None of us like to think of ourselves as superficial. But from one survey maker to another, there are some simple, surface-level details that really make a huge difference in the mileage you can get out of your online survey. I know you’re not preoccupied with silly, shallow matters (wink), so I’ve laid out 3 quick tips to help you think a superficial genius.
1. Deployment Timing
Research shows that the best days of the week to send an online survey are Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Friday your respondents are likely to be too anxious for the weekend to give your survey the attention it deserves. The weekend is a no-go since most people have filed away work-related information to a hidden place, deep in their brain. And Monday your survey is likely to get lost in the bottomless pit of emails that have accumulated over the weekend.
You should also take your respondents’ life cycles into account. Are you reaching out to retail employees? You probably want to avoid the holiday season. Accountants? Avoid deploying your survey at tax time.
Even time of day can have an impact on how successfully you reach out to your target audience. First thing in the morning people are likely to be too swamped to deal with it, and just before they go home they’re liable to blow it off.
2. Color (And Culture)
The colors you chose for your online survey will convey volumes to your respondents, so you want to make sure you’re choosing intentionally. There are some awesome resources out there to help you select a color.
Don’t forget, though, that colors take on different meanings culturally as well. In the US, black is the appropriate color for death and mourning, and white is the color women wear to be married. In China, however, people wear white when they’re in mourning. Don’t be the girl who wears a white dress to a Chinese wedding. Do your homework, and select appropriate, culturally sensitive survey colors.
3. The “Sparkle” Factor
In a perfect world, people would open and answer your survey because they are loyal and helpful customers, friends, or employees. The world is not perfect, however, so it’s up to you to give your online survey that extra touch of pizazz to hook your respondents into answering. Aren’t you more likely to open an email with a subject line that catches your attention? To respond to a request that’s addressed to you by name? To spend longer reading text that’s accompanied by a great picture? The same is true for your survey respondents.
Even giving your survey a catchy name and using fun language will make it seem more like a choice and less like a chore. Dazzle them with your survey sparkle, and they’ll be more likely to dazzle you with their survey responses.
Investing a few extra minutes intentionally selecting your deployment time, colors, and pizazz will give your online survey an extra boost. Your results will thank you.
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