data collection tips

Reasons to Avoid Sending Mail Surveys During the Holidays

Many experts believe that the holidays are a bad time to ask people to participate in survey research, yet there are still some that will insist they’ve garnered better results during the holiday season. However, despite the success of some people in research during the holidays, we at DataForce Survey and Study Management still do not recommend sending mail surveys so close to the holiday. Below are two of the main reasons we urge you to think twice. 

1. People Are More Stressed During the Holidays

Avoid Sending Mail Surveys During the Holidays

A 2015 Healthline survey that measured holiday stress confirms that the majority of respondents were under stress. According to the results of the survey, 65 percent of generation X, 61 percent of millennials, and 62% percent of baby boomers feel some stress during the holidays. 

When your audience is more stressed they are less likely to show interest in your mail survey. Their mind is more focused on picking the right gift, finances, holiday schedule, and so on. Although you may still receive survey response, it will undoubtedly be lower in quantity and quality than when your audience is in a period in time where they are under less pressure. 

2. A Quarter of Americans Plan to Travel During the Holidays 

Avoid Sending Mail Surveys During the Holidays

According to a survey of more than 1,000 adults conducted by Experian, 1-in-4 Americans plan to travel during the holidays. Among those leaving their home for some R and R, Gen X-ers and millennials will be the ones to travel the most. 38% of Millennials and 35% of Gen X-ers said they typically hit the road during the holiday season, while only 16% of Baby Boomers and 11% of Gen Z members said they travel at this time. During the holidays, your target audience might be out of their house. Your response rate will likely experience a decline by at least a few percentage points as a consequence. 

If you send out your packets during the holidays, there is also a good possibility that your respondents will leave their mail to pile up, and in an effort to catch up, throw out the ones that are least relevant into getting them back on track in their regular daily routine. Hence, the odds that your survey packet will be included with the mail thrown in the trash bin will be quite high. 

If you cannot avoid sending out that mail survey during the holidays, here are our recommendations:

The delivery and return of holiday mail take longer. And, since potential participants are busy and distracted with the season, they tend to put off answering surveys. If you must send out your surveys during a holiday, allow additional time for returns. Most survey projects see the first set of results around 7 – 10 days after mailing, with the bulk of responses coming in between 14 – 18 days after the mailing date. If you are mailing your project around a holiday though, it is better to plan for an additional 1 – 2 weeks for responses, and expect them to be a little lower. 

Check out our post on 3 Tips to Streamline Your Survey Return Schedule

Sending mail surveys during the holidays is not the best idea or strategy to increase your response rate. However, we understand there are situations when you still have to take this course of action. Our mail survey experts at DataForce can help you plan, prepare, and execute your mail survey confidently and flawlessly during this period. For more information on survey fulfillment or any aspect of mail survey management, contact us today!

 

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By |2020-06-21T15:36:42+00:00June 20th, 2020|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments
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Tips in Managing a Long Survey

One of the main reasons people don’t complete surveys is because they are too long and complicated. A long and complicated survey is like torture to potential respondents; it’s simply demotivating. If that’s what you’re aiming for, then go ahead and launch that survey. But I certainly don’t think that is anyone’s goal in creating their survey. So, if you’re struggling with a lengthy survey check out these tips and see how they can help you. 

Turn that Catastrophic Long and Complicated Survey into an Ideal Short and Clean Mail Survey

A long survey is an instant no-no for most respondents unless, of course, you are providing a significant incentive. And those respondents that do continue to answer a long survey, well, a study has found that after 15-20 minutes of answering survey questions, data quality is reduced by more than 10%. In short, a long survey can result in a reduction in response rate or data quality. To avoid this scenario, keep your survey length to no more than 15 minutes. Below are some tips to use when a long survey challenges you:

1. Categorize Questions into Crucial, Beneficial, and Expendable

Managing a Long Survey

Categorize your questions in relation to their necessity in answering the research goals and objectives:  Crucial, Beneficial, and Expendable questions. Crucial questions stay, and expendable questions are eliminated. In the middle are beneficial questions that assist in understanding the problem, but are not necessary for answering the objective and goals. They are temporarily removed and returned only when some room is left after all crucial questions have been listed. After the purging, the next step is to check the analysis of the survey, with and without the excluded questions.  This step is vital to determine if there will be a significant difference in the analysis after the changes. 

Moreover, think about adding the questions that were removed on a follow-up survey. A follow-up survey can be done through the same survey distribution method or something more convenient to the respondents, for example, online.

2. Multiple Survey Versions for Respondents

Managing a Long Survey

A second solution would be to create multiple versions of the survey. Let’s say you have 50 items on pharma products. You have 20 questions for your core questionnaire, and the remaining 30 questions are for three different products (10 questions each). Hence, you can create three versions of the questionnaire for each product. Each respondent will get the core questions and the questions for a single product. Consequently, you get data for all three products.  

