Affiliate Tips: How to Use Surveys to Increase Conversions
09-04-2018
Have you ever been asked to take a survey at the end of your experience with a company? Many of us have probably agreed to take those surveys at one point or another, knowing full well that as soon as we leave the vicinity, it will be as if any talk of the survey did not happen at all. Now, if the service were outstanding or if there were an incentive to take the survey, the outcome might be a little different. Customers might actually be convinced to give you feedback if the incentives were worthwhile.
Why Surveys are Important
Even if it can be a struggle to get your audience to fill out a survey, the reward absolutely outweighs the cost. Feedback is crucial in the optimisation process. Even if you have the neutral feedback of third parties who view your content before it is published, the most important kind of feedback you can get is the feedback of your own customers – people who have experienced your service firsthand. These insights will allow you to make relevant optimisations and identify customers who you can potentially use as testimonials for your website.
Feedback from Loyal Customers
One might think that it would be easier to get new customers than trying to get old customers to convert again, but the opposite is actually true. Multiple studies have revealed that it can be five times as expensive to acquire a new customer as it can be to pitch to an existing one. Yet, 44% of companies choose to focus their efforts on customer acquisition and only 18% focuses on customer retention. Oddly enough, another study revealed that a 10% increase in customer retention levels result in a 30% increase in the company’s overall value. Above all, this tells us that it’s much more valuable to reach out to existing customers than it is trying to optimise your campaigns to get new signups (although the latter is important as well). Rather than forgoing all your current plans to reach out to new customers, our suggestion is to dedicate some of that time and effort to building a trusting relationship with the clients that have already signed up. We’ll show you how.
Setting Up Effective Surveys
The question now is how to set up surveys that people would want to fill out honestly to give you valuable feedback. There are several types of surveys you should consider:
Satisfaction: This type of survey aims to measure the satisfaction of your customers’ experience and how you can optimise your processes to further accommodate their needs.
Likelihood of Recommendation: By measuring how willing your customers are to recommend your service to another consumer, you can gauge which customers to reach out to for possible testimonials. A positive review or testimony can do wonders for your conversion rates.
Feedback for Future Campaigns: The purpose of this type of survey is to see which seasons your customers will be most keen in receiving your advertisements. If they suggest that you reach out more during New Year’s than other times of the year, for example, you’ll have a better idea on how to prepare for those holidays.
While figuring out the type of surveys you would like to send out to your audience, consider how you should send them out. As we’ve briefly mentioned before, it’s not easy to convince people to take your surveys. There needs to be an intentional strategy accompanying the survey. Luckily, there are tried-and-true strategies that have worked for other Affiliates in the past that you can certainly learn from. Here are our top recommendations:
Make it Convenient: Convenience is always key. People won’t go out of their way to take your survey, so you have to make it quick and easy – something like a fast popup survey at the end of their application would generally work.
Ask Earnestly: Rather than simply dropping a form for them to fill out in their emails, put in the thought and effort to make it a meaningful email. Incorporate incentives like free downloads or other freebies if you would like, but your message has to come across as earnest and personal.
For more tips on how to increase your customer retention and conversion rates, speak directly to your Account Manager or sign up to be an Affiliate with T Dot UK today.