| One of the key factors in a successful business is to | | | | procedure for small surveys. |
| know what your customers or clients are thinking - | | | | 5. OneMinutePoll - Software - available at a yearly |
| about your business, your products, your services. As | | | | subscription price - that teaches you how to write |
| a business owner, you'll get feedback from your | | | | surveys correctly to find out what your customers |
| current customers just in the course of day-to-day | | | | want, so you can provide it to them! Software |
| business. But the results can be skewed by the | | | | automates your polls, generates code for your web |
| interaction itself, and so most business owners find it | | | | page, and allows you to see results in real-time. |
| useful to allow their customers to answer questions | | | | 6. Advanced Survey - Free and paid services that |
| anonymously. And that's where surveys come in. | | | | offer both web page surveys and email surveys |
| Some businesses hire market research firms to | | | | (where you invite participants - via email - to take a |
| survey their customers or target customers. For new | | | | survey). You can ask multiple questions in one |
| or smaller businesses, this can be an expensive | | | | survey, and can ask yes/no questions, open-ended |
| proposition, and it's helpful to have a set of | | | | text questions, customizable number scales (Pick a |
| resources in your tool box that offer the option of | | | | number from 1 to 10 with 10 being best, for |
| conducting your own surveys. Here are some great | | | | example), and multiple choice. |
| online resources you can use for surveys. | | | | 7. Question Pro - Very sophisticated system for |
| They range from the simplest polls which you can | | | | surveying customers. Has predesigned templates for |
| create and place on your web site to much more | | | | common surveys: Customer Satisfaction, New |
| elaborate options. Many of them allow the survey | | | | Product/Concept Testing, Product Surveys, |
| respondents to see the results from themselves and | | | | Conference Feedback, and more. These surveys can |
| others as soon as they complete the survey. Some | | | | also be designed with "branching," where the answer |
| of these companies offer a set of services for free | | | | to one question is used in a subsequent question. No |
| as well as more powerful paid services; others offer | | | | free options here, but there is a 30-day free trial. |
| free 30-day trials of their most robust services. | | | | 8. Relevant Tools - This company offers custom web |
| Some are geared towards smaller businesses, other | | | | forms with automatic email response for as little as |
| towards large enterprises with thousands of | | | | $10/month for a basic membership, which includes up |
| employees. There's also a wide range of continuum | | | | to 500 database records and up to 500 email |
| between letting you design and add your own | | | | messages/month. |
| surveys to your web site, versus having them create | | | | 9. HotScripts - A great resource for programmers |
| a survey, find your target market, query them, and | | | | and webmasters. It has a host of scripts in various |
| report back the results. | | | | programming languages and is constantly being |
| 1. SurveyMonkey - If you have a large mailing list or | | | | updated by programmers from around the world. If |
| want to send a lot of surveys, the best deal here is | | | | you search on "surveys," you'll find lots of scripts in |
| the professional subscription. For $19.95 month, you | | | | lots of programming languages you can use. |
| can send an unlimited number of surveys and receive | | | | 10.NetReflector - Offers a very sophisticated |
| up to 1000 responses per month. | | | | self-serve solution for the do-it-yourselfer, and |
| 2. Zoomerang - I love their slogan, "Easiest way to | | | | assisted and automated solutions for companies who |
| ask, fastest way to know." Offers a basic product | | | | need to survey customers and/or employees |
| (free) plus paid packages geared to education, | | | | worldwide on a regular basis. Offers webinars, |
| non-profit, and a professional version, which can send | | | | articles, and other resources on creating the |
| surveys in several languages, and has no limit on the | | | | invitation, the importance of regular surveys, and |
| number of responses you can receive. | | | | using online technologies for surveys. |
| 3. SnapPoll - Simple site which offers you an easy | | | | So whether you're querying current clients and |
| way to put a one-question survey on your web site | | | | customers, a potential target market, vendors, or |
| and receive results. Requires no sign-up, allows you to | | | | employees, these online surveys can provide valuable |
| customize colors for the form, and prevent multiple | | | | tools for smart business owners. You can set up and |
| "votes" from the same person. Free - supported by | | | | monitor your surveys or pay someone to do it for |
| what they call "non-obtrusive advertising." | | | | you, but online surveys are a great way for you to |
| 4. PHP Form Generator - This is a free survey | | | | gain information. The results may surprise you, or |
| generator that is written as open source code. You | | | | send you in a new direction you hadn't thought of. |
| can choose as many questions as you'd like - in any | | | | But one thing's for sure; if you don't ask your |
| format - check, text, drop-downs, etc.) You do have | | | | customers, clients, or employees, they probably |
| to create your own stats, but it's a fairly simple | | | | won't tell! |