What’s your sample size? How is your response rate? How many people dropped out? Did you get any completed surveys?

These are questions many people ask after they send out a survey. They are all good questions, and the answers are important to your overall data.

If you get low response rates, it can be frustrating. Even more, it can destroy your survey data because low survey completion rates don’t give you a clear picture.

So, how do you get people to stick around and complete your survey?

To help you, here are 10 tips for encouraging survey completion by customers.

#1: Provide Clear Instructions

Always give easy to understand instructions. Tell your respondents exactly how to complete your survey so there is no room for confusion.

#2: Have an Identifiable Purpose

If you want people to complete your survey, you have to tell them why they should.

You’re asking something of them, and they want to know why their time is required and what value it provides you.

For example, if your survey is about product development, let them know they are instrumental in its design. Or, if you’re sending a Net Promoter Score survey, be sure and tell them how you’ll act on the data.

The purpose of the survey should always be clear. In addition, always tell them what you’ll do with the data and when you’ll share the results with them. Then, always thank your customers.

#3: Target Your Survey

You don’t always want to send the same survey to every customer.

Different segments of your customer base may be more interested in one survey than another. Consider how long they’ve been a customer as well as when they made their last purchase.

In other words, consider your customer relationships before sending surveys.

#4: Keep Surveys Short

Shorter surveys have higher completion rates. Only ask what you are absolutely going to act on in the next few months and nothing more.

Keep your questions short and specific and follow best practices for crafting your questions.

#5: Offer Incentives

You can always offer a small incentive or reward for your customers at the end of your survey.

This goes a long way in showing them you appreciate them and their time.

#6: Notify Your Customers in Advance

A good way to increase completion rates is to let your customers know a survey is coming.

For example, in your monthly email newsletter, give your customers a heads up that a survey is coming and why you’re doing it. Then, when it arrives in their inbox, they’ve already had an initial chance to buy in.

By letting your customers know “what’s in it for them” you’ve got another way to increase your responses.

#7: Make Sure It’s Mobile Friendly

When you send out the link to your survey, you want to be sure that your survey is mobile friendly.

Why is this important? Again, you want to make the survey as easy as possible to complete, and for many people that means filling it out from their phone.

#8: Send a Reminder

Consider sending a reminder email a few days after you send your survey out.

This can be a brief email with another link to your survey. It’s a nice way to remind customers who may want to complete your survey, but who have just forgotten to do it.

#9: Tell Them How Long the Survey Will Take

One surefire way to increase completion rates is by letting your customers know what to expect.

If your survey will take 15 minutes, tell them. Even better, let them know they can complete it in under five minutes!

By testing your survey beforehand, you are able to meet the needs of your customers. In addition, you show them you respect their time and know it’s valuable.

#10: Test your Survey

Before you send you survey out, make sure that not only have you tested the survey, but you’ve had some of your friends, family, and co-workers test it.

By finding and eliminating any stumbling blocks for your customers, you’ll increase completion rates.

Final Thoughts

If you want the best, most accurate data, you want to do everything you can to increase your survey completion rates.

Encourage and motivate your customers to complete your survey. Offer, short, easy surveys, asking only the questions you really need an answer for.

Provide motivation and even some type of incentive or reward.

Always let your respondents know your privacy policy, and how you’ll respect their data. And, let them know how much you appreciate their input.

Finally, explain to your customers how and when you’ll take action. Then, after the survey, be sure and send them your results and plan of action.

Surveys help you make the best decisions for your business. Are you ready to get started with your free Survey Town trial? Start with your free account today, and you can upgrade at any time.

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