Often in business, and marketing, it’s about perception. In fact, retaining clients and customers is often about how they perceive you feel about them or if they perceive you value their business. The majority of clients who are lost, are not lost due to price, or competitors, but a perceived lack of indifference by the business. So, how are you being perceived?
Customer Surveys. When was the last time you performed a customer survey? You should be doing this at least every 12 months (minimum) and depending on your business, perhaps more often. You may even choose to insert a survey into your sales process with every client after your first sale with them. For individual surveys, you can use email, especially if it’s personalised and immediately after the first point of service. There is also other great survey programs you can use, such as SurveyMonkey, which is often free and is fairly easy to use. However, in my experience, the response rate is rather low. One way (if you don’t have a million people to survey) is the old fashioned mailed survey with a stamped self-addressed envelope. Yes, it costs you 2 stamps and time to print, but because there is a return envelope with a stamp on it, people feel obliged to not waste it, and will return. Plus it’s different (as opposed to a million emails) and it’s easy for them to do. My success rate on this method is greater than 95% return.
Personal Surveys. Do you wonder how others perceive you as a person or business owner? Have you considered asking others, say your top 20 trusted colleagues, clients or friends? Some great questions to ask might be:
- What’s the first thing you think of when you think about me?
- What do you see as my great strengths?
- What do you see as my greatest accomplishment?
Business Surveys. In the vein of the above, again asking your top 20 clients some of these relevant questions, or simply incorporate some of these questions into a more personal survey:
- Use 2 or 3 words to describe how you feel about my business
- What’s the best service we provide and why?
- How has my business made a difference for you?
Testimonials. If your survey includes a section at the bottom which allows them to add comments, or write a message, and if that message is good, you may wish to use for marketing purposes …. So please also add a box at the bottom they can tick “you can use this comment for marketing if appropriate”.
Secret Shopper. Another way to ‘test the waters’ is hire a secret shopper to test how things are done in your business, from the initial enquiry right through to the quotation … in fact, if possible, even have the shopper make a purchase (unless of course you make houses, yachts or other large ticket items.)
Remember with surveys it’s important that they are simple, quick and easy. Give people the option to be anonymous. So limit the number of questions to 5 or 6, ideally have 90% of your survey as a tick box option, and then just one segment for more info. Ensure your questions are clear and not two part. For example, don’t ask “Was our service easy and friendly to use?” That is really two separate questions and if you were say difficult to use, but friendly, the person answering is now stumped on how to answer. A final idea – offer an incentive to encourage participation … the chase to win an iPad will encourage a number of people to participate.
My final note, don’t call it a survey. If you are emailed, perhaps a subject “Can you help me?” or “Love to know your thoughts” or “I just need a quick minute”. Like with anything you email, it’s all about having a subject and first sentence which will engage the reader and not cause them to immediately delete, or worse, unsubscribe.
ABOUT THE EXPERT:
Donna Stone is a business coach with three decades of experience. She grew her own business from a garage to be a multi award winning operation that spanned five locations nationally. She shares this knowledge and expertise with clients to guide them in their own success. Donna is the author of the Stepping Stone series of books. Visit www.donna-stone.com.au
Agree (0)
Disagree (
__small.png)
