Every good conversation starts with a question. That includes conversations with your customers about your business.
And what better way is there to gauge results and gain valuable insights than to go straight to the source?
The beauty of living in the digital age is that you can easily connect with your customers using simple online tools like post-purchase surveys.
But it requires more than slapping a survey on your post-checkout page. To make the most out of your surveys, you need to have a good response rate and completion rate.
At KNO, we’ve examined millions of survey responses and hundreds of thousands of surveys. And we’re excited to share that knowledge with you now to help you boost your post-purchase survey engagement rate.
The psychology of surveys
A good survey works like an introduction to a new friend. Ask the right questions, and you’ll hit it off and make a good impression. Spend the whole time talking about yourself or your business, and your conversation partner is destined to lose interest fast.
The bottom line? People love to be asked questions about themselves! You’re reminding your customers that their voice has power, and you’re eager to listen to what they have to say.
A post-purchase survey also gives you their honest reflections while the experience is still new.
So, what’s the first step to creating an engaging post-purchase survey?
Understanding response rate vs. completion rate
Let’s start with the basics: survey response rates and completion rates are not the same thing.
- The response rate is the percentage of people who START your survey. You measure this from the total sample of customers you’re asking to fill it out. We see an average 45% response rate at KNO.
- The completion rate is the percentage of those who’ve COMPLETED the survey. Typically, we see that a 5-6 question survey reaches completion rates around 90%.
Why does this matter?
Think about it. A low response rate with a high completion rate could mean that your survey isn’t visible or engaging enough for some customers to even start.
Meanwhile a low completion rate with a high response rate could indicate survey fatigue and your customers clicking out. That usually means it’s time to rethink those important questions you want to ask.
Understanding this difference is a key step to designing an engaging post-purchase survey. It also comes in handy when you’re interpreting your results after you close a survey.
Remember that shorter is not necessarily better for gathering meaningful data from a post-purchase survey.
Tips to increase your response rate and completion rates
It’s totally fine if customers don’t answer every survey question.
Consider your vertical, too. A customer making an impulse buy will be less likely to respond versus a customer buying something higher-value because they may be more invested in your brand.
At KNO, we’ll capture all the data your customers provide even if they quit the survey early. However, it’s still a good idea to put your highest-priority questions closer to the start of the survey.
And luckily, there are some quick and easy ways you can help boost your survey engagement.
1. Make sure your survey is showing up correctly
First thing first: is your survey sitting in the right spot onscreen?
Post-purchase surveys are embedded directly on the checkout confirmation page. This is shown to customers immediately after they complete an order.
Make sure your survey is at the very top of your “Order status” page. If it’s not appearing, it may be because you have other apps pushing the survey down the page.
2. Don’t make every question open-ended
Here’s a quick poll: which question below is easier to answer?
- In your opinion, what is the meaning of life?
- Do you prefer pizza or sushi?
The number one mistake companies make with their post-purchase surveys is making every question open-text versus clear-ended questions with more narrow or straightforward answers.
When you’re asking open-text questions, make sure you place them either as follow-ups or at the end of the survey. This is helpful to customers who might be intimidated by having to write a lengthy response.
And mix it up. Use a variety of open-ended questions mixed with close-ended questions. Spread questions out over time.
3. Take advantage of the templates in KNO’s library
If you’re just getting into post-purchase surveys and don’t know where to start, don’t stress.
At KNO, we’ve built a library of free templates that you can use, including attribution, NPS, building customer profiles, and more.
Did we mention they’re free? Get started in minutes here.
4. Don’t get too personal too fast
You wouldn’t ask someone their deepest secret on a first meeting. Make sure to apply that same principle to your surveys.
Like any great conversation, you have to build trust and understanding first before delving into the deep stuff.
Start with a low stakes question to put the respondent at ease, then work up from there. Otherwise, you may risk making a bad first impression.
With KNO, you can segment between new versus returning customers. So, for shoppers who are already familiar with your brand, you can plan to ask those more personal questions.
… Which leads us to our next point.
5. Segment surveys by audience
Surveys aren’t always a one-size-fits-all deal. The truth is that most businesses serve diverse markets. So what can you do?
Customizing your surveys to different groups can help provide more relevant data. Segmenting surveys can also let you go deeper and ask more relevant questions to your customers.
Next time, try customizing your survey using one of these segmenting strategies:
- Segment by new versus returning customers: This could help you figure out how customers found you or why they came back.
- Segment by individual products: Try this for a new product launch to learn what customers love about your product and how they found it. That way, you can strengthen your ongoing marketing strategy as needed.
6. Use dynamic survey design techniques
Who says surveys have to be boring and by-the-numbers? Use dynamic survey techniques to help create a fresh experience for your customers.
For example, conditional logic can create a branching path through your survey that changes based on a respondent’s answers. You can hide questions or even sections of your survey based on how people have answered previous questions.
With conditional logic, you can also segment your respondents based on their answers. Then you can analyze and compare each group’s results for even deeper insights.
7. Don’t necessarily resort to offering incentives
To bribe or not to bribe? That is the question.
But as it turns out, incentives don’t really increase engagement. You may be courting people who will rush through and give dishonest answers to claim whatever you’re offering.
Instead, why not use the survey as an opportunity for customers to share their honest thoughts and feelings? If they’re not up to sharing, that’s okay too.
While incentives may be one way to increase response and completion rates, make sure they’re not the only tool in your kit. Sometimes, a sincere “thank you” is worth just as much.
Get started with these sample questions
If you still need inspiration, browse our bank with over 200 questions to help kickstart your next post-purchase survey here.
We’ve broken these down by vertical and purpose, so you can sort by the questions that are most relevant to you.
Remember: every good conversation starts with a question, but there’s not just one “right way” to strike up a conversation. Take advantage of these tips but don’t be afraid to get creative with your post-purchase surveys.
The goal is to capture as much engagement as possible, so you can build stronger relationships with customers beyond the point of purchase.