How to get more respondents to survey?

[DuaneJackson]

I'm running a small 2-minute survey at http://www.kashflow.co.uk/survey1.asp

So far I've only had 67 respondents - I need atleast 10 times that. Anyone got any ideas on how to get some more? I've already posted here, teneric, livewire and platinax.

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[Jayne]

Many run them as competitions, collect names next time and when everyone has done them, pick one to win a prize. :D

Jayne

[Dawg]

Running as a competition means you are saving data, just as offering a prize would mean you would save data. This puts people off straight away. Donations to charity are always a good hook, as is humour. If you could combine the two; "each answer will generate a donation to training Guide Dogs, (maybe even to train one to bite Blunkett!)"it might help. Especially as yours is a 'dry' product, and users might like a laugh.
Also stress the lack of data retention more, and also say the survey only takes a minute or two; people are busy, but a minute or two to help train a Guide Dog...

[Coding Monkey]

That logic doesn't work, Dawg, as just running a survey means you're collecting data, which is the entire purpose of it. Just like signing up to a newsletter, buy something from Amazon as a member and joining these forums can be said to be the same. I would give away a prize. If you want over 600 entrants, give away an iPod or PSP to make it more lucrative.

[Jayne]

He could give away a free kashflow thing, for a year!

Therefore gives away a great prize and could bag a customer for the future :D

Jayne

[Dawg]

Tom, you are right about data retention, although stressing that it will not be passed on is important.
I still think the charity thing works in this case . The demographic of users of accountancy software packages means that they might well have an mp3 player orPSP, if they wanted one!

[Jayne]

I like Argos vouchers as prizes, you can buy what you like then!

Jayne :D

[mattk]

A competition - I suggest Win an Xbox 360.

[DuaneJackson]

Thanks for all the responses.

Dawg - I see your point - all the info we retain is anonymous - if we were to do a prize (I like the argos vouchers idea) then we'd need to retain personal info, even if it's just an email.

Not a problem I guess - we can just ask them to leave their email address if they want to enter the draw or leave it out if not.

The problem is though that I already have 67 respondents with no email address - so it wouldn't be fair to them to introduce a prize now if they have no chance of winning it. I'll definetley do it this time.

It's not existing users we are surveying, just any small business.

I think, for this one, I need to make more people aware of the survey rather than entice them to do it.

[Jayne]

A competition - I suggest Win an Xbox 360.

What's one of those?

[directmarketingadvice]

I think the problem is that people think that completing surveys is boring.

And accountancy surveys.....?

If you're looking for 600+ people to respond, I reckon you're going to have to bribe them.

Steve

[creacom]

I think the problem is that people think that completing surveys is boring.


Ahh but not for women ! Women love surveys and such like... Try more womens forums.

I will post the link on the Scottish womens business forum for you.

Jacqui

[directmarketingadvice]

Women love surveys and such like

They love surveys like "which desperate housewife are you?" (I'm Teri Hatcher, apparently), but accountancy surveys may hold less appeal....

Steve

[creacom]

Any type of survey is good enough for us ! Give us multiple choice answers and we can have great fun you know ! :lol:


Jacqui

[MinuWeb]

you mention after the survey is complete a 33% discount code, but there is no mention of this on the actual survey page, so I didn't know until after I completed the survey.

Might help to promote this more on the main survey page.

[WakingDragon]

Hi Duane - had a look at the survey. It seems quite invasive as a questionnaire so you cannot have personal details on the same form. Take out that bit about using the data for marketing purposes - of course you are, but it is not personal data and you're not logging IPs and/or dumping cookies so it doesn't really apply.

Incentivisation would probably work with the appropriate gift but you need to also work out how to collect the data in a way that people feel secure.
I would suggest you think about having completion of the survey as the key that unlocks a page where you can go in for a prize draw or apply for a free gift.

Just make it clear that the data you have already collected will not be stored against their details.

We always advertised our surveys. I know you advertise in the FSB magazine, so why not start there? Just a little byline about "complete our online survey and get XYZ".

Oh - and put a link to it from your home page.

[directmarketingadvice]

you mention after the survey is complete a 33% discount code, but there is no mention of this on the actual survey page, so I didn't know until after I completed the survey.

Might help to promote this more on the main survey page.

One danger of offering a discount on the product as an inducement is that it could skew the results.

You have to think whether the prize will cause certain types of respondents to be over-represented.

Steve