Survey Says …

November 3, 2017

Surveys are great tools for generating media attention and thought leadership. But developing, completing, and analyzing a professional survey requires a serious investment of resources. Therefore, be sure from the outset that you know exactly how you want to use the survey results in your marketing efforts. Otherwise, you may find that your survey was a very expensive waste of time. Consider these all-too-common problems:

The results prove the opposite of what you expected. Ouch! This is serious. Test the waters before you invest in a full-blown survey. You may discover that your assumptions about the market/industry/etc. were incorrect. If so, go back to the drawing board!

The original objective of the survey is no longer a marketing priority. Surveys can take months to complete. During that time, marketing priorities may shift so that the survey results are, candidly, irrelevant to current marketing efforts. Before you say “Go,” make sure that the objective of the survey has marketing longevity.

The results are ambiguous. Developing survey questions that produce clear, decisive insights is challenging. Unfortunately, you may be too “close” to the subject matter to realize that a question can be read by respondents in various ways. Run survey questions by people in your target demographic, and ask them what they understood each question to mean. If you find out after the fact that people had differing views as to the meaning of the questions, you will have to throw out the answers.

The survey didn’t capture all the information needed for subsequent marketing campaigns. For example, if you plan to write four thought leadership pieces based on the survey results, make sure the questions will generate sufficient data in all four areas of interest! Otherwise, you may run into the scenario of trying to develop an entire thought leadership piece based on one isolated piece of data instead of on a set of interrelated statistics that supports a solid perspective.

The survey results don’t tell a story. Individual survey questions can be good and valid in and of themselves, yet not combine with one another to create a single compelling story. When developing a survey, be sure to look at the macro picture as well as the micro picture. The questions – and eventually the results – should be able to be woven together into a powerful narrative.

With careful planning, you can avoid all these pitfalls – and your next survey will get all the positive attention and outcomes you desire!

Author: Paula Marolewski

Previous post Fear Not Internal Communicators: Data is your Friend Next post Is it Time for a Communications Refresh?

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources. Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

Author: Erin Alderfer