Turn a Simple Survey into a Sales Bonanza for Your Clients
By John Wood

John Wood here.

Today, I'd like to share with you a marketing technique advertising expert Drew Eric Whitman says never fails to produce great results for his clients.

I came across it while reading Whitman's book, Cashvertising.

He puts together a five- or six-question survey and has his client mail it out to their customer list.

You can ask them how they feel about the customer service they received, how they view a particular product or service, what they would like to see from your client in the future, and so on.

The secret is to make an appealing sales offer at the bottom of the survey.

It could be the opportunity to purchase one of their products at a steep discount, a coupon for 50 percent off their next purchase, or a voucher to receive a special gift on their next purchase. Anything that is relevant and appealing to them.

Aside from your client gaining sales that he wouldn't ordinarily have had, sending out a survey is an excellent way to find out valuable information about your client's customers. And if you asked a question like "Could you please tell us what you liked best about Product XYZ?" it could also be an excellent vehicle for acquiring customer testimonials.

Here is the example of the survey letter in Whitman’s book:

Dear Eileen,

May I ask you a favor?

I'd like to know your honest opinion of our Deluxe Auto Detailing Service we performed for you recently.

Would you kindly check off your answers to the questions below, and then mail this survey back to me in the postage-paid envelope enclosed? Thanks for being a great customer.

Sincerely,

Drew Eric Whitman, owner, Shimmy Shine Shop

In here, insert your survey. A good way to structure it would be to first ask three or four questions that can be answered by the reader circling 1 through 10 on a particular issue. For example, ask them how friendly the service they received was. (10 being extremely friendly and 1 being extremely unfriendly.)

Next, ask them one or two questions that require them to type in an answer. For example, a good question to ask is: "If you were the owner of my business, what would you do differently?"

Then Whitman recommends closing the letter with something like this:

Thanks, Eileen! To show my appreciation for your completing this important survey, I'm sending you this 16-ounce bottle of Liquid Mirror Spray for 50% OFF to protect your car's just-detailed finish. Simply spray on and wipe off. It's regularly $10, but I'll send it to you – postage paid – for just $5 when you return this completed survey by [DATE]. This important product helps keep your car shining and seals out dirt for up to 50% longer when you apply it within 30 days of your detailing, so don't wait! Protect your investment. Simply CHECK THE "YES" BLOCK BELOW and return this survey with your payment. A regular $10 value, it's my way of saying "Thank You" for participating in my survey.

HALF-PRICE SPECIAL AVAILABLE ONLY TO SURVEY RESPONDENTS!

[ ] YES, DREW! I have completed your survey as you asked. Please send me a $10 can of Liquid Mirror Spray for just 5 bucks. That's a 50% discount available only for people who respond to this special survey.
[ ] Check [ ] Money Order [ ] Visa [ ] MasterCard [ ] Amex
Card #_______________________________________ Exp. __________________

Whitman says this works well because people love giving their opinion and they love saving money. And the fact that they're the only ones getting this special price adds an air of exclusivity to your offer.

This is also a technique that can be used online, of course.

For example, if your client sells a weight loss ebook, schedule an email to go out to buyers a few weeks after their purchase date. In the email, tell them that you value their feedback, and in exchange for a few minutes of their time, you have an exclusive offer just for them. Include some links to the survey page.

Set up the survey page using the same basic format as the above letter and survey. Then, in exchange for their feedback, offer them a special discount on a weight loss–related product (perhaps an organic recipe book). The cost would be minimal and the results would be instantly measureable.

Have you ever used this? If so, I'd love to hear about your experience – just comment below.

If you like this technique but don't yet have any clients to recommend it to – or are just looking for more clients for your freelance business – check out bestselling author and sales and marketing consultant Winton's Churchill's How to Get Clients in 21 Days with Just Your Computer.

Winton takes you step by step through his system for getting clients by connecting with over 100 global job and project networks. You'll also get access to four members-only calls Winton will be holding in the upcoming weeks to help kick-start your business.