Email Marketing KSSS – Keep Surveys Simple

Posted by Scott Cohen On July 1, 2011 in story time I 0 Comments

Surveys are an excellent method to use when you want to know more about what your customers are thinking. Yet, surveys can run the gamut, and be very intensive and intimidating for potential partakers.

If you want your customers to give you some intel, make it easy for them to do so. Keep your email marketing surveys simple!

Here’s a great example from Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill:

Why do I like this survey?

1. It has one question. Very straightforward. Clearly, Rubio’s is trying to figure out whether they have enough recommendations in place to launch a new program. Perhaps a referral benefits program? Could be an interesting take.
2. It’s easy to use. Each of those numbers is clickable, driving you to a landing page where it confirms your email address and your selection (all preloaded, by the way). All you have to do on the landing page is click “Submit” and you’re done.
3. There are referral opportunities after the click. Once I clicked submit on the landing page, the following page gave me the opportunity to recommend Rubio’s via Facebook and other social networking sites. Granted, I’m a fan of Rubio’s, and therefore I clicked on “10.” And maybe if I had clicked on “1,” it wouldn’t be there. But if I’m likely to recommend you, why not give me the opportunity right away?

The only drawback I could see is that there is no real incentive to taking the survey. There’s no “Take this survey and get a free taco” element at work here. Would that increase response? Possibly. Could it skew results in your favor? Possibly.

The important thing to remember here is that with email marketing surveys, you don’t need to know everything up front. Start small. Be realistic. And make it easy to respond. If that means you send multiple one-question surveys through email, so be it. (Just don’t send them all at once, please.)