Customer Insights

January and February, with the promise of new beginnings at the turn of the year, are the perfect time to renew interest in your survey panel. It is time to break out the panel profile survey and encourage participants to continue sharing their feedback. If you look at your panel contact information from the perspective of an address book then it makes good sense to keep things current.

In this market people are on the move, hopefully upward, so re-engaging them with a profile survey allows the panelist to update key search fields such as job title, tenure, education and responsibilities. It also provides the option of changing their contact preferences.

If Q1 is an off-season for your industry, or perhaps your panel is on a fiscal year, then start the update cycle at a more appropriate time. Keeping your panel fresh will boost response rates, by weeding out those respondents who have not been active. The Cvent Web Surveys reporting section has automated reports that allow you as the panel manager the option of assessing response rates for individual respondents. Sometimes saying goodbye is the hardest thing to, but it will keep your panel current and allow those who are no longer interested the option of bowing out.

If you are planning on a spring membership drive then now is the time to set those plans in motion. Growing a panel can be tricky and costly if you aren't prepared. One place to start looking is your customer and prospect files. These groups are ripe for a dedicated email or two pitching the panel, it’s purpose, and the relevance (from their perspective). It is also a good opportunity to look outside, if your budget permits then purchasing a targeted email list or placing a button on relevant websites might work for you.

It’s time to get ready for Spring and cleaning up your panel should be part of your annual cycle. It keeps respondent contact and profile data current and allows you to re-engage them for the serious work ahead.