It's All in How You Ask

Exploring the types of questions you can use in an online survey
by Eric Groves, Constant Contact Senior Vice President, Worldwide Strategy & Market Development

It doesn't matter how I ask my 12-year-old child a question; the answer is always one of the following: "it's alright," "whatever," or "uh huh." However, when it comes to your customers, how you ask a question will determine what kind of answer you receive. In the case of online surveys, the goal is to ask questions that will help you get responses that are truly useful and that you can take action on.

You have a number of question types to choose from when creating an online survey. Each type has its own benefits (and in some cases, drawbacks), so consider the possibilities before deciding which ones you want to use. And remember that a good survey has a mix of question types.

Even if one type is your favorite, your respondents will get bored answering the same type of question again and again. Engage them by using a variety of the following question types.

1) Single-Select Multiple Choice: This type allows the respondent to pick one answer from a provided list. This format works well if you ask a question to which there can be only one answer, such as age, birth date, and gender. The other ideal situation for this question type is when you want to force them to commit to one thing. A single-choice option compels them to identify their top priority. See the example below.

Example: Which is the most important consideration when purchasing a laptop?
Price
Memory
Weight
Screen size

2) Multi-Select Multiple Choice: This question type permits the respondent to select all the answers that apply (make sure to indicate that expectation in the instructions). The benefit of this format is that the respondent can tell you all of the options they are familiar with. Also, it's wise to include an "Other" option in multiple choice along with a text box to see what you missed (the box will appear automatically when using Constant Contact). You may find that there is another important category you didn't think of.

Example: Which of the following radio stations do you listen to? Select all that apply.

94.5
98.5
90.9
96.9
106.7
Other: ____________

3) Rate Item(s) on a Scale: Questions with a rating scale measure the participant's feelings about one or more items, for example your newsletter, your company's customer service, your website, etc. The scale offers a range of statements from which the respondents select their feelings, from strong satisfaction to strong dissatisfaction. These measurements are widely used and are helpful for getting feedback about individual items.

Example: Please rate your satisfaction with our customer service.

Extremely Satisfied - Somewhat Satisfied - Neutral - Somewhat Dissatisfied - Extremely Dissatisfied

4) Rank Items Numerically: This question type asks the respondent to take a group of items (products, services, topics, factors that go into the decision-making process, etc.) and put them into an ordered list with the first item being most important and the last item the least important. The list does not indicate the distance between the ranking numbers or the intensity of them, but it does help you to understand your customer's priorities or preferences.

Example: Please rank the following newsletter topics in order of importance, with 1 being most important.

Early bird dinner specials
Recipes
Event announcements
Coupons
Wine buying tips

5) Open-ended text: These questions are a great way to understand what respondents are really thinking. Because open-ended questions don't offer a list of choices and respondents can reply using their own words, you will get a response that is not influenced by your approach or mindset to the topic. The positive responses you receive can be used as testimonials (with the permission of your customer) on your website or in brochures. A word of caution with open-ended questions: use them sparingly. The answers are much more difficult to quantify than the others covered in this article.

Example: How has using our service helped you grow your business?

A successful survey starts with determining your goals and what it is you want to learn. The next step is to write questions and choose the question types that will give you the knowledge you seek. Weigh the choices and consider which will give you better insight, not necessarily more information.

Whichever of these question types you use, I'm confident you will get more informative answers than I get from my 12-year-old!

How to Get More Opens and Clicks

8 tips for writing powerful subject lines and calls to actionby Gina Watkins, Constant Contact Regional Development Director, D.C. Metro Area

The subject line of your email is your first opportunity to engage your readers. In fact, according to a 2007 Jupiter Research report*, more than one-third of your readers will open your email based on what you write in your subject line.

And when they open, you are only part of the way to your ultimate goal of getting them to take the action you desire, such as clicking-through to your website, picking up the phone, or registering for an event. This is where the "call to action" (CTA) in the body of your email kicks in. A strong CTA can inspire higher sales, clicks, or whatever results you are striving for.

Below are three effective techniques for writing subject lines that can increase your open rates, as well as my "quick five" call-to-action checklist that will help your readers take that important next step.

Subject Lines that Inspire Opens

1. Opposites Attract! - Sometimes, the best way to showcase the value of your email and get your reader's attention is to write exactly the opposite of what you are trying to convey. For instance, an average email subject line promoting email marketing services could take the direct approach:

Put your advertising dollars to work for you!

But what if your reader saw this headline:

Advertising NEVER Works. (If you disagree, click here)

That "turn it on its head" subject line might get a higher click-through rate than the more straightforward approach, giving you an opportunity to dive in and share some very specific info about exactly when and why the type of advertising you are offering works so well.

Some other examples of this approach could be:

From a day spa - I would never want to spend a day getting pampered

From a tax professional - Tax time: the most relaxing time of the year

From a professional organizer - I'm never, ever drowning in paperwork

Each one could hit a nerve and capture your reader's attention by being just the opposite of their reality.

2. The Cliffhanger and the Teaser are the...
...lead into the story! Yes, it really works. Tease the reader with an enticing part of the story, and then bring them in for the payoff when they click through for more information. For example, instead of:

Put your advertising dollars to work for you!
Try:

Advertising NEVER works, unless...

Or make your subject line the lead-in to a testimonial:

Advertising never worked - until I did this one new thing.

This way, you bring the reader into your email with a promise for a solution to their problem, or a payoff (reward) for their attention. This could be something learned, a new way to generate sales, or an innovative way to use your product or service to their benefit. Lead in with the tease and get your reader to click for the full story.

3. Interest by Association -You can get positive validation by connecting yourself or your featured product or service with a known entity, someone or something your audience is likely to recognize and value. For instance, say you are a bookstore. Getting folks to click and take action with the following subject line may work only with folks who already know Jane Smith:

Jane Smith book signing, Wednesday at noon

But instead, how about:
From Oprah to our store: Jane Smith book signing, Wed. at 12

This works especially well when you include a testimonial from the recognized source in your copy. Tell how and why the already successful company or person used your service. Don't be afraid to ride the coattails of the something or someone that is already recognized by your audience!

Gina's Quick-Five Call-to-Action Checklist

1. Three Times Is a Charm - It takes repetition for a reader to understand what it is you are asking them to do, such as buy today, call to reserve a seat, or come in for the weekend sale. Use the "call-to-action sandwich." Ask for the desired action at the beginning, reinforce it in the middle, and ask for it again at the end. A minimum of three times seems to be what it takes to motivate your reader to act!

2. Time Limited - Making an offer or special deal only good for a limited time can work well. This creates a sense of urgency. Be specific about the exact time the offer runs out.

3. Quantity Limited - Like the time limited offer, letting folks know quantities are limited, seats are going fast, or times to schedule a consultation or show are filling up quickly will help your readers take action.

4. Quantify Their Procrastination - How much will your reader lose every day they don't call you? Energy costs from old leaky windows, sales lost, and opportunities missed - you can help them see how waiting to act costs more than the effort to engage in your services today.

5. Reward Fast Action/Referrals - When people do exactly what you want them to do, and quickly, reward them. Offer an additional discount to your first five or 50 callers or those who quickly place orders via your website today.

To summarize, motivation is what your subject lines and calls to action are all about! Make both as enticing as you possibly can with these suggestions here, and also the additional tips and techniques referenced in our archived articles. With these techniques, your readership is sure to take that next step!

35 percent of email users open messages because of what's contained in the subject line. - Jupiter Research (2007) as referenced in the Email Stat Center