How to Create an Email Survey
Determine whether you want closed- or open-ended questions on the email survey., Place questions on the survey that are guaranteed to elicit responses from your audience.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine whether you want closed- or open-ended questions on the email survey.
Closed-ended questions can provide you with specific answers such as "yes" or "no;" whereas open-ended questions will often require your audience to answer each question using their own words or explanation.
Use a dichotomous survey if you just want to ask questions that require a "yes" or "no" response.
Use a multiple choice format if you want to provide a series of possible answers to your survey takers.
Use importance, likert, rating, or bipolar survey styles if you want your audience to rank items on a pre-determined scale.
For example, a "likert" survey will require participants to either "strongly disagree," "disagree," "agree," "strongly agree," or remain neutral in regards to a particular question.
Use a qualitative survey if you want to ask participants a series of open-ended questions.
An example of an open-ended question is: "What will you tell your friends and family about our products?" -
Step 2: Place questions on the survey that are guaranteed to elicit responses from your audience.
This will encourage all participants to complete the survey in full.
For example, ask whether the participant enjoyed using your product, as opposed to asking what they think about a specific product they may not have used.
Use questions that will not inconvenience the customer in any way.
An example of an inconvenient question is asking your customer to enter a product number from a product's label that they may no longer have in their possession.
Be sure to include questions on the survey that will benefit your market research or business initiatives.
For example, if you want to know how many people between the ages of 20 and 30 years used your product, require participants to indicate their age on the survey.
Detailed Guide
Closed-ended questions can provide you with specific answers such as "yes" or "no;" whereas open-ended questions will often require your audience to answer each question using their own words or explanation.
Use a dichotomous survey if you just want to ask questions that require a "yes" or "no" response.
Use a multiple choice format if you want to provide a series of possible answers to your survey takers.
Use importance, likert, rating, or bipolar survey styles if you want your audience to rank items on a pre-determined scale.
For example, a "likert" survey will require participants to either "strongly disagree," "disagree," "agree," "strongly agree," or remain neutral in regards to a particular question.
Use a qualitative survey if you want to ask participants a series of open-ended questions.
An example of an open-ended question is: "What will you tell your friends and family about our products?"
This will encourage all participants to complete the survey in full.
For example, ask whether the participant enjoyed using your product, as opposed to asking what they think about a specific product they may not have used.
Use questions that will not inconvenience the customer in any way.
An example of an inconvenient question is asking your customer to enter a product number from a product's label that they may no longer have in their possession.
Be sure to include questions on the survey that will benefit your market research or business initiatives.
For example, if you want to know how many people between the ages of 20 and 30 years used your product, require participants to indicate their age on the survey.
About the Author
Julie Simmons
Writer and educator with a focus on practical crafts knowledge.
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