There is no better way to retain existing customers and gain new ones than by knowing what they want from you and delivering it. And if mind-reading isn't part of your competitive strategy, then online surveying should be. Email surveys that are designed to meet specific business goals are cost-effective, timely and yield powerful results without asking a lot from your email list.
Consider an email survey to:

1. Collect feedback on the effectiveness of your current products or services. This input can help you change your offerings to attract new customers and keep the existing ones.
2. Discover what customers want to learn about in your area of expertise. Don’t ask them to do your job for you, however, by soliciting open-ended ideas on content. Instead, think of it as them helping you do your job better -- give them industry-relevant options to rank in order of what they want to learn. This increases readership and may help you spot trends ahead of your competition.
3. Re-engage customers you haven’t heard from in a while. Remind them that you are there and you care about what they have to say. For example, offer a discount on products and services they bought in the past if they complete the survey. This may incent them to come back.
4. Find out where your customers spend their time online. Are they Facebook users? Twitter? Identifying customer "hang-outs" can tell you how and where to advertise your services.
5. Establish a benchmark for where you stand today with your customers. This will help you track future progress and keep your finger on the pulse of your company's place in its industry and how to maintain or improve it.

Your survey parameters will vary based on whether your business is B2C or B2B. As a general rule, keep the survey short and sweet. Test your survey before you send it to make sure it is clear and easy to answer. Don't forget to write a creative subject line that tells your list what is inside. And like our parents always taught us: don't forget to say "thank you." A follow-up email shows participants you appreciate their time, closes the feedback loop and can provide an opportunity to collect a few more data points.

If you need assistance determining how and when to best survey your list and use the results to grow your business, OnMark Solutions can help. Give us a call today!