Things to consider in creating multiple versions of the survey:

  1. Which respondent gets what survey should be picked randomly to avoid bias.
  2. Make sure that you have enough samples to ensure that you get enough responses for each version.

3. Utilize Background Variables

Managing a Long Survey

  • Don’t ask about things you already know and instead use it to your advantage. These are called “background variables”. When possible, it is best to filter your respondents with these variables. You don’t want to turn off respondents from answering a survey due to length when 20% of the questions don’t even apply to them. For example, you have a questionnaire where you want to determine the impact of medication to patients over 40, and 10% of the questions are only for patients who have done a particular treatment. If you have the list of the respondents who have had the treatment beforehand, you can provide the core questionnaire to all respondents and only offer the additional questions to the respondents who have had the treatment. This simple method can reduce survey rejection, as well as printing costs. You can also use the information you already have to personalize your materials (e.g., invite, cover letter, or survey).
  • Screen the answer list. If possible, respondents should only have response options applicable to them. For example, don’t provide feedback choices on the complete product list but only services applicable to the potential respondent.

 

A Checklist in Keeping your Mail Survey Clean and Simple

Managing a Long Survey

Keeping your survey clean and simple is crucial for respondents to comprehend questions and answer them accurately. If the survey questions are confusing, then the answers of the respondents may become distorted; hence, the research is compromised. To help you out, below is a Checklist in Keeping your Survey Clean and Simple: 

  1. Make sure the instructions are clear and accurate. Don’t make assumptions that the respondents already know what to do. Give examples.
  2. Avoid technical terms that will confuse your respondents. The language used should reflect how respondents think and talk regarding the subject.
  3. Easier Questions should come first. Place easier questions before the complex ones. Give respondents time to become comfortable answering the survey questions. In doing so, the probability of them answering the complex questions will increase.
  4. Each Question should be focused and intended for a particular feedback
    • Don’t use double-barrel questions:”
      • “Would you recommend our products and services to your friends?”
      • Instead, separate them into two questions:
        • “Would you recommend our products to your friends?”
        • “Would you recommend our services to your friends?”
        • These will provide an equal focus on both subjects.
  5.  Keep Questions precise. Actual numbers should be used. Avoid general response choices like “sometimes” and “rarely” in the survey form
    • For example: “less than 2 times per day”
  6.  Proofread the Survey. Check the survey for improper words, grammatical errors, and incorrect spelling. Mistakes such as this show unprofessionalism, and can devalue your survey. After proofreading the survey yourself, have someone else check it. Preferably, someone that is not familiar with your study, this process could flush out confusing terms or directions. You can also use special apps online, such as Grammarly proofreader.
  7. Test your Survey. Testing is a necessity despite how good you think your survey design and proofreading skills are. This is your last opportunity to fix errors before they become a big problem for your study.

There you have it. Effective Tips on How to Keep Your Mail Survey Short and Clean. And while they will certainly help improve your response rates, there are still other elements you might want to consider for a successful Mail Survey Project. Check out our Mail Survey Spec Sheet that will help you document the list size, number of mailings, type and quantity of materials that will be needed, budget and requirements for each mailing. This spreadsheet will help organize and calculate the materials across your mailings. Download the Spec Sheet here!

Partner with a Data Collection Solutions Provider

DataForce works with you to design forms that are ideal for obtaining the data you need. Our survey designers specialize in creating professional forms that are both functional and visually appealing and generate high response rates and impeccable results. We provide outstanding Survey Research Services and Survey Mailing Services.  Contact us now so we can help in the success of your Survey Project.

By |2020-06-20T18:09:03+00:00June 20th, 2020|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments
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What Survey Mode is Best for My Project

While there are many tools available for data collection, surveying is one of the most commonly used. Surveying is essentially a research method used to gather data from a sample of people to generalize results to a larger population and gain insights on various topics. Questionnaires are used in asking people for information in a survey. As compared to other data collection methods, such as direct observation and experimentation, surveys yield a broader range of information. The most common survey types by distribution are online, telephone, face-to-face, and mail survey.

 

Types of Survey

 

1. Online Survey

Different Types of Survey

 

Technology has enabled online surveys to become the most popular and cost-effective type of survey. The questionnaire can be completed with a smartphone, tablet, or computer so long as the respondent has access to the internet. 

a. Advantages: 

  • Reach of the survey has increased to wherever there is internet access.
  • No limit to the type of questions that can be asked.
  • Data collection and data analysis is now structured and easy to manage.
  • Ideal for short, simple surveys.
  • Quick results.

b. Disadvantages:

  • We receive requests to take online surveys frequently, whether you make a purchase from Amazon, pick up lunch at McDonald’s or take a class; everyone wants us to take their online survey. This saturation has contributed to survey fatigue, and people are only doing online surveys if they are unhappy or related to something meaningful to them.
  • Inboxes are inundated nowadays; we are busy looking for the things that need our attention and delete or skip the other ‘stuff.’
  • People are hesitant to click on links that come from people they don’t know, they don’t want their information stolen or their computer hacked. 

