Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Doug I,

It seems you've given this thing a lot of thought. I would say you are covering a lot of great territory for the needs of your company but how can you inspire the customer to want to participate in this level of detail. I think great businesses inspire their customers to participate in such a way you are still helping the customer meet a need they have. How can we do this more effectively is my question to you?

I would think that the biggest personal challenges that I've faced filling out a questionaire is that they come across cold (not inviting). Kind of interrogating if you know what I mean. Have you had a chance to read or study surveys from many different industries. There has got to be a way to liven them up a little. Try looking at it from the customers view point. Take a few customers and ask them for their feedback on it before you decide to launch it. That's what one of the greatest marketing people of all times Claude Hopkins would do. He always got the customer involved and it appears that it was one on ones with the customer. I've found that people will tell me things in casual conversations with them (very deep and personal things) that they would never fill out on a survey. Is there anything else I can do for you? My profile might help you to understand how I can really help make a difference in your life and I would love to do that.

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)

Hi, Doug --

I postponed a full review of your survey questions because after my first examination, my reaction was "These need a lot of editing, and I'll have to give it my attention LATER."

Later never came!

Therefore, let me give you some thoughts, although they might seem superficial. (Not point-worthy, which is A-OK by me.)

If I were you, I'd do TWO surveys. The purpose of the first (and shorter) survey is to get the "core" answers you're seeking AND to get permission from some of the responders to pursue a more in-depth survey.

One reason for doing this is that the results you get from survey #1 might reveal information that makes you reconsider the questions you'll ask in survey #2. It might NARROW the A-B-C-G-H-Z choices you've presented in your draft, or it might inspire you to reframe the WAY you phrase a question or its answer selections.

That's it! Hope it's a BIT of help.

¤ Shelley ¤

ps. I just realized that I posted this without reviewing the other responses you've accumulated. If I'm repeating someone's ideas, it's unintentional! ;]

One more thing...

It also occurred to me that in a survey, men won't be likely to choose the REAL reason for buying this car.

They'll see it on the street, they'll fall in love, they'll imagine the girls/admiration/envy it will bring them...

In your survey, you're actually asking them how they're JUSTIFYING the decision to buy this car. ;]