| The classic mantra of successful marketing is find | | | | value of a well thought out title or headline. In the |
| a demand and fill it. Checking the level of demand | | | | case of a survey, you have to overcome the "I |
| from any product on line is simple, due to the | | | | haven't time for this" objection. The way to do |
| wealth of free tools that show what prospective | | | | this is to use a title like: "The Two Minute Survey" |
| customers are seeking. A well known example of | | | | or "Six Simple Questions".When announcing your |
| this is Overture's keyword tool.But just think how | | | | survey, always bear in mind, people invariably find |
| even more targeted and effective your data | | | | it flattering to be asked their opinion. So, head |
| would be if you could conduct your very own | | | | your e-mail or other message along these lines: |
| personalised product demand research.Not only | | | | "First name, I would really value your opinion on |
| could you design your products and your sales | | | | this". Always try and offer a valuable incentive for |
| letters to precisely match your target audience, | | | | completing the survey. For example, a free report |
| you could even get great ideas for brand new | | | | or a discount voucher against a future sale.The |
| products.Better yet, you would know with great | | | | approach you use when asking for the survey to |
| certainty, even before you created them, these | | | | be completed is also important. Putting it in your |
| new products would find an eager market among | | | | regular newsletter is probably the best way, |
| your existing customers and prospects.Taken | | | | although you need to be careful if your |
| together, not only would this result in more sales, | | | | newsletter goes to both customers and |
| but the greater perceived value you could build | | | | prospects. In that case, you'll need to devise a |
| into your product would allow you to increase | | | | way to ensure both categories fill in different |
| prices without any fall off in sales.The magic key | | | | surveys.Alternative, more targeted, methods |
| to all this is conducting surveys. Not only among | | | | include: |
| your established customers, but also your | | | | An exit pop up, which is triggered if someone |
| prospective customers and customers who have | | | | logs off your site without buying. |
| requested refunds.By surveying all three | | | | A pop up on a free content page, such as a free |
| categories, you can determine their biggest | | | | article. |
| problems, their worst dilemmas and their deepest | | | | When someone subscribes or unsubscribes to |
| desires. This is particularly valuable in the case of | | | | your newsletter. |
| people who have yet to buy or have bought and | | | | When someone asks for a refund. |
| then requested a refund.By surveying visitors to | | | | When someone buys your product, the best |
| your site who have not bought you'll be able to | | | | time to ask for their opinion is a few days later, |
| spot flaws in your sales copy and sales process. | | | | when they've had a chance to give it a test drive. |
| Plugging these gaps will allow you to make those | | | | Not only does this send a powerful marketing |
| extra sales that make the difference between a | | | | message that you still care about your customer |
| bad and a good week.It's particularly instructive to | | | | after the sale, which will cement the relationship, it |
| survey people who have bought and then | | | | will also provide you with valuable feedback on |
| requested refunds. You can use this information | | | | the product.You'll get far more honest -- and |
| to make improvements in your product. Then, by | | | | valuable -- answers if you make the survey |
| reducing the refund percentage, your bottom line | | | | anonymous. So, provided you keep each of your |
| will improve some more.Remember people are | | | | three categories separate, there's nothing to be |
| always in a hurry. So your survey should contain | | | | gained and much to lose by having a survey |
| carefully crafted questions to glean maximum | | | | where participants have to include their name.Try |
| data from minimum questions. You don't want | | | | to avoid open ended questions and always give a |
| people failing to complete your survey because | | | | three option answer: "agree/disagree/don't know" |
| you're asking them to wade through a daunting | | | | to statements, rather than on a scale of one to |
| number of questions.Your general questions should | | | | ten. Not only is it quicker for the participant, it's |
| seek to establish the background of the people | | | | more precise for you.One program I've found, |
| who visit your site: are they young, old, male, | | | | which is simple to use and will make your survey |
| female and the type of employment and hobbies | | | | look really professional is: you only have a limited |
| they have, plus their interests, ambitions and | | | | survey for a small audience, the good news is |
| hopes for the future?Among the specific | | | | they have a limited free program, provided you |
| information you want to discover is what actually | | | | don't expect more than 100 responses.For a |
| induced your customers to buy your product. You | | | | larger survey with wider options, they charge |
| also want to know how you can increase both | | | | $19.95 a month for up to 1,000 responses. Extra |
| the number and value of these existing customer | | | | responses are charged at five cents a time.Even |
| sales.Just as we learn more from our mistakes, | | | | if you have to pay for the survey, the valuable |
| than our successes, even more value will come | | | | data you glean should repay your investment |
| from people who did not buy -- or bought, then | | | | many times over in increased sales.Paul |
| asked for a refund.Don't forget to ask what your | | | | Hooper-Kelly owns helping people achieve their |
| audience want from a new product. This can be | | | | dream lifestyle by creating automated websites |
| the most valuable information of all, with the | | | | that provide passive incomes.Paul publishes a |
| definite added advantage of having a target group | | | | regular newsletter, called "Escape To Freedom", |
| you already know are looking for just that | | | | devoted to helping create a dream lifestyle by |
| product.When asking people to complete your | | | | setting up multiple streams of passive income. |
| survey, always remember the extremely high | | | | |