 

 

2. Telephone Survey

 

The medium used to contact respondents is the telephone. An interviewer follows a script in asking a specific set of questions to the respondents, and a data entry software is used to record the respondent’s answers. 

a. Advantages:

  • Relatively cheaper and less time consuming than face to face surveys. 
  • Extensive geographic access since most people in the United States have a telephone or cellphone. 
  • Easy access to in-house or online phone directories. Phone numbers can easily be purchased from sample companies. 
  • Time effective since interviewers can just keep calling numbers until they reach their quota.
  • Skilled interviewers can elicit longer or more complete answers. Interviewers can also ask for clarifications of unclear responses.  

b. Disadvantages:

  • Hard to make a connection with people since interviewers can’t see the person’s reaction. 
  • Intrusive, since most of the time, telephone surveys are done without notice. The interviewer might be interrupting the respondent’s plan for the day. The researcher must carefully consider the time and length of the call.
  • Interviewers may be perceived as telemarketers and, consequently, turn-off respondents. 
  • Regulations must be followed to avoid significant fines.

 

 

3. Face-to-Face Interview

Different Types of Survey

 

Face-to-Face surveys are one of the oldest and most widely used survey types. The researcher typically interviews in the home, office, hangout place, etc. of the target respondent. This is by far the most personal approach and best used if you are looking to raise trust and cooperation from respondents. Interviewers must be trained well, including on how to read non-verbal cues to direct the interview better.

a. Advantages  

  • Can capture verbal and non-verbal cues. The interviewer can gauge if body language and facial expressions match the participant’s answer.
  • The interviewer can make sure that the participant is committed and encouraged to finish the survey.
  • The interviewer can provide assistance in case the participant is confused about any part of the survey or question.
  • The interviewer can take advantage of the five senses. Aside from audio and visual stimuli, the researcher can also let respondents touch, taste, and smell materials to support the interview.

b. Disadvantages

  • A face-to-face survey can take longer. Interviews can last for days or weeks, depending on the number of respondents needed and their availability.
  • Considerably more expensive than paper, online, and telephone. Training, travel, and material are some of the principal costs. 
  • The quality of data depends on the skill of interviewers. 
  • It requires more effort to plan and manage.

 

 

4. Mail Survey 

Different Types of Survey

 

For reasons of cost and ease of implementation, mail surveys are more frequently used for social research than are either telephone or face-to-face interviews, according to Don Dillman.  Before online surveys, 69% of surveys were conducted solely by mail and another 11% were a combination of mail and some other mode. 

a. Advantages

  • It can be used when the respondent’s internet access or knowledge is limited.
  • Less expensive than Face-to-Face or Telephone surveys.
  • Allows respondents to complete the survey at their convenience. 
  • A hard copy serves as a reminder to finish the survey.
  • Research shows that respondents give more honest answers when compared to other modes.
  • Respondents trust mail surveys more than online surveys since we are told not to click on links from people/organizations that we don’t know. 
  • You have less competition with someone’s mailbox than you do with their inbox.
  • Best for capturing sensitive information or long, complex surveys.

b. Disadvantages

  • Respondents may not follow directions or only answer certain questions, leaving an incomplete response.
  • It takes more time than online surveys to collect the data.
  • If your study requires alternate question sets or alternating question order, paper surveys may be too costly to support this requirement.

Check out our earlier post on Why Mail Surveys are Thriving in the Digital Age.

 

How to Select the Best Survey Type for Your Research

 

1. Consider Population and Sampling

Define the characteristics of the target respondents that belong to your population before you choose a survey method. Determine geographics, language, communication, literacy, and other issues that might arise. For example, if your target respondents are older people, you may choose a mail survey; however, if the target population is younger or more tech-savvy, an online survey might be more appealing.  

2. Determine Question Types 

In selecting the right survey method, the questions that the respondents need to answer should be considered. Paper or mail surveys can be ideal for mostly closed-ended questions, while a survey with plenty of open-ended questions that could require a follow-up may require a face-to-face or telephone interview.  

3. Check your budget

You have to justify the cost of the type of survey you will choose. You may want to do a face-to-face interview, but the costs compared to a mail survey may not validate the benefit of pursuing face-to-face interviews. 

4. Establish your timeline

Some survey methods take longer to complete than others. If you are in a rush, then an online survey is your best bet. However, if time is not a significant factor, then you can do a mail survey.

5. Check Access to Facilities and Resources

Do you have the facilities, equipment, and human resources needed for your survey to run smoothly? If you plan to do a mail survey, you need access to printers, human resources or equipment for stuffing envelopes, data processing software, warehousing, and so on. For telephone surveys, you need well-trained interviewers, phone equipment, CATI software, etc.  

