3 Tips to Help you Conduct Telephone Surveys of your Targeted Audience

I’m no expert at how you should conduct targeted market research, but I’m happy to share with you what is helping me learn more about what my audience needs from me as a virtual litigation paralegal.

These steps are simple to take and they get results.

1.    Prepare a list of survey questions you want answered

You can save yourself time by purchasing the Market Research Telephone Survey template.  This helpful tool was created by Danielle Keister, founder of the Virtual Assistant Chamber of Commerce and a “go-to” veteran for any questions you have about virtual assistance.

You may need to edit the survey to reflect questions specifically targeted towards your industry, but this survey is an effective outline that’s easy to customize to your individual needs.  Keep your survey short, simple and straight to the point.

2.    Reach out to former coworkers first

This was the most enjoyable part of phone surveying for me.  I had an opportunity to connect with legal professionals I’ve worked with in the past and others I still support today.  This may not be as effective if you’ve burned bridges with former employers and coworkers, but if you’re still loved by them – have fun!

We spoke candidly about the needs of the practicing litigation attorney.  While a lot has changed since my days working in-office, much has remained the same.

You can extend the survey to include potential clients that have reached out to you.  Not everyone, of course – just those you’d actually like to work with.

3.    Offer more than one way to complete the survey

My audience is known for screening telephone calls.  By reaching out to former coworkers first, I was able to get more participation.

That said, litigation firms can get super busy, and some that I reached out to were away from the office or otherwise unavailable.  So, I offer more than one way for them to participate in the survey:

• Schedule the telephone survey for a more convenient time.
• Request an email address and send a link to an online version of the survey.  (Ask for permission to add him/her to your mailing list.  So far, no one has told me no.)
• Print the survey and send it via snail mail, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Of the three options, the first and third have been the most commonly chosen by my targeted audience.

How about you? Do you conduct telephone surveys? Please feel free to share any tips you have in the comments section below.

Tagged as: How to Conduct Telephone Survey, Phone Survey, Survey Questions, Target Audience, Targeted Audience, Tips for Entrepreneurs