts and incentives for taking the survey.

Don't let your relationship with the respondents stop after the survey.  Give them opportunities to connect with you and engage in ongoing conversation about your products or services.