It’s important to know which survey type to use and when to use it. Once you’re familiar with the different survey types, you’ll be able to focus on what you need to make your survey distribution as smooth as it can get, getting you far better results than ever before. For more information on data collection techniques or any aspect of mail survey management, contact us today! We provide outstanding quantitative data collection services and paper scanning services!

By |2020-05-19T21:44:22+00:00May 19th, 2020|Survey Research Services|0 Comments
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What is a Likert Scale and How to Create One

Are you interested in finding out what you can use to measure questions that are neither agreed nor disagreed? A Likert scale can help you measure attitudes and opinions with a greater degree of nuance than simple binary questions, which offer only two answer options. Please read our blog post to learn what is a Likert scale and how to create one for your next survey.

1. What is a Likert scale? 

The Likert scale is one of the most popular rating scales developed to measure one’s attitudes or opinions. Fixed choice response formats are used to determine how people feel about the topic, products, services, or experience. The scale deems that the strength/intensity of the experience is linear. These linear scales measure points of agreement/disagreement. People are given five to seven choices, or even nine balanced responses, that often come with a neutral point. 

 

2. Common Likert Scale Question

A Likert scale does not have a fixed number of leveled items. Many researchers use five levels, but some also use 4, 7, 9, and even 10-leveled items. Since adding more levels produces diverse valuations, a 5 or 7 level scale is most often ideal for avoiding extreme options by obtaining just a bit of variation.

Below are some examples of Likert scale questions and answers:

a. Agreement

The employee training provided the knowledge I need to do my work efficiently.

  • Strongly Disagree
  • Disagree
  • Undecided
  • Agree
  • Strongly Agree

b. Satisfaction

How satisfied are you with our customer support?

  • Highly Dissatisfied
  • Dissatisfied
  • Neutral
  • Satisfied
  • Highly Satisfied

c. Frequency

How often do you visit our store?

  • Very Frequently
  • Frequently
  • Occasionally
  • Rarely
  • Never

 

3. When to Use Likert Scales

What is a Likert Scale

Likert scale is useful in measuring the general feeling or opinion of a particular topic, product, services or experience, and collecting additional data on the factors that contribute to those feelings or opinions. However, a Likert scale should only be used when the question items are related to each other and can be presented in a degree-scale form. Since respondents are not limited to a yes/no answer, a Likert scale allows researchers to obtain quantitative data that can be easily analyzed. Nevertheless, a Likert scale may be compromised because of “social desirability”. Social desirability is the bias exhibited by people to present themselves in a positive light in the community. For example, in taboo questions involving sex, illegal drugs, or racism, respondents may heighten “good behavior” or depress “bad” or undesirable behavior of their responses. One way to reduce social desirability bias is by allowing anonymity on self-administered surveys. A study by Paulhus (1984) found that when respondents have to put their name, address, and telephone number on the survey, results show more positive personality characteristics than an anonymous survey.  

 

4. How to create a Likert Scale

Establish the footing of your survey questions and response scale by first deciding what you want to measure. It is best to use a Likert scale when several factors are influencing the way your respondents feel about something. For instance, you want to measure patient satisfaction. Many factors affect patient satisfaction, including affordability, general behavior of doctors, amenities, and administrative procedures. The respondents’ opinions, attitudes, feelings, or experience must be measurable in a scale form. Moreover, make sure that there are two well-defined extremes for the response.  

For Example:

What is a Likert Scale

 

Recommendation

  • A Likert scale should have the same number of positive and negative responses.
  • Stay odd. Provide your respondents with a neutral option. 
  • Use the appropriate description to label response. When you just use numbers, people may obscure which end is affirmative and which is undesirable.
  • Make sure your survey questions are specific
  • Use terms that your target audience understands
  • Avoid bias questions
  • Avoid long and complicated questions
  • Avoid double-barreled questions

Check out our post on How to Write Great Survey Questions

You’ve most likely encountered Likert scale questionnaires without even knowing it. Likert scale questions are valuable for assessing people’s opinions on a specific topic when undertaking in-depth research. 

For more information on data collection techniques or any aspect of mail survey management, contact us today! We provide outstanding quantitative data collection services and paper scanning services!

 

Get more information on – survey research services incentive fulfillment services or survey mailing services

By |2020-05-28T12:55:47+00:00May 19th, 2020|Survey Mailing Services, Survey Research Services, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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What’s the Difference Between Qualitative Research and Quantitative Research?

To understand a problem, large or small scale, both high quality and relevant data are needed. If you’re a researcher, you’ll have to collect this data using Qualitative Research or Quantitative Research methods. Without a solid understanding of the difference between qualitative and quantitative research, you risk using a less suitable method of data collection, impacting your results, and ultimately your study. 

In this post, we’ll discuss all the things you need to know about qualitative and quantitative research, their differences, and how to best use them for the success of your project. 

Content 

  • Definition of Qualitative and Quantitative Research
  • Table of Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Research
  • Key Differences and Example

 

Definition of Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research uses non-numerical measures to understand fundamental behavior, reasons, and motivations. Unstructured or semi-structured methods are utilized to gather insight into questions. This stage is often considered as the exploratory stage of research where freedom in response is implemented to gain an initial grasp of a problem.

