Surveys can be a good way to uncover intel about your target audience.
Key word: Can.
But nine times outta ten, surveys uncover nada because the “lead up” to asking for surveys commits a fatal copywriting mistake.
The mistake?
Thinking that your audience cares about you or your business. They don’t. They only care about themselves. And they only care about your business so long as it benefits them.
But when most marketing teams get enamored by surveys and even their quiz funnel cousins, they think their audience will happily give them the intel they’re after.
But they won’t - even if you ask very very nice.
Because everybody only cares about themselves.
That’s not to say that surveys can’t be a useful tool. But your copy asking for survey responses has to be better than:
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Hey [name],
At XYZ company, you know we value our customers more than anything else. That’s why I need your input:
Can you fill out this quick survey to tell us about your experience?
It won’t take more than 2 minutes.
Thanks in advance,
[Signature]
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An email like the template I provided above is a good way to get zero survey responses.
Because it hits your inbox like a simp liking every thirst trap posted:
Needy.
Unhelpful.
Doesn’t benefit the survey taker in the slightest way possible.
Compare that to a recent Zyn survey I took.
While their copy wasn’t amazing, their offer was:
A free 250 Zyn points for completing the survey. That’s the equivalent to buying 16 cans of Zyn and entering the Zyn reward code on the back. And their rewards program is about to send Daddy a $700 Sonos surround sound soundbar that also pairs up with the other two Sonos products I have. And this is after they sent me a free espresso machine.
In fact, yesterday, Ben Settle wrote about one of his Email Players that got hella survey (or quiz) responses by following a similar path:
His survey (or quiz) was dripping with curiosity, which the Email Player in question here woulnd’t answer until they answered.
Moral of the story?
Surveys or quiz funnels ain’t the quick fix somma these gurus will have believe it is. It takes time, planning, prodding, and most important, knowing your audience (like the back of your hand, h/t to Ben Settle for that one).
Anywho:
If you need a copywriting’s touch over your entire email marketing strategy (that also seeps into indirect revenue emails, like a survey email), hit reply, and let’s chat.
John