Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is crucial to your business, but getting it can be a challenge.

Surveys, questionnaires, and filling out forms requires time that the vast majority of your customers don't want to spend. Without motivation, most of your customers won't bother.

Something as mundane as a "Tell Us What You Think" form isn't going to be a high priority on anyone's To Do List. It's just as likely that your request for feedback from your customer will end up in the recycle bin.

Give customers a tangible incentive to respond. Ideally, that incentive should give them a reason to send you their feedback now rather than later. The longer they wait, the less likely you are to hear from them.

Offer a gift certificate and make it time-sensitive. A $10 gift certificate on a purchase of $15 or more, for example, is incentive enough for most customers and a relatively small cost for you.

In fact, you may come out way ahead in many cases. Not only do your get their feedback, but many are likely to spend beyond the minimum purchase required to redeem the certificate.

Personalize your request. A customer is more inclined to believe that their unique opinion is important if your request doesn't come packaged in bulk form.

Hand-addressed with a stamp will get their attention and show them that they're not just a customer number.

Any feedback is valuable, but individual comments can be invaluable. Make it easy for your customers to respond.

Avoid general text such as "Please feel free to make any comments" or requests for unspecified suggestions. "Let us know how we can improve our service" is also vague and likely to receive a low response.

Instead, make detailed requests for feedback. Ask for opinions on certain products or specific services.

Phrase your text in a conversational manner as if you're talking to that one customer. The more you can engage a customer, the more likely they are to respond. Also, the quality of their responses will be improved.

Nancy Richardson
CreateYourMarket.com publisher

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Quick Tips:

Enclose a business card promoting your website with each piece of outgoing mail.

Ask customers who frequently do business with you for a testimonial.

Promote your website URL offline on everything from bumper stickers to your answering machine message.

Want to reach the highest percentage of your target market?

Advertise in specialty publications including newspaper supplements devoted to a specific topic.

Marketing is crucial, but it doesn't always have to be serious.

Some of the most effective advertising campaigns rely on humor. Don't be afraid to make your customers laugh!

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