Feedback That Counts

When you run a website and blog, you get comments from people who have the time. That is not always an accurate range of feedback, so once in a while it may behoove you to give an incentive. This will draw in others who would be willing to spend the time if you made it worth their while.

Surveys and polls can build your email list. When you start to notice a nosedive in the number of information boxes you are getting filled out on your home or squeeze page, it is time to sweeten the pot.

Offering something tangible such as a gift card in return for filling out a short survey can work wonders. Formulate a list of questions and ask how the visitors see that your site could be improved. Make the questions specific enough to get good information, but general enough to be answered creatively. Make sure you leave room in the survey format for lengthy responses.

The value of this type of feedback is difficult to assign value to, but say each response is worth on average $10. If you offer a $50 gift card to the winner of a drawing, and get 20 participants, you have a return on investment of $200, or 400%.

Well worth it for some valuable tips. Some of the responses may end up being worthless, but at least one or two will probably have those kinds of ideas that make you smack you forehead with your head and go ‘Doh!’

In addition, you boosted your email addy book by 20 new people, with probably a more detailed profile on each than many in your file.

You can rerun this type of promo with even cheaper rewards; a t shirt, a cozy, a keychain. The point id to get people engaged. Make the value of the gift correspond to the length of the questionnaire or survey, and people will be willing to give input.

This type of feedback is invaluable, because it comes from people with an interest in your site and presumably the desire to see it grow and become more user friendly. You are working toward the same goal.