Beyond the Basics: 9 Creative Ways to Leverage Text Surveys

Surveys are a valuable tool for businesses, organizations, and governments to gather feedback from their customers, members, and citizens. In recent years, text and voice surveys have become increasingly popular because they are quick, easy, and convenient. Last year, surveys were the #8 most popular mass messaging topic sent from our platform, and we expect the topic to be on our list of top ten mass messaging topics this year as well. In this blog post, we'll explore the best way to use text and voice surveys, including tips on how to create effective surveys, distribute them, and analyze the results.

Creating Effective Surveys

Effective surveys are those that are well-constructed, well-targeted, and easy to complete. When creating a survey, it's essential to consider the purpose, target audience, and desired outcomes. For example, if the survey aims to gather customer feedback on a new product, the survey should be tailored to that specific product, and the questions should be relevant to the target audience.

When creating a survey, it's also important to consider the length of the survey. A survey that is too long may discourage people from completing it, so it's best to keep the survey concise and to the point. Additionally, it's essential to consider the language used in the survey questions. The questions should be clear and easy to understand, and the response options should be specific and relevant to the question.

Distributing Surveys

Once the survey is created, the next step is distributing it to the target audience, and our service is an excellent way to distribute surveys quickly and efficiently. With text surveys, you can either send a survey link via SMS to a large number of people, and they can complete the survey on their mobile devices. Alternatively, you can use our text surveys feature to gather feedback that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." With our voice surveys feature, you can record or choose two voice messages - your live answer message and the voicemail message. In the live answer message, you must tell respondents to press (STAR)1, (STAR)2, etc. However, the voicemail message should be a more general announcement, as contacts cannot respond to the survey via voicemail. 

It's also important to consider the timing and frequency of the survey distribution. For example, if the survey is related to a specific event, it's best to distribute it shortly after the event ends. Additionally, it's important to consider the frequency of the survey distribution. If surveys are distributed too frequently, it may lead to survey fatigue, which can negatively impact response rates.

Analyzing Survey Results

Once the surveys have been completed, it's important to analyze the results to gain insights into the target audience's opinions and behaviors. Text-Em-All's reporting and analytics features can be an excellent tool for analyzing survey results. You can use these features to view response rates, analyze response trends, and identify areas for improvement.

It's important to consider the quality of the survey results. If the response rate is low, adjusting the survey questions or distribution methods may be necessary to increase response rates. Additionally, it's important to consider the quality of the responses. If the responses are inconsistent or incomplete, refining the survey questions or providing additional clarification may be necessary.

Examples of Surveys

Now that we've covered some of the benefits of using text and voice surveys for your organization, let's look at some examples of surveys you can send to your contacts. Whether you're looking to gather feedback on your products or services, gauge customer satisfaction, or conduct market research, you can use various surveys to gather valuable insights from your audience. Here are just a few examples to get you started:

1. Customer Satisfaction Survey: Send out a text or voice survey to your customers to gauge their level of satisfaction with your products or services. This type of survey can help you identify areas for improvement and make necessary changes to better serve your customers.

2. Employee Feedback Survey: Use text or voice surveys to gather feedback from your employees on their job satisfaction, work environment, and any other relevant topics. This can help you identify areas where your organization excels and areas where improvements can be made.

3. Market Research Survey: Use text or voice surveys to gather information on consumer preferences and trends related to your industry. This type of survey can help you identify new opportunities for growth and development.

4. Event Feedback Survey: After hosting an event, send out a text or voice survey to gather feedback from attendees. This can help you improve future events and better meet the needs of your audience.

5. Product Development Survey: Use text or voice surveys to gather feedback from customers on new products or features you're considering. This can help you better understand what your customers want and make informed decisions about product development.

6. Non-profit Survey: Non-profit organizations can use text or voice surveys to gather information on donor preferences and opinions and evaluate the effectiveness of fundraising campaigns and events.

7. Healthcare Survey: Use text or voice surveys to gather patient feedback on the quality of care they received, as well as to track symptoms and gather health-related data.

8. Education Survey: Schools and universities can use text or voice surveys to gather student feedback on courses, instructors, and campus life, as well as to track academic progress and gather data for research purposes.

9. Community Feedback Survey: Local governments and community organizations can use text or voice surveys to gather feedback from residents on issues such as public safety, infrastructure, and quality of life. This type of survey can help leaders make informed decisions about allocating resources and improving community services.