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The Apocalypse and Survey Reminders

So, if you are reading this, the world didn’t end on May 21, 2011.  Just in case you cleaned off your desk and didn’t anticipate being back at work on Monday morning, you might want to consider scheduling those survey reminders.  Here are a few best practices to get you started!

 

• Over 80% of responses to a closed-participation survey come within 24 hours of sending out an email invitation or reminder, think of that first reminder as doing the recipient a favor: often they meant to respond, but went on to other things, and the invitation got pushed down further in their in-box. Your reminder brings it back to the top of their mind - and their in-box.
• Make sure that each recipient is given a unique hyperlink to the survey (this may be inappropriate in certain surveys where anonymity is vital). That way, reminders will only be sent to those recipients who have not yet completed the survey.  The only thing more annoying than receiving an email reminder about a survey you haven't taken is to receive a reminder to one that you have taken!
• Send your last reminder the day before the survey closes.  Be very clear in your invitation that this will be the last reminder and specify the date the survey closes. 

Some users hesitate to use reminders because they do not want to irritate or offend their potential respondents.   But there are times when they are necessary:

• You are surveying a small population (e.g., employees, major accounts) and have not yet reached your recommended sample size for 95% confidence.
• You are attempting a census instead of a survey.
• You suspect that initial responders may vary in key ways from later responders. For some studies, when we run the numbers we find no measurable difference between early and late respondents; for others, we find important differences in satisfaction and loyalty.
• You are using email triggers to alert you to dissatisfied respondents and want to make sure that you have the opportunity to address their issues. 

Following up survey invitations with reminders is the most dramatic way to improve your response rate.  So, now that we have at least 6 months before the next end of the world prediction, you may want to schedule those reminders!