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Subject:If you could ask only one question...? From:"Geoff Hart (by way of \"Eric J. Ray\" <ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com>)" <ght -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA> Date:Tue, 6 Oct 1998 09:48:40 -0600
Laurie Cavanaugh wondered: <<I have an opportunity to put a few
questions on a tradeshow response card for Comdex, and I want to grab
this opportunity to find out about our potential customers. I think
the average attendee at this tradeshow is a decent representative of
our customer base (retail internet communication software).>>
I'm not sure about this. If you're talking about the megashow in
Vegas, then that's not the audience at all; the big one is aimed at
journalists and corporate buyers more than home users (which is what
I assume you mean by "retail"). After all, more people go to
Comdex-Vegas than live within 50 miles of the place, and how "retail
users" are willing to spend the few hundred bucks to fly to Vegas
and rent a room just to see retail software? OTOH, if you're talking
about the many mini-Comdexes that occur locally (like the one in
Montreal), you're more likely to be right. I'd make sure to collect
demographic info. before assuming that these people represent your
real audience.
<<What would you most like to ask your customers or end-users?>>
If I had room for only one question, it would be: "What one thing
would you most like to change about our software/docs/whatever?"
You'll almost certainly get more than one answer, and you'll hit the
really important points. If everyone agrees on one or more points,
you've got an important piece of data on what to change.
<<Also, do you think anyone would take the time to write down their
thoughts, or should I provide checkboxes for the most frequently
anticipated answers (Is it worth the extra space to provide an "other"
option and a blank line)?>>
Depends entirely on the setup. Give me a chocolate bar or a cup of
really good coffee plus the chance to win something and I'll gladly
spend up to five minutes answering questions. Hand me a form that
only offers to send free information (and implies that someone will
call me and nag me to buy the product) and I probably won't even fill
in a "choose A, B or C" form with one question. YMMV, but I think
the point is clear: repay the customer for their efforts and you're
more likely to succeed.
--Geoff Hart @8^{)}
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
"Microsoft Word: It grows on you... but with a little fungicide,
you'll be feeling much better real soon now!"--GH
