Email surveys are used by marketers because they can gather thousands of responses in a short period of time and they can do so for a low cost. However, email surveys do have some disadvantages to them. Understanding how to overcome these disadvantages can help make the next time you use your email survey software a more successful venture.
- Obtaining a list. This is the number one disadvantage because gathering a list of opt in, targeted email addresses can take some time. To save time, organizations sometimes decide to purchase a ready made list. If this is the route you take, make sure you do plenty of research regarding the list you are about to buy. If you are collecting email addresses on your own, entice sign-ups by giving away free trials or exceptional content.
- People don’t like receiving marketing email. Many people liken any marketing email to spam. We know this is not the case, so when looking at your survey design, make sure it avoids a spammy look. Also, collect email addresses from people who are expecting emails from you.
- Email surveys don’t provide a representative sample of the population. While online surveys of any kind can’t capture a true snapshot of the population, your survey design can help you capture a snapshot of your targeted demographic. Remember, you are marketing to a specific group, not the population as a whole.