MARKETING
TIP #109
Their Answers and Your Bottom Line
If you want to know something, ask. Ask the right questions to the right people and the answers can provide a great deal of useful information; information that can make a huge impact on your bottom line.
Brand perception surveys are an easy, cost-effective tool for learning about your business, clients, prospects and industry. This isn't a customer service survey - you know the ones that companies hand you when you're paying your bill. A brand perception survey is targeted to reveal the outside perceptions of your business. It asks specific questions to get specific answers. These answers can provide necessary insight into attitudes and perceptions so you can:
- Make informed strategic planning decisions
- Correct weaknesses
- Anticipate clients' needs and recognize emerging opportunities
- Understand the reasons prospects aren't using your services
- Learn about your clients and prospects and how best to reach them
- Discover ways to differentiate your service from competitors
Not too long ago, North Star Marketing conducted a perception survey for Markley Actuarial Services. The survey found that their clients weren't aware of some of the services they offer; services they believed were common knowledge. They also identified opportunities for new services and learned how best to communicate with their clients and prospects.
After thorough scrutiny of the survey data, Markley Actuarial is acting on the findings. They've refocused their sales and marketing plans and have reached new clients and fulfilled additional needs of their existing clients. The findings helped increase subscriptions to their newsletter database by 450%!
"The marketing survey allowed us to reach out to those we work with to discover what they are interested in, the best method of communication and our strengths and weaknesses. We are using this information to develop our marketing plan, build relationships and better serve those we interact with daily," said Lisa Showalter, partner at Markley.
The two main reasons the Markley Actuarial survey is such a success is because they knew what they wanted to learn and they are proactively using the information.
So, how do you make a survey work for you?
First, determine your goals and objectives. Then make sure your organization has the necessary commitment to learn from the findings and act on them. The next steps are determining:
Who to ask
Who do you want to know more about? Who do the goals affect? Is it clients, prospects, suppliers, employees or the general public?
How to ask
Several methods for reaching your respondents are available: personal interviews, telephone interviews, mail, email and webpage. Match how you ask the questions to the type and amount of information you want. For example, telephone surveys can drill deeper into the respondents' answer with follow-up questions while email surveys with multiple choice questions are good when looking for speed and economy.
What to ask
Keep the questions simple and focused. Make sure they address your goals for the survey - don't try to cram every possible idea into one survey. That may make the survey too long and confusing for the respondents and they'll give up and quit. Remember, you can always do another survey in about six months.
Make sure it works
Pre-test your questionnaire when possible. This will help eliminate or anticipate any frustrations that may occur.
Analyze and Act
Objectively analyze the answers you've received - they're like gold. Share them with the appropriate co-workers so the findings can be integrated into their planning and services as well.
A brand perception survey is the best tool to find out how the public perceives your business. Careful analysis of the findings can guide your business in building and maintaining the relationships that build your bottom line.
North Star Marketing has been conducting brand perception surveys and helping to integrate the findings for over 19 years. We've found new opportunities; corrected weaknesses; and helped companies better connect with their customers and prospects. What tools are you using to get that outside brand perspective? Give me a call to discuss how a brand perception survey can help grow your brand and your business, 717-392-6982 or info@northstar-m.com.
Best,
Bowen Smith
Executive Vice President
