Interestingly, to get the answers you seek, you first have to ask the right questions. In fact, this is the goal of effective communicators and data collectors.
To help you get the best survey responses, we look at the art of asking the right questions.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
One of the best ways to ask the right question is to pose an open-ended question to your survey respondents.
If you really want an honest answer to your question, you want to ask a what or a how question. For example:
- What do you think of product x after you’ve used it for several weeks?
- How do you feel our team met your service needs?
- How can we change the product to better meet your needs?
- What do you think of your interaction with our sales team member?
You don’t want to ask leading questions that prompt a respondent to answer in a specific way. Instead, use the open-ended question to elicit the most honest, thoughtful answers.
Ask Purposeful Questions
Another trick to asking the right questions is to be purposeful in your survey.
Don’t just ask questions for the purpose of asking questions or filling your survey. Sometimes asking one-three questions is enough, especially if you’re asking the right ones.
You should only ask questions that provide you more information and a better understanding of how your products, systems and team are doing.
It’s imperative that you only post questions that you intend to take action on.
Final Thoughts
To master the art of asking the right question, simplicity is a good rule of thumb.
This helps you communicate effectively and gather the most useful data.
Ask only what you really need to know and explain your question in the most succinct way possible.
This ensures you end up with actionable data so you can use your survey responses to improve your business.
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.
Image: Ashes Sitoula on Unsplash