Quantitative Research

  • For Example: An open dialogue with participants to find out why customer satisfaction ratings are low. Data from qualitative research can later be used to generate quantitative data to develop ideas or solutions. This is done by tallying the frequency of the qualitative result and determining the factors which are most relevant.

 

Quantitative Research is used to assess a subject by utilizing data that can be measured and then interpreted using statistical evaluations. Correspondingly, closed-ended questions are applied, and the target audience is given a set of options to use for responding. Quantitative data provides numerical facts!

 

Quantitative Research

  • For Example: The percent of people that find fulfillment in their job, or think their trainer is effective. The analysis of opinions, attitudes, and behaviors are simplified by using numerical data to draw conclusions, test a hypothesis, and discover trends in research. 

 

Table of Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Quantitative Research

Key Differences and Example

The key differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research are the purpose and methodology.

  • For Example: A School Board wants to find out how many of their students feel their teachers care about them. They use an in-house school survey composed of closed-ended questions to provide a numerical measurement. Let’s say the school finds out that 800 out of 1200 of the students don’t feel their teachers care about them. This is quantitative research. The purpose of quantitative research is to provide a concrete numerical measure by using the closed-ended methodology in order for the response of the students to be measured on a common scale. Furthermore, the school board decides to dig deeper into this issue. Consequently, they create a focus group discussion composed of 5 students from each class. The goal is to understand the key causes through open dialogue. The result of this research will be the opinions and statements of the chosen students. This is qualitative research. The purpose of qualitative research is to provide a deeper insight by looking at the human perspective, hence, using an open dialogue for respondents to sufficiently express themselves. 

 

Do You Need a Partner in Your Research?

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Our expertise in high-volume, paper-based, and multimodal data collection projects encompass the entire data collection supply chain. We can provide you with end-to-end data collection services, or participate in any part of the supply chain where you need assistance – from project scoping to form design to printing, mailing, fulfillment, data collection, data delivery, result reporting, and analytics. Contact us now!

 

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By |2020-05-28T07:03:20+00:00May 11th, 2020|Survey Research Services, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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How to Increase Mail Survey Response Rates

When you’re doing a Mail Survey Project, the last thing you want is to spend a lot of time and resources creating and sending a survey and get a low response rate. Without a sufficient response rate, results are questionable, and data quality is severely affected. To avoid this, we lined up some Best Practices in How to Increase Mail Survey Response Rate:

 

  1. A Compelling Cover Letter
  2. Reduce Length of Survey
  3. Use Reminder Postcards and Pre-Notification Letters
  4. Ensure Survey Return is Simple and Convenient
  5. Brand your Survey
  6. Use Incentives

 

1. A Compelling Cover Letter 

The cover letter should not be overbearing but instead a request for help. Emphasize your genuine appreciation for the time and effort of your potential respondents. A study has found that including the phrase “it would really help us out” can increase the survey response rate by 18%. A strong cover letter should include:

  • The purpose of the study
  • The materials included for returning the survey (e.g. return stamp and envelope or business reply envelope)
  • The confidentiality or anonymity of the survey 
  • The significance of a prompt response without being overbearing 
  • The benefits to the respondent 
  • The impact of the respondent’s feedback and how their opinion is valued
  • Contact information in case respondents have inquiries about the survey

 

2. Reduce Length

A long survey is an instant rejection by most respondents. A study has found that data quality reduces by more than 10% when the survey takes more than 15-20 minutes to complete. For example, respondents only filling out a portion of the survey. Hence, it is best to keep the survey at or below 15 minutes.

 

How to Increase Mail Survey Response Rates

 

3. Use Reminder Postcards and/or Pre-Notification Letters

Letting respondents know that you will be sending them a mail survey is an essential component in most survey projects. Notifications can include: sending an email, letter, or postcard in advance. The message should include the purpose of the survey, the survey process, and why the potential respondents’ participation is vital. 

Don’t forget the reminder postcard or letter.  According to Don Dillman (Dillman as cited in Fox, R.J., & Crask, M.R., & Kim, J. (1988). Mail Survey Response Rate. Public Opinion Quarterly, 52, 474) this approach allows you to express your sincere appreciation for the persons hopeful participation, but this also enables you to combat one of the most common reasons that people cite for not participating in a survey – they forgot! In fact, if your budget can absorb it, we have found that a common practice for survey research is to send a prenotification letter, followed by the survey packet, followed by a follow- up contact of some form which will give you 3 different occasions to interact with your hopeful participants. There are multiple studies that have shown a simple reminder can increase response rates by 10-30%.

 

4. Ensure Survey Return is Simple and Convenient

Survey return should be costless and hassle-free for respondents. Consider using prepaid return envelope for higher response rate and reduced follow up. 

