Gathering enough survey responses to have statistically significant results is the goal for many surveyors. I've recommended the use of email marketing to solicit online survey responses. Here are some additional tips to get your email survey invitation opened and clicked through:
1. From field. The from field is the name you see in your inbox identifying who sent the email. If you don't specify a from name, many clients will default to the email. No one opens emails from survey@orangecorp.com. When deciding on a from field you have three main choices: individual's name, brand/organization name or a combination. Some people prefer to use the survey administrator's name, while others prefer the organization or department. Arguments can be made for either method. I personally prefer a combination.
2. Subject line. A good subject line may be the most critical part of the formula for a high open rate. It's important not to be deceptive or spammy in your subject line. Either of these can result in a lower open rate. If people don't open your email, they're never going to click through to the survey. Here are a couple example survey subject lines that have been proven to work for clients in the past: Your Feedback Needed or Help Us Serve You Better. Remember that just because a subject line works well the first time, it may not work the second. Always review your subject lines with each survey.
3. First sentence of survey invitation. When a respondent reads an email, the sender has approximately 8 seconds to capture reader attention. Give deep thought to the first line of your email.
4. Email reminders. Email survey reminders have been proven to boost response rates, sometimes as much as 50%. Using a system that will automatically send reminders to individuals who have not yet completed your survey is a huge time saver, but remember to alternate the time you're sending reminders. Perhaps your first invitation got buried in their inbox because of the time of day.
5. Compelling messaging. There's an entire post about creating compelling messaging. The key take away is to be compelling. Keep the reader engaged with relevant, targeted messaging. If you're sending the same survey to different types of customers, consider segmenting your list for a more personal, targeted message. Don't forget to tell the reader that they are part of a small group of selected respondents. These tips can also be used when creating email reminders.
Unsure about the best approach for any of these five steps? Go ahead and test them by dividing your test sample in half and test one thing. If you change more than one thing about the invitation, you wont know what made the difference.
1. From field. The from field is the name you see in your inbox identifying who sent the email. If you don't specify a from name, many clients will default to the email. No one opens emails from survey@orangecorp.com. When deciding on a from field you have three main choices: individual's name, brand/organization name or a combination. Some people prefer to use the survey administrator's name, while others prefer the organization or department. Arguments can be made for either method. I personally prefer a combination.
2. Subject line. A good subject line may be the most critical part of the formula for a high open rate. It's important not to be deceptive or spammy in your subject line. Either of these can result in a lower open rate. If people don't open your email, they're never going to click through to the survey. Here are a couple example survey subject lines that have been proven to work for clients in the past: Your Feedback Needed or Help Us Serve You Better. Remember that just because a subject line works well the first time, it may not work the second. Always review your subject lines with each survey.
3. First sentence of survey invitation. When a respondent reads an email, the sender has approximately 8 seconds to capture reader attention. Give deep thought to the first line of your email.
4. Email reminders. Email survey reminders have been proven to boost response rates, sometimes as much as 50%. Using a system that will automatically send reminders to individuals who have not yet completed your survey is a huge time saver, but remember to alternate the time you're sending reminders. Perhaps your first invitation got buried in their inbox because of the time of day.
5. Compelling messaging. There's an entire post about creating compelling messaging. The key take away is to be compelling. Keep the reader engaged with relevant, targeted messaging. If you're sending the same survey to different types of customers, consider segmenting your list for a more personal, targeted message. Don't forget to tell the reader that they are part of a small group of selected respondents. These tips can also be used when creating email reminders.
Unsure about the best approach for any of these five steps? Go ahead and test them by dividing your test sample in half and test one thing. If you change more than one thing about the invitation, you wont know what made the difference.
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