64 AN EXCERPT FROM 101 VETERINARY MARKETING QUESTIONS ANSWERED
your questions answered Q
We recently handed out fliers for clients to participate in a client survey and got only two responses. How do we motivate clients to provide feedback?
Robin Brogdon, MA A
Much as with any situation in which you are trying to compel people to do something, your success is greatly predicated on their perception of what’s in it for them. Think about it this way: People are busy and don’t want to
take the time to fill out a survey if they do not see a direct purpose or result that will benefit them or their pets.
Most practices try to keep their surveys short and to the point to encourage par- ticipation, but consider trying to motivate clients to provide feedback with different approaches. For instance, if you would like to obtain statistically significant informa- tion from your clients in order to make an assessment of service levels or to determine whether there is sufficient interest in launching a new product or service, first explain to prospective survey takers the purpose of the survey and why you are requesting the information. This needs to be followed by a description of how you will use the information and if and when they will be told about the results.
If you are asking clients to take the survey in person, delegate this task to the individ- uals on your team who have good communication skills and have a relationship with the clients. A personal appeal at that level will garner a higher response. It’s always a good idea to have an anonymous option as well as one in which respondents can request that they be contacted for additional feedback.
How the questions are written and how the survey is designed should be given equal priority. Try to use the lowest number of questions to elicit the most information possible. A professionally designed questionnaire is sure to add to the success rate.
Last but not least, an incentive may just tip the scales in your favor if respondents will be comfortable providing their contact information. Many will want to remain anonymous, however, so it may not always be a feasible tactic. Providing survey information up front, including how the information will be used, and then following up in a timely manner by sharing the findings and—most important—the subsequent decisions you have made as a result will encourage participation.
Excerpted with permission from 101 Veterinary Marketing Questions Answered © 2012 AAHA Press. To order, go to
press.aahanet.org.
Ideally, if done well, this will further bond clients to your practice as you will once again prove to come through on a promise—asking for feedback, listening to the results and taking action because of it. It sure is nice to be heard!
Trends magazine, Month 2012
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