How to Increase Mail Survey Response Rates

Use Return Postage. Enclose postage and an envelope in the survey material for the expected reply. The response rate increases significantly with the use of return postage. Moreover, using stamps on return envelopes has been shown to be better than business reply mail, however, the costs may outweigh the benefits.

Check out this link 3 Tips to Streamline Your Survey Return Schedule

 

5. Brand your Survey

Make sure respondents know who the survey is from. Include a return address and your logo to identify the sender. This will improve credibility and increase response rates.

How to Design a Survey Form (Easy 7 Step Process)

 

6. Use Incentives

Answering a survey takes time away from the busy schedule of your respondents. Make it worthwhile by providing value. Money, promotional items, charitable donations, and raffles are the top incentives that are proven to work and reach target response rates of more than 40%. 

  • Money – This should come as little surprise. Monetary incentives include cash, checks, PayPal credits, money orders, gift cards, and coupons.
  • Promotional Item- Product and service samples are also a big hit with respondents. In order for them to work, however, you must know your audience. Offer something that speaks to them that you know they will enjoy.  
  • Charitable Donations- Charitable donations appeal to social and environmental consciousness. The stronger the emotional connection to the cause, the better your response rate will be and the more likely respondents will see you in a favorable light. 
  • Raffle– A drawing incentive gives your respondents a random chance to win a valuable prize, as opposed to a contest based on merit. They simply complete the survey and return within a given timeframe and they are automatically entered to win.

If you want to learn more about the incentives, check out our post on 3 Survey Incentives to Explode your Response Rate

 

Bonus Tips:

1. Multi-modal or Mixed-mode Data Collection  

To increase the response rate, consider using mail surveys with other channels, such as online. This is called a multi-modal survey. Basically, you use two or more modes to collect responses from potential respondents, giving them options to complete the survey with the mode that best suits them. 

Check out our post If you want to learn  When to do a Multimodal Survey

2. Express Mail

According to a study, express mail can increase the response rate, especially to executives and business respondents. Express mail is a good way to validate the importance of the survey response to potential respondents. 

There you have it, the 6 best practice and 2 bonus tips that will greatly influence your response rate. To ensure success, be sure to take a look at these tips before you send out your mail survey.

  

Partner with Us

DataForce is a premier data collection company specializing in Mail and Multi-modal Survey Management. We are the only data collection company in the industry with large-scale, in-house capabilities for every stage of your survey or study. Rather than outsource your project to various partners, DataForce can streamline your entire research effort with end-to-end planning, printing, mailing, fulfillment, data collection, and analytics – all done in-house! Our one-source solution is uniquely designed to align with your organization’s mission at the strategic level while saving you time, risk and money! From simple, short-term surveys to complex, longitudinal studies, DataForce technology is built to scale. DataForce is also a certified Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), helping you meet diversity requirements.

For more information on Survey Mailing services and Data Collection Services, survey fulfillment services  Contact us Now!

 

By |2020-04-25T09:32:31+00:00April 15th, 2020|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments
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How to Pick the Right Respondents for Your Survey

In our blog on “Choosing the right sample size”, we provided a formula to ensure your target population is represented accurately. Knowing that number early is important for determining your mail quantity and bidding out your project to vendors. However, it is only half the equation in survey sampling. The other half is making sure you pick the right people.  

So how do you choose the participants? 

1. Define Your Target Population

Before you can choose survey participants, you need to define the common binding characteristics or traits of the overall population. For example, “government employees” or “existing customers.” These are often combined with other characteristics: “government employees who use iPhones” or “existing customers who have utilized a particular service.” It is imperative to select the most appropriate target population to satisfy the objectives of the survey. 

 

2. Identify Your List Source

Some survey samples are easier to generate than others. For example, if you are surveying your existing customers, you likely already have everything you need in your company database. But if your target is “Latina women 25-40 who shop online,” you may have some work to do. In this case, you may want to look for available public data or purchase a list from a sample provider. Once you determine the list you need, then you become better positioned to choose a sampling method and pick your respondents. 

 

3. Choose a Sampling Method

There are many scientific ways to select a sample. They can be divided into two groups: probability and non-probability sampling. Probability sampling is any method that utilizes random selection like drawing straws or randomized computer selection. Everyone in a target group has an equal probability of being chosen. It is the preferred method of researchers because it accounts for bias and sampling error. 

But sometimes probability sampling is not feasible, either due to time constraints or list accessibility. In that case, non-probability sampling is used. People must still meet common binding criteria, but they are chosen in such places as a mall or a busy neighborhood. Such samples are often useful but don’t account as easily for bias and sampling error. 

