SMS surveys are an excellent way to gather user feedback via text message. As we all know, customer feedback is key to running a successful business. SMS surveys allow you to quickly and easily collect data from your customers so that you can turn it into valuable insights. If you are a business and you want to improve areas in your operation, sending surveys through text is one of the best ways to gain that feedback.
Many SMS survey software options are available, each with its unique features. Surveys conducted through SMS base themselves on the customer texting your number to access it; however, with prior permission from the individual, the survey can be sent directly to their phones. And to better understand how to send an SMS survey, let us look at the guide below.
Here Is The Seven Ways To Send an SMS Survey
1. Choose the Survey Type
The first step in implementing an SMS survey to your subscriber is to choose and decide on the type of survey you want to use. The survey type will be based on the purpose or goal of your text message survey.
There are various surveys, each with a different set of questions. Some examples of SMS surveys are the customer satisfaction survey and the net promoter score survey.
Depending on your business goals and the assistance your need from your audience, you can choose the survey type that best suits your needs.
2. Make a List of Participants
The next step is to list participants or respondents who will receive your SMS survey. This list should be carefully curated and well-thought-out to ensure that you target the right audience.
Narrowing down your audience is crucial to ensure you send them to the right people. When you text a smaller number of people who are more likely to be interested in what you have to say, they are more likely to respond and are less likely to block or mark your messages as spam.
Phone numbers and SMS data can be collected from people who have consented to receive text message alerts from your company. If you add a feature to your company’s confirmation purchase pages for customers to opt-in and include their phone numbers, you will end up with more contacts.
You can also receive contacts from SMS survey software providers. It is where you decide your target audience for your survey – the connections you already have or those you can obtain elsewhere. Knowing your audience is key to determining how your survey will flow.
3. Create the Survey
After deciding on the type of survey and the participants, it is time to start crafting your questions. The questions should be clear and concise and related to the purpose of the survey.
It is important to note that SMS surveys are limited to 160 characters per message. You have to get straight to the point with your questions. Avoid long, complicated questions that take up too much space and confuse respondents.
When constructing your SMS survey, document exactly how you want the survey worded and collected. You can create a mockup of the message and test it on your mobile device to see how it would display for an average user.
4. Select a Survey Company
There are many SMS survey software platforms available on the market. When selecting a platform, it is essential to consider your needs and budget. Some platforms offer free plans, while others charge a monthly fee.
Select the text survey software or application you will use to send your survey. The right software will help with keyword campaigns and data analysis.
5. Promote the Survey
Once you have created your survey and selected a company, it is time to promote it. Promoting your survey will ensure that people take the time to fill it out.
There are many ways to promote your SMS survey. You can post about it on social media, include it in your email marketing campaigns, or even broadcast it through traditional channels.
The most important thing is to ensure that people know your survey and where to find it. Promoting your survey will also help increase the response rate.
6. Introduce your Text Survey
The next step is to introduce and deploy the survey using the software then you have chosen. The software will help you automate the process and send the message to the list of participants you have created.
When introducing your survey, include a clear and concise message about what it is for and why their participation is essential. You should also provide instructions on how to fill out the survey.
7. Follow up On and Evaluate Outcomes
The whole point of creating a text survey is receiving customer feedback, so remember this crucial step! Once you’ve sent out your survey, take the time to analyze the responses and see where you can improve.
Your customers are always right- so if they’re mainly voting for one product over another, go with what they want! If many say your website is tough to use, start talking to your web designer about improvements you can make.
Surveys create a win-win scenario by benefitting both the customer and the business.
In-depth customer surveys help businesses understand what needs to be changed to improve the company. In turn, it creates a better experience for future and current customers.
At the same time, text surveys show your customers that their opinions have a tangible impact on your business. Everyone likes to be listened to, and surveys are a direct way to do that.
What is an SMS Survey?
SMS or text message surveys are where consumers reply to questions through the SMS feature on their mobile devices. It is an efficient way for business owners and market researchers to collect data and gain consumer feedback.
An SMS survey is a personal and convenient way to gather feedback from customers, as they can respond on their own time. It is just one of the reasons why SMS surveys are becoming increasingly popular.
SMS surveys have a 98% open rate, Mobile Marketing Watch reports, as opposed to emails which only boast a 22% open rate. If you’re looking to get responses from your target audience, it’s clear that SMS survey software is the superior choice.
How does an SMS Survey Works?
