Feedback is one of the most powerful sources of information you can gather from your customers. It’s a great way of learning what they think of your business and can help you focus on strengths and weaknesses. If you’ve just put on an event, hearing from people who attended will help make your next event even more successful. Whether you’re conducting a poll, having people fill out a questionnaire, or directing customers to an online review site, surveys are an invaluable tool for your business! But how do you go about collecting that information?
Social Media Polls
With social media more popular than ever, why not take advantage and conduct a poll? You’ve already got the attention of your most coveted audience – your followers. Social media polls are simple to conduct and an excellent way to gather data while engaging with your customers. Best of all? The insight they provide is instantaneous. Polls are a great resource when you’re contemplating a product launch, looking for feedback on a service you have provided, or simply want a way to interact casually with your fans in order to make your brand more personable. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter all have built-in polling features that are easy to access. Use them to learn how your customers feel about your brand or product—you might even use their feedback to your advantage when it comes to boosting your business!
Post-Event Surveys
Whether your company hosts events once a year or every week, capturing the feedback of attendees is crucial in ensuring your next event meets their expectations. After all, you’ll want to make sure it’s worth the time and effort (not to mention expense) you are putting into it. Aim for a mix of open-ended questions and ones that include interval scales. Here are a few to touch on:
- How would you rate the event? (Interval scale from Unsatisfactory to Excellent)
- What did you like most about the event?
- What did you like least about the event?
- What can we do to improve the next event?
- How likely are you to recommend this event to a friend or coworker? (Interval scale from Not Likely to Extremely Likely)
You can also ask for suggestions on improving future events or anything else you feel would benefit your company from honest feedback. Just keep your survey brief; too many questions are a turn-off.
Online Reviews
While not true surveys, online review platforms such as Yelp provide you with an excellent way to gauge your customers’ experiences—both good and bad. Encourage reviews by adding links to your website and emails, putting up a countertop display, offering incentives (such as discounts or prizes), mailing a postcard, or simply asking for them! Most customers are happy to share feedback with others, and studies show that 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews when it comes to choosing a business. Additionally, they help boost your search engine rankings. To improve credibility, make it a habit to respond to reviews, whether positive or negative. Don’t ever delete bad reviews—leverage them as an opportunity to turn a poor experience into a great one.