Depending on the needs of your study, you will typically choose from one of the following common methods:

  1. Random Sampling – The purest form of probability sampling. The most basic example of this technique would be the lottery method.
  2. Stratified Sampling – Identifies a subset of the target population such as fathers, teachers, females, etc., and selects them at random.
  3. Systematic Sampling– Uses every Nth name in a target list, where N is a variable of your choosing.
  4. Convenience Sampling – A non-probability method used when only a few members of the target population are available. 
  5. Quota Sampling – Uses subset criteria like stratified, but doesn’t randomize their selection. 
  6. Purposive Sampling – A method that uses predefined criteria with a purpose in mind. For example, gauging the perceptions of Caucasian females between 30-40 years old on a new product but not randomize their selection.

Survey sampling is a critical part of data collection. Your survey provider can help you weigh these options for your survey to ensure you get the quality data you need. For more information on survey sampling or any aspect of mail survey management, contact us today!

By |2020-03-30T19:45:29+00:00January 13th, 2020|Survey Research Services|0 Comments
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How to Write Great Survey Questions

When starting a survey project, most people look forward to the fun, creative part of writing the questions. However, it doesn’t take long to realize that writing great survey questions is not as easy as it looks. Questionnaire design is more science than art – requiring critical attention be paid to question and answer order, structure and phrasing to ensure you get the reliable, quality feedback you are looking for.

A simple question, such as “How much did you enjoy the program?” could wreak havoc in your results, because it is inherently biased towards a positive response. “How did you feel about the program?” would be a more effective approach. Other pitfalls include asking multi-part questions, having overlapping answer choices, or asking the more difficult questions too early.

But have no fear. Outlined below are the basic principles of questionnaire design, along with some helpful tips, that will have you writing great, effective survey questions in no time:

Before You can Start Writing Great Survey Questions 

    • Know your objectives. Write down the purpose of your survey scanning, what information you need, and how you plan to use the data.
  • Work backwards. Make a list of the specific answers you need first, and then use that to drive your questionnaire.

Basic Guidelines for Writing Great Survey Questions

    • Keep questions focused. Make sure each question is designed for specific feedback. Avoid double-barrel questions like “How do you feel about our products and services?” as some respondents will focus on products and others on services. Instead, separate them into two questions.
    • Put easier questions first. This will increase participation and establish trust. By getting comfortable with the survey research by answering a few less complex questions first, your participants will be more likely to answer the more complex or sensitive questions later.
    • Organize by topic. Similar questions should be grouped together so the questionnaire flows naturally.
    • Keep it short and simple. Questions should be short, focused, and easy to answer. This will ensure a higher response rate and limit survey fatigue.
    • Be consistent. Use uniform rating scales, word choices and definitions throughout your survey. If you start with 1=low and 5=high, stick with that format.
    • Be precise. Avoid generic answer choices like “sometimes” and “rarely”. Use actual numbers instead (e.g, “more than 3 times per week”).
    • Be balanced. Provide an equal number of positive and negative response options.
    • Be complete. Include all possible answers, and make sure there is no overlap between answer options.
  • Eliminate bias. Try to construct the questions as objectively as possible. Avoid leading questions like, “Can you see why this product was voted best in customer satisfaction?” Instead, ask how they would describe their satisfaction level.

Common Question Types

Survey questions fall into two categories: Structured (fixed response) where they choose from a provided list of answer options and Non-structured (open-ended) where they can fill in their own text or numeric answer. Both are extremely useful, depending on the type of feedback you need.

Following are the most commonly used question types:

Multiple Choice

These are questions with two or more answer options. These are useful for collecting structured responses.

Single Response Style (select one answer)

Example 1: Do you smoke?     Y / N

Example 2:  If yes, how many cigarettes do you smoke per day?

use multiple choice to write great survey questions   

A common pitfall here is missing a possible response. Depending on your question, you may need to add a choice called “none”, or if you would like additional details, you could try an “other” option with space for a written response. You also want to make sure there is no overlap, such as using 10-20, 20-30, etc. in the previous example, which would clearly taint the results.  

Multiple Response Style (you may select more than one answer)

Example 1:  What is your race? (check all that apply)

use multiple response style to write great survey questions

Rating Scales

Rating scales ask respondents to rate how much they agree with a certain statement using a common scale (e.g, 1 to 5, where 1=low and 5=high). These are useful for gauging their opinions, attitudes and behaviors. When using rating scales, it is important to make sure you have a neutral option and a balanced, equal number of positive and negative responses. Scales most commonly use 5 or 7 options.

Example 1: The teacher was knowledgeable.

Example 2:  How would you describe your experience navigating the instruction manual.

use rating scale to write great survey questions (sample 2)

Common pitfalls here include being inconsistent with your scales (leading some respondents to answer incorrectly) and asking leading questions, such as, “We pride ourselves on our easy-to-use manuals. How easy was our manual to read?”

Ranking Scales

These ask respondents to rank a list of items in order (e.g, from favorite to least favorite, or most important to least important). It is recommended that you use these with caution. They are known to be reliable at determining first and last place, but not so much the fuzzy middle, as respondents often have to choose a pecking order for items that are essentially of equal value to them.

