Know-How Exchange : Research/Metrics

Sorry, but this is a “How long is a piece of string” question. What product or service are you surveying?

Who are the recipients of the survey form?
Who are the people who want the survey done?
What size of sample are you expected to poll?
How many questions are you asking?
What is the format of the questions?
How long will it take to complete?
Are you using an on-line web survey service with built in analytics?
Is it anonomised?
Are you prepared to offer an incentive to complete the survey?

And so on.

We can’t tell you anything without understanding rather a lot about the survey and anyone proffering a figure without that data is either making it up or bullshitting!

Steve Alker
Xspirt

Around 3 percent.

University officers and academics are running at just under 10% in the UK. I'm doing one with a MarketingProfs colleague for schools, where the uptake can be as high as 30% and as low as 10%

It all depends on how much self-interest there is in the results and how well you design your form! we’ve opted for mixed mode using the telephone to encourage email recipients, which should raise the response to about 25%.

Best etc

Steve

Hello Lesly

Everything SteveA says is spot on. (Not just about this subject, but about everything!)

If the survey by e-mail alone as described above, with no real incentive to complete, and 17 questions (phew) I would think you'll be lucky to get 5% completion. Mike's guesstimate at 3% might even be pptimistic.

To make the response number valid - and I hope you have a large database - you need to find a way to make completion important to the recipient. Perhaps if entry provided a chance to win something worthwhile you might get a higher completion rate. OK, maybe not a new car, but perhaps a subscription to an industry magazine or something else that is targeted to the niche of the respondents.

Better still, use a stick if the carrot fails: Tell the respondents they need to complete the survey to maintain their network and internet access rights on-campus. And if the survey isn't returned within seven days you'll assume they want their account closed... (Kidding)

Good Luck.

ChrisB