Looking to get honest, actionable feedback from your customers—without your survey ending up in their trash? You’re in the right place. This guide is for anyone using Survey Sparrow who’s tired of generic advice and wants to make surveys that people actually finish (and maybe even enjoy). Whether you’re new to customer feedback or just want to up your game, let’s cut the fluff and get straight to what works—and what’s just noise.
1. Know What You Actually Want To Learn
Before you even open up Survey Sparrow, get clear on your goals. Not “get feedback”—that’s not specific enough. What do you want to change or improve based on this survey?
Ask yourself: - Are you trying to fix a known issue, prioritize features, or just measure satisfaction? - Who’s your audience: new customers, loyal ones, or people who just churned? - What decisions will you make based on these answers?
Pro tip: If you can’t name a decision you’ll make based on each question, cut it. People can smell a pointless survey a mile away.
2. Keep It Short. Seriously.
You’re asking for someone’s time. Respect it. The sweet spot for most customer surveys is 3-7 questions. That’s it.
What works: - Prioritizing your top 3 most important questions. - Using logic in Survey Sparrow to skip irrelevant questions (like only asking about a feature if they’ve used it).
What doesn’t: - “Just one more question…” 15 times in a row. - Making every question required, especially open-ended ones.
Ignore: Anyone who tells you “more data is always better.” More responses to fewer, better questions is what you want.
3. Make It Feel Human
Robotic surveys get robotic answers (or none at all). Write like you’d talk to a real customer.
Tips: - Use simple, direct language. - Explain why you’re asking (“This will help us improve your experience.”) - Personalize when you can (Survey Sparrow lets you use variables like the customer’s name).
Example:
Bad: “Please rate your satisfaction with the platform’s performance.”
Better: “How well did our platform work for you today?”
Pro tip: Use Survey Sparrow’s conversational forms—they feel more like a chat than a spreadsheet.
4. Ask The Right Mix of Questions
Not all questions are created equal. Mix it up:
- Rating scales: Quick, easy, and quantifiable (e.g., 1-5 stars).
- Multiple choice: Good for specifics, but don’t overdo the options.
- Open-ended: Use sparingly, and only when you really want detailed feedback.
- Yes/No: Simple, but don’t rely on them for complex issues.
What works:
- Giving people a way to elaborate, but not forcing it.
- Using Survey Sparrow’s logic jumps to make follow-ups feel natural.
What doesn’t:
- Long grids or “matrix” questions. Most people bail when they see these.
- Ambiguous scales (“Rate from 1 to 10, where 1 is good and 10 is bad…” Wait, what?)
5. Use Logic, Not Gimmicks
Survey Sparrow lets you use conditional logic—use it. If you’re asking about a product, only show questions about that product to people who’ve used it. No one likes irrelevant questions.
What works: - Branching based on earlier answers. - Custom thank-you messages for different paths.
What doesn’t: - Overcomplicating things with too many branches. If you need a flowchart to understand your own survey, it’s too much.
Ignore: Flashy settings like randomizing questions unless you have a real reason. Most of the time, it just confuses people.
6. Design for Mobile First
Most people will open your survey on their phone. If it’s not mobile-friendly, you’re sunk.
Checklist: - Preview your survey in Survey Sparrow’s mobile mode. - Keep questions short—no essay responses. - Make buttons big enough to tap. - Watch out for tiny fonts or images that don’t scale.
What works:
- One question per page (Survey Sparrow supports this). Less overwhelming, easier on thumbs.
7. Timing and Delivery Matter More Than You Think
A well-timed, well-delivered survey gets more responses—plain and simple.
Tips: - Don’t send a feedback survey right after signup. Give people time to actually use your product. - For transactional feedback, send surveys soon after the experience (but not at 3am). - Use Survey Sparrow’s scheduling and reminders—but don’t nag.
What works:
- Embedding short surveys in emails or on your website.
- Using SMS or chat, if your audience prefers it.
What doesn’t: - Bulk-sending surveys to your entire list. Segment your audience for relevance.
8. Incentives: Use With Caution
People love free stuff, but incentives can backfire if you’re not careful.
Pros: - Higher response rates, especially for longer or more in-depth surveys.
Cons: - Attracts people just looking for a gift card, not actual feedback. - Can skew results if the reward is too big.
What works:
- Small, random draws (“Complete the survey for a chance to win…”).
- Thank-you notes or showing how you’ve acted on feedback.
What doesn’t:
- Promising $50 for every response—unless you want junk data.
9. Test It Yourself (and With Others)
Don’t just trust the preview. Take your own survey on desktop and mobile. Get a coworker or friend to try it too.
Checklist: - Can you finish in under 3 minutes? - Are any questions confusing or repetitive? - Do all logic jumps work as expected? - Is the thank-you message clear?
Pro tip: Break your own survey with weird answers. If something’s confusing, your customers will be confused too.
10. Actually Do Something With the Results
Here’s where most people drop the ball: they collect feedback… and then do nothing with it. If you want people to keep answering your surveys, close the loop.
How: - Summarize key findings and share what you’re changing (“You said X, so we’re doing Y”). - Thank respondents—personally, if possible. - Use Survey Sparrow’s integrations to push results where your team will see them (Slack, email, etc.).
What doesn’t work:
- Surveys that disappear into a black hole. If you never act on feedback, people notice.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Most “survey best practices” guides will tell you to use 20 new question types and fancy AI analysis. Honestly? Start simple. Ask clear, specific questions, keep it short, test it yourself, and always close the loop with your customers.
Surveys aren’t one-and-done. See what works, tweak your approach, and don’t be afraid to ditch questions that aren’t helping. You’ll get better data—and better relationships with your customers—by focusing on what matters and ignoring the rest.
Now go make a survey people actually want to answer.