SMS survey works by gathering customer feedback through the use of text messages. Customers are generally more likely to respond to text messages than emails, making this an effective way to collect data.
Once you have decided on the questions you want, you can create your survey using an SMS survey software platform. You can add your contacts list and send out the survey.
Once the survey has been sent, customers can reply to the questions at their convenience. The SMS survey software will collect and compile the responses, making it easy for you to analyze the data.
Data gathered from SMS surveys help businesses to improve their products and services. By understanding customer needs and wants, you can make changes that will satisfy them and keep them returning for more.
What is the Importance of SMS Survey in SMS Marketing?
SMS surveys are an essential tool in SMS marketing, allowing businesses to gather data and customer feedback. You’re missing out on a lot if you’re mainly relying on email surveys or phone polls to gain customer insights. Text messages have many advantages over these other methods.
Nearly half of the people have already responded to an SMS survey, poll, or vote from a business. Text messages have a 98% open rate and a 45% response rate, significantly increasing the likelihood of receiving answers.
Many people carry mobile devices at all times, and our customers are included in this demographic. When we receive an SMS, most people’s first reaction is to open it immediately. It indicates that SMS is an ideal platform for conducting surveys and capturing instant feedback.
SMS surveys also provide better response rates when used for marketing campaigns. Depending on the industry, response rates to surveys can differ. However, most mobile users will respond to SMS messages containing promotional deals, event updates, or appointment reminders, according to mobile marketing experts.
And lastly, SMS surveys increase customer engagement by reaching diverse customers. Businesses need to reach more customers and increase engagement rates. Sending SMS surveys is a great way to show your customers that you care about their opinion and want to improve their customer experience. By understanding your customers better, you can make changes to improve their brand experience. Learn more about what is SMS Marketing Guide and Benefits.
What Types of Surveys should you send through SMS?
There are many types of surveys you can conduct through SMS. The five most common types are net promoter scores, polls, links to web-based surveys, customer experience feedback, and text-to-vote surveys.
- Net Promoter Score – The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a metric used to measure customer feedback or satisfaction. NPS surveys use a scale of 0-10, with which participants rate their likelihood of recommending a company or pro and how satisfied they are. Based on their answers, customers fall into three categories: promoters, who score high (9-10); passives, who score in the midrange; and detractors. If you see that most of your customers are passive or detractor scores, it’s an indication that you need to invest more time into relationship-building with these groups. Promoter scores mean they’re already happy with what you’re doing well!
- Polls – Open-ended or multiple-choice surveys are a great way to get customer feedback. For example, you could ask them for times and dates they’d be available for a special event or vote on their favorite products.
- Links to Web-Based Surveys – You can generate trackable links for surveys through platforms such as SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and Typeform. Once you have a link to the survey, it’s easy to direct consumers to it via text message. You can also include links in your request for customer feedback or reviews that redirect them to popular sites like Google Reviews.
- Customer Experience Feedback – Companies can get more detailed consumer feedback about their experience with these surveys. These surveys can be in-depth or just a single question to gauge satisfaction levels.
- Text-to-Vote – With text-to-vote surveys, you can give your consumers a say in your next business decision, showing them that their opinion matters to your company. These surveys work similarly to multiple-choice polls, allowing you to gauge public opinion on various issues.
When should an SMS Survey be Sent?
The best time to send an SMS survey will depend on your industry and target audience. Many businesses find that the most successful time to send these surveys is immediately after a customer interaction, such as completing a purchase or attending an event. It allows you to gauge their level of satisfaction while the experience is still fresh in their mind.
Additionally, you may send SMS surveys at regular intervals to collect feedback on an ongoing basis. It could be monthly, quarterly, or even annually. These check-ins show your customers that you continuously care about their opinion and want to improve their experience.
SMS surveys are also ideal for gathering votes for product launch decisions, such as flavor selection or design changes. By sending an SMS survey, you can quickly and easily get feedback from a large group.
What are the Best Practices for Sending an SMS Survey?
You should follow a few best practices when sending SMS surveys to ensure they are successful.
- Get consent and manage opt-in and opt-out – Always seek consent before sending text polls, surveys, and votes to people. Sending unsolicited texts without permission is a significant violation that can lead to extensive penalties. Suppose you are texting people who have already purchased from you or used your services. In that case, you generally don’t need explicit consent to text them, as there is an existing business relationship.
- Send SMS surveys at the right time – The key to an effective SMS campaign is to send texts at the right time. Typically, only sends business-related text during regular business hours, but remember that your texting hours and etiquette may vary. The day of the week you send out a survey or poll will depend on your organization, business type, and target audience’s messaging preferences. Studies suggest that Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday are the best days for issuing a survey or poll.
- Set Your Goals – Before you start writing your questions for your SMS survey, take a moment to think about what you would like to learn and how you plan to use the data. It will ensure that all your questions are relevant and valuable in achieving your desired outcome.
- Know Your Audience -Good surveys don’t just happen– you have to work to make them great. In addition to considering who your audience is, consider factors such as sample size, timing, and any permissions required before sending out the survey.
- Keep your message clear and to the point – A common mistake is doing your survey too long. Keep your messages and questions short, and consider making answers quantifiable. For example, it may be more actionable to measure response on a scale from 1-10 than to ask for qualitative feedback. Also, remember to thank your respondents for their time!
What are the Benefits of Sending SMS Survey?
There are many benefits of sending SMS surveys to collect feedback from customers. Here are some of the best advantages of sending SMS surveys.
- High response rates – The SMS feature is accessible to almost everyone with a mobile phone, regardless of their phone type. The respondent also has complete control over when, where, and how they respond to the text message.
- Cost – Text messages are a cheaper option than phone calls. It makes SMS surveys less costly and more time-effective for surveyors. Respondents often don’t have to pay anything to reply, making it a two-way cost saver!
- Quality – The self-administered mode reduces human error by enumerators, including inconsistency in survey delivery, increased transcription error risk, and even data fabrication.
- Speed – SMS surveys can be deployed quickly and easily. Unlike CATI (computer-assisted telephone interview) or IVR (interactive voice response), many surveys can be conducted simultaneously, allowing for faster data collection.
- Honesty – Respondents are likelier, to tell the truth in online or SMS surveys as opposed to over the phone or in person. Therefore, SMS surveying can help collect transparent, consistent, and accurate data.
- Real-time Data – When you utilize the right survey platform, your SMS survey results will be transmitted and analyzed promptly so you can make informed decisions without delay.
- Engagement with the audience – The average response time to an SMS is 90 seconds, which makes the SMS text message survey a great tool to gather instant feedback and engage people in conversations.
When to Use SMS Survey?
SMS surveys can be used in various situations to collect feedback and customer engagement. Here are some examples of when SMS surveys can be used.
Get Feedback from Events and Workshops – SMS surveys help gather feedback from events and workshops for businesses to improve their offers. Customers are given a number to text at the end of the event, and they would respond to a simple survey to provide the overall score and qualitative feedback through SMS.
Customer Engagement Surveys – Customer experience, or CX, refers to the interactions between a customer and an organization. It can happen at any point of contact, from before purchasing to after-sales service. A good customer experience leads to loyalty to that company and revenue growth for the business. An SMS survey is one easy method of gathering information about an event or occasion from a customer’s perspective.
Voting SMS Survey – An SMS efficiently collects votes from a large group. For example, a school could use an SMS survey to ask parents which type of fundraiser they would prefer. The options could be sent out via text, and the parents could reply with their votes. The results can be tabulated quickly and easily without counting paper ballots.
Product Feedback – Businesses can use SMS surveys to get customer feedback about their products. This type of feedback can be used to improve the product or service. For example, a clothing company could send an SMS survey to customers after they purchase an item. The customer could give feedback about the product’s size, fit, style, and quality.
What are the Best Examples of SMS Survey?
SMS surveys are used in various ways to collect feedback about products, services, or experiences. Here are some of the best examples of SMS surveys used in different situations.
- After Interview SMS Survey
Hi [Name], on a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to refer one of your friends to apply for a job at our company?
Hi [Name], Thank you for interviewing with us. How was your experience? We would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to complete this survey. [URL]
- Post-Webinar SMS Survey
How willing would you be to tell a friend about our webinar on a scale of 0-10, with 0 meaning “not at all” and 10 signifying “definitely”?
Please help us understand how we can improve our Webinars by leaving your feedback at this URL: [URL]
- Post Purchase Feedback SMS Survey
Hi [Customer Name], thank you for your recent purchase from Bay Area Bookstore. Was the buying process quick and easy for you? Please let me know by replying with YES or NO.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to purchase from us again in the future? (1 – Least Likely, 10 – Always).
- Customer Satisfaction Survey
[Customer Name], we truly appreciate your business. If you could leave a review about your experience, it would be greatly appreciated. Click the link below: [URL]
Hi Tim, We’d love to get your input! You’re one of our top clients, and we value your opinion. Are you interested in answering a few quick questions? It should only take 4 minutes – [URL]
What are the Best SMS Survey Templates?
SMS surveys need to be straightforward since you’re limited to 160 characters. To simplify things, we have created templates of common SMS survey types that you can utilize.
- Service feedback – If your business offers a service, one way to improve customer satisfaction is by conducting an SMS-based survey. By constantly surveying customers, you can get feedback on their experience and make changes accordingly.
Hello [FirstName], we would love to hear about your experience with our [SERVICE]. Your feedback will help us make it even better. Please leave a review here: [URL]. Thank you!
- Product feedback – In a product feedback SMS survey, you may ask customers how often they use your products.
Hello [FirstName], we hope you’re enjoying your [PRODUCT]. Please let us know how frequently you use it.
1- Always
2- Sometimes
3- Rarely
4- Never
Thanks, [COMPANY]
- Event Feedback – You can enhance your next event by inquiring about your most recent attendees’ experience. You could even ask them why they wanted to attend so you can provide more of what they desire next time.
Hi [FirstName], we would love to know why you chose to attend [CONFERENCE]! If you complete this 2-minute survey, you will go in the draw to win a $100 gift voucher: [URL]
- Delivery Feedback – Knowing what customers think about their delivery experience is crucial for any business. If they rate you 5 out of 10 or lower, we’ve created a workflow path below to discover what went wrong from their perspective.
Hi [FirstName], we hope you’re excited about your new purchase! How was the delivery process? Kindly rate your experience on a 1-10 scale.
[FirstName], we’re deeply sorry that your experience wasn’t up to our usual standards. Please tell us in a few words what went wrong.
[FirstName], thank you for your feedback. We appreciate it and will use it to improve our delivery service.
- Support Feedback – Keep your surveys short when collecting support feedback and space out the questions using SMS automation. If you have a happy customer, then this workflow presumes it. You will need to customize the responses for negative feedback scenarios.
Hi [FirstName], we’d like to ask 3 questions about your recent service experience with [REP] on [DATE]. Y, N, or STOP to opt out.
[FirstName], we’re glad to have been of assistance. Has your problem been solved? Please let us know by replying with a ‘Y’ or an ‘N’.
We’re happy to hear that you’re pleased, [FirstName]! On a scale of 1-5, how likely would you recommend our support service to friends and family?
Thank you for letting us know how we can improve our support experience.
Which Elements Make up an Impressive SMS Survey?
Five key elements make up impressive SMS surveys. These elements are a concise message, call-to-action, incentive, sense of urgency, and personalization.
- A clear and concise message – SMS surveys should be short, sweet, and to the point. Keep your questions brief and ensure they can be answered with a simple yes or no.
- A strong call-to-action – Your CTA should be clear and concise, telling the customer exactly what you want them to do.
- Incentive – Offering an incentive for taking the survey is a great way to boost response rates. It could be anything from a discount on their next purchase to a chance to win a prize.
- A sense of urgency – Creating a sense of urgency will encourage customers to take the survey immediately. You could do this by setting a deadline for the survey or offering a limited-time prize.
- Personalization – Personalizing your SMS surveys will make them more likely to be read and responded to. Add the customer’s name to the message and clarify that you value their feedback.
How often are SMS Surveys used in Email Marketing?
Businesses often use SMS surveys in conjunction with email marketing and other campaigns. In email marketing, SMS surveys can collect customer feedback about a recent purchase or interaction.
SMS surveys are also helpful for follow-up after an event or conference. Attendees can be sent an SMS survey to provide feedback about their experience. This feedback can then be used to improve future events.
Are SMS Survey Useful in SMS Marketing?
SMS surveys are significantly helpful in SMS marketing campaigns. They can help businesses to collect customer feedback and track the performance of their SMS marketing campaigns. However, SMS surveys should be used sparingly, as too many requests can lead to customers opting out of future communications.
Do SMS Surveys Necessary?
Yes. SMS surveys are a necessary part of any SMS marketing campaign. They provide valuable feedback about customer experiences and can help businesses to improve their SMS marketing campaigns. If used correctly, SMS surveys can be an invaluable tool for businesses.