Example 1: Please rank the following customer service features in order of most to least important when contacting our agency by phone (1=most important, 5=least important)

use ranking scale to write great survey questions

Open-Ended Questions

These are questions with no provided answers options. Respondents answer by writing in their own text. These are great for eliciting responses about attitudes and opinions in a respondent’s own words, or having them provide a numeric answer without a suggested range. The downside is it requires extra time, can cause survey abandonment, and makes data collection and analysis more challenging.

Example: Name two ways we could have improved your customer experience today?

Questionnaire integrity is critical for getting quality data. By following these tips and guidelines, you will be well on your way to success. 

For more information on question and survey design or any aspect of survey mail management, contact us today!

By |2019-03-20T10:51:08+00:00December 6th, 2018|Survey Research Services|0 Comments
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When to Do a Multimodal Survey?

Multimodal or mixed-mode surveys are research surveys that use two or more forms of communication to reach respondents (e.g, telephone and email). In today’s increasingly complex, interconnected world, we now have ways of communicating that didn’t exist even a few years ago. The list of channels seems almost endless nowadays, including regular and express mail, email, online, social media, mobile (text, instant message), scannable paper, telephone, kiosk, tablet, in-person, video, and more.   

So how do you know which channel or combination of channels is right for your survey project? The answer lies in the target audience you are trying to reach (as well as time and cost considerations). For example, older respondents are typically less trusting of online channels and can be reached more reliably by landline telephone and regular mail. Millennials may not even have a landline and would be more receptive to an email or a text message. Teens are generally receptive to mobile and social media. One constant to be mindful of, however, is that everyone has a physical address where they live – making mail a preferred channel in almost any multimodal research effort.

Not only do various target populations have preferred forms of communication, but there are also subsets within them that prefer something else entirely. Mobile phone call vs. text message among Generation X’ers is a prime example, in which someone’s preference is highly personal.

You should do a multimodal survey if you have a target population with varied respondents or hard-to-reach respondents.

Not only can a mixed methodology approach to data collection help you reach more respondents, but it can also help you maximize response rate. That’s because multiple channels give you more opportunities for follow ups, reminders, and options to complete the survey in a format that suits them.

As a leading provider of mail and multimodal surveys, we manage mixed methodology research every day, including planning, production, distribution, fulfillment and data collection. That said, our most popular service by far is Mail to Online. In this strategy, respondents are notified by regular mail and given instructions to complete the survey online. Respondents then have the option to print out or request a paper survey and complete a hard copy or complete the online survey.

Multimodal survey planning and execution requires a high level of expertise to run seamlessly. Your survey provider can help you manage all the details, including which channels to use, along with the projected cost and timeline.

For more information on multimodal surveys or any aspect of survey management, contact us today!

By |2019-03-20T10:54:13+00:00November 21st, 2018|Survey Mailing Services, Survey Research Services|0 Comments
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This Mail Survey Spec Sheet Is Everything

Mail surveys are among the most effective tools in the research industry, besting online, email and phone survey methods in both response rate and data integrity. As with all survey research, however, survey success begins with careful planning, including brainstorming your goals, creating questions, choosing participants, determining your budget, and perhaps most tedious, choosing materials and pricing out costs with your vendors. But have no fear. We have you covered with these handy Survey Mail Spec Sheet and Timeline Templates that make your life easy and get you the honest, apples-to-apples quotes you need to keep your costs in check.

Vendors typically require a spec sheet in order to provide you with an accurate quote. The important thing here is to provide each vendor with the same spec sheet, so you can get an accurate read on their pricing.

Spec Sheet

Your spec sheet should document the list size, number of mailings, type and quantity of materials that will be needed, budget and requirements for each mailing. The good news is we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. This spreadsheet will help organize and calculate the materials across your mailings. Download the spec sheet.

Once your project specification sheet is completed, you’ll want to have your stakeholders, if applicable, review to make sure that everything has been captured. Now you can piece out the specification sheet and send to your different vendors for pricing and don’t forget to ask them for their timeline, which we’ll discuss next.

Timeline

Timeline is driven by the requirements of your project. For example, mailing 500 pieces vs. 50,000 pieces could have a significant impact to your schedule. Alternatively, the complexity of your mailing can also have a significant impact to your timeline. Mailing 10,000 units that have 5 pieces being inserted with a 4 way match, could take just as long to prep 50,000 pieces with 1 component and no matching. A best practice is to provide each vendor with a detailed timeline in advance so they know what your expectations are. We have filled in some ‘standard’ timelines for the different tasks but you can easily update with your requirements. Just populate your tasks and the number of working days required for each task and the spreadsheet will update accordingly. Download the timeline template.

With careful planning, you can account for all the variables in your mail survey, leaving little room for miscommunication and most importantly, get the accurate quotes you need to move forward with confidence.

If you’d like more information on mail survey planning or any aspect of survey management, contact us today!

By |2019-03-20T10:55:24+00:00November 8th, 2018|Survey Mailing Services|0 Comments
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