Bill Gates's Top 10 Rules For Success (@BillGates) - Part 3

How have you done your market research for your business? Would you use a telephone marketing company? Perhaps call your clients and customers and ask for their input?  Have you considered simply using email or online survey?  It may take a little more effort but this article covers reasons to consider and tips for using this approach.  The article is in three parts.  Welcome back to Part 3 with today’s 4 tips.  Let me know how useful you find this article with a comment below.

Successful Surveys: 10 Tips for Better Results – Part 3

By: Kathy Gulrich

Why would you use an email or online survey when you could simply call your clients and customers and ask for their input?

Lots of reasons.

·         standardization

·         easy to get large numbers of responses

·         easy to tabulate, analyze

·         easy (and often fun) for your clients and customers

·         inexpensive

·         non-intrusive

·         time-efficient (for you, and for your clients and customers)

·         protect your customers' anonymity (if important)

·         professional

·         no "cold calls"

·         no answering machines!

And have you figured out how long it would take to have 100 fifteen-minute conversations instead? (I don't have to do the math to know that it's WAY too long!)

So in this article, I'm going to talk surveys. How to find them, how to do them, and how to make the most of your results. Here goes....

do complete, the more responses you're likely to get.

7 - Analyze Results

Once all the answers have come in, look at them carefully. What does the "quantitative" data tell you? Slice and dice the numbers to learn all you can from the responses you get.

If you use a survey service that offers them, check your data in different formats, from pie charts to graphs.

And just as importantly, what "qualitative" information comes through?

·         what's the general feeling you get from the open-ended responses?

·         how enthusiastic were the respondents to share their views?

·         what's your "gut" telling you?

8 - Use Results to Improve Your Business

One thing I've learned over the years is that people don't always do what they "say" they're going to do on surveys! And in that sense, surveys can be misleading.

In terms of trends, directions, feelings, interests, etc., however, results tend to be pretty accurate.

Net net?

Proceed boldly, but with caution. (Always test before you make a BIG leap!)

9 - Use the Report as a Special Offer

Let's face it, humans are pretty curious. We send in our answers to a survey or questionnaire, and then wonder what all the OTHER people had to say.

Capitalize on this curiosity! You can:

·         offer the report/analysis as a "thank you" for responding (this will help increase your response)

·         write up a special report, and turn it into a passive income product (particularly useful for hard-to-get information in a narrow market niche)

10 - Use Surveys Often

They're easy. They give us tons of helpful information. Our clients enjoy them. They're often free. They give us practically real-time answers.

Let's face it ... a survey is a terrific tool, and if you haven't yet, I hope you'll give one a try soon.

Author Bio
Best-selling author Kathy Gulrich helps clients get from idea, to action, to results - more quickly, and more easily - whether they're looking to write a book, develop a new product, or market their product or business. Clients love her direct, no-nonsense approach - and her gentle insistence on great results. Find out for yourself: Check out one of Kathy's teleclasses, or pick up a free worksheet, 

at www.smARTbusinessCoaching.com

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Source: By Kathy Gulrich

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