Apart from knowing that building a better mousetrap ought to work, external feedback is the only way to find out for sure which products people want to buy.
What’s the one thing you could do to get more feedback from customers, potential customers - and especially from the buyers you’ve lost?
You can’t drop everything to solicit feedback, but it must be worth taking one day every month to go out of your way to collect and follow up information from the field.
Your Web site is the obvious place to start prospecting for feedback gold, but there are other opportunities too. To get the ideas flowing, here are the top ten ways to get more of what you need to know.
1. Reply forms
Add a short, optional reply form on your Web site at some convenient point - such as before a free trial download - so that you can follow up.
2. Have an opt-in newsletter
There's no reason not to build an honest, opt-in, no-spam list of people who are interested in your products. A lot of people on such lists aren't paying customers, which means you have a legitimate excuse to ask for some feedback and find out why they haven't given you any business.
3. Survey visitors and customers
Use a set of questions targeted at gathering information from customers on a regular basis. In addition to their comments, statistical input can help improve specific products and processes. Solicit customer remarks in post-purchase email, product packages, or exit pop-ups.
4. Offer free stuff for feedback from lost sales
Take an e-mail address and then contact non-buyers and offer to give them something free if they'll talk to you about why they didn't buy.
5. Select one customer at random and phone them
You can ask if they had any problems and if there are any improvements that would make ordering easier for them. They'll appreciate the personal attention. Then run through a quick checklist of useful information gathering to find out things like: How did they hear about you? and: What convinced them to buy? Your marketing team will love you for it.
6. Solicit testimonials from existing customers
As well as providing valuable copy for your ongoing marketing efforts, testimonials are where you discover the real reasons your customers choose you. The real problems you solve, the true impact of your product on their daily life or business, whether you really do have great service, etc.
7. Add links soliciting negative feedback on your Web site
Link text should say something inviting and human like "Complain here" or "Yell at us". Prove that you want them to click that link! But just "Feedback" will suffice if you want to take things slowly. Either way, collecting negative feedback can be ultimately much more valuable and constructive than gaining extra praise.
8. Make use of your top sellers
Post a list of top-selling products on your site. This gives customers an opportunity to appreciate the 'wisdom of the crowd' and join in. Alternatively, use a third-party list published by a newspaper or trade journal.
9. Offer affordable free gifts in exchange for product reviews
Reviews from actual customers not only give you feedback about your products and service, they also make excellent publicity material. Don't worry about publishing mixed reviews - data shows that people are more likely to try a product that has mixed reviews than one with 100% rave reviews.
10. Run a contest
Involve customers in a contest targeted at gathering input. Select a prize in line with your offering, such as a money-off coupon and ask a question like "What's best and worst about our Web site?"
Feel free to call us today (0845 058 9050) and chat with one of our consultants about improving data capture, email marketing or selling online.
Alternatively, fill out our contact form and somebody